Camera shot types

Throughout the film a variety of camera shots are used. However, due to the idea that the audience need to slowly unravel what the film is actually about and the discretion of the typical thriller, we constantly get to see the whole of everything that is going on (medium shots or long shots). This allows us as the audience to digest exactly what is going on and why it is happening in the film too.

On the other hand, the opening sequence- as it would usually establish the scene (establishing shot) could be argued both subverts and conforms to conventions. It subverts to conventions as a movie. However could conform to typical conventions of a thriller movie as it only shows extreme close ups of certain parts of John Doe’s body (such as his hands) allowing the audience to involve themselves in that they would need to figure out the basic idea of what is going on for themselves. 

The image with the men walking up stairs shows an image of when John Doe hands himself into the police- this is a medium shot of the two detectives, a long shot of John Doe in the background however it is also an establishing shot of where this takes place therefore you begin to understand why John Doe is in the presence of the detectives.