How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?

City of God achieves maximum impact through the use of cinematic techniques, and this is arguably used most effectively in the opening scene. The editing used throughout this scene is abrupt and sharp, enforcing a chaotic, hectic, confusing atmosphere that the audience finds themselves immersed in. This reflects the lives that the inhabitants of the Favela lead. One of the main focuses of the editing is the knife in the mise-en-scene, where the shots are extremely short, which could imply that the life span of people around is also very short. The first shot of the whole film, after complete darkness, is of a knife being sharpened on a rock, suggesting that the community is living on the edge of a knife, enforcing how dangerous it is to live there. This technique used reflects the genuine issues of the time the film was set in- in the favelas, someone died every 90 seconds, which demonstrates the short life span. Also, another aspect of the mise-en-scene, a chicken, is used to demonstrate the lifestyle in which the residents of the favelas are forced to partake in. A close up of the chickens foot shot a tag keeping him in place- he is trapped just as the residents are. Later the chicken becomes free and begins to escape, tracking shots show the frantic escape attempt of the chicken as it tries to escape its imminent, inevitable death. A chase sequence ensues and a long take tracking shot at floor level follows the chickens continuous narrow misses before ultimately stopping. This use of mise-en-scene, combined with the mix of long and short takes effectively foreshadows the numerous escape attempts that happen consistently throughout the film adding to the sense of verisimilitude.