Table of ContentsTechniquesAnalysisConclusionWorks CitedThis is the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a bank vice president, convicted of murdering his wife. Andy claims he was falsely accused, but all the evidence points to Andy and no one else. As a result, he was sent to Shawshank Prison, to serve a double life sentence. Enter Red (Morgan Freeman), a convict serving time at Shawshank Prison. He is the ever-popular prisoner, skilled at smuggling items into the prison at the request of his fellow inmates. He finds Andy to be a rather different person. Initially, Andy is withdrawn and introverted. Later, he approaches Red about a deal. Red secretly receives the item he needs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay later. Little by little, Red and Andy both form a good friendship. They go through the years facing oppression, pain, despair, experiencing great moments of solidarity and, in Red's case, useless rehabilitation checks where he is always rejected. Andy is given work in the prison library. He slowly gains a reputation among the guards by helping them with all kinds of banking-related things: taxes, loans, raising children, etc. Even the director begins to have Andy do his regular accounts. And so the years pass. Over the years, no one accepts the idea that Andy is innocent, because apparently, in a prison, "everyone is innocent." But years later, the arrival of a new inmate, Tommy (Gil Bellows), changes the world forever. The resulting revelation leads to Andy's mad desire to seek "salvation". What happens next is one of the greatest sequences in cinema history. It is the human tendency to redeem ourselves that leads us to all of life's great moments. This is what The Shawshank Redemption is about.TechniquesMany cinematic techniques were used throughout the film as a clever way of conveying the main themes. Using camera angles was a clear way to define a character's personality. The warden, Norton, is often seen from low angles, which highlights his high status in the prison and his authority. While Andy is inside Shawshank, we don't see much color variation, mostly just shades of gray. These dull, lifeless colors highlight the prisoners' lack of power and, for the most part, their lack of hope. This contrasts with the colors shown during Andy and Red's reunion. The audience no longer sees the gray and depressing colors, but instead sees the bright sand and vibrant colors of the Pacific Ocean. This shows the audience how Andy is no longer controlled by the conformity of prison life, has taken back power, and is now finally free. Similarly, in another scene, when Brook releases his bird, Jake, from prison, we see how lighting was used to show the theme, that hope is the key to redemption. In this scene, the prison library is very dark and we could only see the light from the window where Jake was present. When Jake is freed by Brook we see him go straight into the light, this means he is flying towards freedom and has hope as he is not held back by institutionalism. Jake flying out of a window to freedom gives a more optimistic view of Andy's human spirit. This foreshadows Andy's escape from Shawshank's redemption. As quoted by Red in voiceover, I have to rememberthat some birds are not made to be in cages: their feathers are simply too shiny. However, we see Brook walking through the darkness and out of camera. This leaves us with a shot of darkness that emphasizes the theme of how Brook was busy dying and had lost redemption, hope, and freedom. This loss of identity is also manifested by the fact that he walks in the darkness with his head down. Talk about the loss of hope and how he feels defeated by the institution.AnalysisIn the film Shawshank Redemption, the director used various techniques such as music, sound, colors, lighting and angles of camera to present the main theme and purpose of the film. Lighting and cinematography play a very important role in the film. The film uses long shots, close-ups and slow zooming on the characters to make the story more intimate and impact the viewers. When filming the prison guards, the camera angles are low, making the guards seem more powerful and admired. When filming the prisoners, camera angles often look at them from the sky, showing their lack of power. Close-ups are often used for Red and Andy because they are the main characters and the focus of the story. The film is narrated by Morgan Freeman who tells Andy's story of how he was convicted, his life in prison and his escape. Freeman has the perfect voice to tell a story that makes you listen more. The costumes are a gray/blue prison uniform. These colors are dark and negative, life in prison is unbearable and horrible. The film shows a side of prison that we are not used to seeing. As the film progresses, we as an audience come to believe that the characters are not that bad even though they are in prison. Ironically, most of them are innocent. As an audience, we then begin to sympathize with the inmates and want them to escape and be free. Throughout the film, Andy is attacked several times. This makes us pity him even though he is in prison for murder. The movie is great because of the strong plot that develops. The film depicts a man who loses everything and lands in prison. But as the film progresses, he manages to find moments of happiness with other people in the same situation. The film never uses special effects but nevertheless manages to maintain our interest thanks to character development and an excellent storyline. One of the main weaknesses of the film is the character development. Andy makes many friends in prison, but we never find out how his friends ended up in prison. It would also have been nice to have a scene at the end showing what Red and Andy are doing a few years later. I strongly feel that the music should have been more motivated. This movie really deserved an iconic soundtrack. More than the brilliant acting of Mr. Freeman and Mr. Robbins, as well as the superb direction of Frank Darabont, the cinematography is utterly impeccable and the film has a steady flow. It also has an engaging plot and setting that fits the overall themes quite well. The Shawshank Redemption is a very human story with many powerful and moving scenes. The film highlights the triumphs, tragedies, and deeper meaning we seek in our own lives. I would surely recommend this movie to everyone because it is full of life lessons that are definitely better understood and felt after watching it. The film depicts the bond shared between two men during the years of their imprisonment who share emotions and find comfort in each other,.