Shot sizes: extreme close-up. In the final scene, Ally is singing a song in memory of her husband. The long shot, when she is standing in front of the audience, is changed by the extreme close-up focused on the main heroine. This sequence shows the scale of emotion and sorrow that starts with the public and ends with her deep personal loss.
Camera movements: tracking shot. A tracking shot is used in the scene where Ally is walking towards Jack after having a panic attack over her album. Coming from the bathroom where she had a call with her drag queen friends, encouraging her and congratulating her success, she decides to face her fears. Thus, tracking shot – when a camera is behind the character – reflects her determination and allures to the opening title scene where Ally is walking from work and singing.
Cinematography: point-of-view shot. A point-of-view shot was used in the movie multiple times. For instance, all musical scenes were shot from the musicians’ perspective (Covill, 2019). However, the scene that took place after Ally and Jack’s first performance, helps to convey the main character’s emotional state. The spectator sees through the eyes of Ally a crowd of people surrounding Jack and can immediately relate to the feeling of being lost and uncomfortable as she was just setting in into the musician’s life.
Aspects of mise-en-scène: location. As the movie concentrates on following a singer’s journey to fame, it is obvious that the change of location would be a meaningful tool to emphasize it. It is interesting to see how the action moves from a drag bar where the story starts to big venues where Ally performs at the end of the film.
Sound elements: diegetic sound. The movie is filled with diegetic sounds that make the narrative realistic and alive. However, there is one scene where diegetic sound is almost absent. When Jack decides to kill himself and takes a few moments before closing the garage door, all sounds seem to disappear. The viewer can only hear Jack breathing, and it fully reflects the character’s state of despair and loneliness.
Editing: shot/reverse-shot. This technique is normally used to give viewers a sense of linear action. However, Star is Born has a special meaning for showing the relationship between people. Thus, in the film scene, when Jack and Ally are sitting at the grocery store parking lot after their first acquaintance, this technique is used. The audience can see how in this dialogue the two characters establish their special connection and fall in love.
Reference
Covill, M. (2019). The cinematography of ‘A Star is Born’. Film School Rejects. Web.