Who Is Andy Used In The Shawshank Redemption

In ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ directed by Frank Darabont the production techniques helped develop my opinion of the main character Andy. The three techniques used are, camera shots, music, and lighting. These techniques helped me become confident in Andy’s personality and my opinion of him. When we first met Andy he is a quiet man, giving off the impression that he is cold blooded, keeping to himself mostly and not bothered by those outside of his comfort zone. Others however feel that Andy is a snob, despite the fact that he did not speak to anybody during the first couple of months of his tenure at the prison. With these techniques, we can see that Andy is not like this at all. His true personality is uncovered and unleashed.

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The prison effectively “swallows” Andy. The camera tilt upward shows the daunting height of the prison. The cold granite wall reminds the viewers of Andy’s trial, with the words, “icy and remorseless” from the court judge still ringing in our ears. Andy’s lack of facial expression and odd manner, portrayed by the skillful use of camera shots, shows what people may think of him when they first see him. Red said; “I could see why some of the boys took him for snobby. He had a quiet way about him, a walk and a talk that just wasn’t normal around here. He strolled, like a man in a park without a care in the world. Like he had on an invisible coat that would shield him from this place. Yeah, I think it would be fair to say I liked Andy fro the start.” When Fat-ass died, his death provides a catalyst through which we can see Andy’s compassion. Remember, on the morning on which we learn of Fat-ass’s death, Andy is the only one who asks what his real name was. Remember, Heywood tells Andy it makes no difference what his name was. The close up shot of Andy’s facial expressions when Heywood makes that rude remark shows that Andy did care for the man who died. After Andy has been released from solitary, depressed, he asks Heywood for six feet of rope; the …show more content…
This film’s exterior shots there would be some natural lighting. However, even with sunny skies, the prisoner’s still look drab and colorless. Part of this is due to the blue/grey costuming and make-up design, but a large part of it is also due to the fact that the prisoners are always shot from the shadow side of their faces. They are never shown with the sun beaming directly on their faces until Andy plays ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ for them. In that shot, the camera sweeps over the heads of the prisoners as they stand looking up at the speakers and the sun finally hits them fully as Red explains that, just for a moment, they all felt like free men. Just as the music shows Andy’s compassion for sharing the music with the other inmates, lighting also shows that the inmates have a better hope for the future, with the full sun on their faces, again Andy has given them that feeling. In respect Andy himself is like the ‘redeemer’, he saves the prisoners, provides hope for them. This shows Andy’s other personalities other than compassion for others, such as his empathy for others, his musical side, and his determination. Another example where lighting is used to show Andy’s personality is when Andy asks Red if telling the ‘sisters’ that he wasn’t homosexual would help, and Red responds wittingly with: “Neither are they, you have to be human first, they don’t qualify.” When the ‘sisters’ attack Andy for the first time, the characters are shot in