First 10 (18) shots of Earth song by Michael Jackson

Earth song by Michael Jackson

1.

Shot duration: very long

Cinematography: big pan/establishing shot around the jungle to show animals

Transition: quick black fade in to shot

M-E-S: middle of jungle, peaceful- introduce the beauty that is later destroyed bright, happy lighting from the sun, very natural

2. 

Shot duration: long, continues from first shot, but there is a new frame.

Cinematography: big pan around the jungle to show more animals

Transition: part of one long pan

M-E-S: to show the size of the jungle, tonnes of rich greenery and vegetation. As camera gets lower, lighting gets darker

3.

Shot duration: long, continues from first shot, but there is a new frame.

Cinematography: pan ends with zoom in to contrast to the peace of the jungle and show destruction

Transition: pan gradually changes from high angle shot to low angle to show the height of the trees with sun peeking through, then to show truck disturbing the forest underneath

M-E-S: big truck, to push/ break down trees and undergrowth. Lighting is now dark.

4.

Shot duration: quite long 

Cinematography: pan to follow Michael Jackson as he is introduced, and to show performative element

Transition: zooms into truck to fade into darkness to then fade into next shot

M-E-S: deforestation – supposedly the aftermath after the plough had been through the jungle, massive contrast to the thick, dense jungle to emphasise that all of the nature has gone and been killed. It’s inhabitable, hence the lack of animals as oppose to before

5.

Shot duration: long

Cinematography: mid-long shot

Transition: continuity shot, it goes straight into the next shot.

M-E-S: Jackson walking through burning forest still allows for setting to be seen in the background. Also to show performative element

6.

Shot duration: very short

Cinematography: sudden, to shock the viewer

Transition: white flash into this shot from previous shot

M-E-S: desert with dead elephant and its baby lying on the ground, mother’s tusks have been ripped out by poachers

7.

Shot duration: medium duration to allow pan from elephant to people before close-up

Cinematography: pan from elephants on the floor to tribal people

Transition: white flash into this shot from previous shot

M-E-S: almost an establishing shot to show family and their location

8.

Shot duration: 

Cinematography: zoom in to tribal family

Transition: continuity shot, to allow quick zoom in to tribal family 

M-E-S: standing together in the desert in their tribal clothes looking at the dead elephant, very upset

9.

Shot duration: short

Cinematography: slight zoom in to close-up to show emotion

Transition: continuity shot

M-E-S: tribal man with spear 

10.

Shot duration: very short

Cinematography: mid shot to show performative element again.

Transition: continuity shot into this shot

M-E-S: burning forest and burnt-looking clothes

11.

Shot duration: medium, to show tree falling down  

Cinematography: slow pan to show family watching the habitat being destroyed. Camera also shakes to give the effect of an earthquake caused by the tree falling

Transition: continuity shot into this shot

M-E-S: a native family with their tribal clothing standing in an open space where trees have been/are being cut down

12. 

Shot duration: short

Cinematography: quick small pan of family 

Transition: continuity shot but the earthquake carries on into this shot

M-E-S: cut down or burnt down trees behind the family

13.

Shot duration: short 

Cinematography: to show performative element again of chorus

Transition: continuity shot

M-E-S: burning forest

14.

Shot duration: short

Cinematography: close-up

Transition: continuity shot into this shot

M-E-S: tribal woman, distress as she can be seen putting her hands to her face in disbelief as she watches the rainforest trees being cut down, which is her home full of nature and animals

15.

Shot duration: short

Cinematography: mid-shot pan when Jackson sings chorus

Transition: continuity shot

M-E-S: burning forest and burnt-looking clothes

16.

Shot duration: short

Cinematography: close-up to see boys face. He has a sad expression as he is looking at the dead elephant which is dead

Transition: continuity shot

M-E-S: young boy who standing with his family.

17.

Shot duration: short

Cinematography: long shot with elephants in foreground

Transition: continuity shot

M-E-S: dried out desert, dusty, no water, watering hole is dried out too. uninhabited

18.

Shot duration: medium

Cinematography: long shot to show many animals

Transition: previous shot fades into the next show

M-E-S: Paradise-like setting to show contrast to previous shot with dead elephants to a shot of a full watering hole with a whole heard of wild elephants and other animals. Trees are green and there’s grass too