Manhattan - Theme

Group: Manhattan
Theme: Life is a gamble.

Opening scene

Camera movements and angles

The scene opens with a fade-in, fade-out technique on the dice. The effect is quite chaotic. The viewer struggles to make out the characters and who is saying what. This emphasises the idea of life being a gamble - you never know what is going to happen. A view expansion shot is taken where the camera zooms out. There is a close-up shot of the dice followed by view of the room and then followed by a bird’s-eye view shot of the township. The camera tracks Tsotsi around the township – he is the leader.

Costuming and lighting
Tsotsi’s friends are wearing jackets and their outfit is layered. Tsotsi, however, is wearing a red shirt with pants. The combination is very simple. The general colour in the scene is a darkish brown. This makes Tsotsi, with his red shirt, stand out. One questions how they afford these clothes. A gamble, maybe? The only light in the room (natural lighting) comes from a window – the morning sun.

Characterization
In the opening scene Tsotsi is standing slightly apart from the others. He is refusing to join the gambling. Maybe he is already questioning his life – is his life really a gamble? What can he do to prevent himself from dying or living based on the roll of dice – based on luck? He is already trying to come to terms with his past and accept it as something he can do nothing about. His destiny sets him apart from the others – he will chose to live a life without the risks involved in a gamble.