When the player first encounters the staircase, it is not immediately accessible. However, it can be seen in figure 2 that the player torch beam illuminates it through a lattice to place emphasis on the location. This has the effect of signposting and drawing attention to the stairs. As shown in the image, the area illuminated also has prominence in the viewable scene, taking up the left third of the frame. This is an early indication of its coming importance. seen in figure 2 that the player torch beam illuminates it through a lattice to place emphasis on the Figure 3 - Placement, prominence and clever use of foreground and background start creating visual narrative Figure 4 - Use of height, placement and prominence show the banisters importance This then leads into the first time the player sees the ghost, as seen in figure 5, who hurtles past the player character. Its appearance is sudden and fleeting, with it passing through the frame in a matter of seconds. If this is again examined using the rule of thirds, both the player and the ghost have huge emphasis within the frame, dominating the intersecting points. Though the player only sees the ghost briefly, the context of the ghost’s appearance is immediately understandable due to the foreshadowing and visual storytelling leading to this point. Figure 6 — Camera traveling down, away from the character. Dutch tilt and negative space used to create suspens Figure 7 - Rule of thirds and negative space used to define important areas waiting, but with the uncertainty of where and in what form it has taken. The next shot (figure 6) sees the camera traveling down away from the player character on the same trajectory as the ghost, as if from the ghost’s point of view. Dutch tilt is also used to further create a disorienting affect. The player character is seen looking at the negative space at the lower third of the screen, conveying to the player that the ghost is now below them out of view of the frame and outside the player’s vision. This leaves the player with the knowledge that the ghost is below them waiting, but with the uncertainty of where and in what form it has taken. As the player regains control of the character and reaches the bottom of the stairs the shot changes to an establishing shot of the arena the player must confront the ghost in. In figure 7, the player and a collectable item are presented prominently using the rule of thirds, which serves to highlight both where the player is entering the space from and something they can utilise within the space to help them. The floor could also be seen as negative space, absent of anything and firmly placed inside the players mind as the area in which the impending confrontation will occur. Combat then takes place that sees the player switching to first person, subsequently become their own cinematographer.
