Viewpoints in - Taxi Driver

Scene from Taxi Driver- Copied and cut from disc (Premiere pro, and Handbrake)

Taxi Driver is an absolute classic! Can't believe i only just discovered it the other night! I found that the direction of certain scenes are quite unique. In this scene, Martin Scorsese (director) captures various close up shots firstly focusing on the outside of the taxi. Then gradually makes its way to the inside of the taxi focusing on the drivers perspective, for example, peering out of right window.

It's interesting how the shots taken from the outside of the taxi are focused in a close up viewpoint. Where as the shots from the inside of the taxi, are focused on a wider viewpoint. Capturing more of the inside, than than the outside.

These isolate shots help the audience to relate to the drivers perspective. The audience is restricted to exposure of the life outside the taxi, so they are not distracted away from the character driving the taxi.

A good example of this would be the shot towards the end of the scene, where the camera tracks up the road, as if to simulate the movement and journey in the taxi. Its as if the audience is put in the drivers seat, looking trough the drivers perspective.

Ive started to recognize these viewpoints in film and photography, through doing work on story boarding. Its great to see how different directors experiment with viewpoints in their films.