"Moonrise Kingdom" Screenshot Analysis

This priceless and beautiful scene from the film, "Moonrise Kingdom" occurs precisely at the time of 1:17:11 and essentially depicts Scout Master Ward rescuing Commander Pierce from his inflamed tent in the middle of the great flood. From this camera angle, we are viewing the action in progress from the center of the stream/flood canal looking upstream. The camera is placed low just above the height of the rushing water, therefore giving us a very slight upward angled view of the two characters of focus in this shot. The mise en scene occupies the entirety of the shot and it includes very extensive layering. The first layer of this shot is composed of the two characters jumping over the water just left of center; Scout Master Ward impressively carrying Commander Pierce on his back. On the right side, layer numbers two and three are the Commander's tent post (viewed from its right wall) and the flames that burst out through the tents front entrance (a purposefully cheap yet effective pyrotechnic method). The fourth layer is essentially the rushing stream of water that occupies the whole bottom "horizon" of the shot, with the walls of the steam on both sides. The rest of the screenshot is essentially the background of the scene which consists of the camp gates, the surrounding wall, approximately nine yellow tents, and the forest of pine trees that extend beyond the camp walls. The dark stormy sky occupies the entire top "horizon" of the shot and literally overcasts the mise en scene in progress.