Everybody knows this scene. Even if you didn’t see the movie, you may have heard about the bear-attack scene from The Revenant. It’s such a simple detail in the story, but within that one scene is a ton of story taking place.
Leo plays Hugh Glass, a wilderness tracker trying to lead a group of fur traders out of Indian territory.
In the bear-attack scene, Glass shows his will to survive against a bear who is acting on its natural instincts to protect her cubs.
Both are locked in mortal combat and by the looks of the scene, it doesn’t seem feasible that Glass can survive, but he does.
This scene has to do two simultaneous things. It has to sell the viciousness of the attack and make the threat of death as real as possible, while also telling the viewer that Glass can survive, somehow.
Sell the viciousness:
During the entire scene, the camera never goes any higher than Leo’s head. This gives the audience a near point of view of what Glass is seeing.
Once Glass goes down, the camera stays low. The shots are close-up, limiting what the audience can see and forcing focus on the attack details.
The scene appears to have no cuts. Hidden cuts using CGI create the effect of a long take, making everything feel more real.
There is also no background music. This keeps the audience immersed, as if they are watching a real bear attack.
Sell the survival:
The acting plays a big role, but the storyboard sets it up. Glass remains conscious, reacting to every hit.
He fires his musket, uses his knife, and ultimately survives in a believable way.
To recap:
- Low camera height (POV feel)
- Close-up shots
- Long takes
- No background music
Stay Strong!
Jason