In a grand university, the scene is set during an important graduation ceremony named “encaenia”. The camera pans over rows of thrilled students in metallic blue caps and gowns, symbolizing knowledge and success. Sunlight peeks through ornate stained glass windows casting prismatic hues across the wood paneled auditorium, creating depth. The auditorium is balanced by the stage at one end and the entrance at the other. The focus shifts between the audience and the dignitaries on the stage. Suddenly, outside, rain starts to pour.
Just outside the auditorium, huge puddles are forming. A shallow focus shot captures droplets hitting the surfaces of these pools, creating ripples. The color of the scene is dominated by the grays of the wet cobblestones and the gloomy sky. From the perspective of a low camera angle, it would seem that the ground, with the puddles, is vast and threatening in comparison to the students who are about to step out into their future.
This scene marries the contrasting atmospheres of the inside and outside of the auditorium.