S05E03 stage blocking and choreography
The more I pay attention to the camera language and all the delicate designs and decisions in filming, shooting, and directing, the more astounded I am by the show.
There are so many delicate details and designs in cinematography and photography, so much more than just acting choices, but also the coordination between the actors, the cameraman, the director, and the Director of Photography (show's fifteen-season DP Serge really is unbelievably amazing, no wonder almost all the technical guests in Rob/Rich's podcast would more or less have to mention and praise his work).
Just the stage blocking and choreography alone are something worth noting. All the seemingly casual movements are just perfectly in sync with the shift in mood and relationship dynamics. The effect on the plot and emotion is almost like on a subconscious level. I never noticed before, and now I'm admiring with my mouth gaping. The camera language itself is a whole level of subtext.
An outstanding example is in this three-minute clip, where Cas is trying to persuade Dean to help him interrogate Raphael:
What we see on the surface may be just that Cas pops into the motel room when Dean is packing his duffel bag. During the whole conversation, he keeps himself busy by doing quite a lot of casual, random things, like washing his jacket, putting it on, walking around, cleaning his knife, putting it in his bag, etc..
But if we look a little bit more closely at each of those walking and moving, the timing of those moves in terms of the dialogue, and his relative positions with Cas every time, there is so much more to dig into.
(More gifs and detailed analysis below the cut. Long post warning.)
(Disclaimer: I'm no expert in cinematography or photography. Everything below is just my babbling while I enjoy the analysis. At the end of the day, everything is just my own thoughts and ideas.)
(Also, I'll try to look at the clips without too much ship rotten mind in my head, but I know myself, and I know perfectly that it's unavoidable, so apologies in advance. Forgive me.) (But I know people enjoy it too, so why am I even apologizing?)
Anyway, here we go --
When Cas first pops in, Dean's occupied by the sink, looking down at the tab and cleaning his jacket with a washcloth. Cas appears behind his back, and Dean's startled by the sneaky angel. Instead of glaring at the angel directly, Dean glares at his reflection in the mirror to snap, "Don't do that."
The relative standing position in this case is mainly plot-required.
We may also read into it some more to say that, showing up behind Dean, instead of in front of him, like he used to do more in Season 4 (if memory serves right), it might show that some of the angelic pride and arrogance from Season 4 is diminishing in Cas since his banishment at the beginning of Season 5. He's a little less proud, no longer that "You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back in" angelic asshole Castiel, but a more reachable Cas. His self-positioning relative to Dean has also shifted since Season 4 till now.
Then Dean turns around to face him. They are standing face to face, chest to chest, way too close in the usual human social distance standard. The move with eyes flickering down to the lips is pretty guaranteed to be jacting joice, but the rest, the standing position and their body stance, that usually should be directed and on purpose.
So, from the directing and designing point of view, standing so close to each other, on the one hand, it can show Cas's lack of knowledge in human interaction; on the other hand, it's a very visible showing to tell how close the relationship between Dean and Cas is, and the slight imbalance in it.
The fact that Cas is willing to stand so close and Dean is slightly uncomfortable, I think, is to show two things: One, that they are different, angels and humans experience and expect things differently, so it is guaranteed that even as their relationship is progressing, there will be unavoidable conflicts and frictions just because of them being too different (And from all the seasons followed, we knew it's proved too many times).
Second, at this stage, Cas is ready to full-heartedly trust Dean (he just died for Dean once, for the first time, that's enough proof), but Dean is still a little reserved. They are close, but still not close enough from Dean Winchester's point of view. He's a man with far too many walls, too thick and too high to cross yet (if ever), and even if he knows how much Cas did for him, how much the angel is willing to give to him, he still doesn't fully give in, or let his wall down, let Cas in. It's not really about "trust", but more about "vulnerability". His "personal space" is his range of self-protection, his wall, and he's literally telling Cas, they're not there yet. They may be friend, but he still only has himself, and Cas is outside his wall.
That also explains his initial hesitation of why refusing to help Cas look for Raphael.
But the fun thing is, Dean has many ways to regain his intruded "personal space", putting distance between them, hiding behind his wall. He can put that distance in by himself by walking away, by stepping back himself, but no, he chooses to point it out to Cas, to wait for Cas to step back, to retreat.
His protest isn't exactly strong or very insistent. The fact that he can't even really tear his eyes away from Cas's face and lips (again, jacting joice affecting here) shows enough that the boundary isn't that hard-defined. His wall is already crumbling; he's reluctant to let Cas in yet, but given time, there might be a time he will, and he knows that. And he's a little uneasy about the possibility. So by telling Cas to back away, it's his soft gesture of self-protection, a hesitant rejection, wishing that he wouldn't have to make any difficult choice down the line, as long as Cas doesn't approach, they'll be just fine. (And in fact, that's practically exactly what happened in the following ten years, up until the very last.)
So right now, from blocking's perspective, they're standing close, face to face, but conflicted. That's also their mental state; they're intimate to a degree, but not quite there yet. So to give each other a space to breathe, one of them or both will protest, and they will put more distance between them, emotionally or physically.
And in this case, Cas is the one who apologizes and steps back. The distance between them becomes socially acceptable, as if to say the definition of their relationship and the tension (or attraction) also returns to a socially acceptable range.
Metaphorically, if the initially half-foot distance is viewed as a romantic relationship-inclined kissing range, taking a step back is to say they both agree to return to a normal friendship range. Dean is the one vocalizing the rejection of potential suggestions, and Cas respects the decision. I believe neither of them really considers their relationship to be anything close to romance as of yet (Season 5 is still a bit too early for that development), but the camera language is somehow already suggesting the possibility.
As soon as Cas backs away, Dean walks farther away from him, taking at least six steps away from him across half the room. When he talks to him, his back faces him. They're emotionally very distant at this time.
Also consider what Dean is saying at the same time: "How'd you find me? I thought I was flying below the angel radar." He isn't exactly thrilled to see Cas, pointing out that Cas shouldn't be able to find him yet. He's really not in a very good mood right now, and from the context, it's mostly about Sam taking off. And Dean has a record of being unable not to lash out at people around him, the hint of anger is all around him.
So this "walking away", is really not about grabbing the jacket and bringing it to the bed where his duffel bag is, but about the motion of walking away itself, distancing himself from Cas, isolating himself physically and emotionally.
"His back to Cas", is saying he doesn't want to be talked to, his rejection to Cas (and the whole world, really). It's his gesture of shutting down the conversation. A silent "Leave me alone. Let me stay miserable alone."
When Cas looks around the room and asks, "Where is Sam?" Dean takes a second before answering, "Me and Sam are taking separate vacations for a while." He doesn't look at Cas when he answers, and he's busy putting on his jacket when he answers.
The topic of Sam is making him uncomfortable; it's the exact topic that he's been miserable about the whole time, and he doesn't want to talk about it. His "not looking at Cas" is another rejection of opening up, so is "putting on the jacket". The jacket is like a physical representation of his self-protection wall, adding another layer to the wall, so he gets to stay farther inside, farther alone, farther isolated and miserable.
All these moves are very literally saying, "Leave me alone, Cas. Let me stay in my wall."
And right after the uncomfortable question about Sam, Dean very actively (and not subtly) veers the topic away. He turns to Cas, and asks about his search for God and the return of his amulet.
It's the first part of the conversation that Dean speaks while he's facing Cas, and they're talking about serious business that is emotionally close to both of them (God hunt to Cas, amulet necklace to Dean), so he's facing Cas, putting his attention back to Cas and the talk.
Then Cas asks for help: "That's why I'm here. I need your help." Without listening to what the help is, Dean rejects instantly, "With what -- God hunt? I'm not interested."
In the meantime, his action is rolling up his sleeves. It's a gesture of showing more skin, which could mean potentially opening up slightly, might be willing to help, depending on the request; or getting ready to action, to leave the motel room and go out to hunt, which potentially could also mean to leave Cas behind, shutting him down without helping.
So Dean's action is basically saying he's currently at the crossroads of decisions, opening to either way. And Cas has to fight hard to make him listen.
And Cas chooses to close the distance between them, by taking four large strides across the room and standing right before Dean. And what he's saying at the same time is: "It's an Archangel. The one who killed me."
He's making it emotionally close to both of them again, while Dean has been trying to emotionally distance them all this time.
Cas reminds him that he was killed last year by the Archangel, a fact coming out of both their choices. Cas doesn't have to further say that his death was because he chose Dean that time, he lost everything for nothing; he already said that once, he doesn't have to make Dean feel guilty again, because Dean is already thinking all that. The weight of his ask is adding on. The causality could lead to the conclusion that Cas's death is partially (or entirely) Dean's fault; therefore, he has no reason to reject helping now.
Dean stops all his little restless actions with his hands when Cas stands right before him. He just stares back at Cas's eyes, getting captured by the heaviness of the moment, the memory, and the conversation with full attention.
(Which, however, is very likely jacting again, simply paralyzed by the extremely close existence of the other man.)
For several long seconds, they stay in the same relative position, standing close to each other, face to face, fully focused, exchanging heated conversation and information, Dean getting to know more about Raphael and Cas's request.
Dean hasn't shown any sign of being willing to help yet, but at least he's paying attention and learning about what Cas needs to tell him. He's listening, that's a good sign and a good beginning of some potentially closer improvement in their relationship, so it also matches the physically close distance in their standing stance right now.
However, as soon as he learns most of the information about Raphael, Dean walks away. Here is a very physical rejection: He walks past Cas to behind his back, so that when they continue the talk, they are essentially back to back. And he walks to the other side of the room again, putting as much distance between them as possible.
Which matches what Dean's saying after a scoff: "So, what, you think you can find this dude and he's just gonna spill God's address?"
He doesn't believe Cas's plan would work, which doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't believe in Cas -- it could be mostly about not trusting Raphael or God to even be able to be found or they'd help in any way. He expressed that same point in Season 5 Episode 2 when they were in the hospital as well, that either God is missing or He doesn't care. And here, finding Raphael is a part of the whole "finding God" mission, so he's still not convinced it's meaningful.
That's why, once again, he distances himself away, from Cas and his God related holy plan, shutting down in rejection and refusal, showing disbelief and no faith. Once again, it has nothing to do with him having to grab a knife and wipe the sink in the motel bathroom.
Cas doesn't turn around yet this time, when he says, "Yes, because we are gonna trap him and interrogate him."
Even without knowing much about human social gestures, Cas knows about the "turning his back", because that's exactly what Dean did in Season 4 Finale when they were both in the Beautiful Room. Back then, when Dean was mad at him for not helping, Dean also turned his back to him and told him to leave. So here, in a way, Cas must already realize Dean's rejection, and his own pride is making him not turn around first to be the soft voice. So he stays back to Dean, telling him his plan over his shoulder.
And this time, Dean is the first between them to turn around. His rejection is never set in storm, which is so visible just by all these times he walks past Cas, back to him, then turns around facing him again. All the back and forth, torn and undecided, all the hesitation right there in all his seemingly restless, random moves.
Dean realizes how serious Cas is about this plan and the mission, his voice turns serious, and Cas can hear it, so he turns around to face him, too. Once again, they start talking face-to-face.
The God hunting mission (extended to searching, capturing, and interrogating Raphael) has always been Cas's lone task; Dean was never really on board, not even until now. All he has done so far is to lend the necklace. But then, now, he really sees how important it is to Cas, and he sees the risk. He starts to very hesitant imagine a version where he helps Cas, opening up a little bit, not completely shutting the chance of them collaborating.
Cas hears that from his voice when he asks, "You're serious about this." Technically, it's not a question; Dean already knows Cas is serious, but Cas needs to answer and reiterate it again, telling him, "Yes."
I have the feeling that this "Yes" is a nod to the conversation they had in the Season 4 Beautiful Room, when Cas asked with his eyes when pushing Dean to the wall: "Do you trust me? Are you ready?" Dean nodded a "Yes". And this time it's the other way round. Dean asks if he's really that determined, and Cas is the one who confirms.
So with that confirmation and determination, Dean starts swinging. He takes six steps toward Cas, first time actively closing the distance between them to stand before Cas, to talk while looking at him in the eyes.
Even that he has a knife in his right hand matches the time in Season 4 Finale when Cas barged in and pushed Dean to the wall, he held a demon blade in his right hand as well. All feel very deliberate and parallel.
For the first time since the beginning of the conversation, Dean allows himself to emotionally get involved, even making the analogy of Thelma and Louise, must knowing full well that's a road trip movie of two same-gender characters having adventures that lead to an ultimate heroic ending.
He finally allows himself to imagine a version where he goes on adventures with Cas, even if the ending would most likely be both of them dead, going out in a swing, very much like Butch and Sundance style. Even though Dean's still talking about it in a joking tone, the thought of helping Cas is already starting in his head. So from now on, persuading Dean should be an easier task.
But they're just not here yet. Once again, Dean walks past Cas to his back, speaking with their back to each other. Which, again, has nothing to do with him having to put away the knife and put it into the duffel bag.
Dean challenges, "Give me one good reason why I should do this."
Which is essentially saying he would help, but with some condition. Which is already so much better than a direct "would not help". So it's practically already very close to a "Yes", only requiring a last push.
That is why Cas spends some long seconds trying to come up with "a good reason". But his understanding of "a good reason" is a little off from what Dean needs to hear.
Cas turns around to Dean again, but now both of them are standing sideways, not fully face to face, not fully back to back, just halfway hanging there, just matching Dean's hesitation.
Cas thinks Dean must be more tended to help if there is a practical reason, that's why the "one good reason" he offers is a promise that Dean would be safe in this mission. But that's not what Dean really wants to hear.
Dean turns fully around now to face Cas, out of surprise and a little hurt, I think. The look in his eyes is basically the same when he realizes he's needed only because he's useful, and all his life, he's been used as a tool, by his father, by everyone else, and looks like right now, by Cas, too.
That is when Cas realizes the mistake and retreats to emotional reasons. Dean doesn't do emotions, but emotional attachment, being needed and wanted, are the strongest reasons to reach him.
So Cas says, very emotionally, very relatably, very painfully, "I need your help, because you are the only one who will help me."
He rebelled for him, he fell for him, he died for him, he's being hunted by other angels and couldn't go back to Heaven, he doesn't have anyone but Dean. The loneliness and helplessness of having no one to turn to, the desperation, Dean knows perfectly well with that. That's why he prayed to Cas for the first time; he had Cas when he didn't have anyone else who would help him, and now it's Cas's turn to ask for his help, because Dean's the only one Cas has now.
There is no way Dean can reject that again.
They stand face to face, close to each other, share a long and beautiful ten-second stare, almost like a ritual between them. And Dean eventually gives up the pretense of self-isolation and dissociation, allowing himself to be physically close to and emotionally connected to Cas. That makes the final agreement, "All right, fine," so much more meaningful than just agreeing on hunting down Raphael together.
This is Dean opening himself up to Cas. This is Cas reaching to him across the walls.
After all the dancing around and turning back and forth, this is finally where they land, standing close, standing together, getting ready to head out shoulder by shoulder. It's like the showdown of a big dancing scene. That's why I deliberately call this sequence's blocking a "choreography", all the times Dean walking past Cas, almost bumping into his shoulder to stand behind him, to have his back to him, to show the rejection, only to always turn around, moving back toward him, the push and pull, the attraction and rejection, the self-isolation and uncontrollable tension, that's all a grand dance, physically and emotionally. And the blocking just shows everything perfectly.
I don't know if it's the director or DP or scriptwriter who came up with all these design ideas (which get translated to markers on the stage floor where Jensen and Misha move around following, no way any of this is improvised). In any case, this less-than-three-minute sequence is really the most impressive textbook-level clip showing how blocking can support plot and emotion, foreshadowing character relationships, without even being noticed. I love it and admire it so much.
