The film focuses mostly on the mental state of the protagonist and the psychotropic effects he experiences from NZT-48. Therefore the director Neil Burger aimed to create the mood of the film around the character’s state of mind. Burger captured two versions of New York through different camera works and effects to achieve the desired feel.
In the scenes the protagonist is down on his luck or off the nootropic drug the city seems drab and grim. The director shot hand-held to give a harsher look to mirror the disorientation the main character experiences. In contrast, in the scenes the character is on drugs and hyperactive the director incorporated a radiant and stable camera work. Furthermore, the shots are wider with vibrant colors which gives the film a smoother and more focused feel.
Rather than direct an objective perspective of the protagonist’s psychotropic experience, Burger uses effects to offer a subjective point of view. He introduced innovative techniques such as fractal zooming to display the loss of time and space while under the influence of the drug. In illustrating a sudden burst of inspiration Burger incorporated the sequence of graphical letters dropping from the ceiling creating phrases. To convey the newfound clarity and perception of the character Burger uses fisheye shots and jump cuts in innovative ways. Moreover, the director integrated the out-of-body instances which required motion-control photography and green screens.
