Film Studies

The camera is the “eye” of the motion picture. It is not merely a mechanical thing of cogs and wheels and optical glass that records an image on a strip of film. Rather, it is an artistic tool—like a painter’s brush, or a sculptor’s chisel. In the hands of a craftsman it becomes the instrument through which a dramatic story can be placed on film—so that late on, in darkened theaters all over the world, vast audiences can see the film, react to it, and be entertained. - Herbert A. Lightman, Editor of American Cinematographer

 Film speaks in a nonverbal language of the senses:  Flowing and sparkling stream of images  Compelling and natural rhythms  Pictorial style Aesthetic quality and dramatic power of the image are extremely important to the overall quality of a film.

A cinematic film takes advantage of all the special properties and qualities that make the medium unique: 1.Continuous Motion 2.Rhythms 3.Flexibility and Freedom 4.Illusion of Depth

CONTINUOUS MOTION  Flowing, ever changing stream of images and sounds sparkling with a freshness and vitality all its own  Fluid blend of image, sound, and motion possessed by a restless compulsion to be vibrantly alive  Avoids the quiet, the still, and the static RHYTHMS  Continuous and simultaneous interplay of:  Image  Sound  Motion

 Communicate directly, physically, and concretely through images and sounds  Spirit us about on a kind of magic carpet ride  Show action from any vantage point  Vary our point-of-views at will  Manipulate time and space - expanding or compressing them at will  Make quick and clear transitions in time and space. Film has the ability to:

 Creates the impression that the screen is not a flat surface but a window through which we observe a three- dimensional world.

To appreciate fully the workings of the cinematic film, we must be willing to watch in a different way - focusing not just on what we are seeing but also on how it is being shown and why it is being shown that way. The movie camera sees the action taking place before it with cinematic points-of- view.

As you watch a film for analysis sake, the following questions about Cinematic Points-of- View need be considered… 1.From what position and through what kind of eyes does the camera see the action? 2.What effect does the position of the camera and its particular ways of seeing the action have on our response to the action. 3.How is our response affected by changes in the point-of-view? a.Objective (camera as sideline observer) b.Subjective (camera as participant in the action) c.Indirect-subjective (not a participant’s point of view, but we feel intimately involved.) d.Director’s Interpretive (He chooses what to show and how it will be shown).

Composition: The frame of the image and how the elements of the mise-en-scène appear in it.

Natural Laws of Focus  Vertical lines suggest strength, authority, and dignity.  Diagonal lines crossing the frame suggest action and dynamic movement the power to overcome obstacles.  Curved lines denote fluidity and sensuality; compositions that suggest a circular movement evoke feelings of exaltation, euphoria, and joy.

Directing Attention Several methods of directing attention are open to the filmmaker:  A. Size and Closeness of the Object- the eye is directed toward larger, closer objects rather than toward small, more distant objects.  B. Sharpness of Focus- the eye is drawn almost automatically to what it can see best.  C. Movement – the eye is drawn to an object in motion, and a moving object can divert our attention from a static one.

 D.Extreme Close-ups – brings us so close to the object of interest that we cannot look elsewhere.  E.Arrangement of People and Objects – director focuses our attention by the arrangement of people and objects in relation to each other.

 F. Foreground Framing – the framing of objects of greatest significance with objects or people in the near foreground.  G.Lighting and Color – high-contrast areas of light and dark create natural centers of focal interest, as do bright colors present in a subdued or drab background.

 Fixed-Frame Movement: Camera remains in one position, pointing at one spot, as we might look at something with a frozen stare.  Panning: Moving the camera’s line of sight in a horizontal plane to the left and right.  Tilting: Moving the camera’s line of sight in a vertical plane up and down. Keeping the Image in Motion

 Zoom lens: Allows the camera to appear to glide toward or away from the subject, but without any movement of the camera.  Mobile Camera: Freeing the camera from a fixed position can create a constantly shifting viewpoint, giving us a moving image of a static subject. By mounting the camera on a boom or crane, the camera can move fluidly alongside, above, in front or, behind, or even under a moving object.

 Editing and Movement: Editing creates the rhythm by piecing the shots into fluid motion.  Live Screen: Each shot is loaded with cinematic information.  Dead Screen: Large blank areas.

Cinematic composition must be concerned with creating an illusion of depth on what is essentially a two-dimensional screen. Several different techniques may be employed:  Movement of subject (fixed frame)- only the object of focus moves.  Movement of camera  Apparent Camera Movement (Zoom Lens)- focusing the camera on objects on different planes of depth (distance from the camera.) Creating an Illusion of Depth

 Deep Focus- special lenses allow the camera to focus simultaneously and with equal clarity on objects anywhere from two feet to several hundred feet away.  Three-dimensional arrangement of people and objects.

 Foreground Framing- sharp foreground framing heightens the feeling of depth.  Special Lighting Effects- shadows keep things from seeming flat.  Use of Reflection- information that usually needs two shots can be compressed into one (images reflected in a mirror or windshield)

The angle from which an event or object is photographed is an important factor in cinematic composition… Bird’s-Eye View: Scene is shown from directly overhead. Audience is placed in a God-like position. This is an unnatural shot because familiar object may be unrecognizable. Camera Angles

High Angle: The camera is elevated above the action using a crane. Not as extreme as the bird’s-eye view. The object or character is often swallowed-up by their setting making them part of a wider picture. Eye Level: The camera is placed 5-6 feet from the ground as a suggestion that it is a human observing the scene.

Oblique/Canted Angle: Camera is tilted to suggest imbalance, transition, and instability (popular in horror films). Also used to suggest point-of-view (camera becomes the “eyes” of one particular character). Low Angle: Visually increases the height of the object (Tom Cruise is a fan of this shot) and gives a sense of speeded motion. The added height of the object may inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

A scene filmed at greater-than-normal speed and then projected at normal speed. Slow Motion Slow motion is used to create a variety of effects: To stretch the moments to intensify its emotional quality. To exaggerate effort, fatigue, and frustration. To suggest superhuman speed and power.

 To emphasize the grace of physical action.  To suggest the passage of time.  To create a sharp contrast with normal motion.

When a scene is filmed at less-than-normal speed and then projected at normal speed. Usually used for comic effect or to compress time of an event. Fast Motion

1. To figure out the degree to which this film is cinematic, identify the following using specific scenes from the film for support: A. An example of when the cinematographer keeps the image constantly alive and in motion. (fixed frame movement, panning, tilting, zoom, mobile camera, editing, live screen, dead screen) B. An example of clear, crisp visual rhythm in the film. (Moving the story along visually at a pace appropriate for the content of the film) C. An example of when the cinematographer was able to create an illusion of depth that really stood out to you. 2. Describe a scene that made you feel like an objective, impersonal observer of the action (on the outside looking in). What was happening cinematically that made you feel this way? 3. Describe a scene that made you feel like a participant in the action. What was happening cinematically that made you feel this way? 4. Select a scene from the film that made you feel that the director was employing visual techniques to comment on or interpret the action, forcing you to see the action in a special way.