THE LANGUAGE OF MOTION PICTURES CHAPTER 2 THE LANGUAGE OF MOTION PICTURES

OBJECTIVES Explore the elements of Visual Composition; Examine the Language Elements of moving pictures; Acquire knowledge to Compose an Entire Scene Seamlessly; Learn how to maintain Continuity, and avoid common mistakes in building Image Sequences.

COMPOSITION: THE FRAME

COMPOSITION: ASPECT RATIO

COMPOSITION: RULE of THIRDS

REPRESENTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE Depth and Perspective

REPRESENTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE Depth and Perspective Scale Foreground and Background Light and Shadow Headroom and Noseroom Mise en Scene Angle

SHOT TYPES LONG SHOT (LS)

SHOT TYPES MEDIUM SHOT (MS)

SHOT TYPES CLOSE-UP (CU)

SHOT TYPES EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU)

MORE SHOT TYPES Medium Long Shot (MLS) Medium Close-Up (MCU) Two-Shot Three-Shot

MORE SHOT TYPES Objective Perspective Subjective Perspective Point-of-view Shot Over-the-shoulder Shots Overhead Shot

MOVING SHOT TYPES An element in a motion picture can be defined by its location in Four Dimensions: its place in Width, Height, Depth, and Time.

MOVING SHOT TYPES Pan Tilt Zoom Dolly Tracking (Trucking)

BUILDING BLOCKS OF VISUAL PROGRAMS Frame Shot Scene Sequence Act Feature, Episode, or Program Season Series

TRANSITIONS Cut Fade – in Fade – out Dissolve Wipe

THE MASTER SCENE METHOD Master Shot Captures all of the Relevant Action Gathers other shots to provide Variety Directs the audience’s Attention

THE MASTER SCENE METHOD

THE MASTER SCENE METHOD “Photos Courtesy of William Olsen; Illustration by Jesse Knight”

CONTINUITY Physical Continuity Temporal Continuity Spatial Continuity Continuity Errors Script Supervisor Temporal Continuity Overlapping Action Jump Cuts Spatial Continuity Position Jumps Eyelines

CONTINUITY The Line

EXERCISES 1. Select a classic painting. What is the Story told in the painting? How would you adapt the painting into a Scene for a motion picture? 2. Write an idea for an Original scene that can be recorded using the master scene method. Construct the scene Without sound or title cards. How will you communicate the story to the Audience? 3. Using a Still camera, take three pictures that demonstrate a change in a person’s situation from Happy to Sad. How do Angle, Framing, and Surrounding Elements support your story? Copyright 2008 Taylor and Francis