Film Unit

Storyboard "There was not much written on the chase in the script. We had one page written on the sequence, but I wanted it to be seven to ten pages long. I wanted it to be the centerpiece of the movie. So rather than writing it, I sat down with my two sketch artists, David Jonas and Ed Verreaux and I just sort of made the whole chase up on paper from frame 1 to frame Steven Spielberg, on Raiders of the Lost Ark

Shot Basic unit of film One uninterrupted piece of celluloid without a cut.

Sequence A sequence is a number of shots put together to show an event Examples: The shower sequence from Psycho, the subway fight sequence in The Matrix.

Mise-en-Scene Technically means “in the frame.” It is a way to describe what the director has chosen to place in his/her frame. It includes actor’s positions, props, lighting, setting, and costumes.

Types of Shots Establishing Shot Long Shot Medium Shot Close-Up Extreme Close-Up In between

Establishing Shot Also known as ES Often coming at the beginning of a scene, the establishing shot sets the time and place of the action. It is often the outside of a building or a view of a city.

Long Shot Also known as LS A long shot is generally made from a sufficient distance to show a landscape, a building, or a large interior. Often, an Establishing Shot is a Long Shot

Medium Shot Also known as MS Generally, a medium shot leaves enough room in the frame to reveal full figures. It can, however, be a “waist up” involving several people.

Close-Up Also known as CU The image being shot, usually the face, takes up at least 60-80% of the frame. In a close-up, the whole object can still be seen.

Extreme Close-Up Also known as an ECU A close up shot in which the full object cannot be seen – only a part of the object is revealed. Usually a part of a face (an eye, lips, etc.)

In-between = Term + Term Medium Close-Up –The shot is somewhere between the two; part close-up and part medium shot Medium Long Shot –The shot is somewhere between a medium shot and a long shot. –The viewer can see most of the body

Medium Close Up

Medium Long Shot

Extreme Long Shot

Camera Angles Eye-level Low Angle High Angle

Eye-level Also known as EL 90-95% of a film is shot at eye-level because it is most natural The camera is even with the character’s eyes.

Low Angle Shot Also known as LA The camera looks up at what is being photographed, making the subject look larger than normal Has the intended effect of making the character seem strong, powerful, and/or threatening.

High Angle Shot Also known as HA The camera looks down at what is being photographed, making the subject look smaller than normal. Has the intended effect of making the character seem weak, powerless, and/or trapped.

Camera Movement Zoom Pan Tilt Dolly/Tracking Boom/Crane

Zoom The camera does not move, rather the lens is manipulated to make an object seem to move closer or farther away from the camera. Zooming in to a character is often used to highlight a personal or revealing moment. Zooming away from a character is used to separate the character from the viewer.

Pan The camera, while on a fixed base, swivels horizontally. Pan right (camera moves left to right) Pan left (camera moves right to left)

Tilt The camera, while on a fixed base, swivels vertically. Tilt up (camera moves down to up) Tilt down (camera moves up to down)

Dolly / Tracking The camera is placed on a track. This allows the camera to move with the action It can take several people, all operating in synchronicity, to operate a dolly.

Boom / Crane Camera is placed on a crane. This allows the camera to move up, down, or sideways. Used frequently in establishing shots, or to break the bounds of reality.

Sound Diegetic sound –Sound that can be heard by the characters within the film –Ex: gunshot, phone ringing, car engine racing Non-diegetic sound –Sound that cannot be heard by the characters in the film. Used to elicit a reaction by the audience. –Ex: soundtrack, suspenseful music, narration

Editing Techniques Cut Dissolve Fade Out/Fade In Wipe Two-shot (shot/reverse) Eye-line match Point of view

Cut A cut is the most common type of transition One shot ends and is instantaneously replaced with another shot There are no other editing effects between the two shots

Dissolve A gradual transition in which one shot is momentarily superimposed on another. This editing technique is used to create a connection for the viewer between two disparate images.

Fade Out / Fade In One scene gradually emerges from (or disappears into) darkness. Often, a “fade out / fade in” is used to mark the passage of time.

Wipe A new image wipes off the previous image. A wipe is more fluid than a cut and quicker than a dissolve.

Two-shot (shot/reverse shot) A shot of one subject, then a shot of another subject, then back to the first Used primarily to edit a conversation between two people.

Eyeline Match A cut from an object to a person. Used to establish that the person is looking at (or can see) the object.

Point of View (POV) Also known as POV Cut to an object through the eyes of the subject To view the events through the eyes of a character’s physical vantage point

Lighting Balanced Lighting High key lighting Low key lighting Bottom/Side lighting Front/Rear lighting

Balanced lighting

High key lighting The frame is flooded with light Intended effect: Bright, cheerful, open, and welcoming.

Low key lighting The frame is flooded with shadows and darkness Intended effect: Creates suspense, suspicion, intrigue, lack of trust

Bottom/Side lighting Direct lighting from below or from one side Intended effect: Danger, evil, divided motives, moral ambiguity

Front/Rear lighting Soft, direct lighting on face or behind subject Intended effect: Innocence, purity, the “halo” effect

Focus! Deep focus Depth of field Shallow focus

Deep Focus

Depth of Field

Shallow Focus