Focus on: Cinematography

Cinematography Etymologically breaks down to writing by movement. Like photography, light translates into visual information and meaning; however, apparent motion differentiates photography from cinematography.

Elements of Cinematography: Lighting Color (formally)/Contrast Film stocks & gauges Opticals (lenses, filters) Effects Shots*

Shots are defined according to… Size/Distance Angle Content Movement Point of view Conventions Examples to follow from each category… Initially, size/distance…

Defining shots by size/distance… Long shot Full shot Medium shot Closeup NB: Use ‘extreme’ sparingly

Defining shots By size/distance: a long shot often scans a wide area, providing information (literal and symbolic) including setting; it establishes parts of the narrative. (Signs)

Defining shots by size/distance: A full shot reveals a character from head- to-toe or a full object, often providing some contextual information (literal and symbolic) such as setting and action. (The Matrix Reloaded)

Defining shots by size/distance: a medium shots reveals a character from waist up or most but not all of an object. Meaning (literal and symbolic) is created by being this close to the object or character--not full and not so close. (Signs)

Defining shots......by size/distance: a closeup reveals a character’s face or a detail of an object. Consider how these two close shots from XXX literally show us Diesel’s character and symbolically make us feel intimidated.

Compare sizes/distances…

Shots are defined according to… Size/Distance  Angle Content Movement Point of view Conventions

Defining shots by angle... High or Angle-down Eye-level Low or Angle-up Bird’s eye Aerial Reverse Oblique or canted frame

Defining shots By angle: High angle shot looks down on the subject, suggesting its literal shortness and symbolic weakness or inferiority. (Spy Kids II)

Defining shots By angle: eye- level shot looks a character ‘in the eye,’ suggesting respect and equality or simply neutrality.

Defining shots By angle: a low angle shot looks up to the subject, suggesting its literal height and symbolic power. (Blue Crush)

Compare these angles...

Defining shots by angle... Bird’s eye Aerial Reverse Oblique or canted frame

Size/Distance  Angle  Content Movement Point of view Conventions

Defining shots by content... One-shot Two-shot NB: check conventions for overlaps

Defining shots by content a one-shot reveals one character... a two-shot reveals two characters (Frida)

Size/Distance  Angle  Content  Movement Point of view Conventions

Defining shots by movement... Moving camera shots include dolly, tracking, crane, aerial, pan, tilt, etc. Movement within the frame includes horizontal movement, through the depth of the frame, etc.

Size/Distance  Angle  Content  Movement  Point of view Conventions

Defining shots by pov... As in literature, film observes three points of view 3rd person (She, he, or it does it…) 1st person (I do it…) 2nd person (You do it… or, Do it!) Unlike literature, film has more gradual shifts in point of view.

Defining shots…... by pov: 3rd person is the most common perspective in narrative film. The camera acts as an observer of some actor or action. (Collateral Damage)

Defining shots by pov: shifts occur in film from 3rd to 1st and back again relatively frequently. A 1st person shift places the viewer of the film in the place of a character. This can be gradual or complete.

Defining shots By pov: 2nd person directly addresses the viewer of the film. This often enables some theoretical level in the film.

Size/Distance  Angle  Content  Movement  Point of view  Conventions

Defining shots by convention... Shot/countershot is one of the most significant and popular of the Hollywood tradition. Typically starts with full 2-shot; Cuts in to medium one- shot of ‘a’ character; Then, cuts to medium one- shot of ‘b’ character on opposite side.

Defining shots by convention... Shot/countershot (s/c or s/r) Reaction shot Establishing shot (inside/out editing) Eyeline match (cut) Devil’s in details NB: overlaps with content and other categories