CG087. Time-based Multimedia Assets Week 8. The language of the Camera.

Today The Camera in general. Cinematography Camera Angles Camera Distance and Language Mobile Framing Reframing Composition and Framing Your Shots.

Cinematography The “shot” 1 –> n frames of images captured sequentially (or designed to appear so) Photographic properties of shots Framing of the mise-en-scene Exposure, focus Layers (composites) Cinematographic properties of shots Frame Rate Apparent speed can be affected by difference in capture frame rate and playback frame rate –Slow-motion –Fast-motion Movement of camera and and/or camera support Lens Tripod Truck

Static Framing Size and shape of the frame Aspect ratio Masks Framing defines on-screen and off-screen space Off-screen space Space beyond each of the four edges of the frame Space behind the set Space behind or near the camera Framing controls the distance, angle, level, and height of a vantage point onto the mise-en-scene Angle Level Height Distance

Camera Orientation Angle e.g. Straight on High angle Low angle Level Canting (rare) Height Often relative to human figure

Camera Angles Shots with different camera angles. one of the major distinctions among types of shots is the camera angle. Changing the camera angle changes the appearance and function of your shot. Horizontal camera angles. Moving the camera around the subject horizontally while aiming at the subject creates different camera angles below:

1. Frontal. The frontal angle tends to flatten the three dimensionality of facial features and environments. 2. Three-quarter front. The three-quarter front angle is more often used than the frontal angle or profile because it shows more depth and volumes. 3. Profile. 4. Three-quarter rear. 5. Rear. Horizontal camera angles.

Vertical Camera Angles. Moving the camera around the subject vertically while aiming at the subject creates different camera angles below: 1. High angle. The camera is placed above eye level, looking downward. A high angle shot can make a character look smaller, younger, weak, confused, or more childlike. 2. Eye level. Most commonly used. 3. Low angle. The camera is placed below eye level, looking upward. A low angle shot can make a character look bigger, stronger, or more noble. It also gives the impression of height.

The images are from "The Art of Technique: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production" by John Douglass and Glenn Harnden Note: Indecisive cut When cutting from a shot to another shot with a different camera angle (e.g, from a frontal shot to a three quarter front), framing the same subject, the difference between the two camera angles must be greater than 35 degrees. If the difference is less than 35 degrees, and the appearance of the subject does not change sufficiently, you will get the unpleasant effect of an indecisive cut and the audience will perceive it as a mistake or a distraction.

Camera Distance and Language Extreme long shot Human figure is barely visible, shows a broad view of surroundings around the character and conveys scale, distance and geographic location Long Shot Figures are more prominent than in the extreme long shot, but the background still dominates

Medium Long Shot Human figure is framed from the knees up (very common shot) good enough to show physical setting in which action is taken place, yet close enough to shot facial expressions. Medium Shot Human figure is framed from the waist up (expression and gesture are more visible)

Medium Close-Up Frames human figure from the top of the chest up Close Up Head, hands, or feet, or a small object. Close enough to show subtle facial expressions Extreme Close-Up Singles out a portion of the face (eyes or lips) fills the screen with detail NOTE: In judging camera distance, the relative proportion of the material framed is the basic determinant

Notes: Indecisive cut and shock cut When cutting from a shot to another shot of a different shot size (e.g, from a wide shot to a medium wide shot) while framing the same subject, the difference in image size must be decisive. If the size of the subject does not change sufficiently, you will get the unpleasant effect of an indecisive cut and the audience will perceive it as a mistake or a distraction. On the other hand, when cutting from a shot to another shot of a significantly different shot size (e.g, from a wide shot to a close-up shot), you will produce a shock effect which is most likely inappropriate. The usual compromise is to have a shot of a shot size that is in- between the sizes of the two shots (e.g., from a wide shot to a medium shot, and then to a close-up shot).

Mobile Framing Camera movements Lens movement Zoom: The camera's lens is adjusted to increase or decrease the camera's field of view, magnifying a portion of the scene without moving the camera. Camera movement on static support Pan: The camera rotates from side to side, so that it aims more to the left or right. The camera does not change the location. Tilt: The camera rotates to aim upward or downward without changing the location. Tilt is sometimes called "pitch". Camera movement on moving support Tracking/dolly/truck: The camera's actual position changes, such as to move alongside a moving subject or to travel closer to a character during a scene. Dolly in moves the camera closer to the subject. Dolly out backs the camera away from the subject. Dolly in and dolly out are sometime called "track". Crane Aerial (helicopter, airplane) Camera supports Tripod, Steadicam, Handheld, Mounts on other objects and vehicles

Camera Moves Dolly vs. Zoom The difference between dolly and zoom is that when you dolly, you are moving the camera in space, while zoom refers to changing the camera's focal length. When you move the camera, the perspective changes. Objects far from the camera change in relative size at a slower rate than objects which are close to the camera. That is what you see through your human eyes as you walk around, your perspective changes. On the other hand, when you zoom (i.e., when you change the focal length of your camera), your camera does not move and perspective does not change.

Reframing Reframing in relation to figure movement Subtle adjustments of pan and tilt Following shots Pan Tracking shot Crane shot Reframing independent of figure movement Guide attention of viewer on captured subject Reveal information Establish next location

Composition and Framing Your Shots. There are many ways to compose a shot, depending on your goals. You want to be aware of what is in the shot and what isn't. And Why ? Ask yourself, can I clearly see what I intend for the viewer to see? Any confusion?

1. Rule of Thirds - Rule of thirds divides the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The points where the vertical and horizontal lines cross are aesthetically pleasing spots to place subjects or to have perspective lines converge. It is usually best to avoid placing horizon lines exactly in the middle of a frame, but to place the horizon either above or below centre, approximately one-third or two-thirds up the height of the frame.

2. Teeter-totter rule Lighter weight can counterbalance a heavier weight if it is placed farther away from the centre of the frame. 3. Avoid frontal angle The frontal angle tends to flatten the three dimensionality of facial features and environments. Angling the shot produces more depth and volumes. Shooting straight against walls produces flat compositions with little sense of depth in frame. Angling the shot into walls produces receding perspectives and a better sense of depth.

Text, e.g., the title of your work, should be kept in the centre 80% of the screen, within a guideline called the title safe area. To make sure that your audience will not miss any important action in your work, the vital parts of your scene should take place within the central 90% of your frame, a guideline called the action safe area. Why? It's because what's outside the action safe area is invisible on most TV sets. Safe Areas

Headroom - A term used with shots of people. This refers to the space above the subject's head. You'll see different amounts of headroom left, depending on the intent of the creator of the video. In general, if you're standing right in front of someone, you'll see that they have space all around them - they aren't cut off by a frame. By leaving headroom, or space beside them, you are imitating what you see in real life.

Talking/Walking Room - If you are interviewing someone or have video of someone talking, you generally do not want them looking directly at the camera (again, depends on your goals - certain situations may call for that). Generally you want the person to be looking off to the left or right of the camera a bit, towards where the interviewer is sitting. When you do this, frame your shot so that there is some talking room. That is, you want to leave some extra space to the side of their face as if you were going to draw a dialogue box in for them. This space is "talking room." If the person is talking to another person on camera, this is shown as space between them. Walking room, if the person in motion, gives them space to walk to. It leaves space in the shot for the action, whether it be words or walking.

Two shot & Over-the-shoulder shot Two shot shows two characters. Over-the-shoulder shot is a close-up of a character as seen over-the-shoulder of another person in the foreground.

180 degree rule If you are using multiple cameras and plan to edit the different shots in a scene into a seamless sequence, an important rule to keep in mind is to place all the cameras on the same side of a line of action. A line of action is a path which your subject is travelling along or an imaginary line between two characters who are interacting. This rule is called "180 degree rule". Look at the following camera placements:

180 degree rule If Camera 2 and Camera 3 are used, the audience stays on one side of the line of action. These shots are called "reverse angle shots".

180 degree rule If Camera 2 and Camera 4 are used, the audience crosses the line of action. It's disorienting and confusing.

Functions of Camera Movement Often increases information about the space of the image Objects become more vivid and sharp than in stationary framings Often reveals new objects or figures Provides new perspectives on objects and figures adding to our information about them and their 3-dimensionality Camera movement appears to be a substitute for our movement Unlike zooming or scaling, in genuine camera movement we see different sides of objects and backgrounds When the camera moves, we sense our own movement through space Whereas when the lens zooms, a part of the space seems magnified or de-magnified