1. DESIGN BASICS & COMPOSITION
OVERVIEW
The Principle of Role
The Role of the Frame
Separation
Wide, Medium, Close-Up
Position of the Optical Axis
Compositional Rules

2. DESIGNING IMAGES
To design an image is to intentionally place ALL of the elements within the frame to communicate specific meaning and emotional content.

3. DESIGNING IMAGES
Anything contained within the frame may be interpreted by the viewer, so absolute awareness is a essential skill for image creation.
Objects and structures create mutual relationships to one another – when you alter one element, you affect the overall meaning.

4. Goodbye to Boats (Sailing Out), John Baldessari 1972-73

5. THE PRINCIPLE OF ROLE
Each element in a message always has a specific function that is distinct (separate) from what it would have in reality.
In visual mediums, the role of an element is dependent upon the mutual relationships between elements and the frame.

7. SEPARATION OF OBJECTS REALITY IS PLASTIC VIDEO HAS A FIXED PERSPECTIVE
We can move and change our perspective
VIDEO HAS A FIXED PERSPECTIVE
Figures should be arranged to ease the viewer in separating elements
FUSING OF OBJECTS
Disturbing & Confusing Elements
Integration of Ideas

8. ROLE OF THE FRAME MATERIAL ROLE ARTISTIC ROLE
The frame defines active space
The frame defines active elements
Should exclude inactive elements
ARTISTIC ROLE
Enables creation of specific relationships
Elements in relationship to the frame
OBJECTS HAVE A RELATIONSHIP TO THE FRAME ITSELF

9. ROLE OF THE FRAME

10. WIDE, MEDIUM, CLOSE-UP Wide (Long) Shot: full body
Establishes scene, structure, character
Medium Shot: waist-up
Establishes relationships between characters, objects
Close-Up: full face
Shows character emotion
Can give first-person perspective
Can exclude elements intentionally

12. True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010
WIDE (LONG)
True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010

13. True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010
MEDIUM
True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010

14. True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010
CLOSE-UP
True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010

15. True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010
EXTREME CLOSE-UP
True Grit, dir Joel & Ethan Cohen, 2010

16. POSITION OF THE OPTICAL AXIS
EYE-HEIGHT = NEUTRAL VIEW
Wide-Angle and Telephoto Lenses
HIGH ANGLE SHOTS
Downward tilt or from above the subject
Relationship between an object and its surroundings
LOW ANGLE SHOTS
Upward tilt or from below the subject
Makes the object “Monumental”
TILTED ANGLE

17. Persona, dir Ingmar Bergman, 1966

18. Inglorious Basterds, dir Quentin Tarentino, 2009

20. Rule of Thirds

22. Nose Rule
Nose Room (or Lead Room) is the space in front of a moving or stationary object
We use this space to denote movement or direction of gaze
About 2/3 of space should be in front of subject, 1/3 behind
The angle of gaze can affect this balance
Reversing this balance can make the subject look cramped (or appear to be looking away, or leaving the frame)

23. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, dir Tony Richardson, 1962

24. Meek’s Cutoff, dir Tony Richardson, 1963

25. The King’s Speech, dir Tom Hooper, 2010

27. Headroom
Headroom refers to the amount of space between the top of a subject and the top of the frame
Headroom changes as we zoom in and out (from Wide to Close-Up)
With people, the eyes are the “subject” of the frame, and should be placed 1/3 of the way from the top of the frame to maintain proper headroom in any shot

30. 180 degree rule
When two characters appear in the same scene, they should always have the same left/right orientation.
This is achieved by drawing a line between the characters, and always positioning the camera on the same side of this line.
Crossing this line at an edit point will cause disorientation for the viewer.
One exception to this rule is if the camera or character moves during a shot, crossing the line while the viewer is aware

31. 180 degree rule

33. Shot-Reverse shot
The shot-reverse shot occurs when we see an image of a character looking at something, and then this is followed immediately by the object the character is viewing.
“Eyeline Matching” is important in creating the illusion of the shot-reverse shot.
When done properly, the viewer is “sutured” into the narrative.

34. ARRANGEMENT OF FIGURES IN THE FRAME
GOALS
Create Mutual Relationships
Emphasize Action In Depth (or…) Emphasize Flatness of the Medium
PLACEMENT TO EASE VIEWING
Principle of Contrast
DIRECTION OF LIGHT
USE OF A PERSON