1. THE LANGUAGE OF MOTION PICTURES
CHAPTER 2
THE LANGUAGE OF
MOTION PICTURES

2. 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.

3. COMPOSITION: THE FRAME

4. COMPOSITION: ASPECT RATIO

5. COMPOSITION: RULE of THIRDS

6. REPRESENTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE Depth and Perspective

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

8. SHOT TYPES LONG SHOT (LS)

9. SHOT TYPES MEDIUM SHOT (MS)

10. SHOT TYPES CLOSE-UP (CU)

11. SHOT TYPES EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU)

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

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

14. 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.

15. MOVING SHOT TYPES
Pan
Tilt
Zoom
Dolly
Tracking (Trucking)

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

17. TRANSITIONS
Cut
Fade – in
Fade – out
Dissolve
Wipe

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

19. THE MASTER SCENE METHOD

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

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

22. CONTINUITY
The Line

23. 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