1. The Shot:
Cinematography

2. The Cinematographer’s Raw Materials
Critical flicker fusion (phi phenomenon, persistence of vision – 24 fps)
Film stock, gauge, format – color vs. BW, 35mm, IMAX, etc.
Frame – what’s viewable
Shot – what’s captured by a run of the camera
Exposure - filters & gels to manipulate light & color

3. Film Stocks

4. Exposure, Filters

5. Areas of Cinematographic Control
Photographic aspects of the shot
Framing of the shot
Duration of the shot

6. Photographic Aspects of the Shot Composition
Symmetry vs. asymmetry (rule of thirds)
Glass shot – shooting through painted glass
Superimposition – laying one shot over another
Projection composite work (rear, front) – green-screen work
Matte composite work – high-tech copy/paste
Deep focus – several planes in sharp focus
Racking focus – pull focus from background to foreground or vise versa

7. Symmetry, Asymmetry

8. Superimposition

9. Projection Composite Work

10. Matte Composite Work

11. Deep Focus, Racking Focus

12. Photographic Aspects of the Shot Light and Color
Color timer or grader – person who oversees color in development of film
Contrast – relations between dark/light
Tinting – dipping developed film into dye, colors light areas
Toning – developing film in dye, colors dark areas
Hand-coloring – painting individual elements within the frame

13. Tinting, Toning

14. Hand Coloring

15. Framing the Shot The Effects of Framing
Size/shape of frame
Onscreen/offscreen space
Vantage point
Movement (mobile framing)

16. Framing the Shot A. Size/Shape of Frame
Aspect ratio (Academy, widescreen, etc.)
Depth of field (degree of focus available with the camera)
Focal length
Wide angle (captures great width, distorts edges)
Normal (captures “normal” width, edges have straight lines)
Telephoto (captures great distance, flattens planes)
Zoom (focal length of lens varies)

17. Depth of Field/Degree of Focus

18. Wide Angle Shot

19. Telephoto Shot

20. Framing the Shot B. Onscreen/Offscreen Space
Onscreen space
Six zones of offscreen space:
Above
Below
Left
Right
In front
Behind

21. Awareness of Offscreen Space

22. Framing the Shot C. Vantage Point: Distance of the Shot
Seven gradations of camera distance:
Extreme long shot - landscape
Long shot – full human figure, head to toe
Full shot (medium-long or Plan Americain) – human figure from the knees up
Medium shot – human figure, waist up
Medium close-up – shoulders up
Close-up - face
Extreme close-up – single feature (e.g. eye)

23. Extreme Long Shot

24. Long Shot

25. Full Shot (Medium-Long, P.A.)

26. Medium Shot

27. Medium Close-Up

28. Close-Up

29. Extreme Close-Up

30. Framing the Shot C. Vantage Point: Angle of the Shot
POV shot – camera “sees” exactly what the character sees
Upward angle – camera is pivoted vertically on a horizontal axis to “look” up at its subject
Head-on angle – camera “looks” neither up nor down at its subject
Downward angle – camera is pivoted vertically on a horizontal axis to “look” down at its subject
Canted angle – camera “leans” right or left to upset the horizon line

31. Upward Angle

32. Head-On Angle

33. Downward Angle

34. Canted Angle

35. Framing the Shot D. Movement or Mobile Framing
Pan shot – camera moves horizontally on a vertical axis
Tilt shot – camera moves vertically on a horizontal axis
Crane shot – camera is mounted on a crane to shoot from high above the subject
Tracking shot – camera is mounted on a moving vehicle that follows the subject
Hand-held/Steadicam – maximum flexibility in the shot

36. Pan Shot (Hyperlink)

37. Tilt Shot (Hyperlink)

38. Tracking Shot (Hyperlink)

39. Crane Shot (Hyperlink)

40. Handheld/Steadicam (Hyperlink)

41. Duration of the Shot The Properties of Time
The take
Speed of motion
Punctuation shots

42. Duration of the Shot A. The Take
Length of take – short, medium, long
Sequence shot – a single, long take comprising multiple beats and camera movements

43. Sequence Shot (Hyperlink)

44. Duration of the Shot B. Speed of Motion
Slow motion – shot at more fps than projected to slow down the movement
High speed photography – shot at much more fps than projected to achieve an exaggerated slowdown
Time lapse photography – shot at much fewer fps than projected to speed up the movement
Ramping – alternating among slow, high and normal speeds

45. Slow Motion (Hyperlink)

46. High-Speed (Hyperlink)

47. Time Lapse (Hyperlink)

48. Ramping (Hyperlink)

49. Duration of the Shot C. Punctuation Shots
Fade out – from shot to black
Fade in – from black to shot
Dissolve – Shot A fades in as Shot B fades out
Freeze frame – film becomes still photo