Setting Up Your Shots

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SettinglUp Your..Shots 1I

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Gfeat Camera Moves Every Filmmaker Should Know .

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2nd Edition

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ContenFS

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Acknowledgements , How to Use This Book

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Introduction

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Basie Cinematie Te~hniques Pan Tilt Dolly Tracking Shot ¡ Mechanlcal. Pull Focus i ,, Zoom,

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Transltlon , Montage : Framlng Terms Exerclses

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Composition' Teehniques Camera Helght Dramatlc Angle Extreme Angle , , ,.. ,.,., Blrd's-Eye Vlew , ,', ".: ,., " ,., Screen Dlrectlon.""" , , , Tllted Horlzon, ,., , , , , , , Canted Angle , , ,',., , , , Extreme Close-Up , ,

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Crafie Up, Move Away , , ,." ,.,., ,: " ..".,.,., 28 Crane Down, Move Toward , :.. , , ,.,., , ,.,.,., , ' ,. 28 I Searchlng Crane , , , , ,.. ,.,., ,.,.,., .. , , ,.,.,., ,.. ,., ,.. ".,. 29 , Rise Up , ,.,., , , ' ,.,.,., .. , ,.,., " ,."." .. , ,.,., , ,"'''''''''''''' 30 Fall DOWl1 " ,., ,., ,., , ,.,., ,.,.,."., , , ,.,.,., ,' ,., , 31 CraIle Front-to- Top .. , :.. ~ , ,.,." , , ' ,. 32 Crane Up Entrance , 33 Crane Up Expression ,., , ;.,.,., .. , , , , 34 Crane Up. Look DOWl1 , ," 1 35 Crane DOWl1.Look Up ,,", ' " 36 Exercises,.,.,.,.,', ,.,.,., ,",.,.,.,', ,',.,.,.".,., ,.,., ,.,., " ,.,.,., 37

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Techniques oC Mo~ement

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Contents

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Character Dol!y ,.,., ,.,." 1 ' , ,., ,., ,.,.,."., ".,.,., ,., ,.,.,.,.,",.,.,I .. 40 Discovery ,",.,., , ,., , , , ,., .. " ,.,. 41 Pul! Back Retractlon " .. ,l..;.. ,.,., " ,." ,., ,.,., ,.,', .. ,.,., " .. ".,.,.,.,.,., ,. 42 Pul! Back Reveal ,:, ".:,.,., , , ,.. l.,.,.,."., ,.,.,., ,.,.,.,., .. ,',.,',.,',., ,.,. 43 Open Up ,., ,., ,',.,., ".,',., ".,.,." ,.,.,., .. ,., .. ,.,.,.,., ,.. ".,.,.,."." .. ,',., 44 Close Out., , ,.,., .,.,.,.,.,., , ".,.,"",.,., ,.,.,., , ,.. ,.,., ,.,.,.,.,.,.,., ,.. ,.,.,. 45

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Draw Out •••.•.•••...•.•..•••.•••.•..•••••••.••.•.••••••••.••.••.....•••.••••• : ••••.••••.•••••.....•••.•.•.•.••••.•.•••• <17 Spln Around ••...•• : •••••.•..•••••.•.•....•.•.•••..•.•.••••..•••••.••••••.•.•••••..•....•.••••••••••.••••.•••••..•..••• ;lB Fly Over ••.•.•.•••••••.•••••..•.•.•.•..•....•.•.•.•.••••....•..•••.•••.•.•••.••••.•.••••.••••••.•.•••••••...•••.•.••••••. 49 Depth Dolly ••.•.....••.••••.•.••••.•.•.•.•.•......•....•....•.•..•...•..........••••.•.••••••••.••.••.•••••••.•••..•••• 50 Dolly Up ••.•.••••........•.••••.•••••....•.•.•.•......•..•.•••..•........•.••••••.•••.••••••••......••••••.•••••••....••• 51 Dolly Down ., "., , ,.,.,., ,." ,., ,., , ,.,., ,., ,., 51 Spln Look .. , , ,., " ,.,',."., ,."., ,.,.,., , , ,., "., 52 Traek Through Solld ••••••.•.••••.•.••••••••.•.••••.•..•.••••••••.•.•.••••••••.••••.••••••.•.••••••.•.••••.•.•••••• 53 Vertigo •••.•.••••••.•• '•••. o. o.• o••• o•••••• o.•• o•••• o. o. o..•••••••••.••• o•. o••. o. o••••••••.• : •••. o. o.•.•.••••••••.•••• 54 Expand Dolly ••.• o••.. o..•••. o. o. o. o.•••.•.•.•..• o. o.. o' o.... o. o.....•••.•.•••..... o.••••• o•.•••• o................•.•• 55 Contraet Dolly oo••. o. o. o•••••. o' o.••••. o. o.•••.•.••••.•... oo" o o. o•.••••.••... :o oo•.•.•.•••••...... o.. 56 Collapse Dolly •... '. o•••••... o. o. o•. o. o. o...• o. o. o.••...... o. o•• o•.• o•••.•... o. o. o. o.. o•.. oo•••.• o•••. o... o...••••••••• 57 Long Sho!. o. o. o.•••.•.•.•••••. o o. o o•.• o•.••••... o. o. o. oo. o. o. o•.• oo o' o o. o.•••.•.•.•••• o. o.. o..•.•••.. 5B 00

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Techniques oC PersRective 61 POV •..•••.•.•.• o.. o.. : o.... o. o. o•.•.••••.•.•.. oo. o.••... o. o. oo•••.•..•.• o o. o.••• o•••.•••••. o.. o' o.....••..••••••••.•... 62 Inventory POV o•. : o•••.... oo... o. o. o.. o. o•.•• o••• o•..... ,.. o...• o... o••••.• o... o•... o. ooo•..•.••••.•.. o. o.......• o...•. 63 POV ObJec!. •••••• o' o. o. o. oo. o. o. oo. o•.• o. o. o•••. o. o. o.. o. o.... o. o•••••.•••• o. o.. oo.. o•••....•.•..... o. oo... o. 64 POV ProJeetlle . oo••, oo•.•.•. o••. o. o. o o..•.. o...•••. o. o oo••• o•••.•.. o oo o.•••••••••••• o. o.. o..• o••••• 64 0

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Screen Reflection Portal Shadow Silhouette SubJective Exerclses

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Camera Techniques 79 Whip Pan ,' ,"' """."'."."".'"'.".'''''.,.''''''.,.''''.''' 80 Whip Cut.,." ..""" """" ..",.,., ",: ,'" ""',.,.".,.,.,.".,,, , ,,.,., ,,. 80 Whip Zoom Look "" ..""", ",.,""',."".,., .., ,."" , " """',, ..,, , 81 Search Up ".,,, ,, ,", ..,,..,, , ,,..,,., ,,.,., ,, 82 Back to Frpnll:••••..•.•••.....••••••••.•••.••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••...•...••.......•.•.•.......•........•••••...•.• 83 Focus Out, Pass Out , ' 84 Focus Transltlon 85 Overexpose Fade, 86 Underexpose Fade" ",.",.",.,.""'".,.,." ".,., """., ... ,..,',.,.,.".,.,.,.,.,.,,",,.,.,.,,''',,. 86 Ceiling Twist """", , , , , , , ,.,., , ,',.,.,., , ,., " .. 87 Fl1p Over """"",," , ,.,.'.,,, , , ,., ,,.,.,., ,,., ,.,''''', .. ,.,., .. , , 88 Shifting Angle." " ,.,,, , ,., , , 89 Sleepover .., " ..,., ,..;,., , , , , , ,., , , 90 Exerclses 91 j ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Editing Techniques Jump Cut ,., ,.,.,.,.,., ,.,.,.,.,., , , Match Cut ..,.,.,.,.,.,., ,.,.,.,.,.,', .."., "., ,."".,., Impact Cut , ,., , , , , , " ,., Impact Move., ,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., ,., , ,.".,.,., Thematic Cut.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

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Subliminal Cut"""""""""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Cross Cut"""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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Montage Sequence , Jump Cut Sequence

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Fil!, Reveal Frame.,."".",.".,.,."".,.,., .. ", .. ,.,.".,.,.,.".""".,.,.".,,,.,.,.,,., .. ,,,,,.,,,,,,,,,,. 112 Walk, Reveal Frame, .. ,,,,,.,,,,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.,.,,.,,.,.,,,,.,.,,, .. ,.,,,,.,.,.,.,,, .. ,.,.,,.,.,.,,,,.,,,.,,,.,,. 113 Callage "''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''"".".",.,.""".",.".,.""".,.""",,,,.,,, Camera Snap "" '''''''''''''''" """"''''',,' """'"'''''''' "",,"'" ""'"'',,'''

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Clnemallc Reality ,., ",., ,.".,., , ,., , ,., Slaw Mallon .".,.,",." .." ,.,.,., ,.,.; .. ,." ,.".,.,.".,.,.,",.,., Fasl Mallan ,." ,.,., ,.,.,.,",., Mallon Mixer., ,.,.,.,., , ".,.,." .."., , , ,',., ,., Image Harmony." ,.,.,', ,',., .. ,',., , " "., , ,.. ,

Image Dissonance

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MiscellaneouB Techniques

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IcOI1 , 124 Particles , ,., ,. , ,.., ,., ~., 125 Blomass ,' , ,.. , , 126 Split Focus , ,', ,.,., .. , , , "., .. ,'.,., 127 Lightlng,.,., ,.,.,., ,.,.,., ,.. , ,.,., ,., .. , i 28 Color .... 'í' ......•.•... " •••. : ...•••• , •...• , ' ••.••.••• , ....•................................•• , .....• , ••.•...•.••.•..... , 129 Chroma Keying , 130 Color Seep ,., , , , ~ 131 Journey Through Eye , ,..' ,., ,., 132 Rear Projectíon ,,; , , ,., , , ,",, ,, , 133 Global Zoom 134 Time S¡lice : , ,., , , ,.. " .. , , , , , :.. , 135 Strohe 136 Thematlc Filter !.. 137 Negative ,., .. " " .. ,., "., ,.. '."".,., ,.,.,",., ,., ".,.,'".,.,.".,.,'" .. " .. ,", 137

Imagery

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Kinetlc Imagery Lens MIxed MedIa MIxlng Stocks Sound Design Voiceover cm CInema X-FIles Exercises,.,.",.:.,.,.",.,

Summary oo •••••••••••••••••• About the Authors., Movies Index

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Contents

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¡ BASIC CINEMATIC TECHNIQUES 1set out to wrlte this book becauae 1wanted to reach beyond the baste clnematlc elements that many flmmaktng booka describe, One of the best ways to learn about these constructs la to w8tch as many mov1esas yau can. Unfort~nately, nat everyone who's Jnterested in filmmak1ng can dedicate that klnd of time to the procesa, Th1s book simplifies the ordeal by compl11ngthe most common and dtstinct f1.1rnmakingtechniques

taken from hundreds

oí films.

It can't hurt to go over the bastes befare we arrive at the next "plateau" oí cinematic techniques. 1have attempted to provide methods fot conceptual1z1ngeach eIernent - a way oí visualizing what the technique actually looks like. Visualizatlon skills should allow yau to look at the world around you in a new, einematie eontext.( This new sight is similar to what artists see when they start to recognize lines and colors in the world, allowing them to create abstract representations ofreality,

A NOTE ON CRAFT The American film industry is not exactly renowned for its foeua on craft, It's a buslness-orlented machlne, where often the realities of cold hard cash outweigh the desires oC individual filmmakers to streteh the boundarles oC film with uniQ4e and lnteresting ideas. If you do ever manage to secure the finanelng Cora film of your own, you might have only one good chance to demonstrate your skllls as a filrnmaker, So be prepared.

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PAN What does IIke? , it look ,

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Pan 15the horizohtal axis of came'ra movement. When the camera pans, 1t turns left and right. To conceptualtze a Pan, stare straight ahead alid turn your head to 'he left and to the right. Pannlng 18cornmoflly used to look aCTass a very wide panorama that doesn't lit wlthin the camera frame - a landscape, [or example. 1h18 technique can be' used within a 5cene to follow characters or vehicles as they move around. this 15'known as re.framlng the shat.

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Where can 1 see it? In Zulu, the c~era

Pans ~cross ~ seemingly endless Une of Zulus on a hm, toward the British waiting in the foreground.

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[ord 15discovered af the bar with a simple Pan in The Way We Were.

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Bas1e Cinematie Teehniques

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TILT What does lt look lIke? Ttlt 18 the vertical axis of camera movement. When the carnera tilts, 1t pivots up and down. Ttlting 18cornmonly used to look over tall

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objects such as a eathedral or an office bullding. To conceptuallze a Tat, stare stralght ahead and pivot yaur head to look up and down. Llke the Pan, this technique 18used withln a scene to follow characters in motian - knOWl1 as re-frarning the shot,

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;z. Tilt Basle Clnematic Techniques

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DOLLY,

TRACKING SHOT What does it look like?

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Also known as a "Tracking Shot," Dolly ls a very natural technique - the ca.ttlera slmply moves horizontally through space. The energy of this technique ls simJlar to a person walklng or rlding on a movíng platform - a wheelchalr, for example. To conceptuaUze a Dolly, turn your head toward what you are lnterested tn, Then walk forward and watch the world go by, Th18ls how a Dolly movement looks to an audlence,

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rnovernents rnay or rnay not use , '-'--o"~-,, '[;,,";';:'(--~_-'..lI----,---_ an actual dolly. Generally sorne kind ofplat".,_.. , . ;~~~~c_. '-""-""",, forrn with wheels. the dolly moves along ''"~~ -'" '"-~ "-~"'-".,-,,~. tracks that determine the dlrectlon ofmoveDo!!y mento Tracks must be used because pushing the platform 'over uneven ground results in shaky and erra:tic camera movement. The SteaéUcam18an alternative devíce that allows a camera to be carrled, without experfencing the bumps and jiggles u8ual1y assoclated with handheld camera work. This makes the carnera appear'to be "floating" through the alr. If a camera operator has a steady grip, handheld cameras can create dolly-l1kemovements as well.

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4 Baslc Clnematic Techniques

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MECHANICAL What does It look llke?

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Mechan/cal techniques inchlde the use of devices that allow filmmakers to create unique apd lnterestfng camera movements. These are easler to conceptuallze when we can mave as the camera does - which 18posslble if a device has a platform ihat we can slt or stand an.

Cranes and Jibs are the most common examples oC mechanical devices, Each ofthese devices has a mechantcal"arm" on whtch the camera 15 mounted. This afro hinges on a plvot ihat Crees the camera to mave through space, alloWing the creatlon of sweeping. dramatic camera movements.

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There are many other specialized mechanlcal device~ availabl~. Each device creates a unique type o[ moHan ihat altérs the El.1fdlehee's percep-

Han of a film in sorne specJal way.

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.Crane Sequence Basle CinemaUe Teehnlques

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PULL FOCUS What does it look like? Pulllng Focus 15consldered a natural camera technlque. The camera lens operates s1mil~rlyto the way Quevisian functions. OUf eyes continually alter fecus: whenever we look at objects at alternating distances in oue fieId ofview.

We can either be focused on somethlng close to us oc on something f~r away. Since we generally don't have the ability to focus on both at the same time, oue eyes must Pul! Focus to compensate. When mak1~g a film\ Pull!ng Focus 15often necessary because most camera lenses don't keep the entire scene in focus. As the camera pana, tilts, and dolUes, a crew member called a "focus puller" will adJust the facua to match whatever the camera 15 looking at and to compensate as actprs mave through the scene.

conceptual1ze this technlque, eonsciously focus on objeets at different depths as you look around, To

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6 Basle Cinematic Technlques

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ZOOM What does it look like? , . 1 The focallength oí a camera lens determines th~ distance ihat the camera can "see." Zoom lenses allow the focal 'ength to be gradually changed. W1th a Zoom, the fraGle may transit10n from a wide shot to a c\ose-up without ever moving the camera. I

The Zoom18consldered an unnatural technique because our eyes aren't able to lncrementally change thetr focallength. Because oí this, Zooms are often used for effeet. A very slow Zoom can be a subtle

alternative

to a dolly mave-

roent in locaUons where there 18no room to rlg a dol1y and track. A very fasi Zoom - a whlp zoom - can be used to draw attent10n t.o objects in a scene.

Where can 1 see it? Fluttering 200ms are lised in OJ. Jane durlng acUon sequences. Flutt~ring Zooms are also used in Opera, in conjunction W1th the souna of a heart beating. The camera Zooms ln toward and out from sUll photographs tn Soylent Oreen. In Zatoichi, an emppaUc whip zoom shows a samura.i's face as he's told his rJval's name. The Color oi Money uses both fast and slow zooms in many scenes. The Wlld Bunch showcases many different klnds ofzooms - slow, fast, short, extended, zoom In, and zoom out.

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Zoom , Basic CinemaUc Technlques

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TRANSITION What does it look lIke? A Transttlon 15any rnethod for switching from aue image ar ''frame'' to another. The simplest of aH Transltlons 15the cut. A cut may appear almost scamless to the audience, or it may be used to creatc harsh jumps in Ume and space.

Dissolves are very cornroon in ffiQvles. A dissolve layers a new hnage ¡;>verthe aId aue, gradually increasing the new image's opaclty until the transltíon 15complete. Dlsso1ves create a "soft" Transitlon. ' Fades slowly change to an image fram a colored screen or fram an image'lo a color, The facle color 15usually black, but not excluA facle to red could induce the fmagery ofblood;

sively. Far example: fading to'white frequently' stlOWS sorne kind of "explosive" Transltlon. or blue of the oeean. Fades often begin and ehd scenes, I ' ,

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Effeets Transltlons use a spectal effect to transform one tmage lnto another. Examples of effeets Transitlons include wipes, page turns, vertical blinds, and morphtng. Effec~s TransltloflS may be accomplishe4 w1th spee:lal:lzedequ:lpment sueh as an optical printer, or with a eomputer. : I

Where can 1 see it? l'

Several hor:lzontal w:tpe Transtttons are us~d in Red Beard. I

Effects Trans/tlons g:IveStar Wars the feel oí an old sclence fiction B.movle. At the end oí Jacob's Ladder, the scenery índes to whlte 'as Jacob ascends tnte;¡ heaven with hls son,

8 Basle Clnematie Teehniques

MONTAGE What does it look like7 Wha! le Montage? There are at leae! a few recognlzable deflnl!lone for !he word. The inoe! common of theee le: a speclftc sequence oC 1mages in a film, usually without words and afien 8et to ~uslc, For clarlty 1choose to call this the "Montage Sequence." Many filma use this technique to express tlie passage oí time or a sequence oí events with littJe or no dialogue. , I

According to Webster's Dlctionary, a montage 15"the comblnation oí elements oí difÍe~ent pictures, e'sp. photographic." If we go by this definition. then a montage :15slmply a series oí images -l1lte the cuts in a film. Ther~fore, every film Is an example oí montage. Perhaps the most uhique descriptiou oí rnontage can be found in the wrlt1ngs oí Sergel Eisensteln, one oí the forefathers oí modern film theory. Eisensteln said that montage can be seen in ftlms, and that its essence can be seen everywhere --' in writing, in music, in art. Eisensteln's definition of rnontage allows for a broader definition - the collection of "elements" that build something - the tastes, slghts, sounds, textures, and smells. Because film is purely an audio-visual medium, film rnontage isbased en buildingup structures that affect the visual and aural senses. ~

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Even though montage 15a very important aspect of film, it can be detr1rp.entalifnet u~ed correctly, André Baztn, a respected French film critic, argued that the lack of montage can actually be benefictal for certain types of ~lms. The reduction of spl1ctngand cutting in a film gives the audlence a more realistic perception of the story's time and space. Without montage, a dlrector cannot cut away to hide falsehoods and mistakes. '

Where can 1 see it? In Babel, Montage is used when Cate Blanchett's lnjured charaeter ls transported by heltcopter to a hospital. The entire sequence ls shown enUrelywith images. No dialogue is used.

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Baste Clnematic Technlques 9

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FRAMING TERMS Cornmon terms used to [rame obJeets within a sccne are generally appl1ed to actors, but can refer to inanimate objects as well. Examples are: a close-up of a phone or an extreme close-up of a caín slot. A director will often capture a coHecHan oí master shots, mcdium shats, and clase-ups to provide a variety offootage durlng editing.~. I

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EXERCISES • Plek sorne ofyour favorite movies and watch them again. lustead ofwatching them for the stery. concentrate nlques the director uses, such as pan, tilt, dolly, mechanlcal, pull focus. and zoom.

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\ • Wateh for different types oí trllDsitions. Keep an eye out for cuts, facles, dissolves, and wipes. If you have the capability, slow ,the playback to observe .quick transltions in slow meHan . • Learn about montage. There are many good books on the subject, including the works oí Sergei Elsensteln and André Bazín. Montage 18a fundamental eIernent oí cinema. By exploring this technique, you'll greatly expand your knowledge andyour ab1lity to comprehend how films are made . • Seek out montage. Not only wtll you see mont¡:'lgein movies, hut you'll dlscover that lt's a tundamental aspect oí art, muslc, and other fields of creation, Observe how smaller components are combined to create the coHecHan oí dements that an audlence enjoys . • Wateh for clase-ups. estabUshing shats, extreme clase-ups. he frames actors or obJects in a scene.

Observe how the director changes the meaning of a shot by the way

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COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES What 15composlt1on? Composition describes the way a dfh~ctorpos1tlons, groups, atranges, and views obJects within the '[rame when he's filming a scerie. Maybe he compases the shot so ihat the good characters are aH on the left sirle oí the screen and the evil characters are aH en the r1ght. Maybe he t1lts the camera sl1ghtly to add tenston to a scene. The ideas behind composition are lnherlted from thousands oí years oí art history, and are every bit as meanihgfulln the world of mation pictures. Thls book 15by no roeans meant to be an authoritative subjeet on framing and compostUon. There are plenty oí good texts already wrltten an ihat subJect. liowever, sorne of the composltion technlques ihat are used mos! often in filrnmak:lng are included he~e.

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CAMERA HEIGHT

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What does it look like? The height oí the camera has a considerable a shot.

effect on the meaning of

If yau only show a person's [eet, there 15a mystery - who are they? This 18'a very eoroman technlque. If yau show their upper body but not their face, you discover more about thero (they might he doing something

wtth their hands),l hut you stm don't really know who they are. Flnally, when , the camera 18 brought up to eye level with the actor, the mystery ls resolved and the charaeter ls revealed.

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See Rosemary's Baby, ncar the end, in the scene where Rosemary 18 carrying a knife. The camera alternatcs Camera Helghts to show different aspects ofher emotional state. Her feet, the knife in her hands. and a clo'seup oí her fear and anxiety a11heighten the effeet oí the scene.

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DRAMATIC ANGLE, EXTREME ANGLE, BIRD'S-EYE VIEW What does It [ook like? A Dramattc Angle adds to the emotional1mpact

6f a scene.

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acters and objects seem tall and powerful. A high carbera angle gives the characters , feel- as Ji the audience 18laoking down,on them.

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An Extreme Angle 18a magntfted version oí a Dramattc Angle. An extreme low angle might start below the feet oí a subject, starlng up +nto the sky. An extreme hlgh angle could be the view fram the top dí a tall office building. looking down on the insign1ficanoe oí humantty.

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A Bfrd's-Eye Vlew 15an Extreme Angle in whlch the camera 18positioned directly abhve a scene, facing stralght down.

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A hlgh Dramattc Angle 15 used to view the carnage aIter a shootout iri Taxi Driver. A hlgh Dramattc Angle 18used in Niagara as a man ktlls his wtfe. A low angle is used in Stray Dog tovlew a conversation. Most of the frame ls filled wtth the clouds aboye. The Crow uses many Extreme .Angles to achleve the aesthetic oí a c6rnlc book, ¡¡lmedium wh1ch commonly exaggerates angles and perspective. In Termlnator 2: Judgment Day, many of the sequences wtth the Termlnator are shot frorn a low angle. This technlque enhances his image oí strength.

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Composition Technlques

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SCREEN DIRECTION What does'it look like? EssenUal to establishing the visual flow oI a collection oí shots, Screen Dlrectlon 1$simply the direction an object 18facing In a scene -left or r1gbt. Screen Dlrection can maintain a visual conUnuity when making cuts, or 1tcan be used in a non-standard

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For example: If a director 15filntlng two actúrs talking to each other, he might want to use clase-ups. He must be careful to always film the actars [rom the same sirle. Ifhe doeso't do ihis, ene ofthe actars might face the r1ght side oí the sereeo in sections oí the dialogue and the left side of the Bcreen in athers. This would be very disconcerting to an audience. This ls cornmonly referred to as 'tile 180 rule - yau must stay within a 180 are oí the actars in arder to maintain consistent Screen Dfrectlon. Of 0

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Where can 1see it? In Das Boot, the submarine always faces toward the right side ofthe sCfeen when travel1ng out to sea and toward the left when comlng back to porto

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TILTED HORIZON, CANTED ANGLE What does it look like? Also known as a "Dulch TUI" or a "Canled Angle," Tllted

Hortzon slmply lnvolves Upplng the camera sl1ghtly to fue side in arder to lncrease the tenslon tn a scene.

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angle enhances. Because our eyes are used to seelng everything straight IIp and down, the dlagonals that result from Tllted Horfzon tend to attract our attention.

Where can 1 see it? Tilted Horfzon 18used extensively throughout The Thlrd Man. Canted Angles are used in The Fisher King to lndlcate Parry's mentalinstabllity.

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EXTREME CLOSE- u'p What does it look like? An Extreme Close-Up ls sirnply a magnlfied yiew oí a sxpall object, causing tt tb tUl the enUre frame. ' Extreme Close-Ups are effective because we are not used to seeing an abnormaUy magnified level oCdetall. By filllng the '[rame wtth a singular (eature, the audlencc's attentlon 15drawn to ihat subJeet, to the exclusion of everythlng else. Extreme Close-Ups can be used to emphaslze

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scene or a sequence

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of dialogue. Far example: if a character is¡nervous, the director mlght cut to an Extreme Close-Up of the actor wringing his nands or shifting her eyes.

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In U Turn\ Extreme Close-Ups are frequently cut in at odd lntervals with the acUon and dialogue'. In The Fifth Element, we see an Extreme Close-Up oC Leeloo's eye opentng as she discovbrs the horrors of war.

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Staglng 18somewhat the opposlte oí montage. l)lstead oí cuttingbetween wide shots, clase-ups, reversals, and ,.' eutaways, Stag(ng lnvolves filmlng in very long sections. Stagfng derives 1ts name from its slmilarlty to watchlng a play being performed on stage. When yau watch a play, there 15 no camera to cut back and forth between the actors. The audience sees a11oí the action being performed from a single dlstance and angle.

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Rape 15 an experimental Hitchcock film composed of extremely long takes. Woody Allen 18 lm0wn for filrning scenes as very long sequences without cutting. This gtves the actors more

freedom to imwovlse. because fuey don't have to warry about how the editor wiil splice the cuts together in post-production. ,

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Composition Techniques

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DEEP STAGING, PLANAR STAGING What do es ,it look like? ~

Deep Staging lnvolves placing the charaeters

in the frame at excessive distances from each other, emphasizing depth. Qne

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character could be al! tbe way down the hallway, whlle the other

eharacter sits in close-up toward the frant. Planar Stagfng has roots in the theater, where aH the charaeters are l1ned up an a stage. Planar Staglng emphasizes a flat , surface for staging a acene.

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Where cart 1 see lt? Plana, Stag,lng

In The Virgln Spring, the charaetera line up at a dinner table as an example oí Plartar Staging. In'The Outsiders, a deep frame 15 used. Dally runs in the foreground and a cap car 15far in the background on a rain sUcked street. In Red Beard, four doctors 51t to have a meal. They are composed left to rlght, faclng the camera, an example oí Planar Staglng.

CiUzen Kane makes considerable use of Deep Stagtng. In 2001: A Space Odyssey. there Is a conference in wh1ch the speaker stands at a podlum fsr in the backgrou~d.

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Campaslt1an Technlques

LEAD THE EYE What does It ¡ook IIke? A director can compase a scene in such a way ihat objects within the scene Lead the Eye toward a speclfic obJeet, character, or sectlon oí the frame. ' Leading the Eye 15often accomplished with the use oí a long object such as a ferree. a winding road, a dinner table, ar even a Hne oí actors. The advantage oí ihis technlque 18 that 1i makes It easler for the audience to figure out what to fceus on in a complieated scene, or it can slmply be used for aesthetlc effeet.

Where can 1 see It? In Through a GlaBs Darkly, a long pier Leads the Eye out luto the ocean. In Wltness, a group oí Amlsh :slt in a Hne. Thls Hne oí actors Leads the Eye toward a block oí Amlsh standing in the background. Wltness also uses long reads and ferrees to Lead the Eye. Liv UlIman runs clown a long road in Shame, searching for her husband, A row of burning Chinese junks Lead the Eye in The Sand Pebbles. A curving road Leads the Eye in How Oreen Was MyValkY. A long stone wall Leads the Eye to a duelin Barry Lyndon. A row of parkIng meters Lead the Eye in Cool Hand Luke. Ratlroad tracks also Lead the Eye far into the background :In ano other scene. A Une of lamps on atable Lead the Eye to a CEO in the background tn Network. A flagpole Leads the Eye in Fearless towards Jeff Bridges below. 1 A truck rolls down a h1ll over a long road in Paper Moon. A bridge Leads the EYE! in Thunderbolt and L:lghtfoot. Lead the Eye

Composition Technlques

21

3'SAND 4'S What does jt ¡ook like? A helpful technique 15to real1ze that the human eye naturally

forms bond s and connections between obJects within a acene. OUT seose ofnatural composlt1on aften sees harmony in objects that form triangles, or groups of3's. Thls can be useful when composmg scenes with a small number oí actors, or a couple oí actors and an object or leon in the background. In more complicated scenes, in whlch there are more than 3

characters,

1tmay be helpful to conceptualize each group of adors as

their own separate 'triangle group', Ifyau're trying to shaot a acene with lots oí characters, and they're aH changtng poslt1ons this can be

useful. Keeplng an eye on the trlangle groups should help yau main. taln a reasonáble composition as the scene sh,lfts and changes.

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In The Seventh Seal, Jof. Mla, and Antonlus sit and discuss their Uves in. a 3.type. composition, In~, th'e four members ofthe family form their own 4.type composltion, conslsting of two trlangles with a shared line, In The Blg Lebowski, three men sit in a theater, discussing thelr plans. I "i , In Winter Li@j;. as two charaders talk, a large cruclfix in the background makes up the 3-tyPe COmpOS1tion~in The Life Aguatic. two actors talk in a bar. Extras in the: background form 3-type coropositions as an "addition" to the two actors in foreground. A detective at a bar, the crowd behind him and dancIng @rls on stage forro a 3-type composltion in Le Cercle Rouge. i Jim, his rnother on the stairs, and hlsJather are a11arranged in a 3.type composit1on in Rebel Without a Cause.

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CampaslUan Technlques

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INTERIOR FRAME What does it look like? The frame created by the film camera to surround the lmage we see on screen 15 the exterior írame, Far added effect, the filmmaker can add en lntertor Frame, such as a wlndow, a bush, or a dooT. Thls effeet isolates the characters even further within fue frame and makes the scene stand out from a group oí actors performtng in an open space.

Where can 1 see it? In Children oí Men, we watch a character through a pane oí broken glass that 15used as an Interior Frarne. In Signs, we see the famlly eating dinner through the daor oí a restaurant.

This 15 also seen in The Last

Wave. In 13 Tzameti, the Interior Frame 15a window pane as a roofworker watches a couple talking below. In

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a chíld 15framed by the raised

afros oí a statue. In Winter Ught, we see a woman in her classroom as if standIng , . outslde In the hall. In The Sllence, Interior Framing Is used to show a woman in the bathroom through the bathroom door. In Dirty Harry, we see CHnt through a broken window. Dustin Ho{fman is framed through Mrs Roblnson's arched leg In The Graduate. Interior Fram(ng is used in Nevada SmIth as the character approaches the house where hIs parents have been k1l1ed. We see a dead agent framed through a light shade In The Ipcress File. A sequence is framed by a windshleld as a character searches for a kIdnapped boy in Shoot the Plano Player.

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Composition Techn1ques

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LAYERS What does it look llke7 Withln every shot and every scene, the director has the opportunity to compositionally build up his scene in Layers. Background objects can add hints oc details to what 15going 00 in the midground.' Foreground obJeets can appear to emphasize depth. Midground obJcets can be used to separate the foreground and background Luyers.

This technique 18 liseful J.n building up detall in a

scerie. Remember, a clnematic'shot 15more than simply pointing a camera at a face oc an object and rolling the camera. Every detall wtthto the scene can be ased to alter the audlenee's perception oí the story and/oc cinematic contexto

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Where can 1 see it7 In Gloria, a woman shoots through a car .full oí meno The bullets speed from the background; through the midground, through the foreground, ,toward us, This use of Layers is vúy effective in emphasizing the lmpact her actions have by stacking several actions into one • frame. In Cast Away, Tom Hanks loses his. prec:lous volleyball. D:lrector Robert Zemeckls . , uses Layers to show the aud:lence where the volleyball is, but not the character, In Cast Away, we see a picture of a w:lfemarrying l3er new husband in the background Layer of a scene after Chuck Noland comes back from the lslanp.,!In Titanic, Layers are used to show wh:lstle :Inthe foreground, This whistle doesn't seem lmpartant at first. but later on it wU1be crucl81 to ensuring Rose's survival. ., In The Yakuza Papers, many Yakuza are f-ayerfd in groups throughout the scenes, In The Eagle Has Landed, portraits of Hitler face the camera in a foreground Layer. In Bontire of the Vantties, we see a gargoyle heaQ in the foreground layer, and New York in the back. ground far away, In Do the Right Th:lng,characters mave between the fareground L~yer (inside the restaurant) and the backgound Layer (outslde, seen through the restaurant lfin,ctow)wtthaut'cutting. , A scene in Paper Moan has three Layers: a ticket salesman in fareground, Ryem O'Neal in the niidground, and Tatum Q'Neal1n the background. f

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Composition Technlques

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MULTI-LAYER ACTION What does lt ¡ook llke? Wlth Multi~Layer Action, the audlence watches ane scene oecur in the foreground whUe another occurs in the background. This can be an exciting way tú bring together storylines or to show the relationsnips between multiple story paths in a film.

Where can 1 see it? In Piratea oí the Carlbbean: Dead Man's Chest, we aee two plrates with a chest, a woman, and three men flghUng with swords. Each oí these character groups 15actlng in a separate layer oí the scene, In Shoot the Piano Fleye! , three people argue in the background whlle the main character stand~:In the foreground and we hear a vo1ceover oí his thoughts.

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In Red, the camera focuses on two layers oí an exterior scene. In the foreground 15a man's girlfriend, walking toward his apartment. In the background. a model runs outslde to turn off her car alarmo

Multf.Layer Actfon

In Touch of Evil, Vargas iS on the phone 1n the foreground. A cop arid a gangster ln custody stand outside, seen through the W1ndo~.

Composltion

Technlques

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EXERCISES . Read a few good books on compositio~. You can find th1s information in books about photography, fine arts, graphic deslgn, and more. Composition has been studled for thousands oC years. There 15plenty of material Cil the subject. • Vislt an art gallery ar read a photography book. Try to ldentify the composiUonal techniques yau have learned within a work of art. Use these technlques

in any films yau directo

. Wateh sorne movles and concentrate on how the director compases objects in a scene. ematic technlque avatlable to thero, includíng composition, • Practice composition.

Skilled directors will use every cirr-

You don't need an expensive film camera to do this, You can practice w1th penetl and paper, or by slmply

observing the composition of.objects in the to see composlt1on1at wo.rk. ,-

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around you. Also look at magazlnes, b1Uboards, lagos, an~ any kind of graphlc desJgn

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Composll1on Technlques

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