FILM TECHNIQUES: Camera Techniques

* most important equipment in the film ma er!s arsenal is the camera * frame: each in"i#i"ual photo$raph * shot: sequence of frames * scene: sequence of shots * film: sequence of scenes

Camera Shots * % &asic shots 'hich are "efine" &( the "istance an" ho' much of the o&)ect is in the frame

* extreme long shot (establishing shot) + contains a lot of the lan"scape, helps esta&lish location an" atmosphere + usuall( use" in &e$innin$ of film + $i#es an i"ea of the character an" en#ironment * long shot + still contains a reasona&le amount of &ac $roun" or lan"scape + fi$ures in the scene reco$ni-a&le as male.female/ etc * full shot - less lan"scape or &ac $roun" + &ut still contains the 'hole 'ei$ht of fi$ures in the frame + 0 fi$ures in frame: 0 shot 1full 02 + 3 fi$ures in frame: 3 shot 1full 32 * medium shot (mid-shot) + less &ac $roun" + fi$ures in frame are onl( seen 'aist up + also can &e calle" 0 shot/ 3 shot/ etc/ "epen"in$ on num&er of fi$ures * extreme close up + focuses on an aspect of an o&)ect 'ith e4treme "etail 1e5$5 part of a face/ "esi$n/ e(e/ hea"line2 * close up + almost no &ac $roun" + focuses on the 'hole of an o&)ect or a person!s face Camera 6n$les * important effect 'hen #ie's see it * shots 'hich seem a &it confusin$ at first &ut soon $et use" to

* overshot/overhead shot

+ camera is "irectl( a&o#e or o#erhea" an o&)ect or scene + ta en 'it camera facin$ "o'n 1e5$5 loo in$ li e a ma-e2 * high angle shot + camera is a&o#e an" loo in$ "o'n &ut not "irectl( o#erhea" + effect is to ma e fi$ure loo small an" lac in$ in po'er/ su$$estin$ insi$nificance * e(e level shot + camera is le#el 'ith o&)ect or fi$ure + most li e a normal e(e #ie' to su$$est real+life effect + equal po'er * low angle shot + camera is &elo' a loo in$ up at o&)ect.fi$ure + effect is to ma e o&)ect.fi$ure loo lar$e an" po'erful su$$estin$ "ominance * undershot + camera is "irectl( &eneath the o&)ect.fi$ure + an$le can su$$est e4treme po'er or "an$er 1e5$5 stampe"2

Camera Mo#ement * can mo#e the camera in #arious 'a(s for #arious effects

* running shot/pan + camera pi#ots from left to ri$ht or up an" "o'n from o&)ect to o&)ect + follo'in$ a fi$ure or o&)ect slo'l( so it is not &lurre" + often use" to su$$est the #astness or s'eep of a scene * tracking shot + camera is mounte" on a mo#in$ platform or "oll( 1e5$5 trolle(2 + eeps the su&)ect in #ie' 'hile the camera is mo#in$ + often use" 'ith a mo#in$ su&)ect an" ma( mo#e/ parallel 'ith su&)ect or at an an$le + su$$est the #ie' is sharin$ in the mo#ement or )ourne( of the o&)ect/ in#ites #ie' to &ecome more in#ol#e" * dolly shot + camera is mounte" on the mo#in$ platform or "oll( + mo#es to'ar"s or a'a( from the su&)ect 1"oll( in/ "oll( out2 + use" to inclu"e #ie' in the mo#ement of su&)ect or #ie'er is mo#in$ a'a( from o&)ect + in mo"ern times/ this has &een o#erta en &( -oom lens * (dutch) tilt + camera can &e tile" in #arious 'a(s to su$$est a reaction to a scene or o&)ect/ usuall( in#ol#in$ stran$eness/ une4pecte" mo#ement/ un&alance

+ often use" in horror films, ma es the #ie'er feel uncomforta&le * point of view shot + camera fa in$ the #ie' of characters + camera &ecomes the character!s e(es an" onl( sho's 'hat the character sees * zoom + ta en 'ith -oom lens 'hich allo' continuous mo#ement from a 'i"e an$le or lon$shot to a close+up 'ithout mo#in$ camera

Camera Focus * clearl( hi$hli$hts a su&)ect or &ac $roun" 'ith focus

* sharp focus + 'hen #er( clear an" sharp/ "efine" + stimulates normal e(e in a normal situation most often use" in filmin$ * soft focus + 'hen o&)ect/ althou$h clearl( hi$hli$hte"/ is not as sharpl( "efine" + su$$ests softness or romantic #ision/ "run enness + poorl( a")uste" #ision * deep focus + fi$ures at "ifferent "istances from the camera are "eli&eratel( ept in simultaneous focus + su$$ests special relationship &et'een 0 o&)ects Camera Spee" * spee" at 'hich camera ta es photo$raphs

* slow motion + camera is spee"e" up so 'hen pla(e" in normal time it is slo'er + emphasi-es "ramatic mo#ement/ &eaut(/ ele$ance * fast motion + slo'in$ camera "o'n so 'hen seen in normal spee" it appears to &e spee"( an" )er ( + su$$est ri"iculousness an" come"(

Li$htin$ Techniques

* key light (main light) + pro#i"es the main li$ht on the set + can &e 7fille"! to pro#i"e e#ent an" sha"o'+free illumination * high key lighting

+ use" to su$$est li$ht source + su$$ests &rilliantl( sunn( "a( outsi"e an" ma)or li$ht source from 'in"o' + 7fillers! use" to re"uce sha"o' an" soften the effect * low key lighting + use" 'hen sha"o' is emphasise" + often use" in &oth thriller an" horror films + use" in campfire scenes an" ni$ht scenes * back lighting + use" to pro"uce silhouette 'ith the main source of li$ht &ehin" the su&)ect

Soun"trac * helps tell stor(

* natural sound + normal soun"s to con#e( the sense an" feelin$ of location * sound effects + create particular atmosphere 1e5$5 police sirens/ "oor crea in$, creates tension2 * dialogue + most o&#ious 'a( the film tells its stor( * voiceover + 'or"s spo en &( someone not in the frame + use" to allo' characters to comment on scenes * diegetic: the #ie'er 8 character is a&le to hear * non-diegetic: onl( the #ie'er is a&le to hear

Music

* theme music + use" to create atmosphere + often pla(e" &ehin" the openin$ titles or &ehin" the en"in$ + helps shape #ie'ers! attitu"e to the mo#ie + particular music use" 'hen particular character appears * adopted songs + use" son$s to su$$est a particular time/ place or feelin$

E"itin$ Techniques

* cut (jump) + )oinin$ one scene to$ether or one scene to another * fade + fa"e in.out: su$$ests a passin$ of tie/ or )ourne(/ or a ne' location * dissolve + 'hen one frame is $ra"uall( replace" &( another + at the mi"point/ &oth are #isi&le on the screen + su$$ests special relationship &et'een scenes * wipe (pan/slide) + 'hen one ima$e appears to 'ipe off or replace another ima$e + su$$est special relationship 1flash&ac 92 * flashbacks

Special Effects

* animation + photo$raphin$ mo"els or in"i#i"ual "ra'in$s frame &( frame * animatronics + creatin$ an" usin$ o&)ects 'hich are then operate" electronicall( &( remote control 1ro&ots2 * pixilation + ma in$ an immo&ile o&)ect appear to mo#e &( photo$raphin$ it one frame at a time an" mo#in$ it sli$htl( &et'een shots * computer generated graphics + computers use" to create "i$ital ima$es that pro#i"e :; effects

Narrati#e ;e#ices

* image * metaphor + scene or sequence that represents or su$$est somethin$ else * symbol + o&)ect or ima$e that represents somethin$

6pproaches to film+ma in$ * films are almost ne#er completel( in one cate$or( or another, the( are sai" to ha#e ten"enc( to &e realistic or "ominate" &( monta$e

* realism + emphasise natural 'orl" * expressionism + emphasise their point of #ie', uses close+ups/ e4treme an$les/ special effects * mise en scene + allo' the action to &e pla(e" out an" the stor( to &e in front of camera + characteri-e" &( lon$ ta es an" infrequent e"itin$/ realistic st(le * montage + "irector ten"s to see 'hat happens in front of camera as it $ets cut up an" reassem&le"

Stor(&oar" * 'a( of plannin$ ahea"/ preparin$ to shoot a film * s etch or shot of scene/ t(pe of shot/ "escription of shot.scene/ "ialo$ue or important cues