Amity school of Communication ASCo

Elements of Cinematography & Language of Cinema

Faculty: AVINASH TRIPTHI

The POV of the film maker

Camera: In film making multiple cameras (multiple camera positions of a single camera) are often used. In editing phase scenes/shots are assembled in a way that the story is told in an effective way. The camera also becomes the narrator

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Types of shots:
Shots with different shot sizes

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The shot size identifies how large and area will be visible within the frame. 15 degree difference- Indecisive Cut POV shots are usually eve level-

Extreme wide/long shot (EWS)

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Shows a broad view of the surroundings around the character and coveys scale, distance, and geographic location.

The images are from "The Art of Technique: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production" by John Douglass and Glenn Harnden

Wide/long shot (WS)

shows an entire character from head to toe

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Medium wide/long shot (MWS)

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Shows a character usually cut off across the legs above or below the knees. It is wide enough to show the physical setting in which the action is taking place, yet it is close enough to shot facial expression.

Medium shot (MS)

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Shows a character's upper-body, arms, and head.

Close-up shot (CU)

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Shows a character's face and shoulders. It is close enough to show slight facial expressions clearly.

Extreme close-up shot (ECU)

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shows only a part of a character's face. It fills the screen with the details of a subject.

Types of shots:
Shots with different camera angles Horizontal camera angles

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Frontal. The frontal angle tends to flatten the three dimensionality of facial features and environments. Three-quarter front. The three-quarter front angle is more often used than the frontal angle or profile because it shows more depth and volumes. Profile. Three-quarter rear. Rear.

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Vertical camera angles

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High angle. The camera is placed above eye level, looking downward. A high angle shot can make a character look smaller, younger, weak, confused, or more childlike. Eye level. Most commonly used. Low angle. The camera is placed below eye level, looking upward. A low angle shot can make a character look bigger, stronger, or more noble. It also gives the impression of height.

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Two shot & OTS

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OTS can have a shift focus

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Line of Axis/action

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180 degree rule If you are using multiple cameras and plan to edit the different shots in a scene into a seamless sequence, an important rule to keep in mind is to place all the cameras on the same side of a line of action. A line of action is a path which your subject is traveling along or an imaginary line between two characters who are interacting. This rule is called "180 degree rule".

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If Camera 2 and Camera 3 are used, the audience stays on one side of the line of action. These shots are called "reverse angle shots".
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If Camera 2 and Camera 4 are used, the audience crosses the line of action. It's disorienting and confusing.

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Basic movements

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Pan. Horizontal movement -left or right Tilt. Vertical movement -up or down. Zoom. The camera's lens is adjusted to increase or decrease the camera's field of view, magnifying a portion of the scene without moving the camera. Dolly/Track. The camera's actual position changes, such as to move alongside a moving subject or to travel closer to a character during a scene.

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Dolly/Track vs. Zoom

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The difference between dolly and zoom is that when you dolly, you are moving the camera in space, while zoom refers to changing the camera's focal length. When you move the camera, the perspective changes. Objects far from the camera change in relative size at a slower rate than objects which are close to the camera. That is what you see through your human eyes as you walk around, your perspective changes. On the other hand, when you zoom (i.e., when you change the focal length of your camera), your camera does not move and perspective does not change.
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Film Narrative

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Has Major elements like Time (Reel & Real Time/time period films) Space & setting/ language Character Sketch & development Structure of the story (plot- sub plotprotagonist/antagonist- conflict- motivationanticlimax- resolution- walk on-extra) Chronology

Classical Paradigm Gustav Freytang 19th Cent.

Climax

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Exposition

Temporal Axis

Closure

The Seven Basic Plots

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Cinderella : A Dream Come True. Romeo and Juliet : A Foe Love Story Achilles : Flawless person.. Other than One Fatal Flaw. Orpheus and Eurydice: The Loss of Something Personal. Tristan and Isolde: The Eternal Love Triangle. Faust : Selling your Soul Circe : Spider and the Fly The Chase


Other Minor Plots Pygmalion The Beauty and the Beast. Taming of the Shrew. Robin hood. Picaresque.

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Syd Fields Three Act Structure

Catalytic Event Act 1 25% Set Up Mid Point Act 2 50% Confrontation Liminal Period Act 3 25% Resolution

The (Vladimir) Propp Model Morphology of the Folk Tale (1928) Good Power Bad Power ASCo Intermediary/Messenger Hero Rival(s) Villain

Sidekick

Heroine Temptress Henchmen

Helpers Comic Butt(s)

Society

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ACTION!
Created by MK

Mise-en-scne

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Mise-en-scne is also known as staging. It is the overall look and feel of a movie, the sum of what the audience sees, hears, and experiences. In some films, the elements of mise-en-scne is so powerful that They enable the viewer to experience the aura of a place and time. They present not only visual backdrops but ideas. Contribute to the interpretation of the films meanings.

Genre formulas have a powerful influence in mise-en-scne. Mise-en-scne is originally a French theatrical term, meaning placing on stage.

Camera Movement

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In the 1920s German filmmakers moved the camera within the shot for psychological and thematic reasons. There are Seven Basic Moving Camera Shots: Panning shots (swish pans) Tilts Dolly Shots (Trucking, Tracking, Pull-backs) Handheld Shots Crane Shots Zoom Shots Aerial Shots

Camera movement

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Camera movement

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Camera Angles

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These are used extensively to communicate meaning and emotion about characters: Low angle shot: Looking up at a character or object, often to instil fear or awe in the audience

Straight and high angle shots

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Straight angle shot: Looking at an eye-level angle to a character or object, giving a sense of equality between subject and audience; High angle shot: Looking down on a character, often to show vulnerability or weakness;

Canted or oblique angles

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Canted or Oblique: The camera is tilted to show the scene at an angle. This is used extensively in the horror and science fiction genre. The audience will often not consciously realize the change. This is most often referred to as a Dutch' angle, or 'going Dutch'. The most obvious and frequently referenced use of this technique is found in the 'Batman' TV show and original movie (when the villains were on screen, the camera would show them at a canted angle).

Shot angles

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Proximity

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Emotion comes directly from the actor's eyes. You can control the intensity of that emotion by placing the camera close or far away from those eyes. A close-up will fill the screen with emotion, and pulling away to a wide angle shot will dissipate that emotion. A sudden cut from wide to close-up will give the audience a sudden surprise. Sometimes a strange angle above an actor will heighten the dramatic meaning.

Extreme close up

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The use of different shot sizes can influence the meaning which an audience will interpret. The extreme close up is used to reveal very small details in the scene. It might be used to reveal horror in a subject (extreme close up of the subject's mouth as she/he screams). It might also be used in a mystery to show some detail that the detective picks up on or to show some small clue.

Head and shoulders

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The head and shoulders shot is used in news broadcasts. If you think about the television news you will realize that this shot reveals enough detail to see the subject's lips move and the expression on her/his face.

Bust shot

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This shot shows your subject from above the knees to above the head. It is often used when the subject of the shot is doing something that requires the audience to see some detail.

Medium Shot

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The medium shot is from just below the waist to above the head. There is more headroom than in the bust shot. This show is used if the person is animated with their hand movements, etc.

MLS Medium long shot

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Remember in this shot does not cut the person off at the knees. With this shot, you can still see expression on the persons face, while getting more information from what is going on around the person.

Long shot

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This shot is useful for someone that is walking or moving. This shows the person and the location that they are in.

ELS Extra long shot

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Also known as the Establishing shot, this gives the viewer some perspective as to where the subject is. This is very important if the subject is moving to new locations or times. It lets the viewer know where the video is taking place.

Two-shot

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Two-shots are composed when two people are in the scene and their interaction is important. A two-shot is a good way to introduce a conversation. From the introduction you might cut to an over the shoulder shot of one person talking or a close-up of the other person reacting to what is being said.

Over the shoulder

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The over the shoulder shot reveals one subject as seen from over the shoulder of another subject. It simulates a view of the subject as seen from the second person's eyes. This shot is often used in conversations between two people where the director wants to focus on the person speaking. Usually these shots are head shots (close ups of the speaker).

Choice of shot

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Choice of shot size is also directly related to the size of the final display screen the audience will see. A Long shot has much more dramatic power on a large theatre screen, whereas the same shot would be powerless on a small TV or computer screen.

Putting it into practice

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How many camera angles can you spot when watching the Truman Show trailer? Are these effective in setting the mood and tone of the film? Click to view

Sound

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Sound is used extensively in filmmaking to enhance presentation, and is distinguished into diegetic ("actual sound"), and non-diegetic sound: Diegetic sound: It is any sound where the source is visible on the screen, or is implied to be present by the action of the film:
Voices of characters; Sounds made by objects in the story; and Music, represented as coming from instruments in the story space. Music coming from reproduction devices such as record players, radios, tape players etc.

Non-diegetic sound

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Non-diegetic sound: Also called "commentary sound," it is sound which is represented as coming from a source outside the story space, ie. its source is neither visible on the screen, nor has been implied to be present in the action:
Narrator's commentary; Voice of God; Sound effect which is added for dramatic effect; Basic sound effects, e.g. dog barking, car passing; Mood music; and Film Score

Non-diegetic sound plays a big role in creating atmosphere and mood within a film.

Sound Effects

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In motion picture and television production, a sound effect is a sound recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point, without the use of dialogue or music. The term often refers to a process, applied to a recording, without necessarily referring to the recording itself. In professional motion picture and television production, the segregations between recordings of dialogue, music, and sound effects can be quite distinct, and it is important to understand that in such contexts, dialogue and music recordings are never referred to as sound effects, though the processes applied to them, such as reverberation or flanging, often are.

Things to consider

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Consider a film's main title and its opening credits: Why was the specific title chosen (were there any other alternatives considered?), and how do the credits establish a tone or mood? What are the first sounds and images in the film? Can you find any motifs in the credits? Do the end credits have any unusual features (e.g., outtakes, gags, additional footage, etc.).

Film History

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[Note: Up until the 1950s, films had a very set format for the credits: (1) credits at the start, (2) a "The End" title card following the film, and (3) a cast list with character names. Recently, most films immediately begin with a plot sequence, with 'opening' credits ("main title") superimposed over them after a few minutes, and extensive rolling 'full credits' ("end title"), usually white text on a black background, after the film concludes.]

Know the basics

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film's title (and alternate titles or production titles, if any) year of release main stars/performers director rating running time genre classification brief summary tagline(s)

Classify the films genre

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Decide on the film's principal type, its genre and sub-genre categories (such as action, adventure, musical, comedy, etc.). If it's a hybrid (a combination of two or more genres), what are they? How does the film fit (or not fit) into its conventional, recognizable classifications?

One-liner summary

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If you were to write a short 'one-liner' summary to describe the film (often called a synopsis or film treatment), what would it be?

Things to consider

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Read about the narrative origins of the film (literary or otherwise): Is it adapted from some other work, or based on an original idea? If adapted, how well does it follow the original? If original, how fresh and innovative is it? Does the film's screenplay effectively communicate the story through action and dialogue?

Fact or fiction

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If the film is based upon an historical event or person, how true to life is the film? Is the film fact or fiction? Does it mythologize an historical event or period?

How is the story told?

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How is the film structured? Determine the film's pivotal scene(s) and sequencing. How is the story's plot told? through normal exposition by flashback with a narrator (by voice-over) chronologically or linearly character-driven objectively or subjectively otherwise

List the following

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the film's main characters (are their names significant?) also consider a few of the minor characters and how they are used a brief description for each one their major motivations or ethical values/assumptions their character development

Things to think about

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Is there a hero (protagonist) ? or anti-hero (antagonist)? Are the characters believable and threedimensional, do they change? Is the acting memorable, exceptional, or inferior? Do we care about the characters?

Casting

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Were their performances appropriate for the roles? Was the acting professional or nonprofessional? Does one performer steal the spotlight from others?

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Film Production Workflow

Created by

Matthew T. Jones
And Modified by

John M. Grace

Production Phases

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There are five phases of production common to most professionally produced motion pictures. These are:
Development Pre-production Production Postproduction Distribution

Production Phases

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We will concern ourselves with three of these:

Development Pre-production Production Postproduction Distribution

Production Phases

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We will concern ourselves with three of these:

Pre-production Production Postproduction

Preproduction Phase
In general, the preproduction phase encompasses all aspects of preparation that are performed before the camera starts to roll. Some aspects of preproduction include:

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Screenwriting Storyboarding Funding Assembling a crew Casting Costume Design Location Scouting Set Design Properties (props) Scheduling

Preproduction Phase

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Screenplay/Script: The screenplay supplies the general plan for the production of a film. There are two types:
The spec script The shooting script

Preproduction Phase

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The Spec (Speculation) Script is the version of a screenplay that writers distribute to producers in the hope that it will be optioned (i.e. considered for production). It primarily contains:
Slug-Line (brief description of the setting, e.g. INT. ROOM DAY which means the interior of a room during the day) Business (descriptions of characters/action) Dialog (the lines intended to be spoken by the actors)

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Preproduction Phase

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The Shooting Script is a much more detailed version of the spec script that includes numbered scenes, specific camera angles and other technical information. An example of a page from a shooting script can be seen on the next slide.

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Preproduction Phase

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Storyboarding: A storyboard is a series of drawings intended to represent how the film will be shot, including how each frame will be composed and how subject and camera motion will occur.
The storyboard articulates the mise-en-scene of the film.
Mise-en-scene: All of the elements that compose the shot.

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Preproduction Phase

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Funding: Films are generally expensive to produce. Even small independent productions with unknown actors can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Because of the level of investment involved, most films rely on either production companies (Hollywood films) or independent investors (Independent films).

Preproduction Phase

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Assembling a Crew: A crew is the group of workers on a film set who are responsible for facilitating production (as opposed to acting). Although large productions may employ many crew members in many different departments, there are only a few basic positions which are detailed later in the production phase.

Preproduction Phase

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Casting: Choosing actors to play roles. Costume Design: Choosing or designing the clothing/costumes that the actors wear. Location Scouting: Choosing the locations where the film will be shot. Set Design: Constructing sets where the film will be shot.

Preproduction Phase

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Properties (Props): Choosing the tools and objects used in the film. Scheduling: Coordinating all aspects necessary to the production.

Production Phase
The production phase refers to the period of time when the film is actually being shot. Some aspects of production include:

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Direction Camera operation Lighting Sound recording Acting

Production Phase

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During production, these roles are usually delegated to the production departments listed on the next two slides.

Production Phase
Production Departments
Direction
Director (oversees all aspects of the production) Assistant Director (drives the set) Second Assistant Director (works with the actors)

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Camera
Cinematographer or DP (oversees camera operation) Camera Operator (operates the camera) Camera Assistants (loads camera, pulls focus) Clapper/Loader (loads film and slates scenes)

Lighting
Cinematographer (oversees lighting design) Gaffer & Electricians (control the lights) Key Grip & Grips (control the shadows and do special rigging)

Production Phase
Production Departments (continued)
Sound

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Sound Mixer (records the sound) Boom operator (positions the microphone) Clapper (displays the clap slate for the camera)

Talent
Actors (perform before the camera)

Miscellaneous
Production Coordinator (scheduling) Continuity script girl (watch for continuity errors) Make-up Artist (apply make-up to actors) Production Assistant (various jobs)

Production Phase

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All of the departments and positions described on the last two slides serve one goal: to capture the sound and image necessary to tell the story. Although going into every detail of production is far beyond the scope of this course, lets consider the nuts and bolts that go into filmmaking.

Production Phase
Sound Recording

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In traditional film production, sound is recorded separately from the image. This is known as double system sound recording. Generally speaking, there are at least four soundtracks in any feature length narrative film:
1 2 3 4 the dialog track. the room tone track. the music track. the sound effects track.

Production Phase
Sound Recording
Dialog

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In order to record dialog in double system film production, it is necessary to synchronize the movement of lips with the sound of voices. Simple as this may seem, achieving it requires precision instrumentation. Most modern film sound is recorded digitally, but earlier films made use of a crystal synchronized analog tape recorded referred to as a Nagra (manufacturers name) which kept the speed of the tape constant so that no drifting occurred between the picture and the sound track.

Production Phase
Sound Recording
Dialog (Continued)

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The function of the clap slate or sticks (see the slide after next) is to supply a marking point for when the synchronization between picture and audio begins, allowing the editor to accurately align picture with sound later during post production. The first film credited with synchronized sound is The Jazz Singer (1927).

Production Phase
Sound Recording
Dialog

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There are a series of steps that are taken on a film set in order to ensure the proper coordination of picture and sound track: 1: The director says quiet on the set and roll sound. 2: The sound mixer says sound speed when the tape is running at the correct speed for recording synchronized sound. 3: The director calls out roll camera. 4: The camera operator says speed when the film is running at sound speed (24 frames per second). 5: The director calls out slate or marker 6: The clap slate indicating roll, scene, and take is placed before the camera and read out loud (e.g. Roll 1, Scene 1, Take 1). 7: The slate is clapped and removed. 8: Finally, the director calls action to cue the actors.

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Production Phase
Sound Recording
Room Tone

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Room tone is recorded silence. Normally, once all of the dialog is recorded, the sound mixer asks for about a minute of quiet to record the sound of silence in the particular setting. The reason for recording room tone is that all recordings have a low level of noise in the background and, during the editing process it is sometimes necessary to fill in gaps so that there is not an abrupt change in the tone of the background noise.

Production Phase
Sound Recording
Sound Effects

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For the most part, sound effects are obtained separately by a foley artist who coordinates sound effects in synchronization with the onscreen action through a process known as looping where a portion of the film is repeatedly played to perfect the timing of the sound effects. This is considered to be part of post-production which we will cover next. Alternatively, for low-budget productions, libraries of prerecorded sound effects can be used or sounds can be recorded during production by the sound mixer and boom operator.

Production Phase
Sound Recording
Music

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Film music is either purchased (if it is not in the public domain) or scored specifically for the production. Music that is scored is done in similar fashion to foley sound in the sense that film is playing during the recording session to enhance timing.

Postproduction Phase
The postproduction phase refers to the period of time after the film is shot, but before it is released in its final form. Postproduction includes:

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 Processing and printing of film  Transferring film to video  Synchronizing picture and sound  Paper edit (creating an EDL)  Creating a rough cut  Creating a online edit  Final audio mix OLD SCHOOL  Conforming the original negative  Adding optical effects and transitions  Creating release prints NEW SCHOOL  Film out & release prints

Postproduction Phase

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Processing, Printing, and Transferring.

The first few steps of postproduction are routine, requiring more technical knowledge than creative decision making:
Processing: Developing the camera negative. Printing: Creating dailies on DVD or a work print for the director and crew to see Transferring: Film transfer or Telecine to video for editing

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Postproduction Phase
Synchronizing and Assembling
Synchronizing

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Information from the slate and recorded on the audio tracks is stored at the beginning (head) of each take to allow the scene/take to be easily identified. To synchronize picture with sound, the editor aligns the beginning of the sound for a given scene/take with the beginning of the picture for that take, using the sight and sound of the slate as a reference point.

Postproduction Phase
Synchronizing and Assembling.

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Assembling The footage is captured to the editing system from the video tape or transferred from the hard drives if it is a digital workflow Once the footage is captured, the editor assembles a rough cut for timing and to make sure all necessary footage is present

Postproduction Phase
Creative License

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Between the rough cut and the online edit is where all of the creative decisions are made.
Rough Cut: Places the film in rough sequence from beginning to end according to the screenplay. Dialog is in place, but sound effects, and music are incomplete. Online Edit: All of the final editing decisions and the final soundtrack mix are complete. The film is ready for final output.

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Postproduction Phase

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Getting from Rough Cut to Online Edit.

Editing is the arrangement of imagery and sounds into a sequence that tells the story of the film. An editor may arrange based on different aesthetic styles depending upon the needs of the story. For example:
Invisible editing. Montage editing.

Postproduction Phase

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OLD SCHOOL - Conforming the negative

Once all of the editing decisions have been made, the original camera negative is brought to a negative cutter who uses cement splices and A/B rolling in order to conform the negative based on the decisions of the final cut of the work print.

Postproduction Phase
Creating a release print.

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Once the negative has been conformed to an A/B roll, a married print is created and joined with the final audio mix which is inscribed at the edge of the film optically. For the purposes of distribution, an internegative is then created from the married print for the sake of striking positive release prints that are shipped to theaters.

Postproduction Phase
NEW SCHOOL

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Once the edit is locked or final, the footage is transferred back to film in a process called a film out. For distribution, an internegative is then created from the film out for the sake of striking positive release prints that are shipped to theaters.

Postproduction Phase
NEW SCHOOL

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As more theaters become able to project films digitally, film prints will become obsolete and will be replaced with reusable hard drives that are easily shipped from studio to theater. The hard drives can be pre-programmed only to play the film a proscribed number of times saving the studios billions of dollars a year in lost revenues and in film printing costs.

Postproduction Phase
NEW SCHOOL

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As more theaters become able to project films digitally, film prints will become obsolete and will be replaced with reusable hard drives that are easily shipped from studio to theater. The hard drives can be pre-programmed only to play the film a proscribed number of times saving the studios billions of dollars a year in lost revenues and in film printing costs.