Notes+for+Cinematography_Diego

__**Filmspace**__
"Film is a dream -- but whose?" -Bruce Kawin


 * A Simple Scene**
 * Where on the perimeter do we put the viewer?
 * Framing is the first element of composition
 * Involves two choices:
 * 1) Picking a position from which to view the scene
 * 2) Isolating some part of it to look at
 * As viewers (lenses - the type of viewer whether it be horizontal or vertical) change, it becomes more important how much the camera is panned or tilted
 * By isolating subjects, the mood of the scene changes
 * We ask questions depending on the framing and what appears in the shot
 * Questions and Expectations:
 * Cinematic technique is all about setting up questions
 * Altering the viewer's perceptions:
 * With framing and juxtaposition we can alter the audience's expectations of the future
 * By setting up certain expectations, you can manipulate them later
 * Filmspace**
 * By using many different angles and shots, we create filmspace
 * A space in which the reality can be viewed differently and thought of differently
 * There have to be certain rules used to allow the editor to include the shots
 * Spatial Orientation in Proscenium Shooting
 * Films used to be simply viewed similarly as the audience seating watching a play, but now techniques create space
 * Subjective and Objective POV
 * First person - subjective, third person - objective, second person - somewhere in between
 * Each camera angle/shot has a POV
 * //The Lady in the Lake// - completely first person POV
 * Doggie Cam - camera is in low position to mimic movement of dog; often used in werewolf films
 * However, never is the whole film filmed handheld as certain aspects of film would lose power
 * The look (Kuleshov Effect)- when a character looks somewhere, and the next shot is of what the character is looking at
 * The Building Blocks of Scenes
 * Types of Shots
 * 1) Wide Shot
 * Any frame which encompasses the entire scene
 * **Establishing Shots:** allow the audience to perceive what's going on around the character
 * **Laying out the Scene****:** give the audience some idea of where they are. Helps prevent confusion on where they are. //Seven Samurai -// Kurosawa. Better to lay out scene and include character and part of story. Layers can be added within the shot to help progress the story
 * 1) Full Shot
 * Includes all of the subject
 * 1) Medium
 * Relative to the subject
 * Shot from waist, up
 * Allows for perception of character's mood or expression without focusing on any one character
 * Whenever possible try to show character's entrance
 * **Two Shot:** Any frame which includes two characters, don't have to be arranged symmetrically
 * 1) Head and Shoulders
 * 2) Big Head
 * 3) Cowboy
 * 4) Tight Two
 * 5) Dirty Single - if part of another actor is seen in CU
 * 6) Clean Single - if only actor is included in CU
 * Character Shots
 * 1) Close-ups
 * Many variations
 * Would generally be considered from top of head to just below the shirt pockets
 * Head and Shoulders - If just above this (shirt pockets)
 * Choker - from top of head to just below chin
 * Tight Close-up - lose some of forehead and chin
 * Extreme Close-up - just eyes/ also can be object
 * Medium - waist up
 * 3 Ts - from breasts up
 * 1) OTS (over-the-shoulder)
 * Variant of connecting shot
 * Ties two characters together and puts us in position of character being addressed
 * 1) Cutaway
 * When shot cuts to something else other than character, but still related to character; e.g. something character is looking at
 * 1) Reaction Shot
 * Used to capture reaction of someone else in scene
 * Can be helpful for directors to interject between shots/transition
 * 1) Insert
 * Self-contained piece of a large scene
 * Practical Insert - clock on wall, headlines of newspaper, used to display information
 * Emphasis Insert - tires skid to halt, coffee cup jolts as he pounds table, adds to connection between audience and what character is experiencing
 * Atmosphere Insert - grace notes, contribute to mood or tone of scene; //Angel Heart, Nine and 1/2 Weeks.// Or used as ironic counterpoint
 * 1) Connecting Shots
 * Anytime scene includes people or objects that cannot be framed in same shot
 * Establish connection between two important story elements; whether characters are aware of each other or not
 * Ties everything together emphasizing the physical, not as involving or emotionally satisfying to audience
 * 1) Window Matching & Fine Art of Cheating
 * After shooting a connecting shot between characters and using the idea of spatial reasoning, you can cheat and create a set
 * Eg. when detective on roof looking across at higher floor of other building, looking in at someone else. Once connecting shot is established, also the idea that since he's on the roof he's looking in on a higher floor rather than say the second, a window can be flown in so that other angles can be used to capture the subject
 * 1) "Get a Piece of It"
 * By separating parts of scene (cheating) it can be dangerous in that it becomes too obvious
 * By adding in piece of scene it keeps it real, e.g. close up of character from below, with part of poker table and chips showing at bottom
 * When something has been cheated, director may ask, "Will I miss it?"; will the cheat be obvious?
 * 1) Pick-up
 * Any shot, master or coverage, that picks up from any place other than top of scene
 * E.g. secretary walks in and picks up phone sitting at her desk. However can cut at her walking in and then next shot of her picking up phone
 * **The Master Scene Method**
 * We shoot the master and then go in for coverage
 * Master
 * the entire scene including all the key elements usually done as one continues take
 * sometimes broken down into two or more "mini-masters"
 * not necessarily static, can pan with character
 * resembles old proscenium style of shooting (musical/play;audience)
 * still want to set up as interesting as you can
 * must contain beginning and end of scene
 * might also be the entire scene, simply it is shot as a master; "in one" (//Strangers in Paradise// - Jim Jarmusch)
 * consists of all the other types of shots
 * Cutting Point
 * deal more with continuity
 * some place where the edit is motivated, logical and flows smoothly
 * Beginning the Scene
 * Can start //medias res// (Greek for just starting in the middle of the action)
 * However doesn't give editor freedom on how to start or end scene if used all the time
 * **Transitions**
 * explain change in time with shot of exterior, or dissolve from trees in summer, to trees in winter
 * Elliptical Cuts
 * where extended time change occurs without transitional device
 * when acceleration of time is wanted instead of expansion of time
 * Real Time Continuity
 * //Rope// - Alfred Hitchcock
 * real time shooting over extended sequences or the entire film
 * Other transition Shots
 * Start opening frame on something that is relevant to story then pull out or pan over. Eg. start on close up of telephone, then pull out to see who is talking
 * Empty Frame
 * Start frame with nothing and have characters enter
 * Entering and Exiting Frame: a good idea to start and end with clean frame. Can also pan on/off at end of scene.
 * **Coverage**
 * Answering Shots
 * Should match in focal length, focus distance, lens height and horizontal angle
 * Exception when someone is shorter, in this case put camera higher for taller person, and lower for shorter
 * Shooting Order
 * Best to work your way in
 * Eyeline
 * As camera moves in for tighter coverage, the lens must be closer to the eyeline axis
 * **Plan Scene**
 * Choreographed to follow a character
 * Another form of master scene
 * **Hitchcock's Rule**
 * The size of an object in the frame should match its importance at that time in the story
 * **Triple Take/Overlapping Method**
 * Make sure that the actor overlaps actions from previous and following shots so that smooth edits can be made
 * Lens Language (46)**
 * Cinematic Continuity (80)**