Friday 29th September 2023

Lights, Camera, Action:

L/O: to understand and practice using the principles of film making

Shot Types:

Establishing shot: time, location, scale of subjects, used as transition

Wide shot: shows relationship of characters to environment.

Full/Long shot: shows the story of character from head to show

Medium Full/Long shot: Waist and up - present a character as confident, dangerous, confrontational

Medium/Mid shot: above the waist but below the chest, ends just above head. Shows the characters emotion and detail

Medium Close up: reduces distraction, prioritises detail. Intimacy without physicality. captures object and characters reaction

Close up: empathy. Highlights emotion.

Extreme close up: highlights a small part of a character i.e ears nose or eyes. Isolates that part of the character. Intense emotion/emphasis.

Framing:

Single: one character alone in a frame. Character is primary focus. Clean Single: no other part of a character can be seen. Dirty Single: limited view of another character.

Two shot: Two characters seen in a frame. Both faces must be clearly visible. Visual relationship between both.

Three shot, four shot etc.

Large amounts = crowd shot.

Over-the-shoulder: Get perspective from both sides of a conversation, feel included.

POV: see from the POV of a character/camera - paired with POV audio, see and hear what they see and hear

Insert shot: frames information/ emphasises an object,person.

Camera Angles:

Low Angle: Makes subject more powerful

High Angle: Makes a character seem weaker/diminishes them. Used with a low angle to compare them.

Overhead shot: Directly above the subject.

Dutch Angle/Canted Angle: Creates a sense of unease, terror of bewilderment. Magnifies tension.

Eye Level shot: natural height. Neutral, no connotations.

Shoulder Level: Low angle with no major connotations.

Hip Level: Commonly found in western. Emphasises gun holsters/guns

Knee Level: Knee height, doubles as a low angle. tracks a characters movements through an environment.

Ground Level: doubles as a low angle if there is upwards tilt. Tracks a characters movement through a scene/captures and environments details.

Camera Movement:

Static: no camera movement at all. Camera is locked to a tripod. Good for dialogue, enhancing actors performance. Traps a character and makes them seem hopeless.

Pan: Rotates the character horizontally whilst remaining fixed. Reveals information, highlights actions

Whip Pan: Quick pan used to amp up energy and create a relationship between characters.

Tilt: Directs the camera up or down. gives a character dominance or vulnerability. Shows scale and reveals a setting.

Push in: Moves camera towards a subject. Emphasises a moment/object of importance. Directs attention to a specific detail. Communicates internal conflict.

Pull Out: de-emphasises the subject. Unveils context. Can emphasise Loneliness, Isolation or abandonment.

Zoom: Changes the length of a cameras lens. Reveals context. Unnatural movement. Draws attention to a specific detail.

Crash zoom: Fast zoom. Dramatic or comedic effect

Dolly Zoom: utilises dolly movement and a zoom, Dolly in-zoom out: background grows whilst maintaining foreground. Shows conflict. Dolly out-zoom in: subject becomes dominant over background

Camera-roll: Turns the camera on its axis. Disorienting. Creates movement in moments of panic/conflict.

Tracking shot: Follows a subject through a scene. Moves with the subject. Asks questions: where is the character going and what will they do? Draw attention to specific actions. Can build tension

Trucking shot: follows character left-right.

Arc shot: orbits around a subject. horizontal arc