Film Techniques Film Techniques

• Camera Shots and Movement in Camera Shots and Movement in Film/VideoFilm/Video

“First and foremost, a film is “First and foremost, a film is visual rather than verbal. Thus, the visual rather than verbal. Thus, the feelings and ideas communicated feelings and ideas communicated by words must be changed to by words must be changed to feelings and ideas communicated feelings and ideas communicated by visual symbols.”by visual symbols.”

-Dr. F. Marcus, How Does a -Dr. F. Marcus, How Does a Movie Mean?Movie Mean?

• How does the following film use a How does the following film use a variety of shots and other creative variety of shots and other creative techniques to convey a mood, techniques to convey a mood, message or story?message or story?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ZciIC4JPw0ZciIC4JPw

Films allow the camera to do the talking - it Films allow the camera to do the talking - it is first and foremost a visual mediumis first and foremost a visual medium

ShotShot - A shot is the film exposed from the - A shot is the film exposed from the time the camera is started to the time it time the camera is started to the time it is stopped. Shot and is stopped. Shot and SceneScene are are interchangeable terms interchangeable terms

Sequence – A series of shots put together.Sequence – A series of shots put together.

How many shots are in the following How many shots are in the following sequence?sequence?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBq8K-Y2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBq8K-Y2B4gB4g

Film is a Visual Medium

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• CutCut - The cutting apart of 2 shots - The cutting apart of 2 shots

• EditEdit - The cutting and arranging of shots - The cutting and arranging of shotsIt is the job of a film editor to arrange shots together to It is the job of a film editor to arrange shots together to

create meaning. create meaning.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1779190000722225080&q=fantastic+film+editing&ei=98gjSKOXPIj6-gHdxc2kDA&hl=en

Editing

• Shots As WordsShots As Words

Just as words are the Just as words are the building blocks of a building blocks of a written language, written language, individual shots are the individual shots are the building blocks of the film building blocks of the film language. And different language. And different shots can be thought of shots can be thought of as different parts of as different parts of speech, serving different speech, serving different purposes and answering purposes and answering different questions. different questions.

• Close-up Close-up The subject framed by The subject framed by

the camera fills the the camera fills the screen. Often these screen. Often these shots have a symbolic shots have a symbolic value and focus on value and focus on emotion, reactions of emotion, reactions of characters or specific characters or specific details.details.

• What emotion is being What emotion is being conveyed in this close-conveyed in this close-up?up?

• Extreme Close-UpExtreme Close-UpThe extreme close-up helps create tension The extreme close-up helps create tension

or puts us in the character’s head - it will or puts us in the character’s head - it will also help convey one single idea to the also help convey one single idea to the audienceaudience

What idea is being conveyed here?What idea is being conveyed here?

• Medium shot (MS)Medium shot (MS)Generally speaking, this Generally speaking, this shot frames a character shot frames a character from the waist, hips or from the waist, hips or knees up (or down). The knees up (or down). The camera is sufficiently camera is sufficiently distanced from the body distanced from the body for the character to be for the character to be seen in relation to her or seen in relation to her or his surroundings (in an his surroundings (in an apartment, for example).apartment, for example).

• This is the most common This is the most common shot in television shows shot in television shows and this shot helps to and this shot helps to convey action.convey action.

• Long shot (LS) / Wide Shot / Establishing Shot Long shot (LS) / Wide Shot / Establishing Shot

• Subject or characters are at some distance from the Subject or characters are at some distance from the camera; they are seen in full within their camera; they are seen in full within their surrounding environment. surrounding environment.

• This shot shows a whole scene and establishes the This shot shows a whole scene and establishes the setting.setting.

• What is the setting here?What is the setting here?

• Extreme long shot (ELS)Extreme long shot (ELS)The subject or characters are very much to the The subject or characters are very much to the background of the shot. Surroundings now have as background of the shot. Surroundings now have as much if not more importance, especially if the shot much if not more importance, especially if the shot is in high angle. is in high angle.

• What feelings / emotions does this this shot What feelings / emotions does this this shot convey?convey?

• Point-of- view shots:Point-of- view shots:

The camera is used in The camera is used in such a way as to such a way as to suggest the point of suggest the point of view of a particular view of a particular character. character.

• High- or low-angle shots High- or low-angle shots indicate where she or he indicate where she or he is looking from is looking from

• a panoramic or panning a panoramic or panning shot suggests she or he shot suggests she or he is surveying the scene is surveying the scene

• a tracking shot or a a tracking shot or a hand-held camera shot hand-held camera shot signifies the character signifies the character on motionon motion

• creates connection to creates connection to character, suspense, etccharacter, suspense, etc

• Camera AngleCamera AngleThe angle at which The angle at which the camera is the camera is pointed at the pointed at the subject: camera subject: camera angle (the position angle (the position of the frame in of the frame in relation to the relation to the subject it shows). subject it shows).

• A high angle is A high angle is when camera is when camera is looking down, low looking down, low angle when angle when looking up. looking up.

• LowLow• Eye-level Eye-level • High High

Which is which?

High Angle Shot

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• Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

• Very high angle shot, Very high angle shot, can be used to help can be used to help convey connection convey connection between characters between characters and setting, can also and setting, can also represent looking at represent looking at things from “heaven”things from “heaven”

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• Cut Away Shot Cut Away Shot

• A shot that cuts away to action that is not part of A shot that cuts away to action that is not part of a sequence but is related.a sequence but is related.

• Helps create suspense.Helps create suspense.

– TiltingTilting: The camera can : The camera can move vertically up or down move vertically up or down on a horizontal axis to on a horizontal axis to record a person climbing a record a person climbing a flight of stairs. flight of stairs.

– Nodding your head “yes” is Nodding your head “yes” is a tilta tilt

– can be used to help can be used to help introduce a character, introduce a character, setting, create suspense / setting, create suspense / anticipation anticipation

• PanningPanning: The word pan is a contraction of the : The word pan is a contraction of the panoramic and is used to describe the movement panoramic and is used to describe the movement of the camera from side to side (horizontal of the camera from side to side (horizontal movement) on a vertical axis to follow the action movement) on a vertical axis to follow the action in a scene; if your head were a camera, the in a scene; if your head were a camera, the movement would be akin to you shaking your movement would be akin to you shaking your head “no.” Pan shots are often used to establish head “no.” Pan shots are often used to establish the setting for the audience.the setting for the audience.

• http://video.google.ca/videosearch?q=great+pan+shot&hl=en&sitehttp://video.google.ca/videosearch?q=great+pan+shot&hl=en&sitesearchsearch==

Colors and LightingColors and Lighting• The director creates meaning The director creates meaning

in the shots themselves, the in the shots themselves, the editor creates meaning in editor creates meaning in shots put together, and the shots put together, and the cinematographer helps create cinematographer helps create meaning throughout the film meaning throughout the film through the use of lighting and through the use of lighting and color (the director offers input color (the director offers input on what colors are used)on what colors are used)

• What emotions do you What emotions do you associate with the colours associate with the colours here?here?

• BacklightingBacklighting- When the - When the lights for a shot derive lights for a shot derive from the rear of the from the rear of the set, thus throwing the set, thus throwing the foreground figures into foreground figures into semidarkness or semidarkness or silhouette. silhouette.

• What mood does this What mood does this type of lighting create?type of lighting create?

• What “emotional response” is What “emotional response” is created in the following scene?created in the following scene?

• How is lighting used in the How is lighting used in the following scene to create an following scene to create an “emotional” response in the “emotional” response in the viewer?viewer?

• http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=73927322664http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7392732266459893406&ei=kwUpSI6PCKS8-AGbpdXpCQ&hl=en59893406&ei=kwUpSI6PCKS8-AGbpdXpCQ&hl=en

• http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=73927322664http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7392732266459893406&ei=kwUpSI6PCKS8-AGbpdXpCQ&hl=en59893406&ei=kwUpSI6PCKS8-AGbpdXpCQ&hl=en

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ColorColor

• Label all of your emotional responses Label all of your emotional responses on the squares of color.on the squares of color.

• Filmmakers like to use color to help Filmmakers like to use color to help direct the emotional response of the direct the emotional response of the viewers - what emotional responses viewers - what emotional responses are conveyed to you in the following are conveyed to you in the following scene?scene?

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Sound!Sound!

Sound is an incredibly important part of film; even Sound is an incredibly important part of film; even though film is largely a visual medium, sound is often though film is largely a visual medium, sound is often used to add to the story or heighten the emotional used to add to the story or heighten the emotional realism of the film.realism of the film.

Emotional Realism:Emotional Realism:The same sound can serve both the physical and the emotional The same sound can serve both the physical and the emotional

meaning. It is possible to superimpose the emotional realism meaning. It is possible to superimpose the emotional realism over the physical of the scene. The sound track reflects the over the physical of the scene. The sound track reflects the mood of the story and the characters feelings. Both effects mood of the story and the characters feelings. Both effects and the film score/music can create emotional realism. and the film score/music can create emotional realism.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-7318262364332760951&ei=TJxGSau1DouE-wHurOnKDA&q=john+whttp://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-7318262364332760951&ei=TJxGSau1DouE-wHurOnKDA&q=john+williams+on+jaws&hl=enilliams+on+jaws&hl=en

   

http://filmsound.org/http://filmsound.org/

Diegetic Sound Diegetic Sound • Diegetic soundDiegetic sound    • Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose

source is implied to be present by the action of the film:  source is implied to be present by the action of the film: 

-voices of characters  -voices of characters  -sounds made by objects in the story  -sounds made by objects in the story  -music represented as coming from instruments in the story -music represented as coming from instruments in the story

space ( = source music) space ( = source music)

• Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from source within the film's world. source within the film's world.

• Another term for Another term for diegetic sounddiegetic sound is is actual soundactual sound    

Non-Diegetic SoundNon-Diegetic Sound• Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied

to be present in the action:  to be present in the action:  -narrator's commentary -narrator's commentary -sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect -sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect -mood music -mood music

• Non-diegeticNon-diegetic sound sound is represented as coming from the a source outside is represented as coming from the a source outside story space. We know that certain sounds are represented as coming story space. We know that certain sounds are represented as coming from the story world, while others are  represented as coming from from the story world, while others are  represented as coming from outside the space of the story events.  A play with diegetic and non-outside the space of the story events.  A play with diegetic and non-diegetic conventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror), or to diegetic conventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror), or to surprise the audience (comedy).  surprise the audience (comedy). 

View the following clip and determine what is diegetic film sound and what is View the following clip and determine what is diegetic film sound and what is non-diegetic film sound. non-diegetic film sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VP5jEAP3K4&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VP5jEAP3K4&feature=related

How does the use of sound heighten the emotional realism of this grizzly How does the use of sound heighten the emotional realism of this grizzly scene?scene?

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Putting it All TogetherPutting it All Together

• How do the conventions of film (composition of How do the conventions of film (composition of shots, editing, colors, sound) help tell the story in shots, editing, colors, sound) help tell the story in the following clip? How does each convention add the following clip? How does each convention add to the story?to the story?

• Answer in a well-developed paragraph.Answer in a well-developed paragraph.

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