Skills Development
Production
Context

We began lesson one of context by looking at the structure of film and film sets. We established the different sections of pre-production, production, and post-production. Then listed the different key roles on a film set:

Director of Photography
Director
Make-up
The composer
The editor
Sound mixer

We then looked at Cinematography

Cinematography is the organization of a shot through such things as the composition, the lighting, the set/location, and the camera angle and movements. It is essential to filmmaking as it acts as a visual representation of the scene's atmosphere, characters' emotions, and social hierarchy. For example, a high angle looking down suggests the character is weak or inferior.

We then looked at films in which cimermatphotrgahy is harnessed to enhance the narrative or develop the character.

Nightcrawler

Isolation

To portray Lou, the central character, isolation the director of photography used depth of field and composition. In shots where Lou is alone in the frame the depth of field is shallow making the sounding background blurred this illustrates how Lou is shut off from the world, detached from reality, only allowing those he chooses within his world. A clear example of this is in a scene in a dinner where another character talks to Lou within his own frame with a deep depth of field showing how the other character is not detached from the surrounding world. Meanwhile, Lous shot has a shallow depth of field.

Charectorision

Lou is conveyed as untrustworthy visually through the lighting, often making Lou dim and half-lit. This suggests that he hiding something half of his face is not visible symbolic of his unknown intentions. His life's focus is also shown through the lighting when in scenes he is solely lit by a TV screen or computer. The progression of the character as he begins to accept his darkness shines in the ending shots where the lighting dims no longer balancing a half-lit face.

Shot types

Extreme Long shot

Shows a wide shot containing the full body from a distance. Often used to establish a film, can be used to show the mood and atmosphere of a setting. It may also symbolize isolation or be used to show the magnitude of an event/scene, eg: in a war film.

Long shot

Shows a full body but with more detail. Can similarly be used to establish but with a greater focus on the subjects, acts as combining of set and characters, less personal and distant from emotion.

Medium

Contains the head and half of the body. Gets closer and more personal, still is variably distant and therefore not intense of extreme. Still encompasses the setting.

Medium close up

Head and shoulders. The subject is the key thing on the screen. The distance is close but not uncomfortable, emotive but not solely emotion-based.

Close up

Contains the head. Emotion is the key part of the shot, a direct focus on the subject. Its close and intense, drawing importance to the subject of dialogue spoken.

Extreme close up

On a person, it's generally a facial feature. It shows detail, had intensity, and refers to an emotion generally established in previous shots.

Story board task

We went around the school to create a story around a sinoerio in a series of images of each shot size. Our sinerio was "a shocking discovery".

Establishing, Exsterm wide

Medium long

Overhead, long

Over head

Low angle, MCU

Medium

POV

Close-up

Our narritive idea was that the charector is serching for a mural, shown in the last image, thourgthout the picec she is seen looking for the mural from diffrent angles and shot scales. I think we were effictive in forfilling the breif as the stroy is able to provale without any diuogle and with a resticed amount of shots. The basic premise give the stroy a childerns stroy like feel which is understandable to the viewer.

long shot

Camera Angles

High angle

The camera is facing down looking at the subjects. It can be used to show inferiority, vulnerability and is often used as a POV shot of a monster/attacker for example in this example.

Low angle

The camera tilts up from the ground or low. Is used to portray superiority and intimidation. Its often used in horror.

Dutch/canted angle

The camera is at a slight angle. It inflicts a sense of disease and is often used in unusual scenarios or dream scenarios.

Birdseye View

The camera films down to show what's happening below. It can be filmed using a drone or crane and is used for establishing shots especially when a setting is a key part of a story.

Over the shoulder

The camera is behind the shoulder of a character observing another. It is most commonly used in filming conversation and usely observe the 180 rule.

POV

The camera is filmed as if in the eyes of a character as if through their eyes, common troop in horror films.

Movements

Pan

A pan is a horizontal camera movement in which the camera moves left and right about a central axis. This is a swiveling movement, i.e. mounted in a fixed location on a tripod or shoulder.

Tilt

The camera is stationary and rotates in a vertical plane

A tilt shot could be used to reveal something to the audience or to show someone looking up or down.

Tracker

Tracking is often more narrowly defined as movement parallel to the action, or at least at a constant distance (e.g. the camera which travels alongside the race track in track & field events)

Crane

is often used to sets the scene and end films. It films from crane far away or in the sky.

Handheld

Held by a camera operator, not on a tripod.

Adds a sense of realism and makes the audience feel like they are part of the action.

Reverse zoom

Zooms in while moving backward creates a sense of disease.

Camera Settings

We spent a class learning DSLR and the various camera settings.

APERTURE - Like your eye.

Wide (Low F-Stop) = More Light

Narrow (High F-Stop) = Less Light

SHUTTER SPEED - Length of time light enters the camera.

Low number = slow = blur movement (Use with narrow aperture)

High number = fast = freeze movement (use with wide aperture)

ISO - Film/Camera Sensitivity to light

Low = Less sensitive (use in bright conditions)

High = More sensitive (use in darker conditions)

We then went out and put these skills to use practice using the DSLR cameras.

Shutter Speed - 1x Sharp & 1x Blurry motion
Aperture - 1x Deep & 1x Shallow depth of field
ISO - 1x Clean & 1x Noisey quality

Shutter speed

Low shutter speed
1/8 36 100
I think this image is well exposed and does the desired effect of a blurred shutter speed image. The success of the image may be because I magered to hold the camera still while taking the piture so the blr is on the subject only.

high shutter speed
1/2000 5.6 400
This image is similar to the other but with a low shutter speed, The shot is again well exposed and has an orange glow from the white balance. To improve it I might centralize the subject or use amputee to create a shallow depth of field for the same effect.

Depth of field

Shallow depth of filed
1/50 7.1 40
The shot centralizes the swap which was our desried result. to improve the image I would focus it better.

deep depth of field
1/40 18 800
In this shot the depth of is deep adding conext to the image yet decentrailizeing the subject. It is in focus.

ISO - clean and grany photo

High ISO
1/50 29 6400
We seeked a darker location to capture this image, the high ISO makes the image gainy which is not ideal for filming but fits the breif.

low ISO
0'4 22 100
The ISO on this image is low which means to balence this the Shutter speed is exstermaly fast, The problem with this image is it focus.

We then looked at white balance and the Kalvin scale.

Shade
1/50 4.5 100

Cloudy
1/50 4.5 100

Sunny
1/50 4.5 100

Flouesent light
1/50 4.5 100

Other Photos

Contexual Analysis

Choose a film or TV show to analyse (Can be one scene or a selection of scenes)
I chose to analyze hot fuzz a parody of the cop action genre. As I thought it would be interesting to see how the director of photography molded elements of typical action cimamatophoty to become comical.

Medium
The sequence starts with Angle interrupting a shoplifter, they lock eyes, and the camera shaky zooms in onto the face of both until reaching a close-up.

Close up
The use of a handheld (or shacky) camera movement as we zoom in illustrates the fear in the shoplifter and the increasing intensity of the situation. The movement is often assorted with action sequences which the film parodies with the mundane crime, setting, and dull florescent light.

Exsterm Close up
The intensity only increases with the two extreme close-ups, building up the tension before the imminent chase predictable to the audience familiar with the troop of the parody genre.

Close up
From this high-speed action, we cut to Danny who calmly reads a DVD thereby reaffirming the comedic genre lead. He is also seen from a low angle which simply could replicate his policing rank in relation to Angle, but also his disinterest in police action as he is not seen starting into the criminal like Angle but instead away from it.

Medium - medium close
Next, the two jumps into the chase with an increased shutter speed common of quickie past sporting events.

Long shot
As Angle and the shoplifter run past the depth of field changes from shallow to deep, this illustrates Danny’s realization of his surrounding from inward to outward.

Medium
Next a long shacky sequence with a combination of shots such as tracking and dolly all common of action. The DOP blurs the background to centralize the chase. When on Angle the camera is steady and faces head-on running to the criminal. Oppositely the camera motions on the shoplifter are shacky reflecting his uncoordinated running frantically away.

Contexual Analysis 2

I then analysed the euphoria special episod

Composition

Composition refers to how the elements on-screen (actors, scenery, props, etc.). It can be used to direct the viewer's attention, highlight the key accepts in a frame, and create visually pleasing imagery. It is generally organized by the director of photography who will work with the director to utilize composition to convey information and subtext such as an underlying theme, message, or meaning.

Rule of thrids
In the rule of thirds, divide the frame into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines then centralize the subject on one of the 4 inner graph points. It makes the frame aesthetically pleasing.

Leading lines

Leading lines are used to direct the viewer’s eye to a location/ object/ Character etc of importance. In this picture by Henri Cartier-Bresson, our eyes are lead to cyclist by the smooth twirling leading line of the staircase.

Symmetry

Both sides of the frame reflect the same thing, this creates balance and is aesthetically pleasing especially as it accentuates the composition

Eyeline Match

The rule of thirds can also be used to match the eye line of a character, where the eyes will run alone the upper horizontal line.

Asymmerty

Asymmetry is the opposite of symmetry, the shot is unbalanced. It can be used to present imperfection. tension or unease. It can also be used to convey a power imbalance between characters of dominance or importance

Framing

Framing is can direct our eye while simultaneously adding context to an image. For example, is this image by Henri Cartier-Bresson where the boys fighting are framed by a broken wall, I believe the wall is representative of their lives framed by conflict and destruction.

Lead room

Place your subject on the opposite side of the frame from the object of his or her attention.

Negative Space

Negative space is the space around and between the subject of a composition. Uses can include - e.g. to show the isolation and solitude of a figure.

Static Composition

Compositions with the majority of lines being horizontal or vertical are called Static Composition. In theory, horizontal and vertical lines are somewhat soothing, calm, tranquil

Dynamic Composition

When a composition has many diagonal lines it is called Dynamic Composition. The dynamism or excitement comes from the fact the diagonals are somewhat unsettling

Composition Task

We were told to get a still image for each of the composition "rules".

Rule of thrids
The rule of thirds in this photo represents the connection between character and setting as he looks wistfully at the sunset.

Lead room
The lead room connects a character to a subject they're looking at, this photo does such but could be improved if zoomed in to reduce excess space.

Symmetry
The symmetry in this image represents the central character's position and power, being evenly backed up with no doubts of his authority.

Frame in a frame
The frame in this image highlights an illegal activity the character is committing, highlighting their anxiety of getting caught on CCTV.

Static composition
The horizontal and vertical lines in this image represent the structure and safety the character feels.

Eye match
The eye-line of the subject alines with the lower horizontal line in the rule of thirds. It is generally used to centralize a character in a conversation, if followed with the eye line of the higher line this would assert dominance.

Leading lines
Leading lines are apposed to draw the viewer's attention to the subject, with this shot I aimed for it to assert that the street was his own - connoting his power. However, I couldn't get the fall road in so the effect is somewhat lost.

Asymmetry

The asymmetry of this image in contrast to the symmetry one represents a problem in the system something is wrong the power is unbalanced.

Negative space
The negative space in this image is an abstract representation of how he feels alone and isolated.

Dynamic Composition
Opposite to the previous shot, this one represents the disease the character feels, as things start to go wrong.

Continuity editing

Community editing is where an editor uses subtle transitions/cuts to establish logical time and space to allow for the continuous flow of a story.
CUTS

!80 rule
The 180 rule imageries an invisible vertical axis in which the camera remains on one side. This works to make characters look like they are trying a conversation on opposite sides.

In this clip the 180 rule is used betwen muilple charectors, for example when chandler and Joey talk.

Match on action
A match on action is cutting between an action or movement to showcase continuity. Here is an example of it from a section of a film i made years ago about an orange. Matchs on action make a scene flow

Cut-away
A cutaway is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. It is usually followed by a cut back to the first shot.

Cut-away
An abrupt transition from one scene to another.

Match-cut
A match cut is a cut from one shot to another where the composition of the two shots are matched by the action or subject and subject matter.

TRANSITIONS

Match-cu Fade in and out
Fade in is a gradual increase in a motion-picture or television image's visibility at the beginning of a sequence.
Fade out is a gradual decrease in a motion-picture or television image's visibility at the beginning of a sequence.

Cross Dissolve
Where the scene dissolves into another scene. It's a gradual transition from one image to another. In the case of film, it's gradually transitioning from one series of images to another series of images.

SMASH CUT
In a smash cut, the action cuts from one scene to another to highlight a dramatic contrast

WIPE
A wipe transition is when the next shot swipes across the screen. Here is an example of it I used in a previous film.

IRIS

An iris transition is when a circle grows in the center of the screen so to take up the whole screen with block color.

An iris shot is a technique frequently used in silent film in which a black circle closes to end a scene.

INVISIBLE CUT
An invisible cut is a cut the viewer cant identify, a good example of this is in 2917 where each cut is invisible appearing as one fluid shot.

WHIP PAN
A whip pan is a fast turn of the camera and is commonly used to masks a cut to a new location of the scene. This technique is famously used by Wes Anderson and Edgar Wright.

L-CUT
An L-cut is when the audio from the preceding scene continues to play over the footage from the following scene.

J-CUT
A J cut is a variant of a split edit film editing technique in which the audio from a following scene overlaps the picture from the preceding scene, so that the audio portion of the later scene starts playing before its picture as a lead-in to the visual cut.

Skills Development Production Context

Movements

Camera Settings

Low shutter speed 1/8 36 100 I think this image is well exposed and does the desired effect of a blurred shutter speed image. The success of the image may be because I magered to hold the camera still while taking the piture so the blr is on the subject only.

high shutter speed 1/2000 5.6 400 This image is similar to the other but with a low shutter speed, The shot is again well exposed and has an orange glow from the white balance. To improve it I might centralize the subject or use amputee to create a shallow depth of field for the same effect.

Shallow depth of filed 1/50 7.1 40 The shot centralizes the swap which was our desried result. to improve the image I would focus it better.

deep depth of field 1/40 18 800 In this shot the depth of is deep adding conext to the image yet decentrailizeing the subject. It is in focus.

High ISO 1/50 29 6400 We seeked a darker location to capture this image, the high ISO makes the image gainy which is not ideal for filming but fits the breif.

low ISO 0'4 22 100 The ISO on this image is low which means to balence this the Shutter speed is exstermaly fast, The problem with this image is it focus.

Shade 1/50 4.5 100

Cloudy 1/50 4.5 100

Sunny 1/50 4.5 100

Flouesent light 1/50 4.5 100

Other Photos

Contexual Analysis

Choose a film or TV show to analyse (Can be one scene or a selection of scenes) I chose to analyze hot fuzz a parody of the cop action genre. As I thought it would be interesting to see how the director of photography molded elements of typical action cimamatophoty to become comical.

Medium The sequence starts with Angle interrupting a shoplifter, they lock eyes, and the camera shaky zooms in onto the face of both until reaching a close-up.

Close up The use of a handheld (or shacky) camera movement as we zoom in illustrates the fear in the shoplifter and the increasing intensity of the situation. The movement is often assorted with action sequences which the film parodies with the mundane crime, setting, and dull florescent light.

Exsterm Close up The intensity only increases with the two extreme close-ups, building up the tension before the imminent chase predictable to the audience familiar with the troop of the parody genre.

Medium - medium close Next, the two jumps into the chase with an increased shutter speed common of quickie past sporting events.

Long shot As Angle and the shoplifter run past the depth of field changes from shallow to deep, this illustrates Danny’s realization of his surrounding from inward to outward.