a basic grammar of film
DESCRIPTION
This presentation illustrates basic shot scales and camera angles.TRANSCRIPT
A BASIC GRAMMAR OF FILM
SEQUENCE
Forms a distinct narrative unit
Unity of action / Unity of purpose
SCENE
Describes an action that takes place in
a single location and continuous time
Screen time = diegetic time
SHOT
A single continuous recording made by the camera
FRAME
A single still image
TYPES OF SHOTS
1. Shot scale (or camera distance)
Extreme Long shot (XLS)
Gone With the Wind, Victor Fleming, MGM, 1939 .
Long shot (LS)
From Roman Holidays, William Wyler, Paramount Pictures, 1953.
Medium long shot (MLS) / three-quarter shot
Medium shot (MS)
The Social Network, David Fincher, Sony Pictures, 2010
Medium close-up (MCU)
Casablanca, Michael Curtiz, Warner Bros, 1942
Two-shot
One subject in MCU in the foreground+
One subject in MS in the background
Close-up (CU)
The Long Goodbye, Robert Altman, Lion’s Gate Films, 1973
Extreme close-up (XCU)
Citizen Kane, Orson Welles, 1941, RKO Pictures
Insert / Cut-in
Covers action already covered in the master shot but emhasizes a different aspect of that action
2. Depth of field, camera angle, and camera movements
DEPTH OF FIELD
Distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear sharp in a shot
Long depth of field
Citizen Kane
Short depth of field
From The Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme, Orion Pictures Corporation, 1991
CAMERA ANGLES
Guide the audience’s judgement about the objects and characters
in a shot
Bird’s eye view
The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock, Universal, 1963.
High-angle shot
The Shadow of a Doubt, Alfred Hitchcock, 1943.
Eye-level shot
Cleopatra, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1963, Twentieth Century Fox
Low-angle shot
Citizen Kane
Canted /oblique / Dutch angle
Pickup on South Street, Samuel Fuller, 20th Century Fox,1953.
CAMERA MOVEMENTS
Give their specificity to cinematic images
DOLLY SHOTS/TRACKING SHOTS
Camera moves forward = tracking in
Camera moves backward = tracking out
Camera moves sideways
PANNING/PAN SHOT
Scans a scene horizontally
When scans a scene vertically: called « tilt »
HAND-HELD SHOTS
Since 1970’s : smooth thanks to the Steadicam
Denote a certain kind of realism
Audience feeling part of the scene
3. Editing
The art of combining shots into a coherent whole
LONG TAKE/SINGLE SHOT/SEQUENCE SHOT
Describes a whole scene (even a whole sequence) without any cut
The Rope, Alfred Hitchcock, 1948, Warner Bros.
CUT
Abrupt change of shot from one viewpoint or location to another
Changes scene, compresses time, varies point of view
MATCHED CUT
Establishes logical relationship between shots
JUMP CUT(When two shots don’t match)
FADE AND DISSOLVE
Gradual transition between shots
Fade-in / Fade-outDissolve = one shot merging into another
MATCH ON ACTION
EYE-LINE MATCH
SHOT / REVERSE SHOT
Deemphasizes transitions beween shots
Very commonly used in dialogues
CROSS-CUTTING
Describes actions occurring at the same time in two different locations
Expresses simultaneity / Creates suspense / Suggests parallels, contrasts, dichotomies…
3 TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SHOTS
1. Time relationships2. Spatial relationships
3. Thematic relationships
2 BASIC FUNCTIONS4. Ensures continuity
5. Organizes seperate units into discourse6. Creates rhythm
THE KULESHOV EXPERIMENT
Editing changes the viewer’s interpretation of the whole scene