Film Visual UnitsFilm Visual UnitsFilm Visual UnitsFilm Visual Units

Mass Communication

Humanities Division

Bong S. Eliab

Mass Communication

Humanities Division

Bong S. Eliab

Class WebsitesClass Websites

Online Readings and Materials

eliab.tripod.com/film

Online Announcements and Assignments

hum3.blogspot.com

Banyuhay.multiply.com

Online Readings and Materials

eliab.tripod.com/film

Online Announcements and Assignments

hum3.blogspot.com

Banyuhay.multiply.com

FrameFramea single photographic image printed on a length of film

smallest discernible unit of film

a single photographic image printed on a length of film

smallest discernible unit of film

FrameFrame

not part of viewers’ perception

seldom has meaning

In text, equivalent to letters of the alphabet

not part of viewers’ perception

seldom has meaning

In text, equivalent to letters of the alphabet

Reel of Film

ShotShotShotShot A shot is a single uninterrupted action of a camera.

Some shots last only one or two frames, although such short shots appear rarely in commercial films.

A shot is a single uninterrupted action of a camera.

Some shots last only one or two frames, although such short shots appear rarely in commercial films.

ShotShot

Although longer shots are "standard," few last over thirty seconds.

The average shot runs from about two to thirty seconds.

Although longer shots are "standard," few last over thirty seconds.

The average shot runs from about two to thirty seconds.

TakeTakeTakeTakeA take is also a single uninterrupted action of a camera, but a take is the unedited footages

Seen from the point of view of the filmmaker rather than of the viewer.

A take is also a single uninterrupted action of a camera, but a take is the unedited footages

Seen from the point of view of the filmmaker rather than of the viewer.

TakeTake

A take will frequently be shortened at both ends, and perhaps another shot or two will be cut into the middle creating three, four, five or more shots out of a single take.

Can be cut into several shots

A take will frequently be shortened at both ends, and perhaps another shot or two will be cut into the middle creating three, four, five or more shots out of a single take.

Can be cut into several shots

ShotShotbasic perceivable and functional unit of film

from 2 sec to 30 sec

frames run at 24 fps

NTSC - 29.97 fps

PAL/SECAM - 25 fps

Categorized according to apparent closeness of camera to subject

basic perceivable and functional unit of film

from 2 sec to 30 sec

frames run at 24 fps

NTSC - 29.97 fps

PAL/SECAM - 25 fps

Categorized according to apparent closeness of camera to subject

Sex and Lucia

NTSCNTSC

NTSC is a color TV standard developed in the US in 1953 by the National Television System Committee.

the first colour tv broadcast system

Used in America, Canada, Asia, including Japan

NTSC is a color TV standard developed in the US in 1953 by the National Television System Committee.

the first colour tv broadcast system

Used in America, Canada, Asia, including Japan

NTSC or 525/60NTSC or 525/60

refers to a NTSC analog TV signal. Has 486 horizontal lines in its Active

Area, a NTSC video signal also includes extra vertical sync lines, which are basically just filler timed to allow the electron guns in a CRT television time to reposition themselves at the top of the screen.

There are 39 vertical sync lines, resulting in a total of 525 lines (486 + 39).

60 is a reference to NTSC's Fieldrate of approximately 60 Fields per second, resulting in 29.97 (30 / 1.001) Interlaced frames per second.

refers to a NTSC analog TV signal. Has 486 horizontal lines in its Active

Area, a NTSC video signal also includes extra vertical sync lines, which are basically just filler timed to allow the electron guns in a CRT television time to reposition themselves at the top of the screen.

There are 39 vertical sync lines, resulting in a total of 525 lines (486 + 39).

60 is a reference to NTSC's Fieldrate of approximately 60 Fields per second, resulting in 29.97 (30 / 1.001) Interlaced frames per second.

PALPAL

Used in Western Europe and Australia

PAL, or phase alternating line format

PAL was developed in the early 1960's

the increased bandwidth allows for better picture quality

Used in Western Europe and Australia

PAL, or phase alternating line format

PAL was developed in the early 1960's

the increased bandwidth allows for better picture quality

PAL or 625/50PAL or 625/50 625/50 refers to a PAL or

SECAM analog TV signal Has 576 horizontal lines in its

Active Area, a PAL video signal also includes extra vertical sync lines, which are basically just filler timed to allow the electron guns in a CRT television time to reposition themselves at the top of the screen

There are 49 vertical sync lines, resulting in a total of 625 lines (576 + 49).

50 is a reference to PAL's Fieldrate of 50 fields per second, resulting in 25 Interlaced frames per second.

625/50 refers to a PAL or SECAM analog TV signal

Has 576 horizontal lines in its Active Area, a PAL video signal also includes extra vertical sync lines, which are basically just filler timed to allow the electron guns in a CRT television time to reposition themselves at the top of the screen

There are 49 vertical sync lines, resulting in a total of 625 lines (576 + 49).

50 is a reference to PAL's Fieldrate of 50 fields per second, resulting in 25 Interlaced frames per second.

SECAMSECAM

Eastern Europe and France use SECAM

Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (sequential color with memory)

SECAM uses the same bandwidth as PAL but transmits the colour information sequentially

Eastern Europe and France use SECAM

Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (sequential color with memory)

SECAM uses the same bandwidth as PAL but transmits the colour information sequentially

Types of FormatTypes of Format

Type Lines Horizontal Freq

Vertical Freq

NTSC 525/60 15.734 kHz 60Hz

PAL-N 625/50 15.625 kHz 50Hz

PAL-M 525/60 15.750 kHz 60Hz

PAL 625/50 15.625 kHz 50Hz

SECAM 625/50 15.625 kHz 50Hz

ShotsShotsELS - Extreme Long Shot

LS - Long Shot

MLS - Medium Long Shot

MS - Medium Shot/ Mid Shot

CU - Close Up

MCU - Medium Close Up

BCU - Big Close Up

ECU - Extreme Close Up

ELS - Extreme Long Shot

LS - Long Shot

MLS - Medium Long Shot

MS - Medium Shot/ Mid Shot

CU - Close Up

MCU - Medium Close Up

BCU - Big Close Up

ECU - Extreme Close Up

Extreme Long Shot (ELS)Extreme Long Shot (ELS)camera at its farthest distance from subject

emphasize background

context

establishing shot

camera at its farthest distance from subject

emphasize background

context

establishing shot

Sex and Lucia

Types of Long ShotTypes of Long Shot

Extreme Long Shot Long Shot Medium Long Shot Medium Shot

Extreme Long Shot Long Shot Medium Long Shot Medium Shot

Gael Garcia Bernal

Long Shot (LS)Long Shot (LS)showing all or most of the subject and much of the surroundings

emphasis is more on the size or height of subject vis-a-vis background

showing all or most of the subject and much of the surroundings

emphasis is more on the size or height of subject vis-a-vis background

Long ShotLong Shot

Medium Long Shot (MLS)Medium Long Shot (MLS)

Emphasis on the physique of subject

frame cuts off feet and ankles

Emphasis on the physique of subject

frame cuts off feet and ankles

The Road Home

Medium Long Shot (MLS)Medium Long Shot (MLS)

Emphasis on the physique of subject

frame cuts off feet and ankles

Emphasis on the physique of subject

frame cuts off feet and ankles

Medium Shot (MS)Medium Shot (MS)subject and setting occupy roughly equal areas in the frame

Enough space for hand gestures

viewer's attention more on the subject than on the setting

but a clear relationship between the two.

subject and setting occupy roughly equal areas in the frame

Enough space for hand gestures

viewer's attention more on the subject than on the setting

but a clear relationship between the two.

Angelina Jolie, UNHCR Ambassador

Medium Shot (MS)Medium Shot (MS)

lower frame passes through waist of subject

relatively poor at showing facial expressions but work well to show body language

used to represent importance and power

lower frame passes through waist of subject

relatively poor at showing facial expressions but work well to show body language

used to represent importance and power

Monicca Bellucci

Medium Close Shot (MCS)Medium Close Shot (MCS)

frequently used for the tight presentation of two actors

setting can be seen lower frame passes

through chest of subject

frequently used for the tight presentation of two actors

setting can be seen lower frame passes

through chest of subject

Sex and Lucia

Types of Close Up ShotsTypes of Close Up Shots

Medium Close Up (MCU)

Close Up (CU) Extreme Close Up

(ECU)

Medium Close Up (MCU)

Close Up (CU) Extreme Close Up

(ECU)

Ludivine Sagnier

Medium Close Up (MCU)Medium Close Up (MCU)

head and shouldershead and shoulders

Sex and Lucia

Medium Close Up (MCU)Medium Close Up (MCU)

Close Up (CU)Close Up (CU)Shows a character’s face in great detail

Face fills the screen

Used to distinguish main characters; major characters are often given a close-up when they are introduced as a way of indicating their importance

Shows a character’s face in great detail

Face fills the screen

Used to distinguish main characters; major characters are often given a close-up when they are introduced as a way of indicating their importance

The Road Home

Close Up (CU) ShotClose Up (CU) Shot

Does not show the subject in the broad context of its surroundings

If overused, may leave viewers uncertain as to what they are seeing

Does not show the subject in the broad context of its surroundings

If overused, may leave viewers uncertain as to what they are seeing

Close Up (CU) ShotClose Up (CU) Shot

Often used as cutaways from a more distant shot to show detail, such as characters' emotions, or some intricate activity with their hands

Close cuts to characters' faces are used far more often in television than in movies; they are especially common in soap operas.

Often used as cutaways from a more distant shot to show detail, such as characters' emotions, or some intricate activity with their hands

Close cuts to characters' faces are used far more often in television than in movies; they are especially common in soap operas.

Big Close Up (BCU)Big Close Up (BCU)

forehead to chinforehead to chin

Extreme Close Up (ECU)Extreme Close Up (ECU)

reveals only a small part of the face

reveals only a small part of the face

Extreme Close UpExtreme Close Up

SummarySummary

Camera MovementCamera Movement

Low-Angle ShotLow-Angle Shot

A shot from a camera positioned low on the vertical axis, often at knee height, looking up

to illustrate which character holds the higher position of power

A shot from a camera positioned low on the vertical axis, often at knee height, looking up

to illustrate which character holds the higher position of power

Worm’s Eye VewWorm’s Eye Vew

Audience looking up at the character or situation

Character is made to seem very powerful or situation may seem insurmountable

Audience looking up at the character or situation

Character is made to seem very powerful or situation may seem insurmountable

High Angle ShotHigh Angle Shot camera is located

high (often above head height)and the shot is angled downwards

used sometimes in scenes of confrontation and fights to show which person has the higher power

camera is located high (often above head height)and the shot is angled downwards

used sometimes in scenes of confrontation and fights to show which person has the higher power

High Angle ShotHigh Angle Shot subject of a high

angle shot looks vulnerable or insignificant

if the shot represents a character's point of view, the shot can also be used to make the character tall, more powerful or threatening

subject of a high angle shot looks vulnerable or insignificant

if the shot represents a character's point of view, the shot can also be used to make the character tall, more powerful or threatening

Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee, USA, 1989

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

Scene is observed from the above as the audience is on top of a building looking down

Dramatizes a threatening situation by suggesting characters are at a disadvantage, at the mercy of people and events

Scene is observed from the above as the audience is on top of a building looking down

Dramatizes a threatening situation by suggesting characters are at a disadvantage, at the mercy of people and events

Straight-on ShotStraight-on Shot

Canted (Oblique) ShotCanted (Oblique) Shot

Horizon in shot is tilted to create an impression that everything is off-balance

Effectively express psychological imbalance, instability, motion, tension, pain or danger

Horizon in shot is tilted to create an impression that everything is off-balance

Effectively express psychological imbalance, instability, motion, tension, pain or danger

Point-of-View (POV)Point-of-View (POV)

Shows a view from the subject's perspective. This shot is usually edited in such a way that it is obvious whose POV it is

Shows a view from the subject's perspective. This shot is usually edited in such a way that it is obvious whose POV it is

POV ShotsPOV Shots

Wide Shot

POV POVOSS

SceneSceneA scene is a series of shots that the viewer perceives as taken at the same location during a rather brief period of time

A scene is a series of shots that the viewer perceives as taken at the same location during a rather brief period of time

Sex and Lucia

SceneScene

Types of ScenesTypes of Scenes

Master scenes - which are the key scenes to the bulk of the plot.

Flashback scenes - where the audience is taken into the past to reveal crucial story points.

Master scenes - which are the key scenes to the bulk of the plot.

Flashback scenes - where the audience is taken into the past to reveal crucial story points.

Jan Dara (2001)

Types of ScenesTypes of Scenes

Introduction scenes - where characters are introduced for the first time.

Static Scenes - where there is very little motion of the subject or camera

Introduction scenes - where characters are introduced for the first time.

Static Scenes - where there is very little motion of the subject or camera Jan Dara (2001)

Three Unities of A SceneThree Unities of A Scene

The unity of action: a scene should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots.

The unity of place: a scene should cover a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should it represent more than one place.

The unity of time: the action in a scene should take place over no more than 24 hours.

The unity of action: a scene should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots.

The unity of place: a scene should cover a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should it represent more than one place.

The unity of time: the action in a scene should take place over no more than 24 hours.

Anna Paquin

SequenceSequencecomposed of a series of scenes

scenes related in location, time, generating action, point of view, or cast

set off by strong punctuation marks (transition devices) such as the fade-out and fade-in

composed of a series of scenes

scenes related in location, time, generating action, point of view, or cast

set off by strong punctuation marks (transition devices) such as the fade-out and fade-in