Cinematography taks 1-5

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  1. Examples of Diegetic Perspectives:

Extra-Diegetic gaze

Review: As She Was Saying, Brilliantly, in a New 'Fleabag' - The New York Times

In the TV programme ‘Fleabag’, we follow a mid-20s character called Fleabag as she experiences and reacts to the life around her.

Extra-Diegetic shots are used in this programme to immerse the audience with the character fleabag. She often turns around to talk to us and comments wittily on her situation and irony. This has the effect of us empathising too, and even seeing ourselves in Fleabag’s position.

The shot is focused in on Fleabag, but leaves the Priest in the background- showing their relationship and how she talks to us about her issues as they happen.

Intra-Diegetic Gaze

Pulp Fiction trunk scene - Low Angle - YouTube

Here is an example of an intra-diegetic gaze in Pulp Fiction, where the audience is put in the perspective of a ‘body in the boot’. This frames the protagonists above the viewer’s perspective and makes them powerful in contrast.

Intra-Diegetic Gazes are used to put viewers in a viewpoint of a character in film.

Diegetic Perspective

Death by Adaptation: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - CLAPPER

This is an example of Diegetic Perspective in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Here we are kept in focus on Hunter S. Thompson, as he focuses on something else- a forced perspective.

Diegetic Perspective forces a point of view for audiences in a film.

2. Examples of Shot Distances

15 Killer Facts About Kill Bill: Vol. 1 | Mental Floss
This is an example of a Long Shot used in Kill Bill, that has the effect of staging the two characters before a climactic fight scene.
Small Pleasures: Amélie At 20 And The Deconstruction Of A Site Of Memory — Girls on Tops
Here is an example of a close-up shot from Amelie. It has the effect of engaging the viewer as if Amelie is speaking to them, and gives her a mischievous agenda.
Talking Movies: Inspired by Cinema – No Country for Old Men
Here is an example of an Ultra-wide shot used in No Country for Old Men. It has the effect of showcasing the protagonist in relation to the vast world around him, and setting a scene for the audience.

3. Camera Angle Examples

Dutch Angle: How to Film Tilted Shots (with Examples) | Backstage
This is an example of the Dutch Tilt in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. This has the effect of exaggerating the unusual and unsettling hallucinations the protagonists has, and does so by off-centring the imagined horizon of the setting.
High-Angle and Low-Angle
This is an example of a High Angle shot from The Shining. This frames our protagonist Danny as vulnerable, and puts the audience in a position as if we are a threat watching him closely.
Breaking Down Quentin Tarantino's Iconic Trunk Shot
Here is an example of a Low Angle Shot in Death Proof. This creates the effect of framing characters as powerful, and the trunk shot used by Tarantino is especially effective of this.

4. Camera Movements

Skirting The Blackhole of Cinema — Perfect Zooms La Haine {3}
This is an example of the Dolly Zoom, where the camera zooms in while moving backward to create the effect of changing the depth of field. This shot is particularly commended as it represents the protagonists in relation to the greater city.
Charlie's Angels Opening Scene HD - YouTube
This is an example of the tracking movement shot from Charlie’s Angels. As the protagonist on the right moves about the plane, the camera follows smoothly in one single take. It has the effect of creating a smooth, immersive opening to the film.
The Doors (1991) - STUDIOCANAL
This is an example of a Track-in Shot from The Doors. This shot centres the main protagonist Jim Morrison during his Performance, and exaggerates the emphasis on his story.

5. Depth of Field

The Depth of field determines what is, and isn’t in shot.

A shallow focus means there are typically less subjects in focus, and only a little movement from a subject is required to be out of focus.

On the other hand a deeper focus means there are typically more subjects in focus, and much more movement is required to be out of focus.

Wolf Of Wall Street' Cinematographer Talks Filming Tricks for Buzzy Quaaludes Scenes – The Hollywood Reporter

In The Wolf of Wall Street, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto uses depth of field in this shot to emphasise Jordan Belfort’s success and individuality in contrast to his employees who are out of frame.

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