Different media forms have their own sets of rules and guidelines to follow. In any kind of designing or art related task key fundamental concepts to consider are space, size and scale.
Camera + Focus
A camera is the most important piece of equipment used for moving image production and a crucial feature of it is the focus (depth of field), which can effectively control what the viewer is seeing and keeping track of at any given time. If I were to film my sequences again I would take more shots and use focus to control which parts of the shot viewers should be paying attention to.
- High angle / Low angle / bulls-eye / birds eye / canted angle
- Tracking / Panning / Craning / Tilting / Hand held / Steadicam
- Establishing Shot / Long Shot / Medium Shot / Close-up / Big Close-Up / Extreme Close Up (students often struggle with the first and the last again issues with SCALE, SIZE & SPACE, so practice is really important)
- Insert Shot
There are lots of types of shots you can use in moving image production, such as establishing shots, close shots and long shots. I am going to use close ups of my characters eyes, and a long establishing shot of a football pitch.
An insert shot is one which focuses on a specific object, and they can be used to effectively transition between scenes and provide detailed information to the viewer. I could use an insert shot of a door being closed in my sequence.
Edit
Moving from Camera to Edit, would be to compare the way that the camera can frame and position characters and thereby the audience by creating ‘subjectivity‘ and empathy. This is so important for creating a story, characters, a theme and of course COMMUNICATING MEANING. Similarly, the way in which images are edited together has a massive significance in terms of communicating an idea and of creating meaning.
It’s important to understand that everything visible in the frame will be noticed and looked at by the viewer.
The key question is WHEN TO EDIT e.g when is it best to move from one shot to another? The answer is usually found in the following list:
- EDIT ON ACTION
- EDIT ON A MATCHING SHAPE, COLOUR, THEME
- EDIT ON A LOOK, A GLANCE, EYELINE
- EDIT ON A SOUND BRIDGE
- EDIT ON A CHANGE OF SHOT SIZE
- EDIT ON A CHANGE OF SHOT CAMERA POSITION (+30′)
Parallel Editing – Editing between different places/characters at the same time. I could use this when comparing the reactions to the person making an offer and the football player.
Montage editing – Combining lots of shots in quick succession to tell a story in a short space of time. I could use this when the football player is training to combine many shots.
Shot Progression
Conventional shot progression – to create VERISIMILITUDE (ie realism, believability) usually involves the following shots (although not always in the same order). This links to the idea of invisible editing where the edit is not as noticeable.
- establishing shot / ES, moving to
- wide shot / WS,
- to medium shot / MS,
- to close up / CU,
- to big close up / BCU;
- and then back out again
Shot/Reverse Shots
This is when shots are captured within the range of a conversation or exchange. The basic sequence runs from a wide angle master shot that is at a 90′ angle to (usually) two characters. This sets up the visual space and allows the film-maker to to then shoot separate close-ups, that if connected through an eye-line match are able to give the impression that they are opposite each other talking. The shots are usually over the shoulder. External reverses – over the shoulder and both characters are visible. Internal reverses – excludes the head of the other character, much more close up shot.