Moving Image, Narrative

LanGUAGE OF mOVING iMAGE

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Space, size and scale is essentially the main point in media/creative arts. There is a set of rules that goes along with each section- key terminology.

Rack Focus:

Focusing on one subject, then to another to reveal a plot or storyline.

This guides the viewers on who/where/what to look at which usually has great significance to the shot.

Camera shots, angles and sizes

  • 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
  • Insert Shot

High angle shots can be used to make the subject appear small, subordinate. Low angle shots can be used to make the subject to appear big and in power.

Insert Shots:

Used to:

  • Add detail and clarity to visual information
  • Emphasise something significant happening

Edit

Stitching one moving image to another in a way where you control what everyone sees.

  1. EDIT ON ACTION
  2. EDIT ON A MATCHING SHAPE, COLOUR, THEME
  3. EDIT ON A LOOK, A GLANCE, EYELINE
  4. EDIT ON A SOUND BRIDGE
  5. EDIT ON A CHANGE OF SHOT SIZE
  6. EDIT ON A CHANGE OF SHOT CAMERA POSITION (+30′)

I would edit on action when the subject starts to walk. When they notice the tree and point to it, I will cut to an eyeline view of the tree, and back again.

Parallel editing:

When you cut back and forth showing two things happening at once.

Montage editing:

When you have to show a backstory or the history of something, you use montage editing where you reveal key parts of a life/story that helps people understand the story they’re watching.

‘Creates meaning through putting ideas and objects next to each other.’

Sequencing a shot/Logical shot progression:

Used to create verisimilitude and empathy for the audience, gets audience on the ‘edge of the seat’.

  • 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 Shot:

When characters are having a conversation and you focus on one person speaking (shot), then the other person (reverse shot).

If you show the person’s head while they’re being spoken to, it is an internal shot, if you show it as if they’re speaking to someone it is an external shot.

Examples in my sequence:

  • I can use an extreme close up/big close up to highlight significance of the tree and the person.

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