Category Archives: Moving Image

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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.

Moving Image, Notes, Theory

MOVING IMAGE

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Each media form has a unique set of key language terms which link to a set of rules/ conventions, as well as the genre and how this is constructed through narrative

Focusing and Depth of Field

Rack Focus = Focusing in on something and then changing the focus on to something else to further the narrative line.

Example in my sequences:

  • I could change the focus from the bench to focusing in on the notebook on the floor which was once unnoticeable.
  • I could focus in on myself writing in the book and then focus in on the writing on the page.

SPACE – SIZE – SCALE – ANGLE

  • Angle = High angle / Low angle / bulls-eye / birds eye / canted angle
  • Space = Tracking / Panning / Craning / Tilting / Hand held / Steadicam
  • Size/ Scale = Establishing Shot / Long Shot / Medium Shot / Close-up / Big Close-Up / Extreme Close Up

Example in my sequences:

  • I could take a extreme long shot from the top of a hill to capture a wide landscape over a beach. Then I could use a close up to the boy sat on the beach which could slowly zoom out to a middle shot to establish the exposition of the narrative.

Insert Shot = A shot added in to a narrative to control the viewers’ gaze and to provide detail.  Inserts cover action already covered in the master shot, but emphasize a different aspect of that action

The Edit

In theory, without any footage, there is nothing to edit.

Moving image products are constructed around the concept of putting things together (stitching pieces together to create narrative). This idea of sewing / stitching the audience into the text was developed by theoreticians of the “Screen theory”.

When to edit?

  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′)

Examples in my sequences:

  • During my morning routine sequence, I will edit on action when the character is making breakfast.
  • When my character is walking to the bench, I will include a shot of my character looking at the sky and cut to a pan shot across the sky to show what he is seeing.

Shot sequencing

Parallel Editing = Two events edited together, cut back and forth. So that they may be happening at the same time, or not?

Montage = Often the connection of images / ideas to create a new meaning and symbolism. COLLAGE and MONTAGE ART creates meaning through putting ideas and objects next to each other.

Example in my sequences:

  • I could use a montage replay of the events leading up to the point in which the narrative begun (‘In Media- Res’ of the characters life story).
  • I could film my main character trying to look for the notebook whilst the female character finds it and begins to read and invest herself in his story.

Shot progression = To create realism and believability (verisimilitude).

  • 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

Examples in my sequences:

  • Establish setting such as park/beach (where the bench is set).

Shot/ Reverse Shot

External Reverse = Including both characters.

Internal Reverse = Closer than an a behind the shoulder shot.

Moving Image, Narrative, Notes, Theory

Chatman / Barthes Notes

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Chatman

Chatman came up with several ideas and terms, such as kernels, satellites and non-sequitars.

Kernels: Key moments in the plot and narrative structure

Satellites: Embellishments, developments or aesthetics

Non-sequitars: When elements may emerge and play out but actually turn out to be of little value, meaning or consequence to the overall / main parts of the narrative – not relevant in the big picture.

Elements that are essential to the story/plot/development are called kernels and moments that can be removed and the story would still make sense are called satellites.

Satellites are useful to develop character, emotion, location, time.

Roland Barthes

Proairetic code: Action, movement, causation

Hermenuetic code: Reflection, dialogue, character or thematic development.

Enigma code: The way in which intrigue and ideas are raised – which encourage an audience to want more information.

Moving image products are either based around ‘doing’/‘action’ which is proairetic code or ‘talking’ / ‘reflection’ which is hermenuetic code.

Moving Image, Narrative, Notes, Theory

Chatman and Barthes

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Chatman

Kernels: key moments in the plot / narrative structure

Satellites: embellishments, developments, aesthetics

non-sequitars: one elements may emerge and play out but actually turn out to be of little value, meaning or consequence to the overall / main parts of the narrative

Elements that are essential to the story/plot/ development are called kernels and moments that can be removed and the story would still make sense are called satellites.

Satellites are useful to develop character, emotion, location, time.

Roland Barthes-

  • Proairetic code: action, movement, causation
  • Hermenuetic code: reflection, dialogue, character or thematic development
  • Enigma code: the way in which intrigue and ideas are raised – which encourage an audience to want more information.

moving image products are either based around ‘doing’ / ‘action’ which is proairetic code or ‘talking’ / ‘reflection’ which is hermenuetic code.

Moving Image, Narrative, Notes

Narrative Structure

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Seymour Chatman

  • Kernels – Key moments in the plot / narrative structure are essential to the story and help to move the story along.
  • Satellites – Developments / moments that could be removed and the overall logic would not be disturbed and are not essential to the story.

– The theory of breaking down 2 distinct elements

 Roland Barthes

  • Proairetic Code – action, movement, causation. Doing ‘things’
  • Hermenuetic Code – reflection, dialogue, character or thematic development. Thinking ‘things’
  • Enigma Code – The way in which intrigue and ideas are raised – which encourage an audience to want more information.

– He believes that narrative is divided into Proairetic and Hermenuetic code.

Moving Image

Video Analysis

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The beginning of this short film is how I want the shots of the setting of my sequences to be. Short and almost still shots. Camera is on a straight on angle signifying all is okay for now.

The shot of the girl looking out the window is what I want in one of my sequences. It is a shot that only focuses on the girl. It is not exactly still so a tripod is not used. The camera is hand held in a bulls-eye shot having the frame straight on. The girl looking out the window is a sign because the reasons she is looking out there can have many interpretations.

The camera shot following the girl is also a bullseye shot. There is also an angle where her feet are recorded as she is walking, this angle is different from the