1. The 5 C’s of Cinematography
Camera SAM
Composition
Cutting
Close-up
Continuity

2. The Elements of Cinematography
Camera SAM
Shots – Angles – Movements

3. To Begin: Some Basic Terms
Frame:
The perimeter of an image as seen when projected on a screen.

4. To Begin: Some Basic Terms
Foreground:
What is occurring or seen in the front of your shot—closest to the camera.

5. To Begin: Some Basic Terms
Background:
What is occurring or seen in the rear of your shot—the area farthest from your camera.

6. The Elements of Cinematography
Camera
Shots-A-M

7. Establishing Shot Establishing Shot:
Reveals the setting where the action will take place.
The first shot in a scene.
Often are Extreme Long Shots.

8. Extreme Long Shot Extreme Long Shot: Shows the vastness of location.
Often is an Establishing Shot.

9. Extreme Long Shot (cont.)
Maybe the best opening Establishing Shot ever:
“Star Wars: Episode IV ‘A New Hope’”
Beginning of the of a scene.
Shows location/setting

10. Long Shot Full body shot: Wide shot: Head-to-toe in frame
Shows background
Good for action shots or
Wide shot:
Contains the entire subject you are shooting

11. Medium Shot Medium Shot: Also called a Half shot.
From the knees or waist up
Shows some background.
Used for dialogue shots; presenting conversation.

12. Bust Shot Bust Shot: Includes the head and shoulders of a person
Little or no background seen

13. Close-up Close-up: Extreme Close-up:
Subject fills up the frame
Little or no background seen
Used for interest and emotional shot
Extreme Close-up:
Enlarge to monstrous proportions.
EXTREME.
Fills up frame-no background
All Close-ups are used to point out something the director wants the audience to know!

14. The Elements of Cinematography
Camera
S-Angles-M

15. Normal Angle Eye-to-eye level
Objective angle used for interviews or dialogue settings

16. High Angle Camera is placed above, looking down on subject
Gives the appearance of weakness or subservience.

17. Low Angle Camera is placed below, looking up at subject
Gives the appearance of strength and dominance.

18. Dutch Angle Adjusting the frame to a 45–degree slant
Used to add interest to the shot.
Creates potential chaos.

19. Point-of-View (POV) Shooting from a character’s point-of- view (POV).
An angle in which the camera shows what would be visible from a particular subject's position.

20. Over the Shoulder (OTS)
Shooting from a character’s point-of- view (POV).
Using part of a subject’s shoulder to shoot a tight medium shot of another subject.

21. The Elements of Cinematography
Camera
S-A-Movements

22. Pan Sweeping the camera horizontally, left or right. If hand-held:
Feet planted.
Hips rotate.
Slow and smooth.

23. Tilt Angling the camera vertically, up or down. If hand-held:
Feet planted.
Movement slow and smooth.
Details character’s
stature or costume.

24. Zoom In/Out Camera Lens moves in and out.
Creates subject size changes and focal points.
“T” Telephoto: zooms in – making subject larger with background being eliminated.
“W” Wide-angle: zooms out –
making subject smaller with more background included.

25. Physical Movements
Physically moving the position of the Camera and/or Tripod from side-to-side.
Called Dolly, Truck or Traveling/Onride movements.

26. Physical Movements (cont.)
Dollies are often used in point-of-view shots to give the audience the impression of approaching someone or something with the character.
Although they look very similar at first glance, when zooming in on an object, by simply enlarging part of a frame, the object seems to be propelling itself towards the camera.
Cool Effect: Combine the zoom in/out and the dolly in/out at same rate of speed for a animated movement to subject/object.

27. Camera Movements (cont.)
Tracking shots are conventionally used to follow movements across a frame, often moving parallel to characters, and can help to involve the audience in characters’ actions and discussions.
Both camera and subject should travel same rate of speed for best effect.
Cool Effect: Have the subject turn the opposite direction of the cameraperson’s track.
Use behind the subject the least—it gets boring quickly.

28. Dolly
Camera and/or Tripod moves toward and away from the subject/object.
“Dolly in” or “Dolly out”

29. Truck
Camera and/or Tripod moves left or right from the subject/object.
“Truck left” or “Truck right”

30. Pedestal Movement Camera and/or tripod
moves up or down along the height of the subject/object.
Different than a tilt effect, without the angling.

31. Rack Focus
Utilizing the manual focus to blur and focus between two stationary subjects/objects.
Creates interest for character dialogues.

32. Hand–Held Not using the tripod. Creates a less stable effect.
Can give a “reality” to the footage.
Avoid too much bumpiness or you will make the audience sick. “Blair Witch” or “Cloverfield” footage gets old real fast.

33. Subject or Character Movement
Mise’-En-Scène:
Movement within the scene.
Character/Subject Movement:
Camera does not move – just the character(s)

34. Mise’-En-Scène “Putting on stage”
Letting the characters move into, within and out of the frame of the camera.
Used primarily in action sequences.
Camera remains still.

35. Character/Subject Movement:
Toward the camera: Scare tactic to shock the audience.
Away from the camera: Creates closure to the scene

36. FIN
That’s it – The End