Cinematic Level

The items that make a movie a movie! What you see on film cannot be seen anywhere else!

Shot A single, uninterrupted piece of film The image that is seen on-screen until it is replaced by another image through editing If the camera moves while still filming, but without breaks, that is still one shot Practice: Snap every time you see a new shot in these clips.

Rope

Mise en Scene Pronounced: meez en sen Visual arrangement of all visual elements within an area Used to be “stage” Now….the screen

Armageddon

American Beauty

Framing How the object in the shot will be positioned and filmed. How much of the frame of the screen the object will occupy Similar to cropping in photography 3 main types

Long Shot Object on screen appears small or far away Oftentimes used as an “establishing shot” To show where the film takes place Location, time Objects and characters may seem unclear or indistinct because of a lack of detail

Long Shot Enemy of the State

Effects of a Long Shot? Show where the action will take place. Force the viewer to focus on one or two things in focus Those must be important To show that something is weak or powerless It’s so small physically and power-ly!

The Graduate

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Close-Up Object in focus takes up about 80% of the screen space Object appears very large Forces viewer to look at ONLY what the director intends

Close-Up The Graduate

Effects of a Close Up? Object in frame is to be seen as important. Often used as foreshadowing. Can show characters’ reactions. Can show emotions. Can create tension since only a small portion of “the real world” is on screen (while other stuff must be happening!)

Mission Impossible

Cool Hand Luke

Psycho

Medium Shot From about the waist up The most common and most naturalistic framing choice A “neutral framing” Seems comfortable and unobtrusive What does unobtrusive mean?

Medium Shot Effects? Dodgeball

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Camera Angles Where the camera will be placed in relation to the subject There are 4 main angles directors use

Low Angle Camera is below the subject being filmed The Graduate

Effects of a Low Angle? Framed item is seen “from below.” Item looks large = powerful Item can be seen as Powerful Dominant Important Could just be about location – looking UP at something!

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

High Angle Camera is above the subject being filmed Fargo

Effects of a High Angle? Framed item is seen “from above.” Item looks small = weak Item can be seen as Weak Powerless Inferior Could just be about location – looking DOWN at something.

Psycho Mission Impossible The Graduate

Psycho

Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End

Eye Level Camera is at the same level as the subject being shot. This is a “neutral camera angle”

Dutch Angle Object in the frame is “canted” or angled The Shining

Effects of a Dutch Angle Object in frame is “tilted.” Object is literally “off kilter” Could imply that the scene is emotionally off kilter or imbalanced. Situation is unstable

Do the Right Thing

The Departed

Camera Movement Pan When a camera pivots on a horizontal axis Side to side! Tilt When a camera pivots on a vertical axis Up and down!

Zoom Focal length of a camera changes More or less of an object is “framed” Tracking / Dolly Shots Camera actually moves! Could be around, into, above, or through a subject

Lighting The principle source of light for filming 3 main types

Low-Key Lighting Much darkness Many shadows Double Indemnity

Effects of Low-Key Lighting Many shadows are created Ohhh….scary! Suspense Uncertainty Doubt

Double Indemnity

Shakespeare in Love

High-Key Lighting Brightness Openness Lack of shadows Yankee Doodle Dandy

Effects of High-Key Lighting No shadows Everything is washed in full light Excitement “On the level” - honest

Bottom / Side / Back Lighting When the light source is either from the bottom, side, or back of the subject. Certain features are highlighted (no pun intended)

The Graduate

Frost / Nixon

Effects of Bottom / Side / Back Lighting Certain features are highlighted. Creates suspense Could signify that a character is multi faceted “Two-faced” Complex

Front Lighting From directly in front of the subject Creates a bit of a “halo effect” Yankee Doodle Dandy

Sound An integral component of the film experience. Imagine a scary movie with the sound turned down; it just seems silly!

Diegetic Sound Pronounced - die-uh-je-tik Any sound that could be logically heard by a character within the film. If a character speaks or a cat growls The characters in the film and the audience hear roughly the same thing (Or could hear the same thing)

Nondiegetic Sound Sound that cannot be logically heard by a character. Soundtrack! Intended only for the audience Voice-over narration is included in this category Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4

Editing Methods by which a director chooses to move from one shot to another. The point is to make cuts but for them to be SUBTLE!

Fade When the on-screen image slowly fades away to white or black Slow transition Not realistic Effects? Time has passed. Amount depends on the length of time in black

Dissolve Image slowly fades out Before fading completely out – new image fades in Slow transition Effects? The first scene leads to the next. The two are connected in some way.

Crosscut Parallel editing Cut from one scene immediately to another Effects? Scenes are happening at the same time. Can create suspense!

Eye-Line Match Also called a point of view shot Camera cuts to what the person is looking at as if through their eyes Effects? Puts viewer in the shoes of a character.