1. Motion Picture Language
Chapter 1:
Motion Picture Language
Courtesy of Kendelyn Ouellette

2. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Objectives
Create short motion pictures using visual planning techniques.
Investigate standard shots and techniques that are the foundation of a visual language.
Evaluate the effect of continuity and other editing techniques in motion picture sequences.
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

3. Courtesy of Kendelyn Ouellette
Standard Framings
Frame
Extreme close-up (ECU)
Medium close-up (MCU)
Full close-up (FCU)
American Shot 3/4
Close shot (CS)
Medium shot (MS)
Full shot (FS)
Wide shot (WS)
Long shot (LS)
Courtesy of Kendelyn Ouellette
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

4. Additional Framing Terms Courtesy of Kendelyn Ouellette
Head room & Lead room
High angle & Low angle
Two shot
Over-the-shoulder shot
Point of view shot
Courtesy of Kendelyn Ouellette
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

5. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Camera Movement
Static shot
Tilt & pan
Dolly shot
Crane shot
Handheld shot
Steadicam shot
Push-in & pull-out
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

6. Courtesy TriStar Pictures / Photofest
Basics of Continuity
Screen direction
Viewer perspective
Movement left to right and
in depth
The axis
Line between characters
Using the camera to duplicate
viewer perspective
Courtesy TriStar Pictures / Photofest
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

7. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
The Axis
In film making, the 180-degree rule[1] is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters, and by keeping the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene, the first character is always frame right of the second character, who is then always frame left of the first. The camera passing over the axis is called jumping the line or crossing the line; breaking the 180-degree rule by shooting on all sides is known as shooting in the round.
The object that is being filmed must always remain in the center, while the camera must always face towards the object.
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

8. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Shots into Sequences
Back to continuity:
Change of angle
Change of framing
Match cut
Jump cut & video
Dissolve
Fade in & fade out
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

9. Courtesy Brian Spellman and Ryan Sindler
Style: Composition
Framings: lens and distance
Review close-ups and other framings
Rule of thirds
Horizontal factors
Depth of view
Foreground
Background
Courtesy Brian Spellman and Ryan Sindler
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

10. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Style: Camera
As you watch and make movies, think about the following elements
Composition:
How are people, objects, and places presented, and how do they move around?
Where is the camera positioned and how does it move?
Qualities of light
How would you describe the “look” of the film?
What is typically sharp or blurry?
How do you describe light, dark, and color in the film?
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

11. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Style: Editing
Use of editing shots
Cutting style
Do the cuts establish continuity?
Are they “calm?”
Are the cuts sharp and “edgy?”
Are there any jump cuts?
Rhythms
Are cuts generally fast?
Are there any long shots?
Sequences
What are some typical juxtapositions of shots?
How do sequences reveal or hide information?
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12. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Style: Sound
This includes approaches to acting, sound design, use of music, production design (sets,etc) and visual effects.
Dialogue
How is dialogue used to establish the story?
Is there a rhythm or particular style to the dialogue?
Sound design
How do the various noises of the film affect the impact of the images?
How does sound work to add to, contradict, or comment on the events of the motion picture?
Music
How is music used in the movie?
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

13. Style: Directorial Choices
Acting
Is there a particular tradition and context for the actors?
Do the performances fit together well and follow an approach that reflects a cultural, social, or historical context?
Production design (sets, costumes, props, etc.)
Visual effects
How are production design and visual effects used to create a believable or artistically cohesive world on the screen?
In what ways do production design and visual effects add to the story being told or the impact of the images?
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

14. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Tone
Comes from the type of genre of a particular movie
Expressed through emotional qualities, ambiance, and mood.
Different ways to describe tone:
Quiet, reflective, brash, aggressive
Dramatic, comic
Straight forward or sarcastic attitude
Romantic, comedy, adventure, horror
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

15. Activity Time! Analysis: Communicating through Images Activities 1 & 2
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16. Preparing for Production
Evaluate the script or objectives
Shot list
Storyboards & More
Schedule and checklist
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

17. Activity Time! Scenes & Shots Activities 3 & 4
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning

18. © 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning
Summary
In Chapter 1, you examined the ways in which moving images communicate ideas and narrate events using motion picture language.
In order to describe what you see on the screen, you studied terms used to describe shots and basic ways they are linked together in sequences.
You also studied a variety of terms and concepts to classify, analyze, and evaluate various types of motion pictures. In particular, you developed capacities to interpret style and tone of motion pictures.
© 2011 Delmar, Cengage Learning