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T436 - Fall 2012 - Week 2 Lenses & Cameras Readings B Brown Chapters 4, 5 & 6 Reality check:
Blain Brown review: Chapter 1 - writing with motion. Know how the tools of cinematography can be used to add meaning and depth to our work. These tools include:
The chapter has examples of how these tools have been used. Chapter 2 - shooting methods This chapter looks at shots and the methods of structuring and creating scenes. Cinematic Technique - The art of creating a more powerful experience for the viewer. The frame Many early practitioners used mainly a wide shot, similar to a theatre's proscenium. Filmmakers have moved past the proscenium approach and brought the viewers into 3-dimensional space. Building blocks (shots): WS, full shots, establishing shots, head & shoulders, CU, etc. Cutaway shots show elements in the scene related to the scene. Can be problem solvers for editors. Reaction shots are a specific type of cutaway
Inserts
Connecting shots tie in and reinforce spatial relationships of characters/subjects that can't be framed together. Master Scene Method (and related elements)
Plan scene (intentionally using a long choreographed single shot as in A Touch of Evil or the Player). Since it is real-time, the director has no escape route or editing tricks. This can be very effective in building suspense. Hitchcock’s Rule (the size of the object in the frame should equal its importance) Triple Take or overlapping method - Shoot sequentially in film-style. Once something is recorded, stop action, re-frame shot, and repeat action on next shot. POV - Subjective vs Objective POV (1st person or “I”= subjective. 3rd person=objective. 2nd in the middle somewhere.) POV shots are almost always handheld. Brown makes a point to note that while POV shots are often used (wolf-cam) rarely would Little Red Riding Hood look into the POV shot. THis would break the "4th wall" or the "illusion of film". Chapter 3 - visual language Chapter 2 has many great examples of composition techniques: Students should be able to identify/discuss techniques or elements of visual design (other than the rule of thirds) review of Design Principles from Brown book:
3-Dimensional Field (techniques) that can make 2D look more 3D
Forces of Visual Organization
Film & Video Composition
Switching gears: video and film Why does film look like film and video like video? List some ways to make video look like “film” during the production phase. (not post)
A great deal of the cinematic look is limiting the depth of field. Video has a smaller target than 35mm or 70mm film cameras. Because of the smaller target the depth of field is far greater. One of the tricks that DPs who work with video know is to shoot with the aperture wide open. They “starve the camera for light” by using ND filters in order to get a limited DOF. Sometimes, a large DOF is called for. In the book this is called “deep focus.” f-stops and T stops Film cameras often use T stops while video cameras usually have f-stops. The marks are called “witness marks.” f-stops can be derived mathematically by dividing the focal length by the diameter of the lens opening. But lenses are imperfect and some of the light entering is lost, thus affecting many elements. T-stops represent the actual amount of light passing through the lens. Back Focus - Never assume that the back focus is set properly. Back focus = flange focal distance. To set back focus:
If in doubt, it’s better to underexpose than to overexpose ASA and ISO are similar- but ASA really refers to B & W A note on shutter speeds Do not confuse the idea of using a faster shutter with that of changing the frame rate (over-cranking / under-cranking). Higher shutter speeds do NOT change the frame rate. They simply reduce the duration of the light sample. Lens Outside of determining lighting and all elements contained within the frame, the director must determine the height of the lens, the angle (tilt), and possibly the cant, as well as movement. Why do we move the camera? Dolly, crane and truck shots provide depth. They move the camera into and through the scene. Foreground, midground, and background layers and elements are essential to creating a sense of depth.
Filmmakers are constantly struggling to get depth out of a 2 dimensional frame. This is why they block action along the Z-axis (towards and away from the camera) and move the camera through the scene. A static lens is a proscenium and will appear 2-dimensional. Lens Perspective Wide angle vs Telephoto
Extreme wide angle lenses create distortion. Wide angle lenses also provide Deep Focus (everything appears in focus) Telephoto lenses compress space. They also reduce the DOF (depth of field) Selective Focus and Rack Focus are common techniques that rely on a limited DOF. Image Control
Basic lens decisions: Height in relation to subject Movement: Tracking Reveal – When the camera movement shows us something new, relevant to the story. Telephoto lenses give the illusion of compressing space Dollies – Chapman and Fischer dollies can only be leased. Lab this week:
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