Cinematography: Camera Angels & Frames

Film Studies Notes: 7/9/17 : Cinematography

The task for this lesson was to start learning film terminology that was associated with cinematography and learning the techniques that directors use in their films; this ranged from camera angles (the location at which the camera is placed to take a shot) to camera movements. I learned the different types of angles and movements that are used in a film and I also learned how to differentiate the different types of shots used in films. This will help in the future as we learnt why the directors use these specific type of shots so this will make it easier to analyse certain scenes in films (for example in the opening scene of City Of God, high angle & low angle shots are used and due to this lesson I know this is because the director is showing the power balance between the characters by using these camera angles). This will also help in the future if I want to direct as I now know more about how to film a motion picture due to the terminologies we learnt in this lesson.

Cinematography:

• Cinematography is the name given to a group of techniques used to capture images
• Applies to both film & photography
• It includes: camera angles, camera frames & photographic techniques

Extreme Long Shot:

• Large amount of landscape
• Often at beginning of scene/film to establish setting
• Also known as Establishing Shot

Captain America: The First Avenger

Long Shot:

• Contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of setting
• A long shot shows viewers where the action occurs

Rebel Without A Cause

Two Shot:

• Contains complete view of character
• Viewers take in costumes of characters & helps to demonstrate the relationship between characters

Pulp Fiction

Mid Shot:

• Contains character from waist up
• Viewers see interactions with other characters

 The Shining

Close Up:

• Just one characters face
• Allows viewers to understand actors emotions, can create empathy for the character

Opening scene of A Clockwork Orange

Extreme Close Up:

• One part of the characters face or other object
• Technique common in horror films
• Shot creates intense mood
• Breaks the fourth wall; interaction between audience & viewer

Requiem For A Dream

Camera Angels:

Birds Eye View:

• Shot puts audience in a godlike position, looking down on action
• People look insignificant

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

High Angle:

• Makes object photographed seem smaller, and less significant
• Object or character gets swallowed up by setting, part of a wider pic

Matilda

Eye Level:

• Camera positioned as human actually observing a scene

Alice In Wonderland

Low Angle:

• Give sense of confusion to viewer of powerlessness within action of scene
• Inspires fear & insecurity in viewers

Inglorious Basterds

Canted Angle:

• Tilted camera
• Suggests inbalance &/or transition

Inception

Camera Movement:

Pan:

• Movement which scans scene horizontally
• Camera placed on a tripod, often to follow a moving object kept in the middle of the frame

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Tilt:

• A movement which scans a scene vertically

Fight Club

Tracking:

• Camera placed on a moving vehicle, moves alongside action

Multiple examples of films that use tracking shots

Hand-held:

• Gritty realism, make audience feel as though part of a scene

Zoom:

• Video zoom lens can change position very quickly or slowly, without moving the camera an inch

Stand By Me

Aerial Shot:

• Exciting variation of a crane shot, usually taken from a helicopter
• Often at start of film, in order to establish setting and movement

 the opening of The Sound of Music