The 5 C’s of Cinematography

Notes

 

 

• CAMERA ANGLES

 

• • Types: Objective, Subjective, Point-of-View
  • Objective: “The objective camera films from a sideline viewpoint. The audience views the event through the eyes of an unseen observer, as if eavesdropping,” (13).
  • Subjective: “The subjective camera films from a personal viewpoint. The audience participates in the screen action as a personal experience,” (14).
  • Point-of-View: “Point-of-view, or simply p.o.v., camera angles record the scene from a particular player’s view-point. The point-of-view shot is an objective angle, but since it falls between the objective and subjective angle, it should be placed in a separate category and given special consideration,” (22).
  • Avoid the “double-look”
    • Looking at both the interviewer and the camera. “Back-and-forth looks are very distracting,” (20).
  • Scenic shots can be objective or subjective. Depends on the editing.
  • Camera Angle: “A camera angle is defined as the area and viewpoint recorded by the lens,” (24).
  • Extreme Long Shot (ELS): “An extreme long shot depicts a vast area from a great distance. It may be used whenever the audience should be impressed with the huge scope of the setting or event,” (25).
    • Pan should be used if it “increases in interest as pan progresses,” (25)
  • Long Shot (LS): “A long shot takes in the entire area of action,” (26).
  • Medium Shot (MS or MED): Falls in between a long shot and a close-up. “Players are filmed from above the knees, or from just below the waist,” (27).
  • Close-Up (CU): “A medium close-up films a player approximately midway between waist and shoulders to above the head; a head and shoulder close-up, from just below the shoulders to above the head; a head close-up includes the head only; a choker close up includes a facial area from just below the lips to just above the eyes,” (32)
  • Level Angle: “A level camera films from the eye-level of an observer of average height, or from the subject’s eye level. A level camera views a setting or an object so that vertical lines do not converge,” (35).
  • High Angle: “A high angle shot is any show in which the camera is tilted downward to view the subject,” (37).
  • If it is not immediately identifiable…DON’T USE IT.
  • Low Angle: “A low-angle shot is any shot in which the camera is tilted upward to view the subject.
  • Tilt “Dutch” Angles: “In Hollywood studio parlance a “Dutch” angle is a crazily-tilted camera angle, in which the vertical axis of the camera is at an angle to the vertical axis of the subject,” (47).
  • Area: “The area photographed determines the subject’s image size on the film,” (50).
  • “Proper camera angles can make the difference between audience appreciation and indifference,” (65).

 

• CONTINUITY

 

• • “A professional sound motion picture should present a continuous, smooth, logical flow of visual images, supplemented by sound, depicting the filmed event in a coherent manner. It is the continuous aspect of a motion picture; it is Continuity that decides success or failure of the production,” (67).
  • Time and Space: “A motion picture can create its own time and space, to fit any particular story-telling situation,” (68).
  • Types of action: Controlled and Uncontrolled
  • Controlled: “Filming of any event which the cameraman can direct or regulate is known as controlled action,” (74).
  • Uncontrolled: “Events which cannot be staged for the camera constitute uncontrolled action, (74).
  • Filming Technique: Master scene and Triple-Take
  • Master: “A master scene is a continuous take of an entire event occurring in a single setting,” (75).
  • Triple-Take: “The simplest method for obtaining shot-to-shot continuity, particularly when filming without a script, is by overlapping the action at the beginning and end of each shot,” (80).
  • Screen Direction: Dynamic and static
  • Dynamic (Bodies in motion): 
    • Constant; either left-to-right or right-to-left
    • Contrasting; both left-to-right and right-to-left
    • Neutral; toward or away from the camera
  • Static (Bodies at rest)
  • “All screen travel must be thoroughly analyzed before a foot of film is exposed,” (104).
  • “Reversing the camera may be safely accomplished without confusion in any such setting or room with distinctive features — such as a staircase, a large doorway, a fireplace, bookshelves, ect.,” (132).
  • Transitional Devices: Pictorial and Sound
  • Pictorial: “The simplest method for achieving smooth pictorial transitions is by use of introductory titles; stating place and/or time to set the stage,” (137).
    • Fades
    • Dissolves
    • Wipes
  • Sound: “Narration may cover a switch in locales, or explain a time change.” (142).

 

• CUTTING

 

• • “Film editing may be compared with cutting, polishing, and mounting a diamond. A diamond in the rough state is barely recognizable. The raw diamond must be cut, polished and mounted so that its inherent beauty can be fully appreciated,” (147).
  • “It is aimed at the cameraman/director who may edit his own films,” (147).
  • “The cameraman, working this way, can develop a greater appreciation of motion picture editing problems than one who merely shoots what is requested by a director,” (148).
  • Types of Film Editing: Continuity Cutting and Compilation Cutting.
  • Continuity Cutting: “…the storytelling is dependent upon matching consecutive scenes,” (149).
  • Compilation Cutting: “…the story-telling is dependent upon the narration, and the scenes merely illustrate what is being described,” (149).
  • Cross-Cutting: “Cross-cutting consists of parallel editing of two or more events in an alternating pattern,” (154). Think “meanwhile back at the ranch”
    • “Events occurring simultaneously, but separated in space, may be depicted by alternately showing the progress of each,” (156).
  • Many editors cut on action.
  • Cutting static and moving shots can be done but it is difficult.
  • “The screen length of a pan, tilt dolly or other moving shot should be considered in relation to its editorial value,” (161).
  • “A static shot of a player moving into the frame, such as sitting into a close-up, should be filmed with a locked camera, not one that movies about nervously at the beginning of the shot until the cameraman is satisfied with the framing,” (163).
  • “It is much better to be slightly off-center in framing than to move the camera,” (163).
  • Protection Shots: “ ‘Protection’ or ‘cover’ shots are extra scenes filmed to cover any unforeseen editing problems, or to replace any doubtful scenes that may be present editorial difficulties because of wrong timing, excessive length, possible mis-matching, lengthy pan or dolly shots, etc,” (164).
  • “Dissolves should not be used in continuity sequence where continuous action flows across consecutive shots,” (165).
  • “Sound and picture should not be edited in a parallel manner, in which the audio and visual elements bein and end together in each individual shot,” (167).
  • Editorial Requirements: Technical, Esthetic, Narrative.
  • Technical: “The technical elements of a film — such as photographic treatment, lighting, color, exposure, sound, etc,” (168).
  • Esthetic: “The assembled picture should unreel un a series of moving images pleasing to watch and easy to understand, unless the filmmaker desires — for story purposes — to shock or distract the audience; or otherwise create a violent or unpleasant audience reaction,” (169).
  • Narrative: “Technically perfect, excellently-composed shots have little or no meaning id the picture is presented in an illogical, uninteresting or incoherent manner,” (169).

 

• CLOSE-UPS

 

• • “The close-up is a device unique to motion pictures,” (173). 
  • “Close-ups are among the most powerful storytelling devices available to the filmmaker,” (173).
  • Extreme Close-up: “Tiny objects or areas, or small portions of large objects or areas, may be filmed in extreme close-up so that they appear greatly magnified on the screen,” (174).
  • Over the Shoulder Close-ups: “A typical motion picture shot, with no counterpart in still photography, is the close-up of a person as seen over-the-shoulder of another person in the foreground,” (176).
  • Types of Close-ups: Cut-in and Cut-away
  • Cut-in: “A cut-in close-up is a magnified portion of the preceding larger scene,” (177).
  • Cut-Away: “A cut-away close-up is related to, but not a part of, the previous scene. Ir depicts secondary action happening simultaneously elsewhere,” (182).
  • “Where possible, it is preferable to use a cut-in, rather than a cut-away close-up,” (185).
  • “A three-quarter to front face camera angle is almost invariably best for close-ups,” (187).
  • “Close-ups should not be filmed against ‘busy’ backgrounds consisting of detailed designs, shiny surfaces, moving or similarly distracting objects, unless the subject matter justifies such treatment,” (193).

 

• COMPOSITION

 

• • “Good composition is arrangement if pictorial elements to form a unified, harmonious whole,” (197).
  • “A cameraman composes whenever he positions a player, a piece of furniture, or a prop,” (197).
  • “GOOD CAMERA WORK BEGINS WITH COMPOSITION” (198).
  • Compositional Language: Lines, Forms, Masses, and Movements
  • Lines: “Compositional lines may be actual contours of objects or imaginary lines in space,” (200).
    • Straight lines: Masculinity, strength.
    • Soft curved lines: Femininity, delicate.
    • Sharp curved lines: Action and gaiety.
    • Long vertical curves with tapering ends: dignified beauty and melancholy.
    • Long horizontal lines suggest quiet and restfulness.
    • Tall, vertical lines: strength and dignity
    • Parallel, diagonal lines: action energy, and violence
    • Opposing diagonal line: Conflict, forcefulness
    • Strong, heavy sharp lines: Brightness, laughter, excitement.
    • Soft lines Solemnity, tranquility.
    • Irregular lines: interesting
  • Form: “Eye movement from one person or object to another may describe a triangle, a circle or other form,” (202).
    • Triangle: Strength, stability, solidity
    • Circle: hold the viewer attention
    • Cross: unity and force
    • Radiating lines: similar to the cross
    • L Shaped: informality
  • Masses: “Mass is the pictorial weight of an object, an area, a figure or a group made up of any or all of these,” (204).
  • Movements: Compositional movements are a particularly important aspect of motion picture photography,” (205).
    • Horizontal: suggest travel, momentum, displacement.
    • Left-to-Right: more natural, smoother
    • Right-to-Left: Stronger
    • Ascending Vertically: evaporation, exaltation growth, freedom from the weight, and matter.
    • Descending: Heaviness, danger, crushing power/
    • Diagonal: Most dramatic. Opposing forces, stresses, and strains, power, overcoming obstacles by force.
  • Types of Balance: Formal and Informal.
  • Formal (symmetrical balance): “When both sides of a composition are symmetrical, or almost equal in attraction, formal balance results,” (210).
  • Informal (asymmetrical balance): “When both sides of a composition are asymmetrical, or different in attraction, informal balance results,” (211).
  • Audience interest may be attracted or switched during a scene by:
    • Positioning
    • Movement
    • Action
    • Sound
    • Lighting
    • Tonal Value
    • Color
    • Selective Focusing
  • “A viewer interprets the size of an unknown object in a picture by contrasting it with an object of known size or with the background; or by its appearance in relation to the frame,” (224).
  • Frames: “A frame may consist of any foreground pictorial element which surrounds the picture partially or completely,” (234).
  • “Suspenseful composition – in which significant action is hidden, absent, or prolonged by the manner in which it is staged – can be a valuable story-telling aid,” (238).
  • “The secret of good composition can ve explained in one word; simplicity,” (242).

Reflection

Wow…Wow…Wow… The 5 C’s of Cinematography was a great read for film class. Although I had a hard time sticking to this book, I am glad I did. It supported the information I had learned this year. With this book, I learned much more than the internet resources during the sessions. My goal for the leadership project was to create a collection of great information from the book. I think I accomplished my task with these notes. If you want to go into more depth, I suggest looking at the page number of the notes and going to that section of the book. If you have the time, read the book. It has great information!

Citation

Mascelli, Joseph V. The Five C’s of Cinematography Motion Picture Filming Techniques. Silman-James Press, 1998.