Week 2: Shot Listing and Composition
Analysis of one scene of a movie: what kind of shots were used? How long is each shot and why?
This week we talked about the Shot Family and the Composition of a movie. The shot, being the smallest unit of a movie, reveals the language of a film and provides meaning. Every shot serves a purpose, and is important to the whole film.
Shot compositions can be static (still pictures, fixed images) or dynamic (movement of camera+actors, effect of time). The question for each filmmaker is: when and why would I use a particular shot?
The basic Shot Family contains the Long and Mid Shot, and the Close Up. While the long shot concentrates on the setting of the movie and is often used as an Establishing Shot, the close up shot focuses on the subject, thus revealing emotions. The mid shot is majorly used in feature movies and TV productions as it gives the audience a "real life" view of the scene. Both, part of the setting and the subject can be seen.
To determine how long a shot should be, one has to consider the familiarity versus complexity of the setting. The more familiar the place or person shown is, the shorter the shot can be (e.g. Sydney Opera). Once places, people and objects have been introduced, shots of those things can be even shorter further into the movie. Depending how many items of interest are in a wide shot, the longer that shot should be.
In my following entry, I will discuss and analyse one scene of a movie regarding those aspects of screenplay.
Analysis of one scene of a movie: what kind of shots were used? How long is each shot and why?
This week we talked about the Shot Family and the Composition of a movie. The shot, being the smallest unit of a movie, reveals the language of a film and provides meaning. Every shot serves a purpose, and is important to the whole film.
Shot compositions can be static (still pictures, fixed images) or dynamic (movement of camera+actors, effect of time). The question for each filmmaker is: when and why would I use a particular shot?
The basic Shot Family contains the Long and Mid Shot, and the Close Up. While the long shot concentrates on the setting of the movie and is often used as an Establishing Shot, the close up shot focuses on the subject, thus revealing emotions. The mid shot is majorly used in feature movies and TV productions as it gives the audience a "real life" view of the scene. Both, part of the setting and the subject can be seen.
To determine how long a shot should be, one has to consider the familiarity versus complexity of the setting. The more familiar the place or person shown is, the shorter the shot can be (e.g. Sydney Opera). Once places, people and objects have been introduced, shots of those things can be even shorter further into the movie. Depending how many items of interest are in a wide shot, the longer that shot should be.
In my following entry, I will discuss and analyse one scene of a movie regarding those aspects of screenplay.
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