Name : Pina Gondaliya
Semester : 3
Assignment : Paper No Contemporary Western Theory and Film Studies
Topic : Film Studies
Submitted : Department of English M.K.Bhavnager University
Film Studies
Films can be analyzed both as stories, like novels, and as visual objects, like paintings. Narrative films are constructed in the same way as novels through the selection and combination of scenes; the same critical approaches that apply to verbal fiction, such as Formalism and Structuralism or Historical and Psychological Analysis, also apply to film. But as a visual medium, film demands a different set of analytic and critical tools in order to be understood. Films are carefully constructed visual objects, and each element of that construction can function to generate meaning. The primary elements of meaning in film are composition (the arrangement of objects within the visual frame), editing, and art direction, which encompasses everything from color and sound to set and location. An important element of compositional meaning is the frame. Where the camera is placed in relation to the action determines the size and shape of the frame of the image. Terms like “long,” “close,” “medium,” and “high angle” describe the various possibilities for camera placement. A close shot (one in which the camera is close to the action) generates “tight framing,” while a long shot (one in which the camera is distant from the action) generates “loose framing.”
The same kind of image, say a close-up, can vary in use and in meaning. In one film it may signify emotional openness and authenticity; in another, it might signify untrustworthiness, especially if it is combined with other elements of image construction such as dark lighting. Film techniques and the meanings they convey vary according to the context in which they are used. No particular meaning is guaranteed by a particular technique. The individual images created by the camera are combined in a narrative chain through editing. Most narrative editing provides “continuity,” the smooth flow from one image to another through similitude of setting and action. But editing can also use contrast to create meaning. And sometimes a long editing sequence (a montage sequence) can constitute a significant part of a film’s narrative.
The third major element of film meaning – art direction – comprises set design, sound, choice of location, props or significant objects, lighting, and color.
- Sound
Sound, voice and music are integral to most films and/or film viewing experiences. Even the earliest silent films were often shown with live musical accompaniment. Sound enhances the imaginary world, it can provide depth, establish character and environment, introduce a new scene or cue the viewer to important information. We have organized the page according to the following categories: sound source, sound editing and film music.
DIEGETIC VS. NON-DIEGETIC SOUND
Diegetic sound is any sound that the character or characters on screen can hear. So for example the sound of one character talking to another would be diegetic. Non-diegetic sound is any sound that the audience can hear but the characters on screen cannot. Any appearance of background music is a prime example of non-diegetic sound. This clip from Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Deadsimultaneously depicts both diegetic and non-diegetic sound. The sounds of the characters speaking, the records flying, and the zombies are all diegetic; the characters can hear them. Meanwhile, the beats and riffs of the background music serves as an example of non-diegetic sound that goes unheard by Shaun, Pete, and the menacing zombies.
2 . Camera Angles and moments
There are so many camera movements and camera angles; it can be hard to keep track. To make film and television like the masters, you need to practice and learn the various camera movements, angles, shots, and tools.
Shot sizes
Camera angles
Camera movements
Once you understand the basic principles of each type of shot, you can use them as building blocks to make more interesting combinations.
- Shot Sizes
Shot size refers to how big or small the frame is in relation to the subject. Does your character fill the frame or are they so far away as to be nearly invisible? What else is visible in your shot? Multiple characters? Objects? Landscapes?
Let’s look at the 5 most important shot sizes and see how they work
Close-up (CU)
The close-up is one of the most common shot sizes in cinema. It’s used when you want to highlight the facial features of your character without any other distractions in the shot. A typical close-up shows the character’s face from their forehead to their chin.
However, there’s room for some variation. An extreme close-up goes further, often showing nothing more than the character’s eyes. Think of a classic Western in which two characters stare each other down before a duel. This shot draws the viewer’s attention to facial features and expressions that would be lost in a wide shot.
- Long shot (LS)
A long shot is in some ways the opposite of a close-up. It shows the character’s entire body in frame, from their head to their toes. This gives the viewer a better sense of the subject’s surroundings, and conveys information that would be lost in a close-up.
Long shots are often used in action scenes, when it’s important to see how the character is moving through his or her environment. You might cut from that extreme close-up of your two dueling characters to a long shot that shows just how far they’re actually standing from each other, giving the viewer a better perspective on the scene.
One variation of this shot is an extreme long shot, in which the character is so far away they’re nearly lost in the frame or obscured by their surroundings. Think of a character riding off into the sunset, getting smaller as they get further away from the camera.
- Medium shot (MS)
The medium shot or mid shot is somewhere between a close-up and long shot. A typical medium shot shows the subject from their head to their waist. It’s close enough that you can still see their face, while also including some of their body language.
You might use this shot when a character is carrying an object or pointing a gun. Or, if they’re sitting at a desk, you can show them writing in a book, while avoiding wasting valuable screen space on their feet or their knees.
It’s also useful for when a character is moving through the frame, since it contains enough background information that the viewer doesn’t get disoriented.
Single, two shot, three shot
Another way to categorize a shot is by the number of people in the frame. We call this a single shot, a two shot, or a three shot, depending on how many people are in it.
Typically, you’ll combine this with one of the other shot sizes we’ve already looked at. For example, you might use a two-shot close-up for a scene of two characters kissing. Three characters in an office might call for a medium three .
- Camera Angles
The next category that we’ll look at is camera angle. Once you’ve decided on a shot size, you can add a bit more perspective to your shot by choosing an angle. The camera angle can help you create a sense of fear, empathy, or disorientation in the viewer.
Eye level
The most neutral camera angle is the eye level shot. The camera points straight ahead at about the same level as the subject’s face. This is how you would shoot an interview scene if you wanted to maintain a sense of objectivity.
The goal is to let the viewer follow the action without manipulating their emotions. While it’s called “eye level,” it doesn’t have to be a shot of the character’s face. You can get an eye level shot of an object by maintaining a neutral camera angle.
Low angle
A low-angle shot adds some subjectivity to the scene. Instead of facing straight ahead, the camera looks up at the subject from a low angle. This can make a character appear threatening, dominant, or in a position of power relative to another character.
As with some of the other shots we’ve looked at, you can vary the intensity of it. A slight low angle might be used to convey a sense of authority, such as a teacher looking down at a student. An extreme low angle shot might be used to show a monster like Godzilla or King Kong bearing down on other characters.
High angle
The reverse of the low angle shot is the high angle shot, which creates the opposite impression, and makes the subject of the camera seem small. For example, a shot from King Kong’s POV might point down from a higher angle to show how powerless the characters are in relation to him.
You can also take this to the extreme with a top angle or bird’s eye view. This shot looks down on the character from above and can be used indoors or outdoors. For example, you might look down on your subject entering a church or stadium.
Or, you could use this to show your character running away from a helicopter, in which case it would be an aerial shot or a drone shot.
Dutch angle
A Dutch angle is one of the most common ways to convey disorientation. For this shot, simply tilt the camera to one side so it isn’t level with the horizon. You might use this shot to show the POV of a drunk character stumbling down the street, or in a horror movie to give the impression that the walls of a haunted house are closing in.
Over-the-Shoulder (OTS)
An over-the-shoulder shot is another angle that can shift a viewer’s perception of the scene. A OTS shot is generally a close-up of another character’s face from “over the shoulder” of another character and is used to convey conflict or confrontation.
You could also use an OTS wide shot to show a character looking out over a landscape or moving through an action sequence, when you don’t want to use a POV.
Camera Movement
The third category that we’ll look at is camera motion or movement. Most of the shot sizes and angles we’ve look at can be used as either static shots or moving shots. By adding motion to a scene, you can move between camera angles easily, sometimes even within the same shot. Let’s look at 5 common camera movements here:
Pan or tilt
The simplest camera movement is a pan or tilt. A pan is when you keep the camera in one place and turn it to the side, and a tilt is when you turn it up or down.
If your camera is on a tripod, then you can simply turn the head of the tripod, just as you would turn your head to one side to get a new perspective on a scene. If a subject stands up, you can turn an eye-level shot into a low-angle by tilting the camera up as they rise.
A pan or tilt is also a good opportunity to experiment with speed. You could spend an entire minute slowly panning from left to right to show off a room or a landscape, or you can do a whip pan, in which the movement happens so fast that it becomes a blur.
Tracking shot, dolly shot, or crane shot
The key to a pan or tilt is that the camera itself doesn’t move, so the viewer feels mostly like a spectator. If you want to move with a subject and make the viewer feel like a part of the action, you can use a tracking shot, dolly shot, or crane shot.
Typically, a tracking shot moves sideways, a dolly shot moves forwards or backwards, and a crane shot moves up or down. Depending on your equipment, you can use these movements separately, or combine them to move on multiple axes at once.
Zoom
A zoom shot moves into or out of the frame by using a zoom lens rather than moving the camera. You can turn a medium shot into a close up by slowly zooming in on a subject’s face as they deliver an emotional monologue. Or you can zoom out to reveal a character or object that wasn’t previously in frame.
A zoom can be slow and subtle so that the viewer barely notices it happening, or it can be more obvious to give the shot a cinema verite style.
Random motion
Random motion is used to create energy and intensity, particularly in an action scene. Think of The Bourne Identity, in which the camera bounces around so quickly that the subject of the scene isn’t even always framed in the shot.
While random motion can be effective in creating a sense of disorientation, sometimes it can be too effective, leaving viewers dizzy and confused.
360-degree motion
The last type of motion that we’ll look at is 360-degree motion, in which the camera moves entirely around the subject of the shot. These shots can be challenging to do on large film sets, because they require hiding the crew and equipment from view, but they’re more common in the days of Steadicams and CGI.
The Matrix used a special camera setup for its 360-degree fight scenes, but you can also use a handheld camera or a drone.
Compound motion
The great thing about camera motion is that you don’t have to restrict it to one axis at a time. You can combine movements to move in multiple dimensions at once and create more complex shots. Let’s look at two popular compound shots:
Dolly zoom
The dolly zoom is used to create a sense of vertigo or unease. It was famously used in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. In this shot, the camera moves forward or backwards while the lens zooms in the opposite direction.
Single Take
A single take combines multiple movements, shot sizes, and angles into one extended shot. Rather that cutting from a long shot to a close-up, for example, the camera might track, zoom, pan, and tilt between a variety of different shots.
This can be the hardest to get right, but it’s an effective way to orient viewers to a new environment, such as with the opening shot in Goodfellas. It can also lend a theatrical feel to a movie, as in Birdman, which is made to appear like one very long shot.
3 . Lighting
Without good lighting, the best camera in the world can’t capture a perfect picture. Learn how a film crew uses lighting to enhance images, create depth, and support the story’s mood and atmosphere
What Is Cinematic Lighting?
Cinematic lighting is a film lighting technique that goes beyond the standard three-point lighting setup to add drama, depth, and atmosphere to the story. Cinematic lighting utilizes lighting tricks like bouncing light, diffusing light, and adjusting color temperatures.
Why Lighting Is Important
Lighting is fundamental to film because it creates a visual mood, atmosphere, and sense of meaning for the audience. Whether it’s dressing a film set or blocking actors, every step of the cinematic process affects the lighting setup, and vice-versa.
Lighting tells the audience where to look. The lighting setup guides the eye to a specific actor, prop, or part of a scene.Lighting reflects the psychology of characters. The amount, size, color, and harshness of light surrounding a character can be adjusted to match their emotions.Lighting defines and supports the genre of the film. Lighting is the tool that conveys mood most clearly. For example, one of the film genres most known for its distinct lighting style is film noir, characterized by stark contrasts between light and dark, dramatically patterned shadows, and unique framing and composition choices.
Who Determines the Lighting Setup for a Scene?
The director shares visual inspirations and ideas for cinematic lighting.The director of photography or cinematographer: creates the lighting plan with input from the director.The gaffer designs and executes the cinematographer’s lighting plan and oversees the crew that brings the lighting plan to life.
How to Create a Simple But Effective Lighting Setup in 3 Easy Steps.
The most basic lighting setup is a three-point lighting setup, which highlights the main actor or subject of a scene and makes them stand out from their background. Here’s how to do it:
Place your main and strongest source of light, called a key light, off to one side of the actor to create a slight shadow on the opposite side of their face.Add a second light, called a fill light, on the opposite side of the actor to soften any harsh shadows created by the key light.Place a third light, a back light, behind the actor to help define and highlight their features and outlines.
4 . Explain Montage
it’s a technique that can help the director and editor of a movie advance the story quickly and effectively.
What Is a Montage?
Montage is a technique of film editing that combines a series of short shots or clips into one sequence, often set to music. The word montage is French for “assembly” or “editing.”
Montage sequences often imply the passage of time or multiple simultaneous events, and are a vehicle to present the audience with a lot of information at once. They can be used to evoke a range of emotions—for example:
In a romantic comedy, a montage can show a sense of growing love or attraction between two love interests getting to know one another. Example:In a sports movie, a montage can show an athlete training for a big game, and heighten suspense or tension about the outcome.In a drama, a montage can underscore grief and sadness by showing a widow struggling with the loss of her husband.In a horror movie, a montage can show the main characters preparing to defend their home against a killer or supernatural force.
Why Use Montage? 6 Things Successful Montages Do
A montage can accomplish various goals in a motion picture, including:
Speed up time. Whether it’s a day, a week, a month, a year, or a decade, a montage can accelerate time in a way that makes sense to the audience and stays true to the story. It can be like a highlight reel for the action passing.Convey a lot of information at once. Sometimes, a story has crucial details to communicate, but a director doesn’t want to devote a great deal of time to explaining them. A montage can speed up that process and catch the audience up in a matter of seconds.Heighten tension. You may have noticed that many montages happen about two-thirds of the way through a movie, often right after the climax of the story. A montage can renew and reinvigorate an audience’s interest in a character or a storyline as the film builds to a conclusion.Compare and contrast. Alternatively, sometimes montages happen at the very beginning of a movie. A montage that compares and contrasts the daily lives or routines of two characters can establish their statuses, and thus their levels of power, in relation to one another.Reveal character. A montage can be a vehicle to reveal the ways a character is changing. From quick cuts of a drug hallucination one night to the effects of illness over the course of six months, a montage can help the audience quickly understand a dramatic shift in a character’s physical and/or mental state.Combine multiple storylines. There isn’t always time to feature every single storyline from start to finish. A montage is an effective way to combine storylines and ensure every character gets their due.
Citation
Film sound and music. College Film & Media Studies. (2011, September 27). Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://collegefilmandmediastudies.com/film-sound-and-music/.
MasterClass. (2020, November 8). Learn about montage in filmmaking: How to create a memorable movie montage - 2021. MasterClass. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-montage-in-filmmaking-how-to-create-a-memorable-montage#common-montage-film-techniques.
MasterClass. (2021, August 23). Film 101: Understanding Film lighting - 2021. MasterClass. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-understanding-film-lighting#who-determines-the-lighting-setup-for-a-scene.
Sudhakaran, P. author B. S., Christensensays:, J., Johnsonsays:, J., Mikesays: JAREDsays: & Sawantsays:, R. S. (n.d.). 15 essential CAMERA Shots, angles and movements. wolfcrow. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from https://wolfcrow.com/15-essential-camera-shots-angles-and-movements/.
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