Style and the Camera (Discussion)
From Screenpedia
Groups 6 & 2
- Explain what depth of field is -- using the textbook illustrations.
- What is the difference between deep focus and deep space (as in mise-en-scene)?
- What type of focus is evident in these Lytro examples?
- How can depth of field be manipulated by the CameraSim Camera Simulator?
Groups 7 & 3
- Explain what focal length is -- using the textbook illustrations.
- How does a zoom in/out look different from a track in/out?
- How does the Vertigo effect illustrate the impact of focal length on the illusion of depth in an image? View clip (starting at 35 seconds)
Groups 4 & 8
- Explain what aspect ratio is -- using the textbook illustrations.
- Also explain letterbox and pan-and-scan.
Groups 5 & 1
- Explain the significance of camera framing, height, and movement -- using the textbook illustrations.
- When might movement be used that does not follow a character?
- How is a Steadicam shot different from a handheld shot?
- See Steadicam examples from ER: behind-the-scenes and the resulting shot.
DP exercise
If you were a DP reshooting the Northern Exposure and New Girl shots (below), how might you change these cinematographic aspects?
- Using your group's cinematographic aspect from above, describe its use in these two frame captures. I.e., start by describing the frame's depth of field (G 6&2), focal length (G 7&3), aspect ratio (G 4&8), and framing/height (G 5&1).
- Imagine changing that aspect's use in this frame. (G 4&8: these frames use different aspect ratios. What if they were swapped?)
- How would such a change affect the scene's impact or the viewer's understanding of it?
Bibliography
- Butler, Jeremy G. Television: Critical Methods and Applications. New York: Routledge, 2012.