Style and the Camera (Discussion)
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Revision as of 18:02, 5 October 2017 by Jeremy Butler (talk | contribs) (→DP exercise: aspect -> element)
Depth of field
- 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?
Focal length
- 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)
Aspect ratio
- Explain what aspect ratio is -- using the textbook illustrations.
- Also explain letterbox, pillarbox and pan-and-scan.
Framing, height, and movement
- 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?
- Describe a cinematographic element's use in these two frame captures. I.e., start by describing the frame's depth of field (Group 6&2), focal length (Group 3), aspect ratio (Group 4), and framing/height (Groups 5&1).
- Imagine changing that element's use in this frame. (Group 4: 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.
