cinematography Flashcards
shot
- a single uninterrupted series of frames
- a basic unit of expression in film
- an image whose meaning unfolds over time
scene
a sequence of shots edited to make a coherent narrative unit with a beginning, middle, and end.
Aspect ratio
determines the shape of the rectangular frame. An aspect ratio is expressed as a fraction with width over height. There are three basic aspect ratios in film: 1.33:1 (most older black&white films, standard television sets); 1.85 (widescreen); 2.35:1 (most modern films, especially the ones with special effects, the widest frame size). High definition TV sets have an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Hence; black bars above the image if you watch a widescreen film on your high-def screen.
Normal motion
24 frames per second in film and 30 frames per second in television (NTSC standard)
Slow motion
camera records images at a speed faster than that at which it is projected (more than 24 frames per second).
Fast motion
images are recorded at a speed slower than at which it is projected (less than 24 frames per second). Action appear unnaturally rapid. Used in old silent comedies.
Time lapse
recording a small number of images over a long period of time, for example one frame per minute or day, to compress long passages of time into just a few seconds.
Bullet time
first used in The Matrix, showing a single moment from multiple vantage points around the action.
Shaping space
Filmmakers use specific camera positions and camera movements to create a meaningful visual perspective on a subject. Depending on where the camera is positioned and how it moves, we perceive characters, events, and objects differently.
Eye-level
camera height - appears most natural and neutral in attitude towards the characters
High-angle
shots tend to make a subject appear smaller and insignificant. However, that’s not always the case. High-angle shots from far away are often used in the openings and closings of film to distance the viewer from the action.
Low-angle
shots often exaggerate the size and volume of the subject.
Canted/Dutch angle
camera leans to one side framing the horizon as a diagonal: shows imbalance, high tension, spinning out of control, etc.
Overhead/Bird’s eye
view shot shows the action from high above and can simply serve as the best perspective to cover the entire action or can have connotations such as “god is looking down at the characters.”
camera movement can function in five ways:
- reveal information
- establish a character perspective
- convey a sense of space
- emphasize continuous time and space
- suggest mood
Selective focus
part of image is in focus and part is out of focus
Depth of field
the space in front of and behind the primary subject where objects remain in crisp focus
Focal length
The measurement in millimeters of the distance from the surface of the lens to the surface of the film behind it. It determines depth of field, angle of view, and perspective
Normal lens
this focal length approximates the vision and perspective of the human eye. The objects are as far apart from each other as we perceive them in real life.
Wide-angle lens
exaggerates frame depth and perspective; objects appear to be farther apart than they are to our eye; foreground appears larger and background appears smaller; movement towards the camera appears faster; parallel lines curve slightly (most of the shots in Royal Tenenbaums); provides deeper depth of field.
Telephoto lens
compresses perspective; distance between objects appears smaller; less difference in size between background and foreground; movement towards the camera appears slower; can provide shallower depth of field.
Rack focus
changing focus from one plane of frame to another.
