Cinematography - lighting and composition

Question 1

Source

Answer 1

natural/available light
artificial light - three-point lighting combination

Question 2

three-point lighting combination

Answer 2

Key light- brightest, 45° angle to the camera
Fill light- 50-75% of key light, medium intensity
Back light- low intensity, most use diffusion

Question 3

Chiaroscuro lighting

Answer 3

borrowed from painting- bold use of light and dark
favourite of black and white film filmmakers

Question 4

film noir

Answer 4

narrative content and visual style both ‘dark’
high contrasting black and whites, neon signs, car headlights etc
made during decade following WW2

Question 5

direction

Answer 5

direction light is shining

Question 6

front lighting

Answer 6

flatter image
easy for low budget/handheld filming

Question 7

side lighting

Answer 7

strong light on one side, shadows on other side
mystery and intrigue

Question 8

back lighting

Answer 8

creates silhouette
could create a halo - heroic character

Question 9

under lighting

Answer 9

large shadow behind person/object
distorting effect

Question 10

top lighting

Answer 10

used with other lighting for details
when used on its own- menacing and distorting

Question 11

intensity

Answer 11

bright/high key or dim/low key

Question 12

quality

Answer 12

hard- multiple small light sources
soft- larger light sources

Question 13

colour

Answer 13

important for aesthetic and mise-en-scene
Subtle effects are created by throwing differently coloured lights onto coloured walls or coloured costumes to indicate different times of year
Primary/highly saturated colours good to dominate a scene

Question 14

black and white

Answer 14

1930s - filming in colour became viable
not hue that makes impact, but brightness

Question 15

composition

Answer 15

arrangements of all the visual elements of mise-on-scene within the frame
stimulates audience response

Question 16

rule of thirds

Answer 16

central premise of composition
if divide frame in thirds - main character/object should fall at the intersection of two of these lines
draws eye to character/object but leaves space for further information to be communicated

Question 17

balance and symmetry

Answer 17

formal/symmetrical balanced - quiet, restful, static scene, calm and order
informal/asymmetrical unbalanced - challenge or attract attention, character more dominant, chaos and tension

Question 18

lines

Answer 18

vertical - strong impression, suggests power, strength, dignity and stability
horizontal - strength but more restful, balance and harmony, could lead to finality or a sense of ending
diagonal - sense of action/movement, opposing diagonal lines suggests conflict or forcefulness
organic - found in nature, could introduce feelings of chaos, complexity or beauty

implied lines - created through directional elements such as hand gestures

Question 19

forms

Answer 19

Physical forms , such as people and objects, are easy to spot, but filmmakers can also create the illusion of form in the viewers eye by grouping people or objects together to create abstract forms. This link is often made in a triangular movement , allowing the eye to move from one object to another to create subliminal links