Lecture 6 Flashcards
What are motion pictures?
Photographs filmed and projected at
24/25 still frames per second, creating
the illusion of motion / ‘life’.
Subject(s) MOVE within the frame.
The frame itself may MOVE.
The French call a tracking shot ‘un travelling’.
What are the factors filmmakers must consider when filming motion?
Camera Portability
Gripping Cost: Equipment; Crew
Schedule: Production / setup time
Technical: Image / Lens / Focus
Aesthetic: Visual Context; Editing; Screen Time
What equipment can filmmakers use when filming motion?
Track & Dolly + tripod-top Sliders
Crane / Jib
Stabilisers:
(e.g.) Steadicam ® Panaglide ® Glidecam ®
Vehicular Transport (including drones)
+
Hand Held Camera
Production costs?
Equipment
Transport
Crew
KEY GRIP / GRIP
Gripping refers to crew / work / equipment required for
work including gathering shots with a moving camera.
FOCUS-PULLER
Camera crew member needed for shots when acquiring shots where subject-camera distance (focus point) may change during the shot - due to subject or/and camera movement……TIME!
SCHEDULE
Fledgling production crew need to take into account:
Time-consuming setup
Takes longer to shoot
More difficult to execute……so greater number of retakes. …but sometimes gets a lot of screen time ‘in the can’.
TECHNICAL CHALLENGES of MOVING CAMERA SHOTS
Executing smooth movement
Maintaining subject framing
Maintaining subject focus
Affects image sharpness
Limits choice of LENS
Cine-Aesthetics?
Visual Context
Screen time
Editing
PANNING Left to Right
Camera is fixed on tripod
Function…
Scan / survey location/space
Follow subject (suitable…?!)
Indicate character POV
What is a WHIP-PAN?
Extremely rapid pan used to dramatically (violently) relate two (usually) or more framed shots. *
Example scenario: Character 1 being secretly watched by Character 2.Executed with static shot of Char 1, followed by whip-pan off Char 1, straight onto Char 2, watching.
In fact, the ‘shot’ is often a trick – hiding a CUT… …actually two shots with rapid camera movement, (rapid blur) at the END of shot 1 and START of Shot 2, with the invisible cut in the middle of the blur, to make it look like one shot.
- Alternatively, making two events seem as if they are taking place in close proximity, reinforcing their dramatic / narrative / parallel link.
What is a tilt?
The camera is fixed on tripod and tilted up and down.
Function… Scan / survey location/space Follow subject (suitable?!) Indicate character POV \+ DRAMATISE …?
What is a CRANE?
The camera move may: descend towards or rise above subject; follow subject’s descent/rise; scan / reveal’ up or down over subject.
What is a Track IN?
Camera closes in on static subject.
What is a Track OUT?
Camera pulls back from static subject.
What is Tracking LEFT / RIGHT?
Track Camera moves laterally to scan screen or follow subject or as subjective P.O.V.
What is a FOLLOW Track?
Camera moves forward with subject
(over the shoulder) or as subjective P.O.V.
What is a REVERSE Track?
Camera moves backwards with subject
or as subjective P.O.V.
What is a CURVED Track?
Camera moves partially around subject(s).
May be used as a subjective P.O.V.,
or to suggest a shift in viewpoint or
perspective – psychological shift?
What is a CIRCULAR Track?
Designed to allow the camera to rotate 360o
around a subject – most often a person or people.
Creates a dizzying effect - may be further
heightened by also rotating the subject(s).
Types of camera stabilisers
STEADICAM ®
PANAGLIDE ®
GLIDECAM ®
However… Steadicam et al have NOT replaced the Track or Hand Held camerawork – it’s effect is different, but smoother does NOT necessarily mean better…
…depends on context or effect sought.
HAND-HELD camerawork
Visually jarring compared to stabiliser
Effect / Context
Lens (focal length) crucial…
Choose Wide Angle or Telephoto?
ZOOM
NOT a camera move, but a LENS ACTION
Zooming is NOT the same as tracking.
What happens if you Track IN and Zoom OUT
at exactly the same ‘pace’?
(or Track OUT and Zoom IN?)
The ‘ZOLLY’ shot…
The alternative to camera movement is?
CUTTING
i.e. - replacing one shot involving
camera movement with two or
more shots edited together.
Is it as good?
…an acceptable compromise?
…the only practical solution?
FUNCTION / EFFECT / IMPACT
of camera movement
Survey / reveal frame
Follow subject
Convey subjective P.O.V…
Enhance empathy / identification…
Express or externalise - ?
