Unit 2:Cinematogaphy: The Shot Flashcards
review Cinematogaphy: The Shot terms and conepts Film: Walkabout
What is cinamatography
a general term for all the manipulations of the film strip by the camera in the
shooting phase and by the laboratory in the developing phase.
what is a shot
- In shooting, one uninterrupted run of the camera to expose a series of frames. Also called a
take. - In a finished film, one uninterrupted image with a single static or mobile framing.
what is a long take
a shot of unusually long duration
the textbook says a minimum 1 minute
what is a scene
- a unit of dramatic action that takes place in one location during a single time period.
- a coherent unit: one that has its own beginning, middle and end.
what is a sequence
-a component of film narrative that maintains a unity of time, place or dramatic action but
introduces a discontinuity
ex.pretty woman shopping scene
what is a sequence shot
-A single shot or long take that covers an entire sequence or scene from beginning to end.
Three important variables of the shot:
Camera height
Angle on the action
Distance from the action
Camera height
The height at which the camera is placed.
Eye-level shot
A shot taken from a level camera located approximately 5’ to 6’ from the ground, simulating the
perspective of a person standing before the action presented.
Camera Angles
High Angle Shots
Low-Angle Shots
Canted or Dutch Angle
Overhead shot (bird’s eye shot)
High Angle shot
Where the camera is positioned above the character or action and aimed downward.
low angle shot
position the camera below the subject.
canted or dutch angle
leans to one side. The frame is not parallel with the horizon.
birds eye arial shot
depicts the action or subject from above sometimes looking down on it.
Camera Distance
refers to the space between the camera and its subject.
Extreme Long Shot (XLS)
A framing in which the scale of the object is very small; a human subject is very small in relation
to the surrounding environment
Long Shot (LS)
The camera captures the figure of the subject in its entirety.
It is more prominent because it occupies relatively more space in the frame, but is still entirely
within the frame
Medium Long Shot (MLS)
A three quarter length view of a character (from approximately the knees up).
Medium Shot (MS)
A framing in which the scale of the object shown is of moderate size; a human figure seen from
the waist up would film most of the screen.
Medium Close Up (MCU)
A framing in which the scale of the object shown is fairly large; a human figure seen from the
chest up would fill most of the screen.
Close Up (CU)
A framing in which the scale of the object shown is relatively large; most commonly a person’s
head seen from the neck up, or an object of comparable size fills most of the screen
Extreme Close Up (XCU)
A framing in which the scale of the object shown is very large; most commonly, a small object
or a part of the body.
Wide Angle Lens 21- 35 mm
produces wide angle views
makes subjects appear farther apart than they actually are.
near complete depth of field (almost all objects in frame in focus)
Normal lens 35mm-70mm
produces images that correspond to our day-to-day experience of depth and perspective
keeps all subjects in a normal sense of focus
Telephoto lens 70-135mm
Produces deep-angle views
Brings distant objects close
Flattens space and depth
Makes subjects look closer than they actually are
can leave most of the background and foreground out of focus
Zoom Lens
lens with a variable focal length
produces images that simulate the effect of camera movement toward or away from the subject
Zoom In
the act of changing the len’s focal length to narrow the field of a distant object, magnifying and
reframing it, often in close-up, while the camera remains stationary.
Zoom Out
Zoom Out
“Pan and Scan”
The process used to transfer a widescreen-format film to the standard television aspect ratio.
Film Stock:
The strip of material upon which a series of still photographs is registered; it consists of a clear
base coated on one side with a light-sensitive emulsion.
Film Speed
-refers to the film’s sensitivity to light.
fast film stock
very sensitive to light
slow film stock
less sensitive to light
Aperture (F-stop):
refers to size of the opening that is letting light into the camera and exposing
the film
Focal Length:
is the distance from the centre of the lens to the point where light rays converge
to a point of focus on the film.
Film Gauge:
the width of the film stock.
Aspect Ratio:
the relationship of the frame’s width to its height.
Standard Aspect Ratio
4:3 or 1.33:1
four to three ratio of width to height
Widescreen
aspect ratio of roughly 2.5:1
Pan and Scan
The process used to transfer a widescreen-format film to the standard television aspect ratio.
Contrast
In cinematography, the difference between the brightest and darkest areas within the frame.
High contrast image
displays bright white lights, stark black areas with a narrow range of grays in between.
Low contrast image
has a wide range of grays with no true white or black areas.
Depth of Field
is the range of distances before the lens within which objects can be photographed in sharp
focus.
Deep space
is a term for the way the filmmaker has staged the action on several planes, regardless of whether
or not all of these planes are in focus.
Deep focus:
A use of the camera lens and lighting that keeps both the close and distant planes being
photographed in sharp focus.
Rack Focus:
Changing the focus from one subject to another.
Slow motion:
camera records images at a speed faster than that at which it is projected
Fast motion
cinematographers record images at a slower speed than the speed of projection.
Frozen time moment also “bullet time”
created through photography and digital effects
Split screen:
cinematography combines two or more images into a single frame, giving
audiences multiple perspectives.
what is tonality
how light registers on film
factors used to control contrast
lighting, filters, film stock, lab processing, post production work
how is tinting done
dipping already developed film in dye
dark areas remain the same
light areas picked up color
how is toning done
dye is added during the developing of the positive print
dark areas are colored
light areas remain white/uncoloured
speed of motion depends on two factors
rate the film was shot
rate of projection
what are rates calcualted in
frames per second
what is ramping
varying the frame rate during shooting
sometimes used to emphasize a bit of action
superimposing
images laid over one another
composite
separate photos blended together in a single composition
rear projection
people shown in moving vehicles and the scenery whizzes by
matte work
portion of the setting photographed on a strip of film, usually with a part of the frame empty
