Cinematography - Miss B

Cinematography

Discuss what cinematography

While a film director may have a general idea of how a scene should look, it is the responsibility of a cinematographer to make it happen. This professional is an expert in both the technical and artistic capabilities of a movie camera. He or she works closely with the director during principal shooting in order to properly frame each shot according to the script and/or the director's personal vision. The head cinematographer may also be credited as director of photography or DP, although the two titles are not as interchangeable as one might think.

A cinematographer may also be considered a camera operator, especially if his or her decision-making power is minimal. While working, he or she actually looks through the lens of a camera while filming a scene, much like a still photographer snaps individual photographs. The lighting director and crew will often work with the cinematographer to make sure the amount of light reflecting off the actors and scenery is acceptable. If a special lens or filter is required for an artistic effect, it is this person's job to make the changes.

Camera angles

High angle shot - a high angle shot is usually when the camera angle is located above the eyeline. With this type of angle, the camera looks down on the subject and the point of focus often get "swallowed up" by the setting. The High angle shots also make the figure or object seem vulnerable or powerless, and is  usually used in film to make the moment more dramatic or if there is someone at a high level that the character below is talking to.

Low angle - In cinematography, a low-angle shot, is a shot from a camera angle positioned low on the vertical axis, anywhere below the eyeline, looking up. This shows the person or object as something great and powerful.

 Extreme long shot

This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an EXTERIOR, eg the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action eg in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression rather than specific information.

Long Shot        

This is the most difficult to categorise precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size ie corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema (the figure of a man would appear as six feet tall). This category includes the FULL SHOT showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom. While the focus is on characters, plenty of background detail still emerges: we can tell the coffins on the right are in a Western-style setting, for instance.

Medium Shot

Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. Variations on this include the TWO SHOT, more than three figures and the shot tends to become a long shot. Background detail is minimal, probably because location has been established earlier in the scene - the audience already know where they are and now want to focus on dialogue and character interaction.

4. Close-Up

This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. This shot magnifies the object (think of how big it looks on a cinema screen) and shows the importance of things, be it words written on paper, or the expression on someone's face. The close-up takes us into the mind of a character. In reality, we only let people that we really trust get THAT close to our face - mothers, children and lovers, usually - so a close up of a face is a very intimate shot. A film-maker may use this to make us feel extra comfortable or extremely uncomfortable about a character, and usually uses a zoom lens in order to get the required framing.

Extreme Close-Up

As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever. This is a very artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect. The tight focus required means that extra care must be taken when setting up and lighting the shot - the slightest camera shake or error in focal length is very noticeable.

Panning shot – camera moves across showing what’s in view. Example, usually used when someone is walking

Tilt shot – camera moves up and down. Example If someone is giving someone else a dirty look from head to toe.

Crane shot –on a crane, camera movement can be quite flexible.

Zoom –capture emotion or to get away from it. Example, finding something out.

Point of view (1^st person) – when it looks like it is from the personal view. example, creates tension and suspense.

Hand held – and held cameras denote a certain kind of gritty realism, and they can make the audience feel as though they are part of a scene, rather than viewing it from a detached, frozen position.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ5U8suTUw0                                           

The most typical shot used in thriller films seems to be the close up, greatly used in the film se7en to build suspense and mystery in the beginning. Long shots have also been a commonality among thriller being used in the dark knight to set the scene and show the audience where the action will be taking place and show it in a big portrait in the upcoming events.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4YV2_TcCoE

Cinematography has helped me develop my knowledge on camera angles even more and mostly their uses, this will help me I n future coursework’s such as taking my own thriller clip.