Cinematography-Theory-And-Practice

FORCES OF VISUAL ORGANIZATIONAll of these basic elements can then be deployed in various combinationsto create a hierarchy of perception: they can create an organizationof the visual field that makes the composition coherent andguides the eye and the brain as it puts the information together. Thevisual elements that help the eye/brain combination organize thescene include:The LineThe line, either explicit or implied, is a constant in visual design. It ispowerful in effect and multifaceted in its use. Just a few simple linescan organize a two-dimensional space in a way that is comprehensibleby the eye/brain.The Sinuous LineThe sinuous line, which is sometimes referred to as the reverse S,(Figure 3.12) was used extensively as a compositional principle byown, as seen in these examples from The Black Stallion and SevenSamurai (Figures 3.15 and 3.16).Compositional TrianglesTriangles are a powerful compositional tool. Once you start lookingfor them, you will see compositional triangles everywhere. Figure3.17 is a frame from Citizen Kane, an outstanding example of thestrong visuals in filmmaking. The compositional triangles keep theframe active even through a fairly long expositional scene.Horizontals, Verticals and DiagonalsThe basic lines are always a factor in almost any type of compositions.Nearly infinite in variety, they always come back to the basics:horizontal, vertical, and diagonal. Lines may be explicit, as in theseshots from Seven Samurai (Figures 3.14) and The Conformist (Figures3.1 and 3.18) or implied in the arrangement of objects and spaces.Figure 3.11. Atmospheric perspectivein the form of a heavy fog effectis an important element of this shotfrom City of Lost Children; not only forthe sense of sadness and isolationbut also because it is a set built in astudio. Without the sense of atmosphericperspective added by thesmoke and backlight, it is doubtfulthe illusion would hold up so well.3.12. (top) The sinuous reverse S;a specialized type of line that has along history in visual art.Figure 3.13. (bottom) Even a fewsimple lines can imply linear perspective.visual language45