Making Better Movies with Moviestorm Vol 1: Basic Camerawork

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EMPHASIS ON DIFFERENT CHARACTERSFilm the scene emphasizing one character.Film it again, using the same dialog, but emphasizing the other character. Try to change the emphasis by usingmethods other than just giving the lead character more screen time: use lighting, sound, framing, placement ofactors, editing and other techniques.Compare these two very similar shots using identical staging and camera angle. The left is the man's shot. Thelighting is on him, and the girl's face is turned away. The right is the girl's shot. The lighting is on her, and she'slooking towards the camera. Subtle staging like this can affect how the viewer reacts to your story.ReviewWhat did you do differently?How significant are the start and end shots of the scene?Does the viewer sympathize with the main character? How would you changethat?Which version seemed to be a better interpretation of the script?What led you to determine how best to interpret the script?Follow-up exercisesPut the scene into the context of a longer movie. How does changing the viewer‟s perception of this scene changethe way they see the rest of the movie?Use a scene where one character has much less dialog than the other and make the character with fewer lines moreimportant.Add in a non-speaking part, and make them the main character; for example, a hidden observer, or a juniorexecutive at a board meeting.16
CONVERSATIONTechniqueFilm a standard two-person dialog scene in three different ways.Filming dialog is the single most important technique you need to master as a director. Most of the screen time inany movie is people talking. There are three standard ways to shoot a two-person dialog sequence, and all of themshould be absolutely second nature by the time you get onto a set. Whatever your preferences may be stylistically,you may be constrained by equipment or time to use fewer setups than you would ideally like, so you must be readyto go with the simpler setups.Equally importantly, you need to be aware of whether you‟re showing the speaker or the listener. While the editorwill do the actual cutting, it is the director‟s job to decide what to shoot. This can completely change the way thescene comes across.There are of course many other ways to film a conversation, but this exercise will help you become proficient withthe most commonly used conventional method.Standard camera set-ups for filming conversations. Master shot, over the shoulder shots, and close shots.Conventionally, you start with the master, push in to OTS shots, and then go to close shots before finishing onthe master. Note that the shots are balanced, and the characters stay in their own side of the frame.Any two-person dialog scene will do, in any location. Aim for around 90 secondsto two minutes. Have the characters stay still while they talk.17
Page 2 and 3: CONTENTSFOREWORD ..................
Page 6 and 7: EXERCISESHow to use this bookThe bo
Page 8 and 9: STATIC VS MOVING CAMERASFirst film
Page 10 and 11: LONG SHOTS VS CLOSEUPSFilm the scen
Page 12 and 13: USING CU/ECU - TELEPHOTO VS CLOSE C
Page 14 and 15: EXTENDED SHOT DURATIONFilm the enti
Page 18 and 19: CONVERSATIONFilm the scene with a t
Page 20 and 21: TELEPHONEFilm the conversation thre
Page 22 and 23: FOLLOWING WALKSFilm the character w
Page 24 and 25: WALKING OFF - OUT OF SHOT OR OUT OF
Page 26 and 27: DEPTH OF FIELDShoot and edit the sc
Page 28 and 29: RACK FOCUSFilm the scene with the t
Page 30 and 31: FOREGROUND OBJECTSFilm the scene, u
Page 32 and 33: REVEALSFilm the scene and at the en
Page 34 and 35: POV SHOTSHave one character walk th
Page 36 and 37: IMPLIED VS SEENFilm the scene and s
Page 38 and 39: THE CROWD ILLUSIONFilm the scene, a
Page 40 and 41: CONSTRAINTS ON NUMBER OF CAMERASSho
Page 42: Matt Kelland is one of the founders

Making Better Movies with Moviestorm Vol 1: Basic Camerawork

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