Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Preliminary Exercise 9: Practicing Camerawork: Shot Sizes, Camera Angles, Framing, and Camera Composition Day 2

This activity delves into key aspects of filmmaking, beginning with the definition of filming on location. Cinematography, a crucial component in the art of filmmaking, includes the careful crafting of visual sequences, which includes lighting, camera angles, and various technical aspects of film production. This duty is carried out by a cinematographer, a person who not only captures video footage but also contributes significantly to the visual aesthetics of a film. Most notably, on set, cinematographers frequently take on the role of director of photography. A camera operator is responsible for camerawork in the production of a film. This professional is responsible for camera operation during film, television, or video production, working closely with directors, cinematographers, and other team members to capture the desired shots and angles for a scene. Roger Deakins, for example, is a well-known and notable cinematographer who has been recognized for his outstanding work in films such as "Blade Runner 2049" and "1917." Deakins' illustrious career has been marked by numerous awards, emphasizing the importance of cinematographers in shaping the visual narrative of film.


     Sheet #3

Shot size: Medium Full shot

Camera angle: Eye level

Framing: Three shot

Composition: Deep Focus

Tone: Serious.

Shot size: Medium shot

Camera angle: Overhead

Framing: Two shot

Composition: Balance

Tone: Social.

Shot size: Close up

Camera angle: Shoulder level

Framing: Over the shoulder

Composition: Shallow Focus

Tone: Social, happy

 

Shot size: Extreme Close Up

Camera angle: Dutch

Framing: Insert shot

Composition: Point of view

Tone: Happy.

Sheet #4

Shot size: Medium shot

Camera angle: High level

Framing: Insert shot

Composition: Shallow Focus

Tone: Calm.

 

Shot size: Wide

Camera angle: Eye level

Framing: Over the shoulder

Tone: Tired

 

Shot size: Medium shot

Camera angle: Ground level

Framing: Crowd shot

Composition: Deep Focus

Tone: Serious.

 

Shot size: Extreme close up

Camera angle: Eye level

Framing: Crowd shot

Composition: Focus

Tone: Serious.

Reflection

The objective of this assignment was for students to apply camerawork techniques such as shot sizes, camera angles, framing, and composition to eight storyboard shots. The task involved planning short chronological or individual stories and translating them into filmed frames as storyboarders, scriptwriters, directors, set designers, actors, and camerapersons. Filming the still shots on the second day of production provided valuable insights that aided the overall process. The team's roles were switched organically, allowing everyone to contribute their unique skills. Directors, for example, became set designers, set designers became actors, and camerapersons collaborated on scriptwriting. Our team achieved the assignment's goal by utilizing each member's strengths, with myself, Jane I, Kevin R, and Paul T. all actively participating in various aspects such as research, drawing, planning, and execution. We operated at a beginner level, using the camera app on our phones, gradually improving our skills throughout the process. This exercise not only improved our understanding of camerawork techniques, but it also highlighted the collaborative and complex nature of filmmaking, creating a greater appreciation for the challenges involved in translating creative ideas into visual narratives. 


Citation:

Crawdord, M. (2023) What Does a Cinematographer Do? Roles, Responsibilities & How To Become A DP, Film Lifestyle. Available at: https://filmlifestyle.com/what-does-a-cinematographer-do/#:~:text=A%20cinematographer%20is%20a%20person%20who%20shoots%20and,or%20act%20as%20director%20of%20photography%20on%20set. (Accessed: 2023). 

Explorer, C. (2023) What does a camera operator do?, Career Explorer. Available at: https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/camera-operator/ (Accessed: 2021).

Wikipedia team (2023) Rodger Deakins, Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Deakins (Accessed: 2023).

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