Thinking About What You See

Screen Grammar, Composition and Aesthetics

Rule of Thirds - Think about the points of interest within the shot and where you're placing your subject. For instance, in the image below, the audiences eye is immediately attracted to the bottle, but by putting the bottle off-centre gives the background more importance than if the bottle was centred

9 Sections of Framing (Rule of Thirds)

180 Degree Rule - The 180-degree rule of shooting and editing keeps the camera on one side of the action. As a matter of convention, the camera stays on one side of the axis of action throughout a scene; this keeps characters grounded compositionally on a particular side of the screen or frame, and keeps them looking at one another when only one character is seen onscreen at a time. The technique allows for an expansion of the frame into the unseen space offscreen. It is referred to as a rule because the camera, when shooting two actors, must not cross over the axis of action; if it does, it risks giving the impression that the actors' positions in the scene have been reversed.
Source: http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/filmglossary/web/terms/180-degree_rule.html

If you do cross the 180 degree line, you have to show this exchange of crossing in a shot

180 Degree Rule

The Golden Ratio - An aesthetically pleasing composition of a shot. It's a natural shot of 'nature' that our eyes are drawn to and our brain finds it visually pleasing to interpret. Our eyes natural interpret visuals horizontally and vertically. The image below shows the construction of the golden ratio

The Golden Ratio

Matching Eyelines - Continuity with eyeline matching is important, we must follow up people's point of view in order to construct a successful sequence. For instance, we are shown our subject looking at something, we then follow it up with a shot of what they are looking at from their point of view.

Matching Eye Lines

Matching Cuts - Where were the eyes! Keep consistency throughout your filming, such as where you position your interviewee. If you switch their position in the frame, it creates a sense of a counter argument to what was initially being said.

Natural Transitions - Using wipes, fades and dissolves are transitions. A way transferring from one shot to another. By using non-artificial transitions, such as zooming in on a clock or sky gives a sequence a more professional feel.

Breathing Room/Dialogue Space - When setting up close up shots of people make sure that you provide what is often called breathing room for your subject. If you have setup your shot so that their face is in profile you must offset them to one side of the screen so that there is a space in front of the face. The exact amount of space varies but once it is correct it will "feel" right. If you were working with two people you can set them up so that they are facing opposite directions and when you compose close-up shots of them, each person would be offset to one side of the screen or the other based upon the way that they were facing. There is a special rule for taping this type of two person interaction. You must record all of your shots on the same side of the subjects. If you change sides the person who was originally on the right facing to the left will all of a sudden be reversed when seen from the shot taken from the other side. 

NARRATIVE

Aristotle - Beginning, middle and end. Known as the 'three-act' structure. Therese are 

1. Set Up 

2. Conflict 

3. Resolution. 

This creates what is known as a 'dramatic arc'. It has a linear narrative structure.

Non-Linear Narrative - Restorative Three-Act structure, having multiple arcs within each scene. 

Ending - Beginning - Middle

Middle - Ending - Beginning

Other narrative devices can be used such as symbols, sounds and signifiers

Thinking About Your Film

How much information will you need to present your topic?

Is the info current or dated?

Will your topic engage your audience?

Who is the intended audience? 

Is there current research available on your topic?

Are your sources reliable (including interviews)?

What are the key things you need to show?

What's the best way to convey the information you're presenting?