UNIT 02
Composition: different types of
shots, camera angles, and camera movements.
Over the years, universal system
for classifying shots has evolved. This system has evolved through a consistent
practice system which is generally considered as thumb rule of shooting linear
fiction and other non fiction content in film making and TV. Television
shooting is almost a replica of the grammar of film making. Even though terms
can vary, but by and large every one meets the set requirement in one way or
the other. Because the footage is to be married at the editing table shot by
shot to create an illusion of continuity, the shots are taken keeping in mind
the look of a particular production, up to the last edit done. The foundation
of good camera work lies in grasping the secrets of the techniques applied for
achieving this feat. Here the universal classification of shots comes handy for
a director. The terminology may differ from one place to another but by and
large the effective conclusions remain the same.
Composition in TV
production means selecting a particular shot/frame with some kind of
perspective in mind. Television screen has a dimension of 4:3 and now 16:9
horizontal and vertical sizes. That is to say, it can be proportionately in any
of the above given ratio. Which means that TV screen gives us a flat, two
dimensional picture spread over a proportionately above given size. We have to
consider that we create within this proportion, illusion of a three dimension
picture world. We seem to be adding depth and all type of other such
considerations which give us a feel of looking at people and places acting
moving and being in almost an actual world. This is achieved by a magnificent
understanding of how the combination of light camera and sound is achieved by
recording all the three in right manner. TV screen image is restricted because
of its small size. Therefore extreme long shots and wide panoramic overview
shots seem too distant and loose a lot of detail while close up and mid shots
are convincingly acceptable. In the
first instance after knowing the functions of a particular TV camera one need
to know how to shoot his/her material for deriving a substantial series of
shots which put together on an editing system make some sense of communicative
content. This can be achieved after thoroughly understanding the Grammar of
shot composition and its usage in the making of a communicative visual content.
Thus, composition can be defined as the orderly arrangement of elements in a
scene, when taken as a whole it conveys intent and meaning. It can comprise of
both static and dynamic composition. Static composition covers the content of
fixed images such as paintings, still photos and dynamic composition has got
movement in subject or as well as in camera.
Thus:
n Composition
has many different, though related meanings.
In video, composition is the purposeful arrangement of the components of
a visual image.
n Composition
is absolutely essential in video because it helps images communicate with
viewers more quickly, efficiently, and powerfully.
n Composition
does this by:
• Organizing
pictorial elements so that viewers can quickly sort them out and identify them.
• Adding
emphasis to direct attention to the most important elements on the screen.
• Creating
an illusory third dimension in a two dimensional picture
There are mainly the fallowing
types of shots mostly used to communicate the visual information in a
systematic order.
Shot selection:
- The Extreme Long Shot (ELS) enables you to establish the location and create an overall atmospheric impression. It opens a very wide view of a particular place before us which in turn reveals complete information about the movement and action taking place around in this place. It can be a top angle shot from a high rise building looking at a cluster of other Jughis or an overview of some village from a hill top or one aerial shot of stadium etc. The extreme long shot is generally wider than a long shot.
- The Long Shot: (LS) often called an establishing shot. It sets the action in place and allows audience to fallow the purpose of pattern of action. It shows people in complete detail with their surroundings, there is scope for action and pace in this shot and the people within the scene have more audience impact. Their gestures and expressions become stronger and more important. In this shot subject is revealed from head to toe.
- Medium Shot: (MS) it usually depicts body around the waist up to top of head. Medium shots are generally thus mid shots communicating a subject image from more close distance than a long shot and even including still some portion of the surroundings. This shot can capture the gestures and emotions of expression to understand the context of the particular content. The medium shot is considered important in telling the script story. In the triple technique format shooting this has a pivotal central position. We often go by a simple rule of shooting and editing our material with this view of using it in one ascend and descend form as long shot medium shot and close up. It gives us a subtle feel of motion and movement in the subject without breaking the viewer’s comprehension regarding the continuity of it. This shot is thus used as a conjunctive in between the long and a close up shot.
- The Close-Up: (CU) A shot that just includes head and shoulder of the subject. It concentrates attention and interest on the subject and thus makes a thing catch more of our attention. This extra thrust on the subject connects us more closely to the subject emotions and draws attention to their reactions and responses. The emphasis is thus thrown on the subject for more highlighting its expression and emotion or importance and significance.
- The Extreme Close-Up: This shot goes more
close to face and is used to highlight the deep emotional feeling or some
reaction to any such feeling or a thought expressed in context to the
subject or otherwise observed by it. It should be used with great care and
caution. The important activity going around the person in frame should
not get isolated for long because of this shot. The shot should add to the
significance of the particular situation and should not unnecessarily look
deviate the viewer attention from it. The subject in frame should not look
blemished or enlarged in a distasteful manner, it should not look
disoriented from the main action and should relate subject to it. To
refresh the viewer memory regarding the place of action and the continuity
purpose, we can go back cutting shots to a medium or a long shot to
re-establish the place. The transition from one shot to another should be
rhythmic and in such manner that it should not confuse viewers at any
place that they were witnessing a scene in any disconnect or
disorientation.
- Besides these basic shot divisions there are more
divisions made to reach significant specifications.
- Just as there is a mid close up MCU or a mid long
shot MLS and knee shot etc. A mid close up MCU cuts body at lower chest
(breast-pocket, armpit) and an MLS above the Knee portion is depicted in
picture.
- We divide a shot on the basis of persons included
in it too, such as for a single character shot we call it a single or one
shot for two character shot we call it a two shot and for three character
shot we call it a three shot for more than three character we open lens
wider and call it a wide shot.
- Angle and Shot:
- Camera angles are significant in changing the
perspective of a shot.
We change
the angle of view to exclude or include certain subject in the frame.
- Changing the distance of the subject or the camera (proportions and perspective remain constant).
- Zooming (changing the camera angle)
- Switching to another camera with a different lens angle, or at a different distance.
As
explained earlier also there are mainly three perspective lens angles 1.Normal
angle.
2. Close
or telephoto angle 3. Wide angle
A normal angle gives us an eye view,
close angle takes us too much close to the subject and a wide angle gives us a
distant view of it. However when we take a close up shot from the wide angle
lens the subject view gives a distorted picture due to short focal length and a
deep depth of field. The subject looks artificially much enlarged in the
foreground. This effect can be good for a dramatic sequence but will not look
proper for a normal close up shot. Likewise if we take a shot from a top angle
to establish an overview of a village
with an increased focal length telephoto lens we will loose the depth in
field and get a shallow view of the village even though we may be seeming to be
looking at the village from a closer distance. The distant things will be
looking close and obtuse. Distant objects look approximately the same size – closer
objects are abnormally small, and more distant objects are abnormally large,
and hence the viewer cannot discern relative distances between distant objects
– distances are compressed. Note that perspective distortion is caused by distance, not by the lens per se – two shots of
the same scene from the same distance will exhibit identical perspective
distortion, regardless of lens used. However, since wide-angle lenses have a
wider field of view, they are generally used from closer, while telephoto
lenses have a narrower field of view and are generally used from further away.
For example, if standing at a distance so that a normal lens captures someone's
face, a shot with a wide-angle lens or telephoto lens from the same distance
will have exactly the same perspective on the face, though the wide-angle lens
may fit the entire body into the shot, while the telephoto lens captures only
the nose. However, crops of these three images with the same coverage will
yield the same perspective distortion – the nose will look the same in all
three. Conversely, if all three lenses are used from distances such that the
face fills the field, the wide-angle will be used from closer, making the nose
larger, and the telephoto will be used from further, making the nose smaller.
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