Directions Unit: 4 Minute Film| Cinematography

Cinematography

For my film, the cinematography is very essential for helping to express my film by using the camera. The camera MUST remain consistent throughout and should work to reinforce the oppositional theme of freedom and entrapment, which the cinematography will alter depending on whether the climax (change) has been reached (once he receives his results). The cinematography will mainly focus on the camera angle, shot size and composition. Because I have already explained what I am using etc in my 'director's statement' post, below will show an example and the change in cinematography when my character is 'trapped', and when my character is 'free'.

Shot Angles

Trapped: In terms of angles, the camera should work in a way to make my character look weak-willed and not dominating whatsoever. Low angle shots work well to show this as it shows that the camera is dominating, thus being metaphorical for how school is 'overpowering' my main character.

Free: This should reverse once the character becomes free. Eye level shots must remain consistent to emphasise that there is now a neutral balance within my film, thus reassuring the audience that the stress and tension is now gone. High angle shots could also be used to instead show that my main character now dominates school, making him seem stronger thus juxtaposing against the previous low angle shots before he received his results.

Shot Sizes

Trapped: Generally, the camera should make the shot seem 'tight', meaning that there shouldn't be much space which isn't being used. This reinforces this idea that the character is trapped and can't escape. So, extreme/close ups should frequently be used which additionally heightens the emotions within the scene due to the closeness of the character. This is evident in Breaking Bad (shown below) where the use of an extreme close up reinforces the emotions and stress of the character.

Extreme close up in Breaking Bad

Free: This idea of closeness should reverse once my main character becomes free. The camera shouldn't make the audience feel 'tight' and uncomfortable and instead should create a neutral and calm feel which can be created from frequent use of medium/long shots.

Composition

Trapped: Here the composition should frequently be dynamic - the symmetry in the shot should be titled instead of straight, creating a sense of disruption within the shot. This links to the use of asymmetrical composition - positioning the character to the side of the shot. This is shown in the picture below - Catherine Hardwicke frequently created an awkward approach in terms of positioning and the character would often be found to the side of the shot instead of the middle.

Asymmetrical shot in There Will be Blood

Free: Of course, once the character receives his results, this idea of a disruptive and 'unbalanced' composition should revert to a more neutral and calm composition. For example, using static and symmetrical composition, to reinforce that this tension has gone and metaphorically that the stress has been released.