Chapter Eight
- Know the Rules Before You Break the Rules
- The Reason for Shooting is Editing
- Your Shots Should Enhance the Entire Story
- Involve the Viewer as Much as Possible
- Take Pride in the Quality of Your Work and Your Set Etiquette
- Know Your Equipment
- Be Familiar with Your Subject
- Understand Lighting – Both Natural and Artificial
- Study What Has Already Been Done
This book has presented some of the basic rules of visual grammar in filmmaking, defined a number of different shot types, and offered some basic working practices. None of this material is carved in stone and much of it is open to interpretation. Different people may call things by different names or choose to approach things in slightly different ways. Elaboration, experimentation, and blatant subversion have given rise to many new and interesting approaches to creating and conveying entertainment and information over the years. However, no matter what the technology or what the material to be presented, at the bottom of all the innovation would still lie the basic guidelines of globally accepted visual communication and cinematic language.
This summation chapter offers some additional food for thought and advice.
Know the Rules Before You Break the Rules
Contrary to popular belief, not all rules were made to be broken. Just as there are rules to sporting games, we have discovered in this book that there are rules that govern the production of motion pictures. The grammar of the shot – the film language – has evolved over the last 100 plus years but the basic tenets and guidelines have remained the same. As a result of this standardization of imagery, creators the world over are able to tell stories – or show stories – that are understood by a very wide audience. As with your own written language, you can read the images and comprehend what is going on in the motion picture presentation.
You can imagine then, if the rules of written language were not followed, there would be many people who could not read and comprehend what the words on the page were supposed to mean. The same holds true for the motion picture. Follow the established rules and guidelines of film grammar and you should find that the widest possible audience would understand the imagery and comprehend what you are attempting to convey via the visual elements of the “story” – regardless of whether it is a fictional narrative, a documentary, a news report, or an animated cartoon.
There is always room for experimentation and innovation; just be judicious with when, how much, and on which type of motion media project you let it loose. When you break the rules before you know the rules, you are taking certain risks with the project. If it is all your own, then so be it and go for it, but if you are using other people’s money, time, and resources, it might be wise to start from an informed base of cinematic conventions. When you start with the basic rules and guidelines and build upon them in creative ways, you will most likely meet with more acceptance and success, but you won’t know until you start to do it for yourself. So get out there and put them into practice. Learn more by doing more.
The Reason for Shooting is Editing
Unless you are shooting coverage at a live telecast, your goal in recording motion images will be to pass along the best possible visual material to the editor. The raw visual pieces are generated during film production but the real story isn’t told until the final cut is made. If you create excellent individual shots at the expense of the story’s editorial needs, then you have done a great disservice to the entire motion picture project. If it does not cut, then the problems started much earlier than post-production.
The film production process, no matter how simple or how elaborate, is never an easy undertaking. The potential for mistakes is always present. Numerous stresses, unplanned events, or last-minute changes can always happen. A good solution to alleviating as many of these potential headaches as possible is solid pre-production. Shot lists, storyboards, set/location overhead floor plans, and, of course, a strong understanding of film language will go a long way in helping you generate visually interesting and informative imagery that serves your story.
Well beyond talent performance, you must also make sure that your shots are technically acceptable for the edit. Have you matched angles, camera distances/heights, focal lengths, and lighting schemes on your coverage for a scene? Have you followed action until it completes? Is there good focus on all the right planes within the complex shot? Many aspects of the overall project must be planned and executed correctly for the final product to be as good as it possibly can be. So remember to think about what you are shooting and understand how it will be used during the edit.
Please don’t use the expression, “We’ll fix it in post” as an excuse for bad preparation and shoddy work during production.
Your Shots Should Enhance the Entire Story
The basic shot types discussed in this book will be able to provide you with the basic building blocks for shooting coverage of any motion picture event. If you do not move beyond the visual basics for recording a news report, a sporting event, or a documentary, then you may still show your audience a worthwhile experience. The simple film language provides all of the visual information necessary to clearly show the story's factual content. It has traditionally been the scripted fictional narrative film that allows for more experimentation in the imagery. Your shot compositions, talent blocking, lens choices, camera angles and movement, and so forth have the potential to support, underscore, and enhance the story being told or highlight, in special ways, the characters who populate that story. The filmmaker may find more freedom in creating visual expressions that stimulate and engage the audience. The images should be used to augment the narrative and the characterizations.
As a quick and easy example, let us say that two roommates have just found out that the third did not pay the rent on time. The wide establishing shot shows all three characters (A, B, and C) standing together. The characters, location, and scene are set from this first shot. Then you move in for the coverage. You record a clean single CU on character A, but only one medium close-up 2-shot for both B and C to appear on screen together. As we experience tensions between A and the team of B and C, then the cutting between shots of A by herself and B and C grouped together can enhance the narrative by physically showing A as a loner/outsider and B and C together as a unified team “against” their roommate.
Figure 8.1 The single shot of A keeps her isolated from the union of B & C in their two-shot.
Involve the Viewer as Much as Possible
Motion pictures really are a participatory experience. It might seem as though most people just sit and watch, but what usually happens when they are viewing good material is that they are actively engaged on many levels. Certainly, they should follow the story, but they will also experience many emotions and have physical reactions and responses to the actions viewed on the screen. What you show to the audience, how you choose to show it, and when it gets shown, are rather important factors in the success of a motion picture.
One of the main goals of most visual works of storytelling is to keep the viewer engaged. There should always be a need to pay attention. If there is no direct involvement for the majority of a motion picture then it is more likely to be seen as boring by the disinterested viewer. Of course, everyone has different tastes, and different stories call for different treatments of picture, sound, and pacing in the edit. All works should have a way to involve the viewer’s senses, brain, and emotions. The visual elements are all within your control as a filmmaker, so at least make a concerted effort to cover all the important information – and figure out a way to do it creatively.
Remember, on the most basic level, when you show a new shot to the audience they are going to scan it for information and, if given time in the editing, they are going to appreciate it for all the aesthetic qualities that are incorporated into its frame: composition, lighting, color, focus, movement, and so on. Most modern audiences are very well acquainted with the visual grammar of film language. They can comprehend the important facts presented in the visuals very quickly. From one shot to the next, they are constantly scanning for, observing, and digesting visual information, which generates a sense of expectation within the viewer. If you fail to provide the audience with the appropriate information when they expect to see it, then you run the risk of losing them.
Motivating your shots is extremely important as well. There has to be a reason for the shot to exist. What information does it convey? Can an image “tell” more about the story to the viewing audience than spoken words? When it comes to a fictional narrative (scripted storytelling), “show, don’t tell” is an excellent rule to follow and it should especially appeal to the more visually minded filmmakers.
As an example, let’s consider the following scenario. A wide shot shows a college graduation ceremony in progress. A medium shot shows a young woman accepting her college degree on the stage. She expectantly looks out to the parents in the audience.
A close-up of her father shows that his eyes are tearing up with pride and happiness. The wide shot sets the scene and motivates the exploration of who is getting her degree. The medium shot of the young woman answers that question. Then, her eyeline out to the crowd motivates the CU of the father. His CU reveals new data about his emotional state. Each shot conveys new information, helps progress the narrative, and motivates each successive shot as well.
Take Pride in the Quality of your Work and your Set Etiquette
This guideline applies to both how you shoot your coverage and how you behave as a member of a motion picture crew. The artifice behind shooting is that in the ideal world your camera should be unnoticed by the viewing audience. It is often said that if an audience member notices a shot then it has become a bad shot. If your handheld shots are too shaky, your horizon lines are always a bit askew, the focus is off just a bit on the main object of interest, the dolly moves are filled with bumps and jiggles, or your zoom is not smooth, then it is highly likely that your audience will notice these issues and be taken out of the viewing experience. Rather than being engaged, informed, or entertained, they will, instead, be too aware that they are viewing a poorly shot motion picture.
As a filmmaker, it is very important for you to exhibit a high level of professional behavior. You need to keep your “behind the lens” actions and movements to a minimum during shooting. You could wear dark clothing to help blend in (be less visible in reflective surfaces) and not be a distraction to the talent performing in the scene. Always be courteous to all people involved in the project. Keep a cool head and get the shot – once you get it, move on. A good shooting pace keeps your talent and crew fresh and motivated to work hard. Don’t blame others if you encounter problems, but work together to find a quick solution. Try not to schedule very long shoot days. If you have an exterior shoot planned and the weather turns foul, you should have an alternate interior shoot ready to go as a backup – some call this a “cover set.” A professional demeanor, a low profile, and an efficient working style will go a long way in sustaining positive results on the shooting set.
It is imperative that the members of a film crew be well acquainted with their equipment. Lighting, grip, audio, and camera are some of the key departments of concern during production. Whether it is the latest high-resolution digital video camera, a pocket camcorder or a mobile phone, the camera operator and other members of the camera department crew must know as much as possible about the device and all of the accessories. Experience is a great help here, but if you are a newer user, then reading the manuals will be a good first step, as would asking questions of other, more knowledgeable users of the equipment. Before the first day of shooting, you should make time to play with the equipment, build it, take it apart, and handle it so you know how it feels, sounds, moves and responds. Shooting tests for image quality and walking the media through a post-production workflow will be very informative.
Preparation goes beyond just being familiar with the equipment. You should be accountable for all of the parts as well. Make sure that you have all the pieces of gear that you need and that they are functional and clean. Charge all batteries the night before your first shoot day and remember to pack them when you leave for the job. Know your lenses. Understand their capabilities and make sure they are clean. Have all required cables, filters, and any extra tools. When you are in a studio or, especially, on location, designate an area strictly for camera department equipment and ask that other personnel stay clear. Keep your camera gear organized and in its cases whenever possible so that you know exactly where to go when you need something. On film sets, there is very little tolerance for time and money lost to easily avoided errors.
As someone new to filmmaking, you should make the time to familiarize yourself with the material in the project during pre-production. Whether it is a documentary being made or a fictional narrative story being told, or a music video being shot, you should know the subject matter, the persons involved, and what the goals of the production will be. Read the entire script if you can get your hands on a copy. Understand the tone of the piece – dark, heavy, light, happy, etc. Be as familiar as possible with the locations, perhaps through a “tech scout” where you examine the location for access, electrical supply, sun passage, sound issues and so forth. Anticipate the needs of crew members and performers while watching for opportunities to make the entire production better. Good preparation of this kind will put you more at ease while shooting and allow you to work more efficiently should something go amiss.
Understand Lighting – Both Natural and Artificial
Anyone involved in creating good visuals for a motion picture project, whether it is something for television, movies, or the internet, should have a solid understanding of lighting and how to best use it for their shooting. One can spend a lifetime mastering the science behind light and color and also the nuances behind manipulating it correctly for use on film sets. Everybody starts somewhere in that learning process, so you should not delay in your own training. Composing great shots or pulling off wild dolly moves is certainly a positive thing, but without the appropriate lighting, all of it could be moot.
It is essential that you understand the basics of lighting – hard light, soft light, motivated light, bounced lighting, top lighting, practical set lighting, and so forth. You need to understand that there is lighting used just to get exposure (enough to record your image) and there is lighting for creative purposes. You may highlight certain characters or keep others in silhouette. Have overall high key flat lighting, or create strong Chiaroscuro with low key lighting. You may also wish to use certain colors that have particular meanings for your story. With all this light around your film set, it is very important to check your camera lens for light flares – lights that have their beams pointing into the lens. This errant light falling into your lens can cause flares or flashing on the image. This can be done creatively, but you will most often not wish for this to happen by accident.
When sunlight can be used, it can often save a great deal of time and money. However, as we all know, the sun is always “moving.” As the Earth rotates on its axis, the sun appears to arc across the sky. This results in an ever-changing play of light and shadow across the world. When you are using natural sunlight as your primary light source, you should be aware that it will be different in just a matter of minutes to a few hours, depending on the time of year and your location around the globe. No matter where you are shooting, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with the availability and course that the sun will take across the sky – and, yes, there is an app for that. Part of your responsibility is to plan the best locations and best times of day when the sun can be used to its best illuminative and cinematic advantage. It might be midmorning, noon, or the “golden hour.” Knowing about light and lighting is a critical part of anyone’s motion picture training.
Study What Has Already Been Done
A large part of learning how to make motion pictures is knowing that you should really study what has already been done. Conducting research is an easy, informative, and entertaining way to prepare for almost any shoot. You may watch movies, television programming of all kinds (sit-coms, documentaries, cartoons, dramas, news shows, music videos, reality, etc.), experimental or avant-garde films, and even animations and video games. The web is a great resource for video clips that are available whenever you wish. Your goal is not to replicate precisely what others have already achieved, but to find inspiration and create new approaches to visual communication for yourself.
Many visually creative people (filmmakers, graphic designers, illustrators, screenwriters, etc.) also turn to art history for ideas, inspiration, and education in particular practices. Paintings, especially, can be a very rich source of compositional studies, color schemes, use of light and shadow, focus, texture, and so on. As everyone working on the motion picture could see a print of a particular painting or review a series of paintings from a particular artist, the works become a very visual way to relate ideas about color palettes or mood or subject matter. Sculpture, photography, architecture, textiles and so forth become excellent resources and references for the many people involved in creating the numerous visual elements that go into the making of a motion picture. Studying these art forms and sharing your findings with others will lead to a successful collaboration on the film set [see some suggested art and film history web sites in Appendix A].
The key lesson in all of this material about “The Shot” is that recording motion images, whether with a high-end digital video camera or a smart phone, is not always a matter of simply pointing and shooting. Of course, one can take that approach and it may do well for recording birthday parties and holidays or even a particular kind of “informal” program. Any professional grade project that is worth doing is worth doing well, which means that you may have to employ a fair amount of proven cinematic language.
This book has introduced you to many of the basic practices, techniques, and guidelines for creating effective imagery that can build a solid motion picture experience for an audience. As you work on projects you will become more knowledgeable. You will get better at selecting the parts of this special language that suit your needs and the needs of your particular characters and story. Not every shot type, camera move, or lens angle will fit into the visual style that you plan for each project. Your goal over time is to develop an ever-expanding tool set and an ever-growing collection of references and resources so that you move from being a person with an idea to an artful and effective visual communicator using the full power of film language.
When you know the grammar of your shots, your shots will tell the story. Thank you.