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by Christopher J. Bowen
Grammar of the Shot, 3rd Edition
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter One – The Shots: What, How and Why?
What to Show Your Audience?
Choosing Your Frame
Aspect Ratio
Further Exploration – A Brief History of Aspect Ratios
Further Exploration – Why We Might Like Widescreen so Much
The Basic Cinematic Building Blocks – An Introduction to Shot Types
Long Shot/Wide Shot
Medium Shot
Close-Up
The Extended Family of Basic Shots – The Powers of Proximity
Extreme Long Shot/Extreme Wide Shot
Very Long Shot/Very Wide Shot
Long Shot/Wide Shot/Full Shot
Medium Long Shot/Knee Shot
Medium Shot/Waist Shot/Mid
Medium Close-Up/Bust Shot
Close-Up
Big Close-Up (UK)/Choker (USA)
Extreme Close-Up
Why Do We Even Have Different Shot Types?
Pulling Images from the Written Page
Scripts and Script Breakdown
Shot Lists
Storyboards
Phases of Film Production
Let’s Practice
Chapter One – Review
Chapter One – Exercises & Projects
Chapter One – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Two – The Basics of Composition
Simple Guidelines For Framing Human Subjects
Headroom
Subjective Versus Objective Shooting Styles
Look Room/Nose Room
The Rule of Thirds
Camera Angle
Horizontal Camera Angles
Vertical Camera Angles
The Two-Shot: Frame Composition with Two People
The Profile Two-Shot
The Direct-to-Camera Two-Shot
The Over-the-Shoulder Two-Shot
The Dirty Single
The Power Dynamic Two-Shot
The Three-Shot
Wrapping up the Basics of Composition
Chapter Two – Review
Chapter Two – Exercises & Projects
Chapter Two – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Three – Composition – Beyond the Basics
The Illusion of the Third Dimension
The Use of Lines
The Horizon Line
Vertical Lines
Dutch Angle
Diagonal Lines
Curved Lines
The Depth of Film Space – Foreground/Middle Ground/Background
Foreground
Middle Ground
Background
Depth Cues
Overlapping
Object Size
Atmosphere
The Camera Lens – The Observer of Your Film World
Primes vs Zooms
The Prime Lens
The Zoom Lens
Lens Perspective
Lens Focus – Directing the Viewer’s Attention
Pulling Focus or Following Focus
Chapter Three – Review
Chapter Three – Exercises & Projects
Chapter Three – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Four – Lighting Your Shots – Not Just What You See, but How You See It
Light as an Element of Composition
Light as Energy
Color Temperature
Color Balance of Your Camera
Natural and Artificial Light
Correcting or Mixing Colors on Set
Quantity of Light: Sensitivity
Quantity of Light: Exposure
Quality of Light: Hard Versus Soft
Hard Light
Soft Light
Contrast
Low-key Lighting
High-key Lighting
Color
Basic Character Lighting: Three-Point Method
Contrast Ratio or Lighting Ratio
Motivated Lighting – Angle of Incidence
Front Lighting
Side Lighting
Lights from Behind
Lights from Other Places
Set and Location Lighting
Controlling Light – Basic Tools and Techniques
Light … and the Light Years of Learning
Chapter Four – Review
Chapter Four – Exercises & Projects
Chapter Four – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Five – Will it Cut? Shooting for Editing
The Chronology of Production
Matching Your Shots in a Scene
Continuity of Performance
Continuity of Screen Direction
The Line – Basis for Screen Direction
The Imaginary Line – The 180 Degree Rule
“Jumping the Line”
The 30 Degree Rule
Reciprocating Imagery
Eye-Line Match
Chapter Five – Review
Chapter Five – Exercises & Projects
Chapter Five – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Six – Dynamic Shots – Subjects and Camera in Motion
Subjects in Motion – Blocking Talent
Presentation Speed – Slow Motion and Fast Motion
Slow Motion – or Overcranking
Fast Motion – Undercranking
Camera in Motion
Handheld
Pan and Tilt
Shooting the Pan and the Tilt
Equipment Used to Move the Camera
Tripod
Dolly
Steadicam
Cranes and Such
Chapter Six – Review
Chapter Six – Exercises & Projects
Chapter Six – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Seven – Working Practices and General Guidelines
Slate the Head of Your Shots
Communicating with Talent
Safe Action/Safe Title Areas
How to Manually Focus a Zoom Lens
Always Have Something in Focus
Control Your Depth of Field
Be Aware of Headroom
Shooting Tight Close-Ups
Ensure an Eye Light
Try to Show Both Eyes of Your Subject
Be Aware of Eye-Line Directions in Closer Shots
Follow Action with Loose Pan and Tilt Tripod Head
Shooting Overlapping Action for the Edit
Continuity of Action
Matching Speed of Action
Overlapping Too Much Action
Storyboards and Shot Lists
Aim for a Low Shooting Ratio
Frame for Correct “Look Room” on Shots that Will Edit Together
Shoot Matching Camera Angles when Covering a Dialogue Scene
Ways to Cross the 180 Degree Line Safely
Place Important Objects in the Top Half of Your Frame
Be Aware of the Color Choices Made Throughout Your Project
Keep Distracting Objects out of the Shot
Beware of Continuity Traps While Shooting a Scene
Use the Depth of Your Film Space to Stage Shots with Several People
In a Three-Person Dialogue Scene, Matching Two-Shots can be Problematic for the Editor
Zooming During a Shot
Motivate Your Truck-In and Truck-Out Dolly Moves
Allow the Camera More Time to Record Each Shot
Allow Actions to Complete Before Cutting Camera
Use Short Focal Length Lenses to Reduce Handheld Camera Shake
Beware of Wide Lenses when Shooting Close-Up Shots
Shooting a Chromakey
Shooting B-Roll, 2nd Unit, and Stock Footage
Shooting a Talking Head Interview
During Documentary Filming, Be as Discreet as Possible
Chapter Seven – Review
Chapter Seven – Exercises & Projects
Chapter Seven – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Eight – A Few Words of Advice
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
In Conclusion
Appendix A – Helpful Resources for the New Filmmaker
Appendix B – Essential Crew Positions for Motion Picture Production
Glossary
Index
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