AnnoCinema

Analyzing the cinematography of Hideaki Anno's shots, a style missing in modern cinema. 現代映画に欠けているスタイルである庵野秀明の撮影を分析する。

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In this scene, Azuma reluctantly tells the Prime Minister that because Japan is still in a declared state of emergency, he still has the power to authorize an attack. That Azuma is not enthusiastic of a military operation in residential Tokyo is not only conveyed through the acting, but also the cinematography. An inspired choice by Anno to shoot Shot 2 from almost behind Azuma conveys the feeling of, "I have to say this, but I don't really want to. So much so, I can barely look you in the eye while doing so." This unintuitive choice that works so well exists in a world where so many would have gone for a plain-old ECU (Extreme Close Up) that purely relies on the actor to express that reluctance instead of attempting at conveying anything through camera angle choice. On a side note, we can again see here that Anno just jumps from a shot where focal point is at the edge, to a shot where the focal point at center. (at 東京藝術大学 千住キャンパス) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEfr2SnACJx/?igshid=1mnblzfyrb6hc

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Jumping back to Blue Christmas for a bit of fundamentals. We have a scene where a woman is being stalked by two men. In the first couple shots, the subjects are moving AWAY FROM camera. Cut to them moving TOWARD camera. Cut to them moving AWAY FROM camera. Cut to them moving TOWARD camera. Cut to the woman moving AWAY FROM camera. Cut to the men walking TOWARD camera. Cut to the woman walking AWAY FROM camera. Cut to the men walking TOWARD camera. Thus we can see that the greatest visual charm is created when we alternate between moving TOWARD and AWAY FROM camera. The only exception is for the hook-reveal scenario, which is only applicable for the first two shots. #岡本喜八　#岡本監督　 #岡本　#ブルークリスマス (at 日本映画大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEZGD9igb1h/?igshid=fmipw33h9ppo

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In this shot, the political cabinet had just been informed that the disturbance in the bay was cooling down, and some of the ministers being naive comment "It's over already?" and "No big deal, I guess." I think any other director would have shown a shot of those ministers saying their lines, before cutting back to Yaguchi. But Anno does something more inspired. He lets us hear those lines while we're on Yaguchi's CU. The fact of the matter is, those ministers are not important. Only their opinions are important to the narrative. Thus, we don't need to see them and hearing is enough. Almost as a bonus, by showing us Yaguchi's face during those lines, it conveys how Yaguchi can't take any more of this blind optimism from the other ministers, and speaks up. #蘭堂矢口がbetterな選択 #蘭堂谷口　#シンゴジラ　#庵野監督　#庵野秀明　#hideakianno #shingodzilla (at 日本大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEYfARtgttV/?igshid=i61qcf76n2gn

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In this shot, the political cabinet had just been informed that the disturbance in the bay was cooling down, and some of the ministers being naive comment "It's over already?" and "No big deal, I guess." I think any other director would have shown a shot of those ministers saying their lines, before cutting back to Yaguchi. But Anno does something more inspired. He lets us hear those lines while we're on Yaguchi's CU. The fact of the matter is, those ministers are not important. Only their opinions are important to the narrative. Thus, we don't need to see them and hearing is enough. Almost as a bonus, by showing us Yaguchi's face during those lines, it conveys how Yaguchi can't take any more of this blind optimism from the other ministers, and speaks up. #蘭堂谷口　#日本政府　#シンゴジラ　#庵野秀明　#蘭堂矢口がbetterな選択 #shingodzilla (at 日本大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEYeezWALEg/?igshid=4wtf5a6zwn0b

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Watch this scene, and notice how your eyes gradually move from left to right and then back to the left, symbolizing the flow of information up the chain of command and the subsequent orders coming back down. Within the meeting room, each speaking character is placed progressively closer to the right, until we reach the Prime Minister, who is at the most right. Once the PM gives his command, we cut back to the battlefield, and the messenger who's relaying the orders is allowed to occupy the same space in the frame as the PM because he's his representative. The orders are relayed to the commander, who is on the left side of the frame, symbolizing the order coming back down the line. (As a side note, I wonder if it's a coincidence that the last military commander is at the same frame position as the first military commander?) #shingodzilla #cinema #editing #storyboarding #hideakianno #庵野秀明　#絵コンテ (at 日本映画大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEYBeZIgVaL/?igshid=1aoe559cuqt6s

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Last time we talked about how we can play with eyetrace and get the audience's eyes to the corner of the frame. But how do we move the audience back from the far reaches to the center again? Is it that like how we baby-stepped them over to the corner, we have to slowly baby-step them back? Turns out we don't. As we can see here, Anno cuts from a shot that has the focal point on the far-left immediately to a shot where the focal point is back at center. Evidently, Anno feels it's easy for the audience to notice something in the center, and therefore to relocate the focal point immediately there is no problem. By intuition this seems to be plausible as well. Similar to any number of sports, by default you return to the center position and await for your opponent's next move, since center is where you're closest to any possible new point. #anno #hideakianno #shingodzilla #シンゴジラ　#庵野秀明 (at Nishikoen, Chuo-ku) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEXC87qgFXk/?igshid=1y1f5vkubme1h

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As previously promised, let's take a look at a more complex example of how Anno plays with eyetrace to get our eyes to move around the frame, especially into areas other films wouldn't be able to use to house the focal point. This scene comes at a point where Japan has contacted Germany to borrow their supercomputer processing power. Notice that in Shot 1, the focal point is in the CENTER. Cut to Shot 2, and the man in blue moves generally FROM CENTER towards the LOWER-LEFT. Cut to Shot 3, and the man in green, located FURTHER IN THE LOWER-LEFT starts speaking. Then the woman starts speaking, who is located EVEN FURHTER IN THE LOWER-LEFT. Cut to Shot 4, the punchline, and we cut to a medium CU of the woman on the left thirds-line. We can see how each shot gradually moves our eyes from what started out as the center of the frame to the lower-left corner, and then back to the upper-left. Again, this is something that can only be done by planning (storyboarding) your scenes before you shoot them. Shooting your film with coverage can not yield these results. I've also included a bonus scene where Anno plays with eyetrace. Try to notice how he's moving your eyes around the frame! (at 日本大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEWHYwYAsUq/?igshid=fa92up0o7b4f

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The hook-reveal combo is much used by Anno, as discussed in previous NGE analyses. Here the interesting thing is the respect paid to eyetrace, the movement of focal point around the frame. This is especially important in a widescreen theatrical format, where the screen is significantly large such that if eyetrace is not done right, the audience's eyes will dart around the frame looking for the new focal point, creating dissonance and losing immersion. Most filmmakers don't play with eyetrace, and avoid the problem of the audience having to hunt for the focal point by keeping it always near general center. Only if you plan (storyboard) your scenes can you pull off things like eyetrace play. In this case, we see that Kayoko's face is placed on the left third of the frame before we cut to the reveal, where her face is still around the left third-line. There are more intense examples of how Anno plays with eyetrace in Shin Godzilla, as I'll show in the next post. (at 日本映画大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEWEdxXguaJ/?igshid=7l2x50d0688y

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In this scene, we see the use of camera movement to comment on the progress of the meeting. The meeting was progressing along well at first, which is why the camera moves to the right. Then the updated info erases all progress, which is why the camera moves to the left. More interesting than that however, is how the interruption was conveyed. A short 15-frame shot is inserted of the minister's assistant handing him new information. While such an incredibly short shot would generally not work, it works in this instance because the next shot is a COA (cut-on-action) continuation of the action. In other words, if you couldn't fully grasp what was happening in the original shot, you get it in the next. The cut also works so well because it respects eyetrace, putting the motion in the right thirds-line of the frame in both shots. Anno could have easily gone wider and showed the action in a single shot, so why did he decide to split up the interruption to two shots? I think it's to convey through editing the idea of an interruption. The initial shot is a very long shot that shows an important speech by the minister lasting 13 seconds (which I've cut down here). There is then impact when such a long shot is interrupted by the assistant's mere 15-frame shot. The use of juxtaposition in shot duration to express an idea is truly inspiring. (at 日本大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEWBmp9Azif/?igshid=1u221gbb0ctkp

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This scene is from one of the first meetings in Shin Godzilla, before the cabinet even realizes they're facing a living organism. Shot 1 is a wide shot of the meeting, Shot 2 is a cutaway of Yaguchi's dissatisfaction, and in Shot 3 the meeting continues forward. I generally dislike cutaways, because of their widespread use as B-roll bandaids. You can tell they're being used this way when Shot 3 is the same shot as Shot 1. But that's not the case here. The shot of Yaguchi isn't used as a bandaid to splice in another take. Instead, a different shot is shown when we cut back. This not only imputes a strong sense of intentionality, but through the editing gives a sense of narrative momentum: we were here, look at this for a bit, now we're over here. As opposed to the band-aid cutaway that inadvertently imputes: we were here, look at this for a bit, now we're back here again. No progression or momentum. In this way, Yaguchi's shot can be interpreted as a punchline shot, capping the first minister's speech before we go onto the next minister's speech. Anno and Okamoto both use cutaways this way, as a pseudo-punchline within a scene that heralds progression. #Hideakianno #庵野秀明 #gainax #eva #evangelion #neongenesisevangelion #エヴァ #エヴァンゲリオン #新世紀エヴァンゲリオン #シンゴジラ #shingojira #shingodzilla #composition #makingmovies #moviemaking #videoediting #editing #videographer #videography #videoproduction #filming #filmmaking #filmmaker #director #premiere #cinematography (at 日本映画大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEV-3XMgVWA/?igshid=fga7884mzt28

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Here's an interesting spin on Anno's disregard for continuity in favor of rhythm. Not to say one can't achieve both - just watch Okamoto's films. In the scene, Yaguchi asks Shimura what "Gojira" means, who looks it up on his smartphone. When you're watching the film, the scene sure plays as continuous. It's only when you sit back and think about it, do you realize there's no way Shimura could have whipped out his phone and searched for "Gojira" in a literal second. Thus, it's technically an ellipsis cut, albeit disguised as respecting continuity. As a bonus, I've included another example of how Anno discards continuity for the sake of rhythm. #hideakianno #shingodzilla #shingojira #庵野秀明　#庵野　#庵野監督　#シンゴジラ (at 日本映画大学) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUPN-FghoR/?igshid=1er5kwzo1p51x

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Jumping back on AnnoCinema for a bit, after realizing that I grow a lot after dissecting Anno's and Okamoto's scenes. In this cut, we see that there's a blatant disregard for continuity. When we cut from Shot 1 to Shot 2, the man instantaneously changes his gaze from his right to his left. Anno's disregard for continuity is perhaps the most noticeable visual difference between him and Okamoto. Whereas Okamoto is adamant that everything must be in perfect continuity, Anno is much more forgiving here. Instead of continuity, Anno prioritizes rhythm. We can see that in this cut. Anno prioritizes the speed and rhythm of the lines edited this way (one immediately after the other), even though it sacrifices continuity. If we were to inject some level of Okamoto-style continuity, the man would turn to his left via COA (cut on action) to Shot 2, and then deliver his line. But Anno doesn't want to waste that time, and the price he pays is lack of continuity. Could you argue that the continuity doesn't matter because the audience doesn't notice? Yes. But it becomes a directorial/aesthetic decision about your film. (at Nishikoen, Chuo-ku) https://www.instagram.com/p/CERBRdcgMU7/?igshid=1kt26y1255dk

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Going back to Kihachi Okamoto's works to look at Anno's influences, today we're taking a look at "Japan's Longest Day." Highly recommend this film. This is related to a previous post of mine, "Charm of On-Axis to Off-Axis, and Towards Camera to Away." We see here that Shot 1 COAs (Cut On Action) into Shot 2. Shot 1 ends with the Captain jumping down and towards the camera. Shot 2 starts with the Captain jumping down and towards the left of camera. Thus, Okamoto is again switching between on-axis and off-axis, where in Shot 1 the character's motion is on the axis to the camera, and in Shot 2 the character's motion is off the axis to the camera. What's additionally interesting has to do with eyetrace, which is the idea of whether our eyes have to move after a cut to find the new focal point. Generally you don't want the audience's eyes to have to hunt around for the new focal point, you'd want the eyetrace to line up. But in JLD, Okamoto breaks this quite a few times, and this is one of those occasions. This cut is an anti-eyetrace cut, and no accident either. We see Anno and Okamoto demonstrate supreme awareness of and control over eyetrace in other scenes. Shot 1 ends with the Captain on the left third of the frame, but Shot 2 starts with him on the right third of the frame. This instant transportation would generally confuse us, as we'd need to start looking for the subject after the cut occurs. And in a way, the jarring nature of it is what's charming. The way that it's unexpected, yet technically doesn't break any rules. But this cut works despite being anti-eyetrace because Shot 2 is action-start. Evolutionarily, our vision has been developed to notice motion more than anything, especially motion in our periphery, in order to be aware of predators. Thus, even though the Captain suddenly changes positions in the frame in Shot 2, we notice him instantly because the shot is action-start, which is something we couldn't have said if Shot 2 was static-start. #岡本喜八　#日本の一番長い日 #日本のいちばん長い日 #庵野秀明　#編集　#動画編集 #編集者 (at Hakataekiminami, Hakata-ku) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDOuJ-pAYG5/?igshid=ah5yhx8wk4av

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Last time we talked about having multiple cameras for a crop-in punchline. This time, we have an interesting cut where instead of having multiple cameras to get the crop-in punchline, the crop-in punchline is just a digitally cropped version of the previous shot. You can tell this wasn't done with multi-cam because the relative positions of each character are the same. Minor variations are due to previously mentioned technique of "jump cutting" a few frames for impact. Interesting that Anno would be okay with losing so much fidelity with this approach, but perhaps it was a decision made in post-production. (at Arriba Arriba Sunnyside) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rc2d9ATDs/?igshid=ncc19d17a5fc

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This cut is a simple crop-in on the Prime Minister to emphasize his punchline at the end of the scene. First interesting thing to note here is the use of multiple cameras to shoot this scene. The close-up on the PM isn't a different performance, it's another camera placed right of the medium shot camera to ensure continuity. You can tell this is the case because the continuity is almost exact. But that's the other interesting thing about this cut. They essentially jump cutted the continuity a few frames to make the line come off punchier. This use of a pseudo jump cut is used many times throughout "Shin Godzilla" to speed things along and achieve that fast pace Anno was looking for. "The Art of Shin Godzilla" also shows how the production team used multi-cam setups, especially to capture the crop-in punchline shots on many occasions beyond this one. (at Sunnyside Gardens, Queens) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9adpGgAwZM/?igshid=1wjyh11cn5nvp

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In this early scene from Shin Godzilla, Yaguchi is looking at online footage of Godzilla, when he's interrupted by his subordinate who informs him that the Prime Minister has returned. There's charm in this incredibly short scene, and I think it lies in the second shot's challenge for viewers to reorient themselves. In the first shot, we look up at Yaguchi who looks screen-right. But in the second shot, we look down at Yaguchi who looks screen-left (before turning screen-right). If you imagine the second shot as also looking up at Yaguchi who looks screen-right and is therefore just a crop-out, I think you'll understand that the cut will have a lot less charm. Such a cut would be easier for the audience to process, but psychologically it's the satisfaction of having solved a visual puzzle that gives this cut its charm. (at Arriba Arriba Sunnyside) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9aZHuNANIw/?igshid=rrptw5nta632

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In this scene, the Chief notifies Minami that his article is cancelled and won't be published. Minami demands to know why. As mentioned in "It's Getting Tighter All The Time," shots get tighter as a scene progresses to elevate drama. But in addition to that, we can see from this scene that the camera gets closer to the axis over time as well, especially with Minami. In the beginning, Minami looks to the right of the camera. But in his last shot, he's almost looking into the camera. The camera is on the axis of interaction. I love shot 2 here where the Chief doesn't respond to Minami. Okamoto does this quite often, cutting to a character who doesn't necessarily respond verbally despite it being a dialogue scene. Their body language is their reply. Also love shot 4 because the Chief's response is at the top of the shot, creating impact. Only 4 frames of silence before he speaks. The point here is that he's reacts so emotionally to what Minami said that his reaction time is super fast. Love it, despite the break in continuity of head position. However, it's the dynamic in the last 4 shots that are the most interesting. Shot 5: Minami finally gets angry. Shot 6: the Chief calmly yet sternly warns Minami. Shot 7: Minami seems to not hear the Chief's warning and continues his interrogative tone. Shot 8: the Chief seems to not hear Minami's tone and declares that the discussion is over. It seems fairly clear to me here, that the actors were not bouncing off each other in these takes. Okamoto seems to have told the actors to try different styles of the scene, one where Minami was top dog, one where the Chief was. In addition to that, one where the Chief calmly warns Minami, another where the Chief loses his patience with the situation. Okamoto did all this, in order to splice the varied performances together like this. While this sounds like a recipe for disaster, it gave us a result that actually works quite well, given what the scene wants to convey - the clash of two strong wills. A highly tense dialogue scene, where each character is unwilling to back down. The last shot here is another case of "When the Tension Ends, Let's Return to Medium." (at Sunny Side--Queens--NYC) https://www.instagram.com/p/B63aPsAAB9-/?igshid=13h4hm21p8u4e