#principles module

[a-film-rvj]

Movement and Rhythm

3 Types of Movement:

Object Movement  - When something within the frame moves

Parallel movement  - Affinity

 - Contrast

Two+ objects moving: One direction = Affinity. Two+ directions = Contrast

Camera Movement - When the frame itself moves. (Camera movement should be motivated!)

Static Shot - Absence of movement. Low Intensity

Dolly/SteadyCam/Slider - Slow movement. Medium Intensity

Hand Held - Holding it yourself/light shakes. High Intensity.

Point of Attention - Our eyes being drawn to something else (Where is the Audience Looking?)

Differences - 

Focus - Deep and Shallow depth of field.

Parallax - Objects closer to main subject will move faster (e.g. buildings are closer than the sun).

Dolly in - Changes the perspective although still imitating a human’s sight. 

Zoom in - Is not actually a camera movement, it’s just a camera lens. Cropping the capture. - Loses Parallax as it feels fake.

Contra Zoom (Dolly zoom, Trombone) - Perspective changes, however, the main subject remains a constant.

Rhythm - Fragmented Action VS Continuous Action

Fragmented - Creates Contrast and High Intensity - Short Takes

Continuous - Creates Affinity and Low Intensity - Long takes

[Other Visual Components]

[a-film-rvj]

Shapes and Lines

Line and Intensity:

Horizonal Lines - Low Intensity. Vertical Lines - Medium Intensity. Diagonal Lines - High Intensity.

Shape and Intensity:

Circle - Low Intensity. Square - Medium Intensity. Triangle - High Intensity.

Contrast and Affinity:

2 circles being together = Affinity A circle and a triangle = Contrast

Closure:

Seeing a rectangle when there are 4 circles in a rectangular placement. Presenting people’s relationships as a shape (Love triangle)

The Hudsucker Proxy

Triangles within squares.

Triangles combined with circles.

Squares partnered with circles.

Movie Geometry - Shaping the Way You Think :

[Other Visual Components]

[a-film-rvj]

Animation Techniques and Principles

What is Animation?

An illusion of motion

A sequence of images that changes every frame.

24 drawings/frames per second.

24fps (Film), 25fps (PAL - UK), 29.97 (NTSC - American)

Singles or doubles

Straight ahead / Keyframe Animation.

Type of Animation Methods:

2D Animation

3D CGI Animation

Stop-motion Animation (Clay, Puppets)

Experimental/Hybrids

[a-film-rvj]

Story and Composition

Thought process in developing a narrative.

- Develop a series of questions to ask before and during the drawing/developing stages. - Establish a theme in the narrative.

Ask:

What is the story in one sentence? Or even better, one word.

What is the perspective/point-of-view of the film?

What is the genre?

Where else can I draw inspiration from?

Who will be watching it? And where will it be shown? What is it’s purpose and intention?

Also, whilst you’re Storyboard making, think about...

Mood

Romantic, Action, Horror, Dramatic, Comedic, Relaxing.

Location

Interior, Exterior, Foreign/Local places, Fictional, Micro/Macro.

Time

Of day, Season, Period (Past, Present, Future).

Sets

Blueprints, Staging, Scaling, Relationship between character and environment.

Cinematography

Camera angles, Camera movement, Mise-en-scene, Visual components.

Considerations:

Think of your shots and compose it in the storyboards.

Use a View Finder.

How do you emphasise an action and drawing in the viewer’s attention?

Does it look good aesthetically?

How does the composition convey meaning? Are there geometric shapes being used?