lesson 3 - cinematography
TRANSCRIPT
Short film
Last week
What were we looking at last week?
This week
We’re going to look at cinematography and how we use it to create atmosphere, tension
& meaning
By the end of today, you
MUST define what cinematography is
SHOULD explain the different tools we use to create a films visual look
COULD explain the how cinematography builds tension, atmosphere, meaning.
Intro
What do we use to create the visual style of a shot / film.
Cinematographers use
• Cameras• Lighting • Colour
to create the visual look of a film. We call this process cinematography.
“The art and methods of film photography”
Lighting
Can be used to create mood & tension….
What is the mood of this shot? How does it make you feel?
Low key lighting can create tension and suspense
Low key lighting has a big contrast between light & shadow. It is often used to mirror the murky, dark world characters inhabit, as well as
their feelings and the stories subtext….
High key lighting
Some lighting can be more flat, bright and evenly lit.
What is the mood of this shot?
High key lighting
is often used in romances and comedies where we don’t want the audience to feel unsettled, tense or scared….
As well as lighting we can use the camera to create mood, tension & meaning.
We can choose how to frame our shot (what’s in the shot, and what’s not)
How does this shot make you feel?
Our choice of shot can make us feel
• Lonely• Uncomfortable• Close • Lost • Empty• Tense• Scared
There is also the style of film-making
What style of film-making does District 9 pretend to be?
Why did they shoot District 9 like a documentary?
• Does it make it more powerful if it seems more realistic?
We can also choose what angle we shoot it at
This is a low angle shot.
What do we think of this character? How powerful is he?
Shot angles
This is a high angle shot
What do we think of this character? How powerful does he seem?
Camera movement
Moving the camera whilst shooting helps to draw our audience in and direct their
attention to where we want it.
http://moodle.covcollege.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=14870#section-3
Watch this scene from La Haine….
Cinematography
Helps film-makers to
Working alone
Log onto moodle and complete TV & Film Analysis: Week 3. You will be analysing how District 9 and Ripper Street use camera and
lighting to create mood, atmosphere and meaning.