Lecture by me @ BITS-Pilani campus on the compositional skills required in Film making via Still Photography techniques

1. Still Photography & Cinematography

2. WHY?
•To make the frame visually interesting
•Aesthetically pleasing
•First step, before lighting and sounds

3. How?
•Rule of thirds
•Diagonal rule
•Minimalism
•Correct perspective
•Using lines/patterns/curves

4. RULE OF THIRDS

11. LOOKING SPACE
•Empty space on the side where
subject is looking/facing/talking
•Less constricted
•More important in cinematography

16. RULES ARE MEANT TO
BE BROKEN?

19. MOTION SPACE
•Empty space on the side where
subject is walking/running
•Heightens the feeling of motion

23. DIAGONAL RULE
•Subject is placed on the diagonal line
of the frame
•Adds drama and action

27. MINIMALISM
•Removing clutter
•Prominent subject
•Eye catching

30. CORRECT
PERSPECTIVE
•High angle shots
•Low angle shots
•Getting down to subject’s level:
Eye level shots

31. HIGH ANGLE SHOTS
•Subject looks diminished

34. LOW ANGLE SHOTS
•Subject looks dominating

38. EYE LEVEL SHOTS
•More comfortable for viewer
•Relates to the subjects point of view

40. USING
LINES/PATTERNS

41. ANGLED HORIZON
•Attracts attention
•Heightens energy

43. LEVEL HORIZON
•Adds stability

48. ARTISTIC SHOTS

51. STORY TELLING

53. CINEMATOGRAPHY

54. USING PHOTOGRAPHY
•Same composition rules apply
•7 basic types of shots

55. 7 BASIC SHOTS
•Extreme close up
•Close up
•Medium close up
•Medium
•Medium Long
•Long
•Extremely Long

56. EXTREME CLOSE-UP
•Captures from mid-forehead to just
above the chin, or even closer
•Used to show details/ emphasize

59. CLOSE-UP
•Captures the face, just above the
shoulder
•Used to show emotions

62. MEDIUM CLOSE-UP
•Cuts the body just below the armpit
•Used to show reactions

65. MEDIUM
•Cuts the body just above the waist

68. MEDIUM LONG
•From head to below the knees
•Used to show gestures clearly

71. LONG
•Shows the entire body
•Used to establish the location

74. EXTREME LONG
•Shows entire body with more
surroundings

78. LOW ANGLE SHOTS

79. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE:
CHASE SEQUENCE
•Low angle dynamic shots
•Dominating subject: Running kids
•Minor subject: Policeman
•Purpose:
To show helpless policeman

81. HIGH ANGLE SHOTS

82. LORD OF THE RINGS:
MOUNTAIN SEQUENCE
•High angle landscape shots
•Extremely long shots
•Purpose:
To show the mountain’s vastness

84. CLOSE UP SHOTS

85. LOCK, STOCK AND TWO
SMOKING BARRELS:
POKER TABLE SEQUENCE
•Focuses on facial expressions
•Purpose:
To capture emotions

87. SHOT/REVERSE SHOTS

88. REAR WINDOW
•Narrative construction
•The camera frames one person facing
right and the other facing left.
•Use of DOF

90. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
•Narrative construction
•The camera frames one person facing
right and the other facing left.
•Use of DOF

92. USING DOF: OBJECTS IN
THE FOREGROUND

93. THE OFFICE: A
MOCUMENTARY SIT-COM
•Using objects in the foreground to
create DOF
•Can get distracting
•Purpose:
To show secrecy and concealment

95. WIDE ANGLE SHOTS

96. REVOLVER
•Large field of view
•Fish-eye lens
•Importance to foreground
•Purpose:
To show importance of chess moves

98. EXTREMELY CLOSE UP
SHOTS

99. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
•Shots of insects
•Extremely close up shots
•Purpose:
Extra details

101. FOLLOWING THE
SUBJECT

102. AMELIE
•Following moving subject in an arc
•Subject’s level on the ground
•Purpose:
Gives a more unique and more
personal perspective to the viewer

104. FAMOUS SHOTS

105. BREAKFAST CLUB
•Establishing shot
•Destruction of school property

107. THE SHINING
•Psycho thriller
•Jack Nicholson breaking the door
•Famous dialogue: “Here’s Johnny!”

109. THANK YOU
•Credits:
Nikon D80, Canon S2IS, Google
•All rights reserved to Aditya Rao