Some info on Cinematography

6 Duties and Responsibilities of a Cinematographer

• Chooses a visual style for the film. A cinematographer determines the visual style and approach of the film. For example, a cinematographer on a documentary film determines whether to use re-enactments, or to rely heavily on photographs and found footage. 
• Establishes the camera setup for every shot. A cinematographer decides which types of cameras, camera lenses, camera angles, and camera techniques best bring the scene to life. Additionally, a cinematographer works with the script supervisor and, if necessary, the locations manager to scope out each scene and design what the most effective vantage points for the camera will be. This helps preserve the intention and scale of the film. 
• Determines the lighting for every scene. A cinematographer uses lighting to create the right visual mood the director aspires to achieve. They must know how to enhance an image’s depth, contrast, and contour to support the story’s atmosphere. 
• Explores the potential of every location. A good cinematographer understands what visuals excite the director and can make recommendations about what shots to capture. 
• Attends rehearsals. A cinematographer attends rehearsals with the actors since the blocking for a scene will likely change and evolve. During rehearsals, cinematographers adjust the camera in response to a particular gesture or action, and as actors adjust their body positions and blocking, to better fit the framing of the shot. 
• Elevates the vision of the director. A good cinematographer will introduce ideas and concepts the director may not have considered. 

  
  

  21 Cinematic Technique Terms and Definitions 

  Cinematographers should think carefully about every shot, considering the angle, the light, and the camera movement, because there is an infinite number of choices they can make. Common cinematography techniques and terms include:

  1. Close-up: a shot that closely crops in on a character’s face or on an object. 
  2. Extreme close-up: A tightly framed close-up shot. 
  3. Long shot: a shot showing a character in relation to their surroundings. 
  4. Extreme long shot: a shot so far away from the character, they are no longer visible within their surroundings. 
  5. Establishing shot: a shot at the beginning of a scene that gives context for the setting. 
  6. Tracking shot: a sideways-moving shot that captures a landscape or that follows a character as they move. Often used interchangeably with “dolly shot,” though they technically refer to different motions. 
  7. Dolly shot: a shot where the camera moves toward or away from a character on a dolly track. Technically, a dolly shot refers only refers to backwards and forwards camera motion, though the term has come to mean any camera movement tracking a character. 
  8. Crane shot: an overhead shot where the camera is suspended in the air on a moving crane. 
  9. Steadicam: a lightweight camera stabilizer that captures smooth moving shots. A Steadicam is either hand-held or attached to the camera operator’s body, giving them more freedom to move while filming. 
  10. High-angle shot: a shot where the camera is placed higher than a character or object. 
  11. Low-angle shot: a shot where the camera is placed lower than a character or object. 
  12. Medium shot: a shot that shows an actor from the waist up. 
  13. Point of view shot: a shot that shows the action through the eyes of a specific character. 
  14. Panning: a shot where the camera turns left or right on its vertical axis 
  15. Tilting: a shot where the camera turns up or down on its horizontal axis 
  16. Cross-cutting: an editing technique that cuts between multiple events happening at the same time. 
  17. Diegetic sound: sound that both the characters and the audience can hear, like dialogue, a knock on the door, or a telephone ringing. 
  18. Non-diegetic sound: sound that only the audience hears, like a narrator or the film’s score, placed into the film during post-production. 
  19. Key light: the main source of direct light shining on a character or object. High-key refers to key light that is the main source of a scene’s light; low-key refers to key light that is not the main source of light. 
  20. Side lighting: lighting used to illuminate the areas in a scene that aren’t lit by key light. 
  21. Backlighting: when the main light source comes from behind a character or object.
  
  

Update for term 3

Eony and Ethan

I will omit the pull focus assignment and the interview assignment for term 3, however, I will expect for you to send me your day in the life video ( this can be sent free through WE transfer ( it is free) which can handle larger files) I will also expect the assignment where you were to watch videos on a videographer and write at least a paragraph of information on each video about what you learned for each video. These can be sent via email in a word document to lisa.chase@sd71.bc.ca by April 10.

I would also like a full page response (10 marks) which will focus on what you have learned about video techniques so far and what you would like to learn in term 4.

The deadline for all of this work is Friday April 10. I will be in contact with you via telephone to see where you are at. If the work does not get completed by this date, I will have to assign marks for just the assignments you have completed.

Ms Chase