Grammar of the Shot

 Grammar of the Shot

How do we see? What do we see?

Aspect Ratio

The Line (& Applying the Line)

Objective and Subjective Shooting

1. Elements of the Shot

1. Motivation

2. Information

3. Composition

4. Sound

5. Camera Angle

6. Continuity

1. Motivation

            Motivation is that part of the shot which gives the editor the reason, or motivation to cut to another shot.

2. Information

            Each shot should have new information for the audience, which should be additional to the last piece of information.

3. Composition

            A shot is composed. Composition is made up of;

§  Framing

§  The illusion of depth. (Convergence, relative size, density, juxtaposition and colour.)

§  The subjects or objects within the frame

4. Sound

5. Camera Angle

Each new shot should have a new camera angle for three reasons;

§  To increase the possibility of new information

§  To increase the possibility of shots editing together.

§  To copy more closely how people react to new subjects or objects.

When seeing somebody or something for the first time, we tend to alter our viewpoints so that we more closely observe what it is we are looking at. It is similar with the selection of the camera angles;

§  The types of shot being used.

§  The framing of the shot.

§  The background in the frame.

§  The illusion of depth in the shot

§  The colour and light in the shot

§  The sound in the shot

The 180’ Rule

The action of the subjects or subjects is in the centre of a circle and that the diameter of that circle passes through the action, and shooting is permitted within 180’ degrees of one side of the circle only.

The 30’ Rule

When taking shots of the action within the 180’ arc, the camera should never be placed less than 30’ from the last position of the camera. (Otherwise shots will look the same.)

** These are only benchmarks; the arc can change and be shot from other sides in certain circumstances and the angles can be tighter than 30’**

6. Continuity

Continuity is maintaining the established flow of visual and aural production detail between takes, shots and scenes.

§  Content continuity.

§  Movement continuity.

§  Position continuity.

§  Sound continuity.

§  Dialogue continuity.

2. Types of Shot

1. The Simple Shot.
   A shot composed of a subject or object made without any movement of the lens, pan, tilt or tripod. (Locking the Camera Off).

2. The Complex Shot.
   This is a shot composed of a moving subject or object made with movement of either the lens or the pan and tilt head, or both.
   
   Complex means ‘consisting of several closely connected parts’; Subject movement, lens focus, lens focal length, pan and tilt. The movement can either be singular or in any combination.

3. The Developing Shot.
   This is a shot composed of a moving subject or object made with movement either of subject, pan or tilt, lens, camera mounting or all.
   
   Developing means the act of starting with one thing and changing to another. The viewpoint starts in one position and ends in another.
   
   ** Differs from the Complex shot in that the tripod or camera mounting will change in start and end positions **
   
   

4. Shot Definitions

Shot definitions are divided into either, those related to people in the frame or those related to objects in the frame.

Framing

Framing is the process of selecting a part of a view in order to isolate it and so give it emphasis. Ratio of 4:3 or 16:9.

Composition

Composition is the arrangement of the objects or people within the frame. Its use in Film and TV is to create the third dimension, namely depth, within the frame.

Subject Position

There are three main reference positions of a single subject;
           

• Direct to Camera. (Subjective shot where the subject is talking to you! IE. A News Reporter)
  
  
• Three-Quarter Profile. (Objective shot where the subject is being interviewed by somebody else off screen. IE. Sky Sports)
  
  
• Profile. (Objective shot whereby the subject may look into or out of the frame.

Mixed Reference Positions

When there are a number of people within the frame, they can be shot with mixed reference positions. A mixture of ‘eye lines’ or ‘eye directions’ can aid composition and ‘make a story’ within the picture. The positioning of people within a frame is a skill and without it, compositions may look mundane and unconvincing.

Headroom

Nose Room (or Looking Room)

Footroom

5. The Simple Shot

There are nine simple shots of the single person, of which seven are very common but there are fifty variations of them.

• Extreme Long Shot (XLS)
• Very Long Shot       (VLS)
• Long Shot                (LS)
• Medium Long Shot  (MLS)
• Medium Shot           (MS)
• Medium Close Up    (MCU)
• Close-Up                  (CU)
• Big Close Up            (BCU)
• Extreme Close Up    (XCU)

The position of the shot is also abbreviated; (HA) being High Angle and (LA) being Low Angle.