Beginning Motion Picture Workshop C I N E M A 2

Pictorial Continuity

Professor Dylan Shields [email protected] [email protected]

Week 1 Pictorial Continuity – Planning, Shooting & Editing • Pictorial continuity is the proper selection of motion picture sequences, scenes and/or shots to create a smoothly flowing, coherent motion picture story

• When covering action with multiple shots, repeat the action the exact same way each time (i.e. the character’s hand picks up the pen with the right hand, or character gets up from a chair and walks off).

• Always overlap action from shot to shot so that the editor has the options for when to make the cut (i.e. a man walks through a door in both shots; have him complete the action all the way through) Basic Shot Types Shot: A single sequence of a motion picture or a television program shot by one camera without interruption; a single photographic exposure; shots are the raw materials for the editor

• Long Shot / Wide Shot • 2-Shot • Medium Long Shot • Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS) • Medium Shot / Mid Shot • Matching OTS • Medium Close-Up • Point-of-View Shot • Close-Up • Insert Shot • Extreme Close-Up • Reaction Shot • Macro • Cutaway

• Low Angle • Pan • High Angle • Tilt • Dutch / Oblique Angle • Dolly / Tracking • Zoom In / Out

Shots can be simple, complex and/or developing The Five Shot Sequence

• An simple and effective way to convey a story

• Shooting a variety of shots will make the scene more interesting and give you enough material during editing

• The shots can be of any kind, but generally they’ll include: 1) master shot 2) over-the-shoulder shot 3) insert shot (point-of-view shot) 4) reaction shot (closer) 5) matching over-the-shoulder shot

• Could be any combination of five shots – close, medium, farther, different angles depending on the action A Five Shot Sequence… (notice how the scene flows smoothly based on the order of shots)

Same shots, different order… (doesn’t make sense)

Parallel Editing / Cross Cutting

Parallel: Extending in the same direction, equidistant at all points, never converging or diverging

The technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. If the scenes are simultaneous, they occasionally culminate in a single place, where the relevant parties confront each other.

Cutting back and forth between two or more simultaneous events can be used to: • Build suspense • Increase the pacing • Make comparisons or add exposition to the story, character(s), themes, etc.

What does cross cutting in The Godfather scene accomplish for the film? Godfather scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_I82117oAw The Long Take

A shot lasting much longer than the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general. Significant camera movement and elaborate blocking are often elements in long takes, but not necessarily so.

Great for giving the viewer a sense of the real time and space of the event, and allows the viewer time to focus on character and drama.

Beware that it doesn’t become too static or boring.

The Graduate example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14pdNYXY3Zo Screen Direction • The film space (the world in which the characters live) must be considered as real space, therefore must comply to the same rules of left, right, up, down, near, far, etc. • If a character exits frame left, in the next shot, he/she should enter frame right

Motorcycle moving left in one shot It should continue moving left in the next shot

• Direction of movement within the film space should be consistent • Today’s viewers are very sophisticated in understanding cinematic language, but you can’t go wrong with maintaining proper screen direction Screen Direction

Hitchcock example from Strangers on a Train: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bjA- 4no1ZY Chase scene from Terminator 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUd3rgVJusk

When can changes in screen direction be made? • When the subject makes a change within the shot while the camera is rolling • The camera makes a move within the shot • A neutral insert or cutaway bridges the screen direction change • A point-of-view bridges the screen direction or change • There is a change of location • When an actor changes the direction he/she is looking (thus changing eyeline) Screen Direction

Actor changes direction during the shot The 180-Degree Rule / Axis of Action • Shots should be set up on the correct line of action, or the spatial relationships of the talent will be flipped and may confuse the viewer. • When the camera crew records a two-person dialogue scene in a wide shot, they establish the side of the set from which they will continue to shoot all of the remaining shots needed for coverage. • Should the camera move across the line to shoot a close-up, the character will appear to face the opposite direction.

Crossing the line in The Shining: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0_SYZJfzU The 30-Degree Rule • If two shots are shot from locations that are less than 30 degrees from each other, than the shots will look too similar on screen and cause a ‘jump’ in the mind of the viewer • The angles of coverage and the shot type must be different enough to allow a believable alteration in view points across the cut. • As an editor, you don’t have control over where the camera was placed, but you do have control over what shots you juxtapose together at a certain point

Example: www.youtube.com/watch?v=orsQ5kVvN3Y Matching Angles

• During dialogue scenes, the production must shoot coverage of each character in each shot type where the angle on the person, his/her size in the frame, the lighting, and focus on the faces are all consistent • One person’s close-up will be the same as another’s, but on opposite sides of the frame Matching Eye-Lines

• If two people are speaking to each other, both characters’ eyes should be able to trace to each other

• When you cut away from the shot of the person looking at an object of interest, the eye-line must match • If the line does not flow correctly, the viewer will notice something wrong • It’s not really possible to fix eye-line mistakes, so editors often use inserts and cutaways to cleverly cover them up Matching Eye-Lines

LACC • CIN 32 • Spring ‘17 • Professor Shields Continuity of Action & Dialogue

• Action should match exactly between cuts, or you may need to use a more creative editing fix, such as a cutaway or customized effect

• Dialogue should match exactly between cuts, not just the words but the timbre or method of delivery Performance

• Editors certainly have no control over actor performances on set

• Bad acting can be hid or masked with creative editing

• Strong performances will engross the audience and your job will be easy and will often hide small continuity glitches

Be familiar with all the footage Panning and Zooms

• Panning - following action or photographing static scenes with moving camera

• Steadiness is important – use a tripod

• Hold the camera still at the beginning and end of each pan. Let action come into frame and then leave frame

• Use a zoom only if motivated, such as to direct audience to detail or surprise audience as to location (zoom out) Angles

• A change of camera angle adds interest to the action

• A good camera angle calls attention to the action, not itself

• Eye-level shots can be mixed with high and low angle shots Shooting Hints

• Always shoot more than you need. It’s easy to cut material out, but difficult to add material that you did not shoot

• Begin shooting before the action starts and stop after the action ends

• Let the editor make the decision where to cut the action, not the camera person Pacing Vary your pacing so the audience doesn’t get bored. Editing allows you condense or expand the time of event

For fast pacing: • Use quick cuts (shorter and shorter as the sequence ends) • Use close-ups • Use appropriate audio (loud sounds and fast paced music)

For slow pacing: • Use few cuts • Use long shots (not close-ups) • Use lyrical music (slow paced, relaxing)