PRODUCTION HANDOUT 1: SCREEN GRAMMAR

Like linguistic grammar, the movement and positioning of camera, transitions between shots, and information from the soundtrack inform our cognitive processes. They do so by imitating transitions of our states of mind- movement between perception, observation, imagination, etc.

Watch your own mind: EXERCISE 1: In a series of shots, note the shot compositions. Are they dynamic or static? Where is your eye is drawn through the duration of shots? If your attention is diverted, what has attracted it elsewhere? Note of the elements that direct your attention: repetition, parallels, convergence, symmetry, lines (diagonal, vertical, horizontal), coloring (natural or unnatural), textures, human figures. How is the shot framed? What is suggested outside of the frame?

EXERCISE 2: Look at the transition between shots when you watch a movie. Put the transition frames on 'still' if necessary. As a rule of thumb, your visual focal point at the end of the shot is the same location on the screen you will notice first on the new shot. (This reality is used by editors to make transitions smoother, or to create jarring transitions that wake up the viewer.)

JUXTAPOSITION OF SHOTS SERVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES: 1. Structural: Builds the scene providing information (establishing shots) Directs attention to a detail (think of Hitchcock's close-ups of objects) 2. Relational: Parallelism-> 2 events are occurring simultaneously Symbolism -> (Montage) Shot adds additional meaning to previous shot - not necessarily logical sequence- 2nd shot might come from very different source. 3. Conflictual: Conflict of Scale -> David v. Goliath, an ant and a giant bulldozer, one v. many Conflict of Graphic Direction -> geese fly across screen- waterfall rushes down Dark v. Light -> Day to night; cu lightbulb and moths- empty dark street Shifts of perception-> Girl goes to fair- reflection of face in distorting mirror Real time v. perceived time-> event and its perception

AXIS OF SHOT/ EYELINE CUT: When facing two people talking, you turn your head from one to another to follow the discussion. If a camera is too close to this kind of turn or pan action, the blur will be uncomfortable to watch. A cut replaces this pan from face to face, and we naturalize the results- that one person speaks and the other listens, and responds.

TRANSITIONS: In general the intention is to set up anticipation for the next shot. Emphasizing smoothness: By emphasizing similarity, attention is drawn away from jarring difference. A classic example is a cut from the close-up of a clock in one location to -> close-up of clock in 2nd location used to ease shock of location change. Or cu of a glass of OJ in the morning kitchen to the close up of a beer mug in the bar at night.

Cutting on action also de-emphasizes the shot change.

Dialectic Montage is a term of Sergei Eisenstein's in which two or more radically different shots are juxtaposed with the intention to jar or shock the viewer. It is used to amplify the conceptual meaning of a sequence. Example from Battleship Potemkin- 1 People fall from balcony as militia shoots at them. 2 Calves being slaughtered.

Simple cut from one location or scene or object to the next: Encourages curiosity. A set- up device -> what will come next? What brings these two images together?

Dissolves: intended to smooth transition. A little outmoded?

Sound is used to smooth transitions. If you hear speaking over a landscape, you are prepared to see people speaking in the next shot.

TRACKING, DOLLYING, CRANING: These extreme and unnaturally dynamic movements need to be motivated. Why are we moving sideways, etc. ?

CROSSING THE LINE: Traditionally, we shoot only on one side of action, treating the scene as if it were a 'stage,' unless our movement from one side to the other side of the action is shown ie, we film as we cross the line where the 'actors' are. If this is not done, the viewer is confused.

SYNECHDOCHE (Sin-ek-dokee): A part stands for the whole: ie; we see the crown and know they are referring to the King. The part takes on a symbolic meaning.

RHYTHM AND CONCENTRATION: Are motivated by bodily processes: breath, eye movement, memory (repetition, book-ending), bladder size (feature length), etc.

FRAMING: What is outside of the frame is often as crucial to the meaning as what is inside the frame.

SOUND: Is the sound natural or from somewhere else? What is the role of silence? It is often as effective to film the face of person listening in a conversation as it is to film the speaker.