CHAPTER 4
FRAMING YOUR SHOT: THE BASICS OF COMPOSITION
The three foundations of filmmaking are lighting, camera movement, and composition. Roger Deakins, who is in my opinion one of the best directors of photography alive, has repeatedly stated that composition is the most critical part of the cinematographer’s job: “Composition is much more important than lighting.” I agree with Deakins, but I would also add that composition is the least understood and most underrated aspect of the three.
OBJECTIVE VERSUS SUBJECTIVE SHOTS
In a language, it is easy to distinguish between objective and subjective statements. An objective statement is a completely unbiased fact: “This ladder is 5 feet long.” A subjective statement, on the other hand, is an opinion ...
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