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Grammar of the Shot, 3rd Edition

Name: Grammar of the Shot, 3rd Edition
Author: Christopher J. Bowen
ISBN: 9781136058530

by Christopher J. Bowen

March 2013

Beginner

232 pages

6h 59m

English

Focal Press

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Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter One – The Shots: What, How and Why?
What to Show Your Audience?Choosing Your FrameAspect RatioFurther Exploration – A Brief History of Aspect RatiosFurther Exploration – Why We Might Like Widescreen so MuchThe Basic Cinematic Building Blocks – An Introduction to Shot TypesLong Shot/Wide ShotMedium ShotClose-UpThe Extended Family of Basic Shots – The Powers of ProximityExtreme Long Shot/Extreme Wide ShotVery Long Shot/Very Wide ShotLong Shot/Wide Shot/Full ShotMedium Long Shot/Knee ShotMedium Shot/Waist Shot/MidMedium Close-Up/Bust ShotClose-UpBig Close-Up (UK)/Choker (USA)Extreme Close-UpWhy Do We Even Have Different Shot Types?Pulling Images from the Written PageScripts and Script BreakdownShot ListsStoryboardsPhases of Film ProductionLet’s PracticeChapter One – ReviewChapter One – Exercises & ProjectsChapter One – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Two – The Basics of Composition
Simple Guidelines For Framing Human SubjectsHeadroomSubjective Versus Objective Shooting StylesLook Room/Nose RoomThe Rule of ThirdsCamera AngleHorizontal Camera AnglesVertical Camera AnglesThe Two-Shot: Frame Composition with Two PeopleThe Profile Two-ShotThe Direct-to-Camera Two-ShotThe Over-the-Shoulder Two-ShotThe Dirty SingleThe Power Dynamic Two-ShotThe Three-ShotWrapping up the Basics of CompositionChapter Two – ReviewChapter Two – Exercises & ProjectsChapter Two – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Three – Composition – Beyond the Basics
The Illusion of the Third DimensionThe Use of LinesThe Horizon LineVertical LinesDutch AngleDiagonal LinesCurved LinesThe Depth of Film Space – Foreground/Middle Ground/BackgroundForegroundMiddle GroundBackgroundDepth CuesOverlappingObject SizeAtmosphereThe Camera Lens – The Observer of Your Film WorldPrimes vs ZoomsThe Prime LensThe Zoom LensLens PerspectiveLens Focus – Directing the Viewer’s AttentionPulling Focus or Following FocusChapter Three – ReviewChapter Three – Exercises & ProjectsChapter Three – Quiz Yourself

Chapter Four – Lighting Your Shots – Not Just What You See, but How You See It
Light as an Element of CompositionLight as EnergyColor TemperatureColor Balance of Your CameraNatural and Artificial LightCorrecting or Mixing Colors on SetQuantity of Light: SensitivityQuantity of Light: ExposureQuality of Light: Hard Versus SoftHard LightSoft LightContrastLow-key LightingHigh-key LightingColorBasic Character Lighting: Three-Point MethodContrast Ratio or Lighting RatioMotivated Lighting – Angle of IncidenceFront LightingSide LightingLights from BehindLights from Other PlacesSet and Location LightingControlling Light – Basic Tools and TechniquesLight … and the Light Years of LearningChapter Four – ReviewChapter Four – Exercises & ProjectsChapter Four – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Five – Will it Cut? Shooting for Editing
The Chronology of ProductionMatching Your Shots in a SceneContinuity of PerformanceContinuity of Screen DirectionThe Line – Basis for Screen DirectionThe Imaginary Line – The 180 Degree Rule“Jumping the Line”The 30 Degree RuleReciprocating ImageryEye-Line MatchChapter Five – ReviewChapter Five – Exercises & ProjectsChapter Five – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Six – Dynamic Shots – Subjects and Camera in Motion
Subjects in Motion – Blocking TalentPresentation Speed – Slow Motion and Fast MotionSlow Motion – or OvercrankingFast Motion – UndercrankingCamera in MotionHandheldPan and TiltShooting the Pan and the TiltEquipment Used to Move the CameraTripodDollySteadicamCranes and SuchChapter Six – ReviewChapter Six – Exercises & ProjectsChapter Six – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Seven – Working Practices and General Guidelines
Slate the Head of Your ShotsCommunicating with TalentSafe Action/Safe Title AreasHow to Manually Focus a Zoom LensAlways Have Something in FocusControl Your Depth of FieldBe Aware of HeadroomShooting Tight Close-UpsEnsure an Eye LightTry to Show Both Eyes of Your SubjectBe Aware of Eye-Line Directions in Closer ShotsFollow Action with Loose Pan and Tilt Tripod HeadShooting Overlapping Action for the EditContinuity of ActionMatching Speed of ActionOverlapping Too Much ActionStoryboards and Shot ListsAim for a Low Shooting RatioFrame for Correct “Look Room” on Shots that Will Edit TogetherShoot Matching Camera Angles when Covering a Dialogue SceneWays to Cross the 180 Degree Line SafelyPlace Important Objects in the Top Half of Your FrameBe Aware of the Color Choices Made Throughout Your ProjectKeep Distracting Objects out of the ShotBeware of Continuity Traps While Shooting a SceneUse the Depth of Your Film Space to Stage Shots with Several PeopleIn a Three-Person Dialogue Scene, Matching Two-Shots can be Problematic for the EditorZooming During a ShotMotivate Your Truck-In and Truck-Out Dolly MovesAllow the Camera More Time to Record Each ShotAllow Actions to Complete Before Cutting CameraUse Short Focal Length Lenses to Reduce Handheld Camera ShakeBeware of Wide Lenses when Shooting Close-Up ShotsShooting a ChromakeyShooting B-Roll, 2nd Unit, and Stock FootageShooting a Talking Head InterviewDuring Documentary Filming, Be as Discreet as PossibleChapter Seven – ReviewChapter Seven – Exercises & ProjectsChapter Seven – Quiz Yourself
Chapter Eight – A Few Words of Advice
Know the Rules Before You Break the RulesThe Reason for Shooting is EditingYour Shots Should Enhance the Entire StoryInvolve the Viewer as Much as PossibleTake Pride in the Quality of your Work and your Set EtiquetteKnow Your EquipmentBe Familiar with Your SubjectUnderstand Lighting – Both Natural and ArtificialStudy What Has Already Been DoneIn Conclusion
Appendix A – Helpful Resources for the New Filmmaker
Appendix B – Essential Crew Positions for Motion Picture Production
Glossary
Index

Content preview from Grammar of the Shot, 3rd Edition

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank the supportive team of publishing professionals at Focal Press who helped make this new and improved third edition a reality. I would particularly like to thank Carlin Reagan who walked me down the home stretch. I hope we continue to honor the legacy of Mr Roy Thompson who penned the first edition so many years ago. The goal we all share in producing this media manual is to get the pertinent information about shooting motion pictures into the minds and hands of the next generation of visual storytellers. I hope that this revised third edition continues to inform and inspire all those readers who are just beginning their creative journey into the world of motion media production.

As a professor of integrated visual ...

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Grammar of the Shot, 3rd Edition

by Christopher J. Bowen

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