Chapter 6: Composition

Chapter 6 covered the basics of framing a shot, otherwise known as composition.  A camera can only film a section of a given set, so many considerations must be taken in order to establish the message a scene is supposed to convey.  In many -- if not all -- ways, composition is identical with artistic traditions of contrast and balance.

Notes:
2 ways to view a film; passive and active
- passive - just watches
- active - analyzes it

The Frame
- a cropping device used to break up a scene into digestible pieces

Considerations for "the frame"
positive/negative space
- equally important

depth
- overlap - foreground/background give depth
- focus - depth of focus helps in emphasis
- scale - forced perspective increase scale

symmetry
- angle of reflection - around an axis
- radial symmetry - around a point
- asymmetry - no symmetry (duh)

balance
- the "weight" of objects in the frame
- play with size, scale, value, and color

series
- repetition of an object
- the viewer looks for the oddball

randomness
- most difficult to look natural
- skillful blocking is the key

lines, shapes
- lines give direction
- shapes form interest within the frame

texture
- makes scenes more realistic and interesting

contrast
- dark=far; light=near

Cinema verite'
- handheld shots
- framing is not as important