Types Of Lighting - Key Lighting

We recently learnt about different types of lighting and their effect, these are a huge contribution to the making of a film and its effects. One of these is Key Lighting, this is used and seen as displayed here;

This example shows key lighting. A Key light is the main light used in a filming set, it emphasises a characters appearance, it can be used in a 'hard' or 'soft' way, to focus or diffuse the light. It may stand either left or right of the camera. The use of this light will benefit our production by diffusing the light of a mafia character, maybe hiding, or in contrast a focused character, maybe to strike fear, or show power.

Camera Movement

Pans

A movement which scans a scene horizontally. The camera is placed on a tripod, which operates as a stationary axis point as the camera is turned, often to follow a moving object which is kept in the middle of the frame.

Tilts

A movement which scans a scene vertically, otherwise similar to a pan.

Dolly shots

A movement that follows the action, the camera can be placed on a track or attached to a vehicle to follow an action.

Crane shots

Its like a dolly shot, but in the air. It can move up, down, left, right, swooping in on action or moving diagonally out of it, a sort of aerial shot.

Frame & Shot Length

* Extreme Long Shot

This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an exterior; the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action such as in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression of everything.

* Long Shot

A long shot typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings.

* Medium Long Shot

Medium Long Shot shows more detail on the character but retains the setting quite clearly.

* Medium Shot

A Medium shot focuses on the character or an object showing them from knees or waist to just above the head.

* Medium Close Up

Shows the subject from mid-chest to the top of the head. This shows much more detail of a character.

* Close Up

This shot shows head and shoulders of an character. It is used to show emotion, feelings and reactions.

* Extreme Close Up

Shows a small part of a face or object, can also show extreme fear or emotion if focused on the eyes.

Types Of Camera Angles

High Angle

A high angle shows the subject from above; the camera is angled down towards the subject. This has the effect of making them appear less powerful, less significant or even submissive.

Low Angle

This shows the subject from below, giving them the impression of being more powerful or dominant. Looking up, maybe even a rola model or to cause suspense.

Bird's Eye (Aerial)

The scene is shown from directly above. This is a completely different and somewhat unnatural point of view which can be used for dramatic effect or for showing space in a different perspective.In drama it can be used to show the positions and motions of different characters and objects, enabling the viewer to see things the characters can't.The bird's-eye view is also very useful in sports & documentaries.

Slanted

Also known as a dutch tilt, this is where the camera is purposely tilted to one side so the horizon is on an angle. This creates an interesting and dramatic effect.A famous example may be the Batman series.

AS Media Studies: Preliminary Exercise

Preliminary Exercise Theme

The theme for our preliminary exercise was a "Sopranos" themed scene. It was a typical 'meet and trade' scene where two people meet and trade a substance, for money, in a secluded place.

Preliminary Research 2

Continuity

Continuity editing determines the sequence of shots and how much content is shown, it may be used to minimize time consuming clips or to highlight different events occuring at any one time, ie; progression of events. These two statements can be shown in this example; Imagine a man glaring up at the sunshine, the next shot could be a second person shooting a gun t the camera which would imply that the first man was now shot, this is continuity and it shows two events by cutting into each other.

Preliminary Exercise Evaluation

We have finished our preliminary exercise and encoutered numerous faults with our filming, editing and production. Some of these were technical and some were human errors, when we filmed it, the sound was not recorded properly and therefore our preliminary exercise now consists of mostly quiet shots up to a speech scene, editing was a problem because of experience with the software and the software itself cut out at times. The tripod was slightly hard to operate and this gave a stutter to the some shots. Background noise nearly overcame the main speech dialogue.