Scene Analysis (Camera)

This is the link to a clip from the movie, 'The Butterfly Effects 2' and following is the analysis of how the camera has been used by the director to give the movie, it's desired effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGdwh-76Y_Y

In this clip from 2:59 to 3:02 we see the camera moving in a full 360 degree angle starting from the characters face till the camera is right over his shoulder, establishing an opening sequence. A mid-shot has been taken while sufficient lead room gives the room a very spacious look.

This is a series of static shots (from 3:04 to 3:25) of the characters that are deep in conversation with one another, signifying a shot reverse shot whereby two people talking to one another can be shown from each other’s point of view. It is noticeable that both the shots have been confined to a mid-shot. 

In this clip from 3:33 to 3:42, the camera slightly zooms in on the character while there is no camera movement. A shot has been taken of the location and the character in it and as the camera zooms in and as the character moves closer to the camera, the shot transforms from a wide angle shot of the location to a cowboy shot of the character. In the third image, it is noticeable that the character has been captured in an anticipatory framing with sufficient lead rooms on both ends and a head room to prevent any uncomfortable shot.
                                         

This shot at 3:58 is a long shot of the character and his location. This shot forms the basis of leading lines via the trees in the background and the painted pathway on the road.

                                       

This clip from 4:03 to 4:05 shows the camera panning left while tilting upwards along the character like as if trying to follow the movement. The shot begins with a close up of the hand and ends at the characters face from a low angle.

                         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

This clip from 4:15 to 4:19  shows how the camera pans right very steadily in a static shot to avoid any jerkiness; the shot is very steady and neat, as can be seen.

This shot at 4:19 shows a close shot of the character, shot in such a manner that ample head room and lead room has been assigned to the shot. Sitting in a car, this head and lead room helps create a comfortable space in the car which might not exist otherwise.

This shot at 4:54 is a mid shot of the character and shows the lead room, signifying something the character is looking ahead at. The clip from 4:55 to 5:05 shows the camera panning right from the characters back giving a full shot of the place the character has just entered. It also increases a person’s curiosity as to what is the character looking at, in the far right of the shot as sufficient lead room is again assigned to the shot. 

This clip from 5:17 to 5:21 shows the camera as it dollies out, tracking outwards as the character moves in. A cowboy shot has been used for this scene.

  

The first shot at 5:38 shows a full shot of the character in a wide angle shot which shows the whole world down there, hence a vista shot take from a high angle to give a powerful impact. The shot at 5:46 shows a vista shot of the character on the bed. 

This is a close shot of the hands of various characters holding wine glasses in a static shot.

                                     

                                       

These two simultaneous, over the shoulder shots work a 180 degree rule whereby the camera is in the middle of the two characters and is following the axis-line that is leading to the affronting characters.   

                                     

These two shots are close up shots of the character as the camera the character in the background and the foreground is de-focused by the camera settings. This static shot usually focuses on the character that the director wants to focus on.

                                           

                                           

These are two different shots whereby shot 1 is an extreme close-up highlighting the characters expression to capture his peculiar emotion. The cut-off forehead gives an uncomfortable shrug to the audience as it is, while shot 2 is a mid-close up of the character whereby the background has been blurred which is somehow giving a comfortable feel to the environment while the sufficient head room and lead room allows the shot to create a relaxed ambiance all around.

                          

This diagonal over-the-shoulder, mid shot of the characters in the front while sufficient room for lead room and head room gives the shot a very comfortable feeling which is felt by the audience as the tension disperses, filled in by appreciation and wonderment.

Cinematography

Analysis of any media product revolves around the various camera shots used, the camera angles used and the camera movements.  The various rules of composition are also applicable to these films, for example, rule of thirds, framing, break pattern, head room, lead room, etc. When working with a camera, one needs to follow a certain procedure i.e.
a) Choosing a theme or an objective
b) Setting up a scene with relevance to lighting, backdrop, location
c) Establishing the characters i.e. the placement of the object
d) Elaborating the activity i.e. what are the objects signifying or the characters doing.
Having set up the scene for the shoot, one is to experiment with various camera movements, camera angles, camera shots and rules of composition.

CAMERA MOVEMENTS:
Camera movements are of two types i.e. Stationery Moves and Travelling Moves.
Stationary Moves are basically still shots, that is, which do not require the camera bearer to move physically with the camera at hand while travelling moves are shots which require the camera bearer to move with the camera.

Stationary Moves include:
PANNING whereby the camera along a horizontal strata while the camera bearer stands still. Panning right is the movement of camera from left to right while panning left is the movement of camera from right to left.

TILTING whereby the camera moves along a vertical strata. Tilt up refers to a static shot whereby the camera moves from south to north while tilt down is the horizontal movement of camera from north to south.

BOOMING is a smaller version of the cranes that are used for construction. A camera boom is used to get a view of subjects or scenes from above. These are commonly used in filming movies, and the boom moves up, down, and around.
ZOOMING is a camera movement that maybe travelling or a stationary shot. It is stationary if the built-in feature of one's camera is used to move closer to your subject while a travelling shot is whereby the camera bearer moves with the camera towards/away from the object. Zooming in is whereby we move closer to our object while zooming out is whereby we move away from the object.

Travelling Shots include:
DOLLY, that is, a camera movement technique used to follow your subject. Dolly in is whereby  the camera moves forward while dolly out is the backward camera movement. One can also dolly with the subject i.e. the camera moves with the subject's movements. Dolly is sometimes also known as tracking.
 

dolly out

                                    

TRACKING is another travelling shot whereby the camera is mounted on a cart which travels along tracks for a very smooth movement.

FOLLOW SHOT is whereby the camera physically follows the subject at an almost constant distance.
CRANING is also a travelling shot whereby the camera traverses great distances up and down, as well as forward and backward and from side to side, while flying high in the air.


CAMERA SHOTS

When we make a movie, we use a series of camera shots in order to create the desired mood and atmosphere in almost every shot. By definition one can say that camera shots are that part of our subject that is captured by the camera in a frame. In our coursework, we have studied various shots and their significance when making a movie.
Extreme Close-Up:
 This is a close up shot of a certain object's minutest detail for example a persons eye or his/her ears. This shot directs the audience's attention towards the very element that is being captured to signify the importance of that element.

Close-Up:
This is a shot that captures an objects figure from his/her head till his/her's neckline. This shot may be used to introduce a new character in a movie or to focus on one's expressions.

Medium Shot:
This shot is taken from above the head till the object's waist. This shot stresses on a character's body language.

Long Shot:
This shot shows the character and various other characters, too, however, the background remains dominant to enhance the relationship between a human being and his/her environment to show how it effects the audience's perception of viewing the shot.

Vista Shot:
This shows the landscape of a film or a barely visible persona in the very far distance in the background  to attract audience' attention. This shot sets up the location for the entire movie. For example, a vast land of greenery may signify a countryside rural city or a big park in the very morning with no man in sight.

Cowboy Shot:
It is a shot taken from above the head till mid-thighs and shows a cowboy stance. This shot is best used to signify cowboys or is used mostly in western film genres.

CAMERA ANGLES

Camera angles are best defined as the point of view of the camera as it captures a certain scene. Camera angles play a major role when we deconstruct various media products as they realize upon the significance of these angles in the creation of a particular effect on the audience.

Bird's Eye View refers to a view taken from a high angle as it is seen by a bird in flight or from an airplane.

 A Worm's Eye View refers to a very low angle as it is seen by a worm. It shows every object as larger than life.

A Fish Eye View is an angle whereby the shot is taken as almost from a fish's point of view i.e. the shot is almost circular. Inception held various examples of fish eye views.

Point of View is a camera angle whereby the object is looked at from a various angles. These angles may be diagonal, at eye-level, at a high angle or at a very low level and even tilted.

Over the Shoulder is a camera angle whereby the camera is placed on the character's shoulder and focuses on the character standing in front. The camera's view point is taken into account and not the character's.

Reverse Angle Shot is a camera angle whereby the camera captures two sides of any object, one after the other. For example, a gate is, firstly, shown form outside a building and then, secondly, shown from inside the building.

Jump Cut is a camera shot that precedes one shot after another in the same action. For example, a boy going uphill will be shot in a second shot as running downhill from the other end.

COMPOSING A SHOT

Every good shot follows the various rules of composition as it determines a cameraman's understanding of camera usage and his/her acknowledgement of the various techniques which lead to the creation of a good and an effective shot.

Rule of Thirds is the foremost and the most important rule of composition which needs to be followed by every photographer or cameraman. Hereby, the scene is divided into 9 equal parts and the main object of the scene is placed, not in the very center of the image, but on any of the other 8 sides.

Rule of Thumb is another composition rule whereby the placement of a character's eyes is limited to the third part of the entire scene, only, so as to not give a very uncomfortable sight to the audience.
Framing/Anticipatory Framing a shot is an integral part of certain shots, for example the vista shot, whereby equal amount of lead room is to be given on both sides of the main character in such a way that it frames the character. This composition rule may sometimes be in conflict with the rule of thirds.

Leading Lines and Lead Room/Nose Room are two very similar concepts whereby the leading lines represents an object pointing towards something in distance for example lined up crumbs leading to a tree that has a nestling on top while lead room is a characters point of view as he/she looks somewhere in the distance and his/her eye direction attracts the audience's attention towards where the character is looking.

leading lines

nose room

Head Room refers to the space between an objects head and the shot's boundaries. Not leaving enough head room sometimes leaves the audience very uncomfortable as it gives the effect that the character is not given enough room for his/her head.