Iat 202 lecture 08

1. Iat 202 lecture 08 • susanclements-vivian

2. today • Continuity editing • Shooting for coverage • Activity

3. Last week: Dimensions of Film Editing o Graphic relations between shot A & B o Rhythmic relations between shot A & B o Spatial relations between shot A & B o temporal relations between shot A & B

4. Continuity Editing • The general idea behind editing in narrative film is the coordination of one shot with another in order to create a coherent whole. • The system of editing employed in narrative film is called continuity editing – its purpose is to create and provide efficient and artful transitions.

5. Aspects of continuity • The Rules: • Establishing shot • Shot/ reverse shot • 180º rule • 30º rule • Crosscutting • Match on Action • Eyeline Match • Re-establishing shot Definition: A system of cutting used to maintain continuous and clear narrative action by following a set of rules.

6. What is the 180° Rule? • Line of Action / Axis Line • Breaking the rule can disorient/confuse viewers • So as a result, they’ll miss your film while trying to figure things out! • Especially important in scenes with action or traces where a subject moves from A to B to avoid continuity errors

7. Things are easier to explain with pictures... • In this scene: • The man is always facing right • The woman is always facing left no matter which position or angle the camera is shooting from, the characters will always be facing the same direction throughout.

8. What happens when you break it? • If you move the camera across the line, characters face the same way as each other • THIS EQUALS CONFUSION Camera B Camera A

9. 180° rule (video clip)

10. Establishing shot • Definition: A long shot or extreme long shot, usually with loose framing, that shows the spatial relations between the important figures, objects and setting in a scene. From Spartacus (Stanley Kubrick, 1960 )

11. Over the shoulder crossing

12. Shot / reverse shot sequence VECTOR LINE = “AXIS OF ACTION” Crossing the axis disrupts spatial continuity

13. Crossing the vector line (mistake)

14. How do I cross the line? • Show the movement • This way, the viewer won’t become disoriented as they will have seen the camera move • Once the line has been crossed, all shots must be from that side of the line, unless you cross back over (again showing the movement) As usual, the man is facing right... ... but now he’s facing left!!

15. How do I cross the line? Definition: A shot that returns to a view of a space or location after a series of close-ups. Re-establishingshot Re-establishing shot from American Beauty(Sam Mendes, 1999)

16. Spatial continuity

17. Other techniques • 30º rule • Crosscutting • Match on Action • Eyeline Match

18. 30º rule The angle between any two consecutive shots should not be less than 30º, in order to maintain spatial relationships between people and objects in any given sequence of shots. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nonxxwfedIY Stills taken from A Bout de Souffle (Jean Luc Godard, 1960)

19. Eye-line Match A cut obeying the axis of action principle, in which the first shot shows a person off in one direction and the second shows a nearby space containing what he or she sees. If the person looks left, the following shot should imply that the looker is offscreen right. http://classes.yale.edu/film/videos/stendhal-eyeline.wmv

20. cutting on Action http://classes.yale.edu/film/videos/MatchAction-Traffic.wmv

21. Editing on Action • Shot-by-shot pg. 154- 155 • Cutting on Movement • Exits and Entrances • Clearing the frame • Same principle shot many times for different editing possibilities.

22. Filming for cut points

23. cutting on Action

24. How much do I need to shoot? Two Approaches • Cutting in camera: • Shot exactly as appear on storyboard. Editing is just trimming up. • This is extremely (almost impossible) as it relies on not making a single mistake in camera (perfect script, perfect storyboard, perfect execution). • Coverage: • Don’t plan, just get a series of formulaic set-ups to get a mix of shots that will match (triangle system) • Each shot is done in one long take from differing positions and framing. • Yes you will be able to edit but it can be visually uninteresting and uninspired. • Mixed approach • Balance depends on shot (difficulty to set-up and time you have to shoot it). • Make sure you have your coverage. • Then experiment, shot other details from around the location. • Have extreme close-ups • Have the camera move over the subject (like an eye). • Try unusual blocking, one person partially obscured by an object or another person.

25. Triangle system – basic set-up Figure 1. Common triangular camera arrangements: (a) standard, (b) over-the-shoulder, (c) point of view, and (d) profile.

26. external and internal reverse angles and profile shot

27. Shot Size We understand shots as overlapping parts of a larger whole. While other pictorial elements are important, shot framing and angle have the most impact. Within the triangle system framing and angle provide infinite number of variables.

28. Related concept: Clean Frame http://www.speakfilm.com/video-tutorials/video-tutorial-action-frame

29. Putting it all together • Plan your shots • Shot for coverage and for emotion of work • Shot extra on each take • Shot each scene from different angles and with different framing.

30. How might you describe this shot In terms of continuity system? Establishing shot Shot reverse shot sequence Two shot Intro shot Cutting on action

31. How might you describe this shot In terms of continuity system? Establishing shot Shot reverse shot sequence Two shot Intro shot Cutting on action

32. How would I describe this for a storyboard? Detail shot – couple holding hands Camera in front – couple talking High Angle – Medium Close Up – Symmetrical POV shot – Close-up – hands

33. How would I describe this for a storyboard? Detail shot – couple holding hands Camera in front – couple talking High Angle – Medium Close Up – Symmetrical POV shot – Close-up – hands

34. Activity – start with this image

35. Activity – process • Create continuity sequence. • Tape on wall. • Put team number at top. • Will be photographed and discussed next week. • Must follow rules of continued. Watch for axis line!

36. Activity story • A man (the husband) comes home and his wife is arguing that he is late.Their kid playing in another room hears their argument.The wife goes to the backyard and the man follows her.They notice the kid has come at the backyard door......

37. Iat 202 lecture 08 fin

38. Widescreen Test Pattern (16:9) Aspect Ratio Test (Should appear circular) 4x3 16x9