Film questions

Study Guide for UNIT V over FILM and Acting

Read how animation is done with drawing on cells.

Read about the David and Albert Maysles referred to as the Maysles Brothers who did documentaries such as Grey Gardens and the Running Fence and the Valley Curtain by Christo and Jeanne Claude. Jeanne Claude has passed away. Christo is still creating art.

Define the types of shots used in filmmaking.

Master shot – records everything from beginning to end in a scene (see text for full definitions)

Think about how close-up camera angles were used in films you have seen.

A close up can be a medium close up or an extreme close up. It depends upon the mood that the director of photography wants to project to the audience.

Pan - the camera moves from left to right

Tilt - the camera moves up and down

Look at the terms in the paragraph about shots to read more explanations about camera movements and camera angles.

What is a storyboard?

A storyboard is a set of drawings which shows the scene in order of the shots. They are drawings that look somewhat like a comic strip. The story board is used by Director of Photography to let the camera men or camera women what type of shots they should try to take while shooting the scene. The director and the director of photographer work very closely in deciding how each shot each scene should be shot and how it should be designed.

What is Stripping the script?

Stripping the script is when the director, the producer (the person with the budget in mind and who helps with the money) and the director of photography all decide on what order they should shoot the film. If there are some scenes that are in a certain location but are not in the same order as the film’s story, they will shoot all the scenes at that location any way since they can save money.

The role of everyone who is on the set in the production phase is important.

The production phase is when the camera is rolling, and the grip is the person who moves the equipment.

The gaffer is a person who moves equipment, but it is equipment that is also connected to electrical equipment like a generator. The gaffer uses pieces of equipment that need electricity to operate. A continuity person used to be called a script girl. That individual oversees making sure that all details in a scene match up with the scene when they go back and reshot it.

For example, if a gentleman is wearing a blue tie while eating, and they shot the scene again the next day, he should still be wearing the same outfit with the blue tie. If he forgot which tie he had on it would be the continuity person’s responsibility to remind him to get on the correct tie. All details would need to match including the way someone’s hair looked, which hand the person held a glass in if they were drinking in a scene or where people were sitting etc. Scenes are shot over and over. In the phase that is done called the editing phase, it is important for the editor to be patient and pay close attention to details. The editing phase is done at the end called the post-production phase. The editor puts all the shots together by cutting and splicing. Music and sound is also added to the film in this post-production phase.

Special Effects are used to create more believable scenes and are created by computers in recent years, However, in the past, a piece of equipment called an optical printer was used. This is how the sea was parted in the film, “The Ten Commandments”.

Preproduction, Production and Post-Production Phases:

Preproduction, Production and Post-Production are the three phases of production in making a film. The preproduction is when the planning occurs. This is when the budget is prepared, the planning as to where the shooting will take place, the finishing of the writing of the script, the casting of the actors and actresses and the hiring of personnel.

The Production Phase is when the actors and actresses are on the set working with the director and acting in front of the camera. The Production phase is when the cameras are running, and the actors are acting, and the director is telling them which way will be the best way to project and do their work. The camera operators and the director of photography are all working very hard during this phase. This is also when the make-up and clothing are all scrutinized. The film is done with care to make sure that every detail is taken care of like an artist who cares about his work. The production phase is the time when the shooting is taking place. Once the shooting of the film is over, then the postproduction occurs which is when the editor will be busy cutting the film. That is the editing portion of the film. The way in which a film is edited can make a big difference as to how long the film is and in what order the story is told. The film footage will also be worked on with additional sound and special effects if necessary, in order to make the final film more believable and more effective for the viewers.

What is the difference between theatrical and cinematic style?

The theatrical style is when the camera is stationary and does not move. When the camera is moving, and it is more creative in its positions and moves around for various shots and angles, it is called cinematic.

The film makers who were known for the invention of the camera and projector called a cinematograph were the Lumiere Brothers who did a film called Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory.

Thomas Edison patented a movie camera called the Kinetograph and a viewer called a Kinetoscope. Edison also contributed the sprocket holes to the film making business. He made a film called Fred Ott’s Sneeze.

George Melies was a French magician and used his skill in creating films such as The Terrible Turkish Executioner. Other contributions of Melies were the lap dissolve which is when on scene fades out and another may fade in and the cut which is when the film is cut apart and spliced together to produce some effect.

Edwin S. Porter made contributions to film such as the pan and he created the elliptical jump which made it possible to move forward in time. The Great Train Robbery was the first western made. Porter was known for improving the process of telling a story through the process of editing. Porter also made The Life of an American Fireman.

D.W. Griffith created The Lonedale Operator, The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance. He was the first filmmaker to move the camera about freely and he used many angles and positions to produce truly cinematic effects in his films. He was a very important director during the silent film era.

The Three types of films are:

Narrative

Documentary

Absolute (sometimes called experimental)

Evaluating Film:

In considering whether a film is a work of art or just a movie for entertainment try to look for details in the camera work and listen to music and sound. Also look at the acting and be able to pay attention to details.

In considering a film’s content try to be observant and research who was the script writer and director. Examine from whose point of view the film was written and why the various shots were used in various scenes. Be sure to be able to understand the various points of view which the film was presenting. Ask yourself if the film was about a narrow view or showing a certain perspective. Was the film based on opinion or fact? Was it fiction? What type of film was it intended to be? Was it based on a true story? Learn to be very attentive to detail and pay close attention to the way the film was developed and shot.

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