2nd ESO ART. UNIT 6.3 Film

Film is one of the most typical languages of modern society. Film accomplishes the sense of movement through a succession of static images at very fast speed ( 24 frames per second). There are two major genres: documentary film and storyline film.

You can study this content also in the book unit 6 page 53 to 56.

The frame is the part of reality selected by the camera operator, it represent the partial image of the scene. The frame is also called the shot.

The sequence represents the sum of all shots related to each other. It always indicates a space whether the action develops in an interior setting or exterior setting, during the day or at night.

CAMERA MOVEMENTS

• Panoramic: The internal movements of the camera or rotation of the camera on its own axis. This can be used as a description or dramatic function. 

• Tracking Shots: Lateral movements that the camara makes across a space. Rails or other techniques are used to move the camera.

• Movements of the characters and objects that we see on the screen.

COMPOSITION OF THE FRAME

Each film shot focuses on space and frames that represents a specific place and time. Frame compositions mostly focuses on the human figure.

We studied the types of shoots through comic. Most of the comic shots are used in films and from film to comic also. So they learn from each other. Here you have an image defining types of shot in film:

Viewpoints or camera positions help representing emotions or obtain expressiveness to communicate the film sensations. The most important viewpoints are:

• Eye level: The camera is positioned at the height of the eyes of the character being filmed. Realistic and stable views.

• High angle: The camera is positioned in a higher position over the character they seem inferior or insignificant expressing feelings like anguish, melancholy, loneliness or anxiety.

• Low angle: The camera is positioned below the character to inflate their personality and transform this figure into someone powerful, triumphant or courageous.

In this Exercise we are going to work with the Camera Movements and the Viewpoints. You have to choose two of them and you have some ways to do it. Choose one of this three activities and send it to me:

1. Watch a few films, find two of the Camera Movements or Viewpoints in the theory and send me: Name of the film, Director, Movement or Viewpoint you find, frame of the film when you see it, description of it. (Two examples). This gives you 6 points.
2. Watch a few films, find two of the Camera Movements or Viewpoints in the theory and send me: Video of the frames you are choosing, Name of the film, Director, Movement or Viewpoint you find, frame of the film when you see it, description of it. (Two examples). This gives you 8 points.
3. Watch a few films, find two of the Camera Movements or Viewpoints in the theory and send me: Video made by you representing the shoots (homemade it can be with family, teddy bear or lego help), Name of the film, Director, Movement or Viewpoint you find, frame of the film when you see it, description of it. (Two examples). This gives you 10 points.

Example of Exercise number 2 (You have to do this 2 times):

Film: "North by Northwest" (Con la muerte en los talones)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Shoot: This is a travelling in reverse
Moment: In the film it is around 1:09:54 to 1:10:06
Description: Cary Grant sprinting across a dusty field with a plane closing in from behind.