Shooting a Sequence

Course Outline

TELLING THE STORY

• What do you want to say / portray?
• The camera is selective – can eliminate or include
• Both picture and sound tell the story
• Shooting to a script/shot list/story board
• Drama, Documentary, Obs Doc, Current Affairs/News
• Shooting Actualite?
• Single or multi-camera
• Lighting or available light – High Key / Low Key
• Mood and Pace
• Gentle/Lyrical – Tripods, slow smooth movements – Tracks, Pans, Steadycam
• Mobile / Edgy – Hand-held (+ steady cam), quicker movements/pace
• Dissolves / mixes – allowing for

CAMERA TECHNIQUES

• Use of the Tripod – Pans / Tilts / Monopod
• Use of the Zoom – Manual / servo
• Changing angles by changing position / lenses
• Hand-held shooting – camera position, braces / supports
• Tracks – suitcase dollies, ladder dollies, 'Elemack/Pee-wee' dollies
• Jib Arms / Cranes
• Car Rigs, Special mounts, Gun Cameras

FRAMING, SHOT SIZES, LENS ANGLES

• Basic framing – looking room / head room
• Shot Size convention – C/up, MCU, MS, MLS, LS, GV etc
• Aspect Ratios
• Lens Angles – Wide Angle – short focal length
• Tight Angle – Long Focal Length – Telephoto
• Compressed and exaggerated distances
• Apparent speed of travel to and from lens
• Special lenses – Fish Eye, Macro, Dioptres, Wide Angle adaptors
• Lens Height – effect of
• Movement in frame – continuity of direction / crossing the line (intro)

SIMPLE SEQUENCE ( + EXERCISE)

• Interior simple action sequence
• Master Shot / Close-Up of Action / Close-Up of Face / Reverse Over-the Shoulder/ Art shot
• Edit the sequence

SHOOTING FOR THE EDIT

• Hold shots steady 7-10 secs
• Let subjects enter and leave frame
• Overlap the Action
• Preserve continuity of movement / direction
• Avoid 'crossing the line'
• Do at least 3 different shots for a sequence
• Change lens angle AND change camera position between shots
• Do relevant cut-aways
• Consider the sound track – keep it clean, don't turn off
• Consider doing wild tracks (sound)

EDITING TECHNIQUES

• Simple 'Splice-In / Over-write' techniques
• Selecting the right moment to cut
• Having enough material / Shots / Cut-Aways
• Overlapping the Action
• Underlaying / Backlaying Sound
• Wild Tracks Commentary
• Fast Cutting
• Matching Shots for Exposure / Contrast / Colour
• Matching Sound Levels
• Music and Effects

SEQUENCE 2 (TBC) - Planning The Shoot - Story Board /Shooting The Sequence

Description (a suggestion - good weather)

Static Car – One Actor

Person approaches car, puts briefcase in boot, moves to driver's door, unlocks door, gets in vehicle, sees message on dashboard, reads message, makes mobile phone call (dialogue), starts vehicle, drives off.

Shots – Plan sequence, consider position of car/ease of shooting/lighting/sound etc

Wide establisher, ms and Cu briefcase in boot, reverse actor approaches car, cu feet, ms actor goes to car door, cu keys in lock, ws actor gets in, reverse interior gets in,cu note, cu face, wide ext thru windscreen, ms phone call, cu phone, cu face, W/T other end of conversation, ms puts down phone and starts engine (w/t sound?), cu ignition-keys, ms safety belt, cu exhaust pipe, ws-ms car drives away.

Each day starts at 10.00 and finished around 17.00