Camera workshop 2.

Camera workshop 2.

During this workshop we’ve been introduced to some more ‘filming rules’ and have been actually shooting our first sequences.

First of all, we’ve been explained how each scene in the film is normally shot:

    1) You start with a long shot to establish the settings and the whole body of the main hero

    2) Then you move on to the mid long shot to show the character, his action and his emotions better

    3) Lastly, you make a close up, emphasizing on what you need to make accent on: eyes, props, e.t.c.  

  

  

These shots are filmed in this particular order because it makes the editing process easier. When you have three different pictures of the same scene you can easily bring action and feeling of movement and life by mixing all three together. This keeps audience from being bored.

You also want to start shooting with long shot, because when you move to closer one – the actor is already comfortable with what his body is doing and where he needs to go, which hand opens the door, e.t.c. To help the actor get every shot right you may want to put a mark on the floor, so he knows exactly where to stand.

Another important thing we’ve been taught during the workshop is what is continuity and why is it so important. 
Simplifying, this means that during the filming process you have be continually aware of what is happening in the scene. Otherwise, you will end up having problems with your shots such as:

-An actor picking up sunglasses with right hand in the long shot, but with left hand in the close up

-A crew member (not an actor) hanging around in the crowd scene

-One shot may catch a second camera filming


THIS VIDEO SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT IS THE CONTINUITY AND, PROBABLY, GIVES US AN IDEA OF HOW HARD IS IT THAT EVEN HUGE FILM-MAKING COMPANIES LET THIS HAPPEN.
 

Not to make such silly mistakes you and your team should always be switched on and working together. There is a whole system or even ritual of what to do before you start shooting. Firstly, everyone who involved in the process of film-making and are currently working should yell:
 ‘stand by!’ to each other in order to tell their colleagues they are ready. Afterwards, the director says: ‘roll camera’, which is a signal to all operators that they need to switch on their cameras. When it’s done they respond with: ‘camera rolling’. When everyone is ready and the camera is on the director have to say: “action!” to begin the scene, and “cut” when the scene is done, what means that operators can switch off their cameras.

This Is HIGHLY important you listen to your director and do not start filming after action or before the cut, because  it shortens the time of the shot and can cause a problem during editing.

Another funny thing we’ve learned, which I would never think of doing myself, is that you try to rather not watch your shots on the spot – wait until everything is done – it will save you lots of time and won’t disappoint the actors, as clear shots without editing  don’t always look very nice.

LAST, BUT NOT THE LEAST IMPORTANT, IS THE 180DEGREE RULE. IT’S WORTH SHOWING, BUT SIMPLIFYING - YOU SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU ARE FILMING ON ONE SIDE OF THE 360 DEGREE CIRCLE. IF YOU CROSS THE LINE YOU FORCE YOUR OBJECT TO MOVE IN OTHER DIRECTION (IT WILL LOOK LIKE IT ON THE SHOT) OR YOUR CHARACTERS SWITCH PLACES WITH EACH OTHER –WHEN EDITING IT WILL LOOK AWFULLY.  WE’VE BEEN TOLD IT’S THE EASIEST THING TO GET WRONG WHILE FILMING, BUT I THINK IT’S QUITE EASY TO REMEMBER – OTHERWISE, YOU CAN LITERALLY DRAW A LINE ON THE FLOOR, WHAT WILL STOP YOU FROM FORGETTING AND CROSSING IT.

Visual explaining of 180 degree rule.

Overall, I’ve found the workshop really interesting and had a chance to become an actress for 10 minutes while we’ve been practicing filming one scene in long, mid long and close up shots in groups.