How Does the Cinematography Relate to the Work of Art?

Thouaking films isn't just an art. Information technology takes years of practice to cultivate a consequent craft and keen eye for filmmaking. It's what separates great cinematography from cliche movie making. You've probably heard the term a million times, merely what is cinematography? Before honing a arts and crafts, a deep noesis of what it entails is disquisitional.

Watch: How Roger Deakins Learned to Light

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Cinematography Meaning

Let's define cinematography

Understanding cinematography goes fashion beyond its definition. The dictionary defines it as the "fine art of making motion pictures." Okay, well that is true, but what else?

CINEMATOGRAPHY DEFINITION

What is cinematography?

Cinematography is the art and craft of making motion pictures by capturing a story visually. Though,technically, cinematography is the art and the scientific discipline of recording calorie-free either electronically onto an epitome sensor or chemically onto picture.

Taken from the Greek for "writing with motility," cinematography is the creation of images you see on screen. A series of shots that form a cohesive narrative. Cinematography composes each shot, considering, where everything in frame demands attention.

CINEMATOGRAPHY ELEMENTS:

• Lighting
• Shot size
• Camera focus
• Shot composition
• Photographic camera placement
• Camera motility

While the director makes key decisions regarding the camera, the cinematographer actually makes it happen. One of the major considerations for cinematographers is exposure — the art of manipulating the camera settings to get the desired look of the image.

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of cinematography, make sure to download our Gratuitous Ebook on The Exposure Triangle to establish a foundation that all of cinematography is based on.

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Cinematography Elements

What does a cinematographer practice?

A cinematographer or managing director of photography (shortened to DP or DoP) is the coiffure chief that presides over the camera and low-cal crews on a film or video product. They are involved throughout the entire production and liaise closely with the director to create the images you see.

What elements do they consider? We'll cover the basic considerations hither merely in that location is a lot more to explain about a cinematographer's duties.

Let's look to iconic director of photography, Roger Deakins, and how he shot 1917 to await like a "oner." Every bit he explains, choosing a camera, knowing the different types of camera lenses, and lighting techniques are all part of the cinematographer job description.

In particular, these choices in 1917 were designed to requite united states as much of a first-person POV on the battleground.

Roger Deakins Cinematography in 1917  •  Subscribe on YouTube

Camera placement

Where they place the photographic camera greatly affects how the audience reacts to the shot, and therefore the residuum of the scene. Information technology can have pregnant emotional impact or even convey grapheme behavior.

For example, if the story calls for a grapheme to be seen as rude, or ill mannered while out on a date, placing the photographic camera close to the subject's rima oris while chewing would exist constructive.

Here's a guide to camera framing and shot composition to give yous an idea of what choices a director and cinematographer accept and how those choices contribute to visual storytelling.

Ultimate Guide to Shot Framing  •  Subscribe on YouTube

Camera move

Camera movement tin can raise the emotion and suspense in a scene. Choose to motion the camera with the characters and gain perspective. Keep the camera static, and now we're separated from them, peering in. Watch our video on camera movement below.

StudioBinder'southward Filmmaking Techniques Masterclass: Camera Movement

Shot Composition

Composition refers to the way elements of a scene are arranged in a photographic camera frame. Shot limerick refers to the arrangement of visual elements to convey an intended message.

I visual element that must exist arranged particularly is your actors. Where will they be in the frame? Watch our video beneath on blocking actors. It's also apart of our Filmmaking Techniques masterclass series.

Learn how to stage your actors

Blocking and staging can be used to create dynamic frames. If you're interested, larn how to master shot composition.

Shot Size

How much of the scene is actually seen? Are nosotros in a close-up watching a subject's face change expression? Maybe it'south an extreme close-up on a subject's attire indicating to the audience that they should pay attention to this. Here's a video breakdown of every type of shot size.

Ultimate Guide to Shot Sizes  •  Subscribe on YouTube

Focus

Part of a cinematographer'due south task is to play with focus to emphasize dissimilar aspects of the story. A basic example of this is showing how intoxicated the character is past going in and out of focus. In that location are many types of camera focus available, each with their own particular storytelling value. Here'southward a breakdown of focus and depth of field.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Focus  •  Subscribe on YouTube

Lighting

While there is a separate lighting person, cinematography demands this knowledge. After all, cinematography is what we see on-screen, and how well or horribly the scene is lit is a huge aspect of the craft.

3-point lighting is a very common lighting setup but in that location are many styles and approaches to lighting. For example, Rembrandt lighting brings a lot of dimension to lighting a subject's confront and chiaroscuro lighting is ideal to convey nighttime and unsafe situations.

Hither's Part Two of our Cinematography Techniques series with one of the best cinematographers, Roger Deakins.

Roger Deakins Film Lighting Pt. 2  •  Subscribe on YouTube

Camera Gear

Obviously, you need a photographic camera simply what other camera gear should you consider? A Steadicam gives the camera operator tremendous freedom but a dolly shot also gives the shot a distinct look and experience. Hither's our ultimate guide to photographic camera gear and how each piece of equipment can exist used to tell a different story.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Gear  •  Subscribe on YouTube

That's a lot to consider! How can you plan all of these decisions, and execute on your vision?

FILM CINEMATOGRAPHY TOOLS

Putting theory into practice with shot lists and storyboards

So, we just laid out what a cinematographer considers. And it's a lot. All of these components — shot choice, camera move, lighting, etc. need to be laid out somewhere.

Ane tool that'south helpful for DP's (and directors), are shot lists and storyboards. Usually the cinematographer and manager piece of work together to lay out their masterplan for the project.

You can acquire more how to brand storyboards, but nosotros laid out an instance beneath to give y'all the general idea.

Click to view the storyboard

With software it'south easier to collaborate with section heads on all of these decisions. As long as they're invited to the project, you can get out comments in real-time, and conform shots appropriately.

And keep in mind, every bit far every bit other cinematography tools, you tin apply any kind of camera to shoot a film. If you can't afford Hollywood'southward resource, you tin be like Sean Baker and Radium Cheung, who shot Tangerine, an award winning film, on an iPhone.

Up Next

Endeavour These Cinematic Techniques

Now that you lot have the nuts down, let's expand your knowledge a bit. Our next postal service explores arts and crafts tips you didn't learn in film school. Nosotros become deeper into the elements of cinematography that will non only inform your arts and crafts, merely inspire you to start shooting.

Upward Next: Best Cinematography Techniques →

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