JCM312/Cinematography

Color, enlarged versions of the textbook illustrations are available online.

• G3: Explain what focal length is -- using the textbook illustrations.
  • How does a zoom in/out look different from a track in/out?
• G4: Explain what depth of field is -- using the textbook illustrations.
  • What is the difference between deep focus and deep space (as in mise-en-scene)?
• G1 and G5: Explain what aspect ratio is -- using the textbook illustrations.
  • Also explain letterbox and pillarbox (optional: pan-and-scan)
    • Example video clips:
      • He Said, She Said letterboxing
      • He Said, She Said pan and scan
  • What are the aspect ratios of Day for Night, Shakespeare in Love and Monster's Ball?
• G2: Explain the significance of camera framing, height, and movement -- using the textbook illustrations.
  • Example video clips:
    • Dollying and Dollying result
    • Handheld
    • Steadicam
  • When might movement be used that does not follow a character? How is a Steadicam shot different from a handheld shot?

• 

  Pillarboxed cell-phone video

Cinematography and narrative

In this Monster's Ball scene (password: tcf123abc! ), what narrative functions does the cinematography serve? Each group should account for the cinematographic aspects noted above, paying particular attention to the third shot.

• 

  Shot three from a Monster's Ball scene.

• 

  Shot three from a Monster's Ball scene continues.

External links

1. Monster's Ball scene
2. Television illustrations, Chapter 8.
3. Cinematography illustrations
4. Monster's Ball frame grabs
5. Henri 2, Paw de Deux: black-and-white
6. Pillarboxed cell-phone video

Bibliography

1. Jeremy G. Butler, Television: Visual Storytelling and Screen Culture, 5th Edition (New York: Routledge, 2018).
2. David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill).