PLANNING CINEMATOGRAPHY - Miss Miller

PLANNING CINEMATOGRAPHY

Cinematograpy is all about the camera work in a film, it includes angle, movements and positions. Cinematogrpahy plays a massive part in the making of a film, especially of the thriller genre as it helps create tension, suspense, surprise and shock. A lot of planning is required producing an opening sequence for a thriller. Planning cinematography means i and my group can look at the art of photography and camera work in film making, this helps bring the right image to the audience and show camera techniques.

The first camera angle we have decided we are going to use is a panning shot. Using a panning shot in our preliminary task helped us to see what advantages a panning shot can bring to an opening sequence. The scene in the opening sequence we feel will work well with a panning shot is of the front room of the house. The panning shot will reveal a mysterious image standing at the window behind the two main characters. A panning shot can bring suspense and surprise to the audience and create a feeling they are in the room and can create a relationship with the characters, this is good as it gets the audience involved. A panning shot is conventional to a thriller film as they can create surprise easily and leave the audience feeling scared. This camera angle also portrays features that can show the whole scene in front of the camera and can show a full image of the characters being shown. Overall, i feel that a panning shot will work well and all of the above creates a good thriller opening sequence and this is vital to catch the audiences attention and leave them wanting to watch the rest of the film. This picture shows an example of a panning shot.

The second camera angle me and my group discussed using is zooming in and zooming out. Although these are two separate camera angles, we feel that including them together helps to show the two differences between the two. We decided to use zooming in in the opening sequence as it helps to show emotion and facial features of the characters. We have decided to use the camera angle zooming in, in the same scene as the panning shot. After the panning shot has finished, the camera will slowly zoom in to the the black figure behind the window. We have decided to do this so that is creates tension and suspense for the audience watching. We have also decided to do this slowly as it leaves the audience wanting more and keeping them on the edge of their seats. We found when researching from other films that zooming in is used a lot which is what inspired us to use this technique. Furthermore, the other technique we have discussed and think we are going to use is zooming out. Zooming out helps to show a bigger picture of the film and helps elaborate on what the audience have already seen. We have decided to use this camera angle when the two main characters walk into the dark forrest and hear a mysterious noise. Zooming out shows to the audience what is surrounding them and will show the whole scene. This can give away clues to the audience and show a different point of view to the audience than what the characters can see themselves. The picture shows an example of a zooming in shot.

The third use of cinematography that we have discussed using is a long shot. A long shot is going to be used in our opening sequence when the two main characters are walking down a long stretch of road. The camera will be following them from behind as a view of the antagonist. This will be showing a long shot of the two characters and the audience will picture themselves as being the antagonist. Although, when using a long shot will be using a technique; hand held camera. Holding the camera instead of using a tripod gives a raged effect for the audience as if they are holding the camera themselves. Also this gives the impression that the antagonist is holding the camera. A long shot is regularly used in a thriller opening sequence/film. A long shot can show a whole persons body, this includes the small amount of scene behind and the characters body language, clothes and iconography, all of these are vital when creating a thriller. In our long shot we will make sure that the character will be using iconography e.g. a phone or we are discussing on using a pet(dog).


The fourth use of cinematography we have chosen to use is point of view. We have chosen to use this as we feel it creates a relationship with the charachter and the audience. Using point of view gives the audience an idea of what the charachter sees and feels, creating empathy. We have chosen to use this in the forest scene, the point of view will take place when the two girls are scared and turning around looking for the answers. The point of view will show the camera turning round side to side quickly showing full view of the dark gloomy forest. When a point of view is shown in thrillers it can create tension and suspence easily, aswell as suprise e.g. if something jumps out infront of the camera quikly. Me and my group will that this use of cinematography will work well and show a bond between the audience.

Another use of cinematography we have discussed about using is a high angle. A high angle in a thriller film shows a high view of the scene or charachters, this can work well by showing something that needs to be see by the audience or the scenery or the charachters clothing/body language. We have decided to use a high angle to show the two main girls walking through the forest. The camera will be high in a tree to get a full angle of the scene and what is happening. This will create empathy for the audience and tension as the audience will be able to see ahead of the charachters. A high angle isnt really a convention for a thriller although does work well in many films. We have decided to use this for our thriller as from our research we found it works well when trying to show a whole scene and showing to the audience a bigger picture. In my own opinion filming from a tree will be able to show the picture we want to; abandoned scene with two vunrable girls and a strong whistiling wind, i see this as building up tension. The picture i have used as an example of an high angle shows what we will try to create, a background scene shown and a full picture of the charachters.

The last use of cinematography we have discussed as a group and decided to use is shallow focus. A shallow focus shot blurs out a image in the background. From research we have found this will work well when the two girls notice a black image in the scene. The antagonist will be blurred to create suspense from the ending scene and leave the ending scene on a cliff hanger. A shallow focus hides identities and leaves the audience wanting more, creating a relationship with the charachters easily. Shallow focus is a convention commonly used in thriller films as it can hide victims or the antagonists identites or hide something that is not meant to be seen for e.g. someone at the window or a clue in the room. The shallow focus will be the last use of cinematogrpahy in our opening scene and we felt this one would bring the most surpise and shock to the audience.

Overall i think our discussion and planning of cinematogrphy has helped to create a solid plan of what we are going to use and how they will help to create shock, suspence, suprise and tension.