Learning aim a cinematography presentation - cardio
1. Learning Aim A - Cinematography
An analysis of a scene at the beginning of Zombieland
to demonstrate my understanding of the film uses
cinematography to establish genre, develop the story
and create meaning for the audience
2. Shot 1 – First stage establishing shot. The world in space gone terribly wrong
• A shot that uses a famous image of the world seen from space to show how much things have changed
• Extreme long shot of the whole planet as it turns
• The shot continues and uses the turn of the earth to refocus…
3. Shot 2 – Second stage establishing shot - a continuation of shot 1 as the camera zooms in on the sports field
• The movement of the camera (although a CGI effect) is effectively ‘zooming’ in and showing more clearly
where this next sequence is going to take place
• It’s a fairly quick zoom to create the effect of us falling into the stadium and this speed is picked up in the rest
of the sequence
4. Shot 3 – Medium shot – floor level but flat angled shot
• We recognise where we are because the green grass and field markings make sense from the zoom in to the
stadium. Composition point - In the long shots the grid forms leading lines on the screen
• Composition – the footfall is around a rule of thirds hotspot
• The camera is still not still, it quickly zooms out and pans up to show…
5. Shot 4 medium 2-shot tracking back from the action as the action runs into the shot
• We are watching a chase scene
• We have established we are with the person being chased and not with the zombie chasing because of the opening
sequence and because we started this sequence with the person’s feet running. That is developed here by the person
dominating the front of the screen
• There is depth of field but not complete and the person is a little more in focus
• Composition – the man’s head is around a rule of thirds hot-spot (as is the Zombies
• The camera continues to move…
6. Shot 5 – Long high angled shot – still camera at first then panning slowly left
• A different look at the chase – showing the zombie gradually catching up with the man
• The shot is framed with space for them to run into and pans left to extend that space
• Composition the man and the graphics on screen fit the grid and are around rule of thirds hotspots
7. Shot 6 – as shot 4 but things are becoming more desperate
• The depth of field is more shallow and the zombie is less in focus this time - going against expectations
perhaps, because if he’s close shouldn’t he be more in focus? It’s extending the chase time…
• Composition – heads around rule of thirds lines – man’s eyeline on centre line
• Camera continues to track back from them as they run forwards…
8. Shot 7 – level medium 2-shot showing how close the Zombie is to catching the man
• Composition - There is some symmetry either side of the centre line – man one side, zombie the other
• The shot pans as the zombie catches up…
9. Shot 8 – medium two shot as the zombie catches the man – one of several in a very fast-paced editing sequence
that shows the moment of capture
• Composition - On level man in centre of shot with zombie around rule of thirds hotspot
• Shallow depth of field – the background is out of focus, all of our attention is on the moment of capture
10. Shot 10 – High angled long shot still camera
• No move camera movement now the chase is over
• Not convinced high angle shot gives us any power here – maybe just gives some sense of safety that we are
further away from the kill
• Composition - - on centre line of the shot close to the centre of the frame
11. Shot 10 – close up still camera
• There goes that safe distance from the action
• Composition - The figures crowd out the screen
