This document provides an overview of a film and media course. It includes: - A brief history of moving images from early experiments in the 1830s to the development of modern film cameras and formats. - An introduction to basic cinematography techniques like framing, camera moves, shot types and sizes. - An explanation of frame rates and how changing the rate affects the appearance of motion. - An exercise for students to go out and practice different camera shots and moves like pans, tilts, zooms and tracking shots.

1. MEDP/FILMP 160: Summer 2015
Plan for Today
A Brief History of the Moving Image (Film)
Basic Intro to Framing and camera moves
Introduce shooting exercise (lab #3)
Introduce Assignment 1: Define a Space

2. When you pick up a camera ...
First photograph: 1830
Etienne-Jules Marey, Pelican Studies 1882

3. Matrix Trilogy, 1999 - 2003 Muybridge experiments
1877
Why does this matter?

4. aka “Persistence of Vision”
flipbook
“Short Range Apparent Motion”

5. victorian toys (mid-1800’s)
zoetrope
thaumatrope

6. Photography - silver nitrate
Daguerrotype, 1839

7. Boulevard du Temple, 1838

8. Edison’s Kinetograph (1891)
first movie cameras
Lumieres’ Cinematographe (1895)

9. Clip from Pioneers of Cinema

10. qualities of early film
•black and white
•silent
•grainy
•flicker
•short
•Square
•Basic lighting

11. how film cameras work
Intermittent movement: stop and start action that
positions the film one frame at a time in the gate, using
sprocket holes.

12. the film shutter

13. how the camera gate works

14. how film projectors work

15. frame rate
• flip book = 10 fps
• early film cameras = 16 fps
• modern film cameras = 24 fps
• video = 30 fps (NTSC, US)
24 (sometimes)
25 (PAL, Europe)

16. What frame rate should I shoot at?
24 (24p) vs. 30 (60i)?
● film “look”
● subject matter
● destination
● transfer to film?

17. Time Lapse
(“under-cranking”)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Time-lapse_photography
What if you shoot at one frame rate
and play back (project) at another?
Slow Motion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_motion
(“over-cranking”)

18. film formats

19. Resolution

20. aspect ratio

21. Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)

22. Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964)

23. some aspect ratios

24. why aspect ratio matters now
Setting up cameras - most of what you
shoot now will be 16 x 9 but older material
other formats. You may have started a film
on SD 4:3 aspect ratio, then moved HiDef
halfway through.
Or, you may be incorporating archival
footage that was shot on film, or SD video.

25. pillarbox

26. “letterboxing”

27. basic cinematic
vocabulary
shot sizes & types
FILM/MEDIA 160 • LEC 02 PT 2

28. extreme long shot (e.l.s.)

29. long shot (l.s.)

30. medium long shot (m.l.s.)

31. medium shot (m.s.)

32. medium close up (m.c.u.)

33. close up (c.u.)

34. extreme close up (e.c.u.)

35. two shot

36. low angle shot

37. high angle shot

38. Moving the camera through space
Pivot moves: Pan (right/left)
Tilt
(up/down)
Dynamic moves: Track/Truck (right/left)
Dolly
(in/out)
Boom (up/down)

39. Examples of camera moves:
• Manufactured Landscapes Clip 2
• Manufactured Landscape Clip 1
• Citizen Kane Clip 1
• Farmingville Clip 1

40. Camera Workshop Exercise
In your groups, go out (not too far!) and shoot the following:
1. One subject you can shoot from at least three different points of view (various shot sizes or camera angles).
2. A shot where you zoom in to emphasize an important detail.
3. A shot where you zoom out from a close-up to reveal its context.
4. A shot where the frame stays still but there is movement within the frame.
5. A pan or tilt that has clear beginning and end destinations for your camera.
6. Walk with a person (your partner) maintaining consistent distance and framing.
Try and plan your shots before pushing the record button. Remember to look AT the viewfinder, not THROUGH
it.