Monday, July 26, 2010

FILM MAKING TIPS

MOVIES as reference
CITY OF GOD, GODFATHER 1, GODFATHER 2, AZHUTHA EZHUTHU-YUVA, SCHINDLER'S LIST , DARK KNIGHT, RAAVANA, AVATAAR, Mouna RAGAM, GANDHI , SHUTTER ISLAND, TAXI DRIVE, GHOST WRITER, ORU PATHIRA KOLAPATHAKAM, TITANIC, ONCE A THIEF, PULP FICTION , GLADIATOR, DEPARTED , BHRAMARAM, MUNICH, GOOD FELLAS, THE MASK, ORRUMINNAMINUNGINDE NURRUNGUVETTAM , ISHTAM , KITES, TWILIGHT, 2001- A SPACE ODYSSEY, DIL CHAHTHA HAI, BIG B, RED CHILLIES, MAZHAVIL KAVADI, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, IN GHOSTHOUSE INN, PAYASHI RAJA, THE MATRIX, BOMBAY, HEY RAM, ROBIN HOOD, DON, OLIVER TWIST, MEMENTO, KAALA PANI, ANNIYAN, CASINO ROYAL, KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNAA, NANDANAM,


SHOTS
&
SCENES

Extreme Wide Shot
CITY OF GOD , chasing the hen

Establishing Shot
Identify where the scene is taking place usually at the beginning

Long Shot
Shows where you are and what is going on
And entire figure with respect to surroundings
The Funeral Scene in GODFATHER 2

Full Shot
CITY OF GOD when all the thugs including Lil Dice are shown in the frame

Mid Shot or Medium Shot
Shows body language and allows to identify people (waist up)

Head room shot
Includes the background scene as in AZHUTHA EZHUTHU Surya sitting in Assembly

Master Shot
The geography of scene, proximity of actors to one another and objects in scene

Wide Area to Master Shot
Camera rotating from different view to Master shot

Close up to Master Shot
(Property or person)
Eg. SCHINDLER'S LIST walking with a flower pot

Medium Close Up
Till Chest, only the character, half way between the Medium shot and Close up

Medium Close Shot
Till Waist

Close up
Shows emotion

Choker Close up
To chin level

Property Close up
Close up on Property used as a Transition

Extreme close up
To focus on single attention or single facial feature

Close up Head room
CHaracter's Close up but the Back ground visible

Eye Level Shot
Taken with equal footing with the subject being filmed used in marriages

Low Angle Shot
To instill an awe, fear or typical emotion give more power to character as in DARK KNIGHT when joker comes out to shoot Batman from Truck. This is when the camera is positioned low on axis. Technical effects include to make the cars seem to go faster

High Angle Shot
Looking down on something, to make the character insignificant and small, weak like taking children. Used in GODZILLA

Overhead Shot
Used as establishing Shot for specific purposes like two people talking and to identify location.

Under Shot
The Shot is taken when the camera is directly benath the object suggesting extreme power or danger. In CITY OF GOD, shooting of football by Rocket's Brother

Stand- up Shot
A close up shot with Character sitting and camera taken while stand up
Used in RAAVANA, when Commissioner inquires the peopel on Beera

Sit- Down Shot
When the protagonist is sitting and other artists are standing the shot is taken with the eye level of protagonist as in AVATAAR when Sam wothington is on wheel chair and others are standing

Cut in Shot
Showing some part in detail like hand movement to show enthusiasm or Frustration as in watching some exciting horse races
Eg. Mouna RAGAM , revathi’s frustration shown by her hands

Cut away
Something or shots other than current As subject performs an action, some s of opposite actors are taken into account in order to make the shot more effective. Entering of Gandhi into the court in the movie GANDHI. The expression of the judge and people are taken in order to reduce the time for entry of Gandhi. It is a buffer between shots.

Two Shot
Showing two people emotions at a time on screen side by side

Close up Two shot
One persons close up on frame while the other person remains on back visible

Close up Property Two Shot
Focussing a property infront of the frame and the /artists behind. Or
Vice versa allowed
Used in RAAVANA, when Beera attacks the camp of Police at the end . The water can be seen shaking in the front while Beera on the back of the frame .

Three Shot
Three people included in frame. Used in IN HARIHAR NAGAR sequence

Style Three Shot
One persons’ back and other two people on either sides
Eg. SHUTTER ISLAND when Leonardo di caprio meets jail superintendent with friend


Introduction Shot
Used for introducing a character on frame with close ups of body pats, dolly camera and finally Mid close up Shot
Introduction of Sergeant in AVATAR

Pan Shot
Horizontal motion. Horizontal movement of a still camera . the purpose of following action and giving movement to a scene that would be static.

Swish Pan Shot
Moves the camera from one subject to another very quickly. In TAXI DRIVER, Nicolas Cage and his reflection on the mirror is swish Panned.

Slow Pan
For example, A woman sees something on her right and a horror expression comes. Slowly, Camera executes a slow pan to where she is looking in order to make a good shot and arouse viewer curiosity. Can be provide as a Thrill
Also used from objects to master shot

Pan Zoom
Panning and zooming to a particular object

Pan Property Shot
Panning a particular property or individuals or Close ups as in GHOST WRITER, the letter indicating the name of the CIA agent passing between hands towards the end of the movie.

Tracking Shot
Follows the subject or action at a constant distance . A Tracking Shot involves a camera follwoing a person or an object on a parallel tracks.

Reverse Angle Shot
Switches between two or more subjects in a dialogue scene. Used for conversations involving particiaption of many subjects.

Reverse Angle Style
In GHOST WRITER movie, the last accident scene is pictured by people’s expressions and sound rather than showing the accident.
In PATHIRA KOLAPATHAKAM, Mammotty's expression and sound of gun, with people's movements into the chamber is used to indicate the death of Haji at the closing credits of the movie.

Long Take
An uniterrupted shot lasting several minutes.
The Last scene in the movie TITANIC when Rose enters the cabin to join with Jack.
John Woo's ONCE A THIEF entry scene 0f Hero in the party

Long Take Tracking Shot
In PULP FICTION , Travolta entering the Pub with Uma Thurman

Tracking Two shot
King and daughter conversing and moving together in GLADIATOR

YUVA Tracking Shot
In the movie YUVA, Ajay devgan being tracked from back and the camera moving faster to front

Dolly ( or follow action )
The motion of camera along with object but dolly may not necessarily follow action. A mechanism in which the camera to be moved around the scene or location. Common in films. The entry of Jack Nicholson into the store in the movie DEPARTED at the beginning of the movie.

Trucking Shot
Motion of camera backwards when object is moving. a shot in which camera is mounted on a vehicle and moves while filming to front or behind the subject following movement.

Tilt
The camera moves up or down to follow moving obejct to reveal a scene or object in order to fit in a frame. Can be used as establishing Shot too.

Dutch Tilt
Tilting camera off to aside so shot is composed with the horizon at an angle. Used to portray psychological tension.
In BHRAMARAM, Mohanlal getting mad at the end of the movie when he shows the dead body of his family to others.

Tilt Mid shot
Tilting character to show tension as the statue in GLADIATOR while the king is being killedby his son

Angular Tilt
Used in CITY OF GOD when the hen is running and the people chase the hen from the top of a single storeybuilding to bottom

Point of View
To show what the character is looking Can also be used using hand held camera
POV Shots in MUNICH when they go to kill CIA protected terrorist.

Dolly in Zoom out
Taken by Dollying camera In while Zooming Out
The Hotel Scene in movie GOOD FELLAS

Dolly Out Zoom in
Taken by Dollying Camera Out while Zooming In
The entry of Cameroon Diaz and the expression fo Jim Carrey in THE MASK

Zoom Out
In ORRUMINNAMINUNGINDE NURRUNGUVETTAM movie song Poovenam, from bird in cage to three people Parvathi, Nedumudi venu, SHarada in frame

Zoom out Shallow Focus
In ISHTAM movie scene between dilip on phone and nedumudi venu behind the frame

Zoom in
denoting Close ups, Used as transition to another scene
In the movie KITES, the Zoomed visiting card of Casino is used as a transition scene to flash back

Dolly In to High angle shot

When subject is opening an book or packet, the camera is dollied and taken to a high angle shot in order to view what is subject looking
In AYUTHA EZHUTHU, Meera jasmine opening the parcel to take gun

Dolly out to High Angle shot (using crane)

In order to get a view of the artist with respect to surrounding. Used in Action movies.

Hi Dolly in
&
Hi dolly Out

From Overhead, camera moves down and Up . Used in TWILIGHT, while artists lie on the ground.

American Shot
Group of people gathered so all visible to camera. Used to show scenes whent he character goes unconsious and people agther around the artist.The frame shall include all the artists looking down on the actor.

Bird’s eye shot
War scenes are taken normally

Crane Shot
Overall view

Freeze Frame Shot
Acotrs freeze during a performance like walking
Or still shots as in CITY OF GOD when narrator introduces the Trio

Match cut
Matching the action, Linking ideas. A smooth Transition between scenes and elements of meaningful comparison between elements in both shots.
In 2001- A SPACE ODYSSEY, Caveman throws a stick up and changes to Satellite.
Two shots taken.. eg: a person with mobile phone ringing taken from distance and picking the phone taken closer to match the scene

Flash Cut
For example On a table 2 people are sitiing and in next shot, they are having cofee in their hands.
In movie RAAVANA, when police raid the forest to find beera, he escapes in a boat. The scene is taken in flash cuts.

Zoom Cut Shot
Zoom in cut
Zoom out cut

Zooming in and zooming out with BGM

Jump cut scene
Walking down stairs taking too much time, we can take jump cut scene

Straight Cut Shot
The abrupt transition between two shots is straight cut.

Sequence Shot
A sort of Long Take Scene

SnorriCam
It is a camera device ed in film that is rigged to body of actor, facing the actor directly, so when he walks, he does not appear to move, but everything around him does.
in DIL CHAHTHA HAI, this technique is used for Amir khan

Chest mount camera
Used in RAAVANA, when Beera rotates in a boat while having conversation with Aishwarya.

Hand Held Camera
To obtain the point of View shots to bring in originality used in SCHINDLER’s LIST especially in holocaust area.

Over the head conversation
Shot and conversation when the camera is placed over the head.

Over the shoulder conversation
The mosts standard shot and conversation when the camera is placed between the shouldrs and following the golden ule of 180

Angular Over the Shoulder conversation
In an angular manner, camera is placed over the shoulder

Over the body conversation
Usually when the character is sitting and the opposite actor standing , the camera shall be placed over the body of the opposite actor in order to obtain an eyelevel shot of the character sitting.

Face to Face
WHen two actors converse face to face in a frame.

Wipe Conversation
Used in BIG B as two actors Mammotty, Bala come together in the frame with a separator talking to each other but in different locations.

TWO Shot Conversation (zoom out shallow focus method)
RED CHILLIES Style, Mohanlal appearing in the frame and Biju menon in the frame

Panning Conversation
SCHINDLER’s LIST Conversation Actors talking in front of window and moving outside (Medium Close shot) with camera panning to ensure lively conversation

Swish Pan conversation
in AZHUTHA EYUTHU, Conversation among the crowd when Surya declares the candidate for election

Slow Arc conversation
Camera moving around the artist while conversing
USed in RAAVANA, when the starting of discusiion between three brothers after capturing Govinda

Slow Track conversation
Camera moving along with actor while conversing, typically used in investigation movies

Leadroom Conversation
Used in conversation giving more space in the frame when one actor talks to another.

Attenborough style conversation
A variety Dialogue conversation but in frame the opposite actor who is moving towards the subject presenting the dialogue in GANDHI

Manual Focus
Focussing but not with a depth of focus.

Deep Focus
Using large Depth of Field. In deep focus, foreground, middle ground, and back ground all are present.

Shallow Focus
Means focussing a subject, whether in background or foreground resulting in every thing else being thrown out of Focus. This is done to direct viewer's attention to something.

Rack Focus
To shift attention of viewer by changing focus from subject in the d to subject in the background. Also used when Focussing an object and later the subject

Depth of Field
Focussing a particular subject among a group while the others remain blur accompanied after Manual focussing

PAN Manual Focus
Used to Focus on particular characters from a group not visible clearly with the intention to show protagonist. In MAZHAVIL KAVADI, Jayaram points out to Innocent, sreeja.

Lead room shot
Giving space for car moving and thus lead lines . Used to show sport scenes too as there is afrequent movement.

Fast Forward Shot
Increasing the speed of duration of a frame. Accompanied by Dolly, Arc, trucking, tracking shots.
In movie GHOSTHOUSE INN, the starting scene when camera moves around the house and gate in order to invoke a horror feeling

Eco shot
Shot of echo type scene coming after the scene

Window opacity shot
The opacity of window is used to show expressions. In SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, when the body of son arrives to home, the window reflection is used to show mother's tears.

Water wave shot
Image reflection from water
used in PAYASHI RAJA,when heroine travels on acart in the song kunnathe poovinum, the scene starts form the reflection.

Mirror Shot
Using Mirror to show movements and expression as
in MUNICH, the informer travelling in car

Reflection Shot
Used for table glass reflection or any material reflection
in RED CHILLIES, when Mohanlal conversing, his reflection n table is used
MUNICH when hero goes to embassy to collect the money prior to mission.

Mosaic shot
For flash back

Transition Shot
Two video shots joined together is a transition shot
Eg. In SHERLOCK HOLMES movie, Watson getting up and the camera moving up to change the scene for long shot in a market.
In 2001- A SPACE ODYSSEY, Caveman throws a stick up and changes to Satellite.

Dialogue Transition Shot
Eg. In GANDHI, after Gandhi gets idea on civil disobedience on the beach then next scene changes to British officers starting dialogue on Salt as an indication to what gandhi's idea was. Here dialogus is used to link scenes.

Sound Transition Shot
In order to start the next scene provide sound to any item like opening book, moving of car. This should come after silence or slow music. In MUNICH, opening the book by the treasurer is used a s transition.

Property Transition
Linking property of one shot with the next scene

Swish Pan Transition with music
A sudden change of scene to a completely another location can be done by a swish Pan transition. n the movie GOLMAAL RETURNS, each scene is linked to next scene this sort of transition.

Light Transition
Heavy light used to show change of scene. used in AVATAR, in the beggiining when Sam worthington makes a narration and scene changes to his brother
In the closing scene of TITANIC, when the camera goes through ruined ship and suddenly changes original Titanic.

Establishing Shot Transition
Scenes starting with tilting or panning to Master Shot.

Dissolve Transition/ Wipe Transition /Fade Transition
In CITY OF GOD, Rocket and others going to school, and when a car passing through they turn big theryby going to college

Arc Transition
In CITY OF GOD, ROcket's memory goes back into his childhood from the present scenarion when he gets caught between police and Lil dice

Time TRANSITION
In RED CHILLIES, when Biju menon waits near bridge to kill Thilakan

Manual Focus Transition
In ORU NAAL VARUM, the scene starting from Manual focus of Program banner before the song in the auditorium

Comical Transition
Transition from one scene to another based on items or objects in the succeeding scene appearing in the concluding scene eg. In AtHITHI TUM KAB JAOGE

Trunk Shot
Shot from trunk of a car as in PULP FICTION
Also with properties similar to situations

Musical Shot
Certain scenes taken parallel by providing music
The drug taking scene in PULP FICTION, by Travolta usually Slow Motions and Extreme Close ups
In the movie MAZHAVIL KAVADI, Jayaram escaping with Sreeja to register for marriage

Blue Screening
Eg: Through keyhole and camera zooming eyes..
Eg. Editing technique in which person may be indifferent area but shot in another

Multi Take Shot
Different angles for the same shot
In RAVANA, Aishwarya falling from the branches into the riveer.

Look at -Field of view Shot
Eg.Harvey tuning to find Batman gone in DARK KNIGHT

Arc Shot
To move around object in circular motion- eg: Twentieth century fox logo
In CITY OF GOD, ROcket's memory goes back into his childhood from the present scenarion when he gets caught between police and Lil dice

Slow Arc Shot
To move around a character very slowly as in RAAVANAA, when the theree brother start discussion on releasign Govinda

Fast Arc Shot
As discussion between brothers get hotter in RAAVANA, the arc shot turns fast.

Head On Shot
When the action comes straight to the camera
The car falling down from the truck and coming over to the car at the back in KITES

Tail away shot
When the action moves away from camera
In DARK KNIGHT, Batman's Bike moving away from camera after crash.

Pedestal shot
To move vertically the camera as the object like picking up something.. But Not tilting
In SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, the introduction of Tom Hanks inside the vessel from his fingers.

Wipe Shot
One Scene progressively replaces another
In CITY OF GOD, Rocket and others going to school, and when a car passing through they turn big theryby going to college

Fade In and Fade Out
A Transition Shot device for moving one scene to another. A Fade Out is used to end scene.
Particularly used in GODFATHER 1, in order to show the change of scenes.

Dissolve Shots
A gradual transition in which one scene fades out and the other fades in. Usual for passage of time, flash black or a dream In RAAVANA , Aishwarya rai sitting on the steps , camera moving in and then Dissolving shot for Close up

Flip over scene
Used for Memory flashback

Dissolve Zoom Shots
Used to show distress or particular emotionIn RAAVANA , Aishwarya rai sitting on the steps , camera moving in and then Dissolving shot for Close up

Over the shoulder +Dolly
In GLADIATOR , the Emperor king speaking and his movement towards Maxiwell

Arc + dolly
In DEPARTED movie, Police commissioner speaking to Matt Damon about Capello

Moving into Frame style
Object in the frame when characters moving into the frame usually for introducing a character

Over the Shoulder + Hi angle
When a person looking down into well, in order to capture vision for the audience

Aside
Speaking directly to camera as Mohanlal in RAAVANA PRABHU

Coda
Wordless epilogue usually at end of filmIn ORRU MINNAMINUNGINTE NURUNGUVETTAM, scene at the end of movie as Nedumudi venu and Sharada become lonely

Masking
Point of view Shot through binoculars, keyholes etc.

Multi Masking
In RAAVAN , Police Commissioner making holes on photo with cigarrete and film shot through Holes

Motif
An element in a film , a symbol or pattern, a thematic element In NANDANAM , the idol of Sree Krishna being

Set Scene
A scene standing on its own,
eg. Bullet dodging scene in MATRIX

Sight Gag
Silent shot for comedy, in CID MOOSA when the artist falls of the building and is seen lying on the ground.

Soft focus
Filter placed over the camera lens in order to show love scenes etc. eg. In BOMBAY , the love scene between Arvind Swamy and Manisha during the song.

Ghost Shot
Certain scenes where a character appears although physically not present in scene

Darkness Shot
Shot taken from darkness.
SCHINDLER’s LIST, the starting scene of lighting candle
In RAAVAN, opening room to inform the death of sister when Beera is inside on bed

Mani Ratnam Style
Using Natural scene available as Frame, adjusting actors accordingly
From equipments to Master scene or
From other sceneries to Master shot

Quentin Tarantino Style
Car exiting scene in PULP FICTION showing the name of the pub Travolta is heading to

DON style
Dialogue conversation while doing establishing shot before master shot
Used in SUPERMAN 1 movie in the Newspaper Office

PULP FICTION Style Shot
Dialogues with no people in frame, eg. Searching medical book by actor and only dialogues

Cartoon effect
Eg. In ATHITHI TUM KAB JAOGE the scene from cartoon is transformed to Ajay devgan

SHUTTER ISLAND Style
A typical establishing shot when the main object like ship comes visible from dew

Imaginative Shot
Eg. HEY RAM, the love making scene of kamalhassan and vasundhara
SHUTTER ISLAND - Dying of Di caprio’s wife inside the burnt house
RAAVAN, Aishwarya crying for help on island

SCHINDLER’S LIST Shot
Opening the box of moneyby the SS agent.

Crowd Shot
Taken in GANDHI when Gandhi leads the Dandi March. From the protagonist’s Medium Close Shot to Crane shot and then Long Shot of the crowd.

Thrill Shot
In GHOST WRITER Passing of paper with the name of the criminal using BGM
In GODFATHER 1, moving the bed sheet to find the head of horse with BGM

Narrative Style Shot
The scene being depicted when the narration is going on maybe else where as in GODFATHER 1 about Hagen describibng about narcotics dealer or
Starting scene of AVATAR when there is a story narration

DEPARTED Shot
Looking onto the computer to search details on Capello

Montage Shot
Techinque in film editing in which a series of shots are edited into sequence to condense space, time and information
News paper cuttings or pictures to tell history
eg. title in the movie CHAOS

NOTEBOOK Style Shot

Hero lying down and camera moving up and down and rotating

Speilberg Style Shot

Prime minister coming in frame after file is moved in MUNICH

MUNICH Style

Flashback of incident or any events parallel to present scene depicted throughout picture

MUNICH SHOT

Arc shot to Over the shoulder to see the area, colonel looking into the TV in The film MUNICH

PARALLEL SHOTS /Christopher Nolan Style

The DARK KNIGHT , a series of scnes, include Harvey caught, batman trying to catch, Joker escaping etc.. all done parallel

Flashback Style Shot

Used in BIG B for the mother saving children from boat

YUVA Shot

Shot taken from over the head upside down as in song between Vivek Oberoi , Kareena kapoor.

CASINO ROYAL Shot

James Bond opening his eyes in the hospital

ROBIN HOOD shot

Point of view of moving arrow

CITY OF GOD Shot

Using the part of a property to show emotions of a character as can be seen in a shot in the car when she finds her lover being shot

Typical shot used in ANNIYAN with hero’s point of view shot through hair

Used in IN GHOSTHOUSE INN, when Jagadeesh places chicken in the freezer.

CAR SHOTS

Front Car Shot, Back Shot , Two Car Shot

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