Planning for Cinematography

Planning for Cinematography

Cinematography is the art of photography and camera work in film-making is and the science of motion picture photography. It is the technique of film photography, including both the shooting and development of the film. The cinematographer could also be referred to as the film director's main visual collaborator. Cinematography is important in any scene as it can help to set the scene and develop a relationship with the characters involved and shows each characters individual status and dominance in the relationship, which enables the audience to have an insight of the narrative and the background on each character. 


Panning

The first use of cinematography my group has decided to use is a Panning Shot. This is when the camera is positioned on the tripod, which moves from side to side as it follows an object or person.  We will use this when the two girls are sitting down watching the news report, then the camera will pan around the room revealing the dark, shadowed figure walking across the window. Secondly. we will use this to show a panning shot of the isolated forest, then the masked antagonist appears at the end of the shot. We will use this shot as it gives the audience an insight of what may happen within the opening sequence when they see the masked antagonist walking past the window, the audience will begin to question how does the antagonist know where the victims live, and how does he know them keeping them on the edge of their seats to find out these details. Furthermore, we will use this technique to pan the isolated forest as this shows just exactly how isolated and in the middle of nowhere the setting really is. This helps the audience to build a relationship with the victims as they imagine themselves in this situation, if they are in danger and there is nowhere to escape to, so how scared a young, vulnerable victim must be. This technique is conventional to the thriller genre as it can create many affects for the audience. The main affect it will create for our target audience is enigma, as at both points it creates a mystery as the audience are thinking many questions about the scene of what and why the antagonist is at the exact same place as the victims.

High Angle

Another cinematography technique that we will use is a high angled shot. We have decided that we will use this when the two girls are entering the forest for the first time, and at another point when the vulnerable victim is tied up to the tree, as though the antagonist is looking down on him. The angle used will display the vulnerability of both the two young girls, and the young boy as the camera makes the victim look smaller and inferior to the other character just by simply positioning the camera and the tripod differently. By doing this, this helps to give the impression that something or someone is standing over the victim illustrating to the audience who has more dominance and a higher status between the characters. This helps the audience to build a relationship with the victim as they can only imagine themselves in her situation and how they would be feeling if they were them. High angles are conventional to the thriller genre as it shows the victims for how vulnerable they are and this is the first moment when the audience realises they could potentially become hurt or in danger, with nowhere to escape to. This makes the audience want to continue watching on as they want to know what is going to happen to the character they have built a relationship with.

Low Angle

Another technique that we will use is a low angle shot which we will use when the young boy is sitting tied up to the tree, looking up at the masked antagonist. We will also use this when the two girls enter the forest. By doing this, the camera angle helps the audience to acknowledge who is the dominant character within the situation. For example, with the boy looking up at the masked antagonist this immediately gives the impression that they boy is weak and vulnerable, as the low angle shot has made the antagonist appear larger and taller, towering over the boy. Secondly, as the girls enter the forest with a low angle, the forest and scenery around it appears much larger as though any one who enters the forest automatically has jeopardized their safety and well being. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it helps to build a relationship between the victim and the audience as the audience can sense the fear and threat imposed on the victim, making the audience sympathetic. 

Close Up

Another technique that myself and my group will use is a close up shot. We will use this technique to display the emotions and feelings of our characters throughout the thriller opening sequence. The use of close up on of the characters face will help to show the emotion of the character and how they are feeling towards another individual character within the scene. An example of this is to show the girls immediately after they have just spotted the masked antagonist for the first time. The close up will enable the audience to show how worried and frightened the girls are yet how shocked the are at the same time about what they have just seen. This helps to build a relationship between the victims and audience as the audience can see how fearful and scared the two girls are, so they can not help but imagine themselves in this situation and how they would be feeling. This is conventional to the thriller genre as the expressions help the audience know what is going on within the scene and how the characters are feeling, making the audience want to continue to watch on. 


Long Shot

We have also decided within our group to use a long shot. We will use this when the two characters begin to walk down the long road, showing the isolated setting. As the characters continue walking down the road, the camera will also follow the characters, this is to give the impression that the girls are being followed by the antagonist, as the shot is a long shot it shows the isolated setting, in which they are being followed in, adding tot he danger element, fearing for the characters safety. Along with the technique of a long shot, the camera will also be hand held, giving it a raged effect, further adding to the impression that someone is behind them, not only creating a sense of enigma but also creating tension as the audience will fear for the girls safety.

Point of View

Another use of cinematography we will use is a point of view shot. We will use this when the girls have entered the forest, have now heard rustling from the bushes and trees and are looking around after they have found a boy roped up. By using the point of view shot, this enables the audience to see what the characters are also seeing, creating suspense and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats as they are watching on to see what is going to happen.




Shallow Focus

Another technique me and my group discussed using was the use of a shallow focus shot. This is when there is a clearer focus on an object nearer the camera, so the audience focuses mainly on this object or person with the background blurred slightly. We will use this technique when the two girls are left standing at the end after having screaming after seeing the masked antagonist. The two girls will be slightly blurred as the audience know that it is them screaming, and the focal point will be the antagonist standing further back, but central of them. This is significant to the opening sequence as it shows the destruction and devastation that this antagonist is causing for many people, and how even after the events he will still be a memory and will never leave. We will also use this technique when the antagonist is burning pictures of his victims. The image will be the focal point of the scene whilst the background is blurred so nothing is distracting the audience of the main part of the scene. The blurry backgrounds could also represent the fact that the antagonist is not thinking clearly, and has not for sometime as he would not being carrying out this task in the first place. This helps to create a relationship between the audience and the victims as the audience sympathise for the victims as they are innocent and haven't done anything wrong to deserve this. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it keeps the audience engaged as the entire scene using the shallow focus is focusing one point which the audience realise is a clue or an insight of what is going to happen on further in the film.

Planning is required when choosing which cinematography techniques we want to include within our opening thriller sequence. This is because it gives the group an idea of what we would like to include in our opening thriller sequence. Not only does it give us a chance to know what we would like to add, but it also allows us to expand on each others own individual thoughts and ideas to get a better final result and broaden our ideas as much as possible. Once this is done it is then beneficial as once it comes to filming our opening thriller sequence, we can continue straight to the filming stage without having to think of new, original ideas to include and saves time.