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Production Basics

Terms in this set (31)

Cinematography
"writing in movement"
The creative process of capturing a scene or action with a motion picture camera
• Exposure
• Frame Rate
• Focal Length
• Focus & Depth of Field
• Framing & Camera Position
• Camera Movement
Cinematographer
The person on a film crew who collaborates with the director on the photography of the film
• Makes creative and technical decisions regarding the camera and lighting
• Manages the camera and lighting teams
• Also known as the "Director of Photography" or "DP"
Exposure
The control of the amount of light that reaches each frame of film
Aperture
An opening within a camera lens that light travels through
• The aperture can be made larger or smaller to control the amount of light that enters the camera
• The size of the aperture is measured in f/stops
Frame Rate
The number of frames of film exposed per second
• Standard Motion Picture Frame Rate is 24 frames per second (fps)
• The illusion of movement is created onscreen when these still frames are projected back at 24 fps
Increasing or decreasing the frame rate can effect how the speed of motion appears on screen
Normal Motion
The rate of shooting matches the rate of projection
• Shooting Rate- 24 fps
• Projection Rate- 24 fps
• Motion- Normal
Slow Motion
Film is exposed at a rate faster than projection
• Shooting Rate- 60 fps
• Projection Rate- 24fps
• Motion- Slow
• Also referred to as a "High Frame Rate" or "Overcranking"
Fast Motion
Film is exposed at a rate slower than projection
• Shooting Rate- 12 fps
• Projection Rate- 24 fps
• Motion- Fast
• Also referred to as a "Low Frame Rate" or "Undercranking"
Ramping
Changing the frame rate during a single shot
• Shooting Rate- 24 to 60 to 24 fps
• Projection Rate- 24fps
• Motion- Normal to Slow to Normal
SHOOTING RATE/ PROJECTION RATE/ MOTION
24 fps/ 24 fps/ Normal
60 fps/ 60 fps/ Normal
60 fps/ 24 fps/ Slow
16 fps/ 24 fps/ Fast
24 fps to 60 fps to 24 fps/ 24fps/ Normal to Slow to Normal (Ramping)
Freeze Frame
Post-production effect that halts motion on screen
• Created by reprinting the same frame over and over
Focal Length
The distance in millimeters (mm) from the optical center of the lens to the film plane
• Focal length is not a measurement of the physical length of the lens itself
Short Focal Length
A lens 35mm or less
• Field of View- Wide
• Depth- Expands or exaggerates the distance between foreground and background
• Tend to visually distort objects in frame, particularly straight lines
• Also known as "Wide Angle" or "Short" lens
Medium Focal Length
A 50mm lens
• Field of View- Similar to Human Eye
• Not too wide and not too narrow
• Depth- Neither expands or compresses the distance between foreground and background
• Avoids distortion
• Also known as "Normal" or "Medium" lens
Long Focal Length
A lens 100mm or greater
• Field of View- Narrow
• Depth- Compresses or flattens the distance between foreground and background
• Avoids distortion
• Also known as "Telephoto" or "Long" lens
Zoom Lens
A lens with a focal length that can be changed during a shot
• As the focal length changes the field of view and depth perspectives will also adjust
Depth of Field
The distance between closest and farthest objects in an image that appear acceptably sharp
Framing
The use of the edges of the film frame to select and compose what will be visible onscreen
Aspect Ratios
The relationship of the frame's width to its height
Camera
•1.31:1 (square)
•1.85:1 (rectangular normal)
•2.35:1 (rectangular musical-esque)

Projection
4:3 (square)
16:9 (HD)
Camera Position
Distance (Shot Size of Human Body)
• Extreme Long Shot
• Long Shot
• Medium Long Shot
• Medium Shot
• Medium Close Up
• Close Up
• Extreme Close Up
Speed / Velocity
A camera movement can be
• Slow Speed
• Medium Speed
• Fast Speed
Direction
A camera can move in 2-Dimensions or 3-Dimensions
2D Movement
• Pan
• Tilt
• Zoom
3D Movement
• Tracking Shot
• Crane
• Zolly (Dolly Zoom)
Pan
Camera rotates on a vertical axis
Tilt
Camera rotates on a horizontal axis
Zoom
Change in focal length
Tracking Shot
Camera changes position in any direction along the ground
• Includes Dolly, Steadicam & Handheld Shots
• Right or Left
• Forward or Backward ("In or Out")
• Diagonally
• Circles
Crane
Entire camera rises or descends in any direction above ground level
• Includes Helicopter, Airplane & Drone shots
• Zolly (Dolly Zoom)
Long Take
A single shot that maintains continuity of time and space, uninterrupted for a specific duration
• Alternative to a series of shots
• Long takes often have their own internal trajectory and development
• Consider- How does a long take evolve/progress?
What are 3 things that control light in a camera
ISO (gain), shutter speed, aperture (f-stop)
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