“I want you to create the first shot of the rest of your film making lives” Paul

Restrictions:

• The focal length has to be 12mm.
• The shot can only be 10 seconds long.
• You can only have 1 take.

Our first practical exercise for True to Form and I have absolutely no idea what I’m gonna film. We have been grouped together so I have strategically let everyone go first hoping that it will spark an idea for me. The hallway! I’ll use the hallway, I decided to get Ryan a fellow classmate to be my subject. I decided to frame him in the centre of the frame letting the lines of the hallway draw the eye to the doors at the end of the hall. As Ryan walked down the hallway he is sucked into the centre of the frame.

Execution & Reflection

These restrictions may at first have seemed to have really made it hard for myself and group members to compose there shots but I can see that the whole point of the exercise was to really think about the composition. What are you trying to show (Or not show) in your shot? These are the questions you need to think about before you press record. In regards to execution, with some explanation people might look back at my shots and think hmm, ok yeah I see what he was trying to do, but I feel like the majority of people at first glance would just be like “Meh”. So if I was to have a second chance at the same idea (Utilising the same space) I will bring the camera to the same level of the subject and frame them to the right hand side. I will still use the lines of the hallway to draw the eye. I feel like this gives a more dynamic shot for the subject we feel more connected to the sequence.

 

What about everyone else what did they film?

Upon looking back at the footage in class Paul gave us some critical feedback about our shots. He kept coming to the same conclusion on most of the shots and that was we were not using the Rule of Thirds. I knew about this technique before but I honestly had never really put too much thought into it when I composed my shot. Some of the shots from the class that gave me this “Ah Ha!” moment about the Rule of Thirds were from the following shots.

Paul gave us some critical feedback as a group on what we had filmed. He kept coming back to the same conclusion, The Rule of Thirds. I know of the concept (the image is cut into three equal halves horizontally and three equal halves vertically intersecting to give us 9 equal squares. Composing your subject on the intersecting lines.) but i do admit that i didn’t give it any thought when i composed my shot. I will research this concept further and continue to use it in my upcoming shots this semester.

“Ah Ha” Moments

Upon review of other students work in class, i was really inspired.

• The rule of thirds
• Highlights & Shadows
• Negative space
• Vertical lines
• Movement

 

 

 

“Ah Ha” These are all concepts i should be utilising in my use of composition. I will strive to become more knowledgeable of these techniques and concepts. So until next time this is Lance signing off.