Tag: cinematography

Cinematography in Filmmaking

Posted on by Jane Good

There are many fields in the film industry. Director, producer, lighting and camera crew, script writers and much more. A important job that influences the production in film that also creates and develops the visual narrative is cinematography.

So, what is cinematography?

It is the art and technology of motion-picture photography. This involves the lighting and location of a scene, camera choice, lens choice, camera angles and movements, as well as the involvement of any special effects.

Cinematography is important in film by supporting the overall look and mood of a film’s storyline. A cinematographer manages the camera and the lighting crew. they are responsible for creating the look of the scene, colour, lighting, and the framing of every shot in a film.

Some examples of cinematic techniques in filmmaking are:

  • Long shot

  • Close-up shot

  • Point-of-view shot

  • Bird’s-eye shot and more

These are some camera angles that cinematographers use to capture the story being told through different perspective that also cast different moods.

The 5 C’s of Cinematography

  1. Camera Angles – Vital to the stories narrative and the camera positioning helps to drive the story forward
  2. Continuity – To avoid inconsistencies, continuity must be considered in production and media
  3. Cutting – The order and sequence of shots become key in evoking the desired effect upon the audience
  4. Close-ups – Used to allow the viewer access to the intimate details of a characters emotions
  5. Composition – Plays a role in creating a mood and telling a story. Lighting, colours and spacing, among other visual aspects which are crucial in the co position of an image

Cinematography is used in every film and there are a wide range of motion-pictures that have creative cinematic experience. Here are two examples of cinematography in film.

Blade Runner 2049 – Cinematographer Roger Deakins

The attention to detail in the set design allows for long shots for the viewer to take in the atmosphere of the science fiction world with geometric designs. This angle provides a harsher look to the architecture that seems more imposing and unnerving when the characters are dwarfed by it.

The lighting in the film is constantly in motion, there are hardly any stationary light sources. The shift in light creates dynamic and alluring footage without being too distracting. Since the viewer knows what the source of light is, it enhances the reality of the scene.

Moonlight – Cinematographer James Laxton

Laxton uses bold colours and stunning shots to create an emotional experience. The film is driven by the internal conflicts of the characters rater than the plot. To communicate this in a visual way, the camera frames the subject so that they fill the majority of the screen, thus drawing the viewer into the emotional landscape being created. This would be a close up camera shot, it is used for the audience to see the emotional reactions of the characters more intimately.

During the swimming scene when Juan teaches Little to swim, the frame is set up in such a way that the viewer is not only watching this scene but also experiencing the rush of waves and Juan holding Little about the water. As if we, the audience are right next to them.

This is a brief synopsis of cinematography in film, as well as some examples where cinematographers used their creative and innovative thinking to create beautiful and stunning visuals to capture the heart of the story being told.

time lapse video film Canada Photo Production

The Stunning Beauty of Timelapses

Posted on by Tristan

If you have ever seen a timelapse before, there’s a high chance that you were captivated by it or found it somewhat satisfying to look at. It lets us see the impossible or the very hard things to see in the real world. Timelapses are there to make us appreciate various aspects of movement from something as complicated and slow as construction of a building to the slow movements of a plant. 

Timelapse of 2 buildings being built!

How is a timelapse different from a regular video

A timelapse is very different from a video even though it’s just a very sped up video. It gives off a different mood and feeling when sped up. It can make the viewer feel a sense of dread if used in the right way, or perhaps it can be used to feel happy and excited. Timelapses should be used in specific scenarios, but when used correctly, can be an emotional rollercoaster. Timelapses let people see things they have never seen before. A still plant looks normal while a plant moving with purpose and a style can be interesting yet unfamiliar.

What is an appropriate timelapse

There are specific scenarios and times where a timelapse will really work. For a time lapse to be effective, something must be in constant motion. For example, a sunrise or sunset looks really good on a timelapse with the constant motion of the sun and the transition from day to night with natural and manmade lights. Another great example are plants growing. We never see how plants truly move since it’s so slow which is why it’s so fascinating to watch at high speed. 

Here is a good example of a timelapse about a plant growing over 1.5 years!

 

The amount of planning on one timelapse

To first film a timelapse, a lot of planning needs to be done such as the place and time of the shoot. Planning can be more difficult than you might think. First, you will need equipment. Batteries, a tripod, and a camera to get started. With the tripod, it has to be heavy and stabilized. Even a slight gust of wind and a slight shift in the angle would be enough to mess with the timelaps. At least one extra battery will be needed since there is a high chance that the current battery will die due to the amount of energy the camera will take up.

A timelapse also needs planning for the time it will take to film. Depending on the frames per second and how long you want your timelapse to be, it would take hours to film one. Some timelapses can even take a few days or months to get the footage. This is why it’s so important to bring extra batteries if the other battery dies.

 

What makes a timelapse so powerful

When watching a timelapse, you might think or feel something related to the subject of the timelapse. Specifically in story telling, the rapid visualization of things can give the feeling of dread or happiness. It feels familiar yet different. Take clouds for example, we see them in our everyday lives but only when they are moving slowly across the sky. In a timelapse, we get to see the transformation of the cloud and the direction of which it is headed. Another excellent example is construction. Even when our eyes can see a big building, we can only truly see the massive scale through the progress. It opens our eyes to see the big picture in anything and appreciating how beautiful something as simple as movement can be.


Watch as these clouds grow, shrink, and morph into different shapes!

 

 

Here is a great product for creating time lapse panorama videos:

 

360 Degree Panning Rotating Panorama Time Lapse Timer

Subtle Camera Work In The Handmaid’s Tale

Posted on by Jane Good

The Handmaid’s Tale: Season 5 Episode 2 “Ballet” SPOILERS!

An intense start to season 5 of the Handmaid’s Tale, Fred is dead, June is back home in Canada with her family, and Serena is trying to take a stand after her husbands death. What will happen next now that June’s villain is gone?

I was recently watching this season and was moved by how brilliant Elisabeth Moss is as an actress and a director. One specific moment that caught my attention is Fred’s funeral in episode 2 “Ballet” and not just because he is now officially gone. During this scene, the crew added some very subtle details that develop the characters into who they will be in this season but also shocking camera work that had me thinking about it for days.

The costumes were a minor identifier to Serena and Junes characters in this episode. Serena, with her all black attire, representing the bad or evil. June, with her stunning white dress, representing the good. This choice was to establish the roles these women will play, and the conflicts of good vs evil, angel vs devil. This leads into who Serena will become this season.

Another topic I wanted to cover is the end of the funeral scene. Now the funeral was originally supposed to be small and quiet, but Serena demanded the best for her husband, so she suggested a lavish, globally broadcasted affair, for those to witness what Gilead is like to the whole world. Remorseful, merciful, human. Serena walks behind the casket, looking regal and sorrowful. This whole event choreographed for her to look like she has control. Serena does care about her husband, but it is important to note that she had her own motives for this funeral. Mostly for it to pose as a form of revenge.

While the funeral continues, June and Luke are enjoying a day of normalcy. A chance to breathe before their world comes crashing down.

By the end of this episode, we see June and Luke staring up at the broadcast at Yonge-Dundas Square, watching as Serena kisses a young girls forehead. That girl being Hannah, June’s daughter.

This moment had me reeling. I could practically feel Junes anger and desperation through the screen. Now the moment that I want to highlight is at the very end where we see Serena subtly looking down with a smirk, while June is looking up with pure rage on her face. Almost as if they are looking directly at each other.

 

The camera work was brilliant for this scene, it creates mood and displays the shift in power and control between Serena and June. These angles are a psychological manipulator that manipulates our perception. So this camera technique is a low-angle shot, from Serena’s perspective, with a high-angle shot, from June’s perspective. These methods are commonly used in a scene when you want to portray a specific power dynamic between the characters. The person looking down, using a low-angle shot, would seem strong or powerful while the person looking up, using a high-angle shot, would seem vulnerable or powerless. So this angle gives Serena strength, it shows the audience that Serena is something to fear. June, in this moment, is powerless against Serena. She has no control.

Executive producer Warren Littlefield said when talking about this scene, “Serena Joy’s stepping in and getting on the throne, and she’s masterful. She’s powerful. She’s a great chess player.” Further proving that the villain of this season is Serena. Slowly making her way to power by sharing the benefits of Gilead with the rest of this world.

I have not watched the rest of the season, but I am excited to see what other masterful scenes Elisabeth Moss made. Also what the rest of season will bring.

How to properly use gels to colour photos/films

Posted on by Paola Pasqualini

Colour and visual tone are very important when one is shooting a film or photograph. Many times we find ourselves choosing the same lighting set up and will often get stuck in a repetition. In cases where images looks dull and colourless, gel kits become handy tools to correct colour and liven images up. A standard gel kit will come with 20 different sheets – a few specifically for colour correcting and the rest, a range of colours.

This photo shows the different effects of each colour.

In order to successfully use the gels, they have to be placed on specific lights with a precise strength (hard/soft). Although gels have been around for quite some time, people tend to forget the magic they can produce for an image’s entirety.

A lighting set up using a light Cyan Gel, direct flash and a soft box with a Magenta Gel.

The combinations become endless when mixing and matching different gels and techniques together. The possibilities become endless too when using different equipment – you can mix strobes and flashes, try various light modifiers, use soft boxes and reflectors to bounce of specific colours. Another way one can experiment with gels is using different shutter speeds to create traces of color. For example the following photo slowed down its shutter speed to create this specific look:

 

Colour gels also come in handy when trying to create surreal looks that resemble fantasy. Instead of relying on effects done in post, adding gels to the set can create more natural occurring colour.

cinematography, colour, colourcorrection, film, gaffer, gels, grip, light, lighting, photo, photographic, photography, ringlight, surrea   

In any case on a set shoot, having gels in sight is always a good idea, aside from colour correcting an image, gels can help to add life to dull visuals.  The kits themselves usually range from $75 – $100 but separately come to no more than $6 each, depending on quality and colour.