Cinematography

Film Studies
Chinese International School
Y10 MYP
2009-2010
What is Cinematography?
What is Cinematography?
The art and technique of motion
picture photography, including
both the shooting and
developing of film.
A cinematographer’s concerns?
 Film Stock
 Film Gauge
 Colour
 Lighting
 Camera Lenses
 Camera distances, angles & movements
(techniques)
 Special effects
Film Stock
 Unexposed and unprocessed motion-
picture film
 Slow film stock – detailed image
 Fast film speed – documentary feel
 Influences the film’s finished look,
including: - Sharpness of detail
- Range of light & shadow
- Quality of colour
Film Stock

Fast film stock produces a gritty,
monochromatic look.
From ‘Wo De Fu Qin, Mu Qin’ (‘The Road Home’),
Zhang Yimou, 1999
Slow film stock produces a sharper,
more detailed effect.
From ‘Wo De Fu Qin, Mu Qin’ (‘The Road Home’), Zhang
Yimou, 1999
Film Gauge (width)
 The wider the film gauge the sharper the
projected image
 Most common gauge is 35mm;
 Films are sometimes shot on 16mm and
enlarged onto 35mm film to enhance
grainy effect.
Film Gauge

Blown up from 16mm to 35mm film Shot directly on 35mm film

‘Yi Ge Dou Bu Neng Shao’ (‘Not One Less’) Zhang Yimou, ‘Shi Mian Mai Fu’ (‘House of Flying Daggers’ Zhang Yimou, 2004
1999
Colour
 Colour associations vary from culture to culture;
 A colour’s impact depends on context – where
and how colour is used;
 In most societies, reds, oranges & yellows = hot,
dangerous, assertive. Greens, blues, violets =
control, reason, sadness, melancholy;
 Colour can be saturated (intense, vivid) or
desaturated (muted, dull).
Colour

Reds, oranges & yellows = hot, dangerous, Greens, blues, violets = control, reason, sadness,
assertive melancholy;

‘Ying Xiong’ (‘Hero’), Zhang Yimou, 2002 ‘Ying Xiong’ (‘Hero’), Zhang Yimou, 2002
Lighting
 There are 2 types of light:
- Hard – generally unflattering – focused
spotlight / midday sunlight;
- Soft – flattering – reflects off a surface /
magic hour ( 20 minutes before
dawn and 20 mins after sunset)
Lighting

Hard lighting highlights Soft lighting softens border between light and shadow
shadows and flaws
‘Man Cheng Jin Dai Huang Jin Jia’ (‘Curse of the Golden Flower’) 2007

‘Qiu Ju de Gu Shi’ (‘The Story of Qiu Ju’) 1992

Lighting
 3-point lighting – 3 lights used for every major
subject: key light (main), fill light (reduces
contrast), back light (defines)
 Low-key lighting
- little illumination on subject
- reinforces dramatic / mysterious effect
 High-key lighting
- bright illumination of subject
- enhances cheerful mood
Lighting

High-key lighting

‘Man Cheng Jin Dai Huang Jin Jia’ (‘Curse

Low-key lighting of the Golden Flower’) 2007

‘Yao Yao Yao, Yao dao Wai Po Qiu’ (‘Shanghai Triad’) 1995
Lenses
 3 basic types of lenses:
- Wide angle (e.g. 28mm on 35mm) Emphasizes
distances, deep focus, speed up movement to &
from camera;
- Normal (e.g. 50mm on 35mm)
What the eye would see
- Telephoto (e.g. 200mm on 35mm)
Planes appear closer, shallow focus, slow down
movement to & from camera.
Lenses
Wide-angle lens emphasizes distances because it causes all planes
to appear farther away from the camera.
 
‘Shi Mian Mai Fu’ (‘House of Flying Daggers’), Zhang Yimou, 2004

Normal lens creates an image the normal eye would see.

‘Qian Li Zou Dan Qi’ (‘Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles’), 2005 Telephoto lens creates shallow focus.

‘Da hong Deng Long Gao Gao Gua’ (‘Raise the Red Lantern’) 1991
Focus
 Deep focus – wide angle lens or small
lens aperture

 Shallow focus – telephoto lens or large

lens aperture
Diffusion
 A diffuser (nylon stocking, frosted glass,
silk etc.) placed in front of the camera lens
or a light source softens an image’s
resolution.
What is the 180 degree rule?
What is the 180 degree rule?
The camera must remain on the
same side of an imaginary line,
perpendicular to the camera's
viewpoint, from which the
establishing shot is taken.
180 degree rule
What is the Rule of Thirds?
What is the Rule of Thirds?
Rule of thirds divides the frame into thirds
both horizontally and vertically.

The points where the vertical and horizontal

lines cross are aesthetically pleasing spots
to place subjects or to have perspective
lines converge.
Rule of Thirds

Rule of thirds: Note how the horizon falls close to the Here, tthe horizon falls close to the top grid line. The figures
bottom grid line, and how the dark areas are in the left third, are are in the left third, the shops and pavement in the right
the overexposed in the right third. third.

Source: www.wikipedia.com ‘Huoze’ (‘To Live’), Zhang Yimou, 1995