Camera Shots

I have looked at a number of Art House films and I have noticed that numerous different shots are effective when promoting different ideas and emotions. As I have created a short film I have only had at most ten minutes to make the narrative, genre and characterization clear. This has meant that I have had to think carefully about every camera angle used.  

After looking through my notes and story board I decided that 3 sections of my film were vital. I have tried shooting each of these 3 sections in a number of different ways to see which shot types were most effective.

CLOSE UPS 

Throughout my piece I’ve used numerous of close ups, such as a close up of my female protagonists lips while exchanging dialogue, which are key conventions of art house films. Using lots of close ups would make my film seem authentic and more like an Art house film. I believed that this would help make the piece feel more personal for the audience as close ups create a sense of intimacy between the actors and the viewers. I also feel close ups make the piece emotional for the audience and help when it comes to empathy towards the characters as we are able to see the expressions of the actors more clearly.

I had considered using wide shots for a lot of the film particularly the arguments as I felt this would create a hazy feel that would symbols the characters confused recollection; and their vulnerability to it, due to their positioning in the frame. After shooting both ways I felt that close ups looked much better. Without numerous close ups the film looked more like an attempt at a documentary rather than an art house film.  

CUTS BETWEEN LONG AND SHORT SHOTS

I used a mix between long shots and short shots which really helps with the surreal sense of the film because it makes the film seem trance or dream like which is a perfect symbolism for the protagonists mental illness. I also felt that this mix of shots showed the different emotions the protagonist feels. The short shots are intended to show panic and discomfort at the memories of the relationship going wrong and the long shots show a element of longing and obsession as she is obsessed with the mistakes made and the way they ruined a happy relationship. If I used entirely short shots it gave the film a panic sense to it and made it seem more like a horror film due to the conventions we would see with shot times. Entirely long followed conventions of love and drama films, however, it diluted the films dramatic power which could lose the attention of the audience affecting their emotive response to the film. 

To make sure that their was a perfect balance between long and short shots in my film when using a slow motion camera shot, say of a candle flame flickering, I paired this with a cut to a fast motion shot, such as a photo being burnt.

360 DEGREE CAMERA SHOTS

360 degree shots perfectly capture prolonging emotions and ideas which made this a key shot when filming my argument. This shot was also effective in my piece due to the fact that the cycler motion gives a hazy/dizzy feel to the shot symbolizing my female protagonists depression with the slowness symbolizing her distress and agony. The shot delivered to the audience that this fight was a constant conflict which helped the audience better understand the narrative of the piece and deliver background information that would be needed. Also, the 360 degree shot gives the audience an idea of the cyclical nature of the relationship due to the repeated cyclical motion of the camera itself.