3D Camera Techniques: April 2013

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Contrast and Affinity:

1st shot - deep
2nd shot - deep
3rd shot - flat

Plenty of creative 180 switches/cuts here
Everything here is ying/yang -

Morpheous wears black, neo white.
Morpheous' gestures are subdued, neon's elaborate
Neo's camera into shot pushes in (to suggest he is the learner, the absorber)
M's shot pulls out (to suggest he is the teacher, and has info to give)

http://movieclips.com/RQv5A-the-island-movie-good-job/

Shaky cam everywhere!!!
Note the many ways the directors frame the train wheels flying off the flatbed. Variety and contrast = visual intensity!
Note how the quick pacing in the beginning is contrasted by the slow pacing at the end, where the bad guy's vehicle is destroyed.

http://movieclips.com/dSF4-bolt-movie-scooter-chase/

Breakdown first 1:30 - note camera moves, framing, pacing.
Note how the camera moves, follows, starts, stops, etc
Note the surprises the camerawork allows the audience to experience
Note how the camera stops moving after certain portions of the chase, allowing the actors to keep moving in the frame and the audience to rest and absorb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lOaV06ruMqg

The camera leads Loiotta's character to Deniro
The zolly (zoom + dolly) changes the perspective and suggests that the relationship between the two characters has just changed
The zolly also puts the audience in a strange space, specially...similar to what Loiotta's character is going through.

http://movieclips.com/Yk4A-zodiac-movie-the-diner/

Gyllenhal's character uses the salt and pepper shakers to illustrate the abstract geometry of the crime scene they are talking about.
The waitress delivers the check at the moment Ruffalo's character realizes who the killer is.
This helps emphasize the beat - check please = realization that the case is solved!

http://movieclips.com/xdVp-the-social-network-movie-i-deserve-some-recognition/

the cuts in the first sequence are matched to the rhythm of the accusations
Zuckerberg is centered in all of the shots, and everything in the room is used as a means of zeroing in on him

http://movieclips.com/WSZRr-midnight-in-paris-movie-pseudo-intellectual/

woody allen intentionally separates the two actors in this shot to show the divide between them
Owen Wilson's character is a blurred reflection in the shot featuring the girlfriend
Are these characters being brought together or pushed apart?

http://movieclips.com/CqfDv-amelie-movie-love-at-first-sight/

This sequence features some really really really lovely camera moves
The moves of both the camera and actors tends to be upwards, complementing the uplifting feeling of being in love

http://movieclips.com/cHS6-amelie-movie-helping-a-blind-man/

The pacing in the beginning of the sequence is slow - this is the setup.
The pacing during the blind man walk sequence is quick - suggesting the fleeting glimpses the blind man is getting from Amelie

Group boarding exercise - start to 1:25

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Notes on space in film

SPACE

Deep
- offers illusion of 3d depth on a 2d screen
- no real depth in screen space, illusion is conveyed through depth cues
  - perspective - 1, 2, and 3 point (draw buildings)
    - perspective creates VANISHING POINTS and LONGITUDINAL PLANES
    - Audience's eye will be usually drawn to and on-screen vanishing point (
      - draw railroad tracks)
      - draw two vanishing planes, with actor on outside, then actor on inside, at VP. Compare the two.
  - size difference
    - separating objects/actors into FG, MG and BG helps create depth
  - movement
    - moving parallel to the picture plane:
      - objects further away will appear to move slower across screen
      - objects closer will appear to move faster
      - draw track runners to demonstrate
    - moving perpendicular to picture plane
      - objects appear to move faster the closer they are to the camera
  - camera movement
    - dolly in/out = moving camera closer or farther from the subject
    - draw scene with FG actor and two BG actors, then dolly in
    - FG actor will get larger faster
    - tracking shot - camera dollies left/right
    - with one FG and three BG actors, FG actor appears to move faster horizontally in screen space.
    - crane shot - camera is moved vertically up or down.
    - same FG/BG actor combo - FG actor will drop out of frame faster than BG guys
  - Textural diffusion
    - objects that are closer to the camera will have more visible texture
  - Arial diffusion
    - fog
    - must have objects affected and unaffected in both the same shot in order to be an effective depth cue
  - Tonal separation
    - light objects generally appear closer, dark objects generally recede
    - can also be reverse, depending on lighting and arial diffusion
  - Color seperation
    - warm colors generally appear to be closer
    - cool colors generally appear to be further away
  - Up/Down position
    - objects lower in the frame appear to be closer than objects higher in the frame (maybe because they appear more accessible?)
  - Overlap
    - overlapping objects in the frame create depth
  - Focus
    - blur vs sharp
Flat
- emphasizes the 2d aspects of the screen space
- flat cues:
  - frontal planes and NO LONGITUDINAL PLANES
  - size consistency
  - movement
    - movement parallel to picture plane = good
  - camera movement - pans, tilts and zooms
    - help emphasize flat space because the relative distance between/size of objects does not change in the shot.
  - textural affinity
    - same amount of textural detail
  - reduced tonal seperation
  - reduced color separation (affinity of color)
  - reduced overlapping shapes
  - inverted depth cues
    - inverting or reversing depth cues can help flatten deep space
      - tone: placing brighter obis in the BG and darker ones in the FG
      - color: warm BG, cool FG
      - textural diffusion: make BG obis have more texture and FG ones have less
      - size difference: place larger objs farther away, and small ones closer.
Limited
- combo of deep and flat space cues
Ambiguous
- occurs when viewer is unable to understand the actual size/spatial relationships between objects in the frame
  - lack of movement -
  - objects of unknown size or shape
  - tonal and textural camouflage
  - mirrors and reflections
  - disorienting camera angles

DEEP SPACE
- dramatic
- exciting
- edgy
- can be used to release tension
FLAT SPACE
- calming
- comedic
- disarming
- can be used to build tension/claustrophobia and awkwardness
- wes anderson!
LIMITED
- combo of both
AMBIGOUS
- mysterious
- disorienting
- chaotic

Movie Clips!

Tons and tons and tons of viewable clips from amazing films....all on youtube!!!

http://www.youtube.com/movieclips

Sneakers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coDtzN6bXAM&feature=share&list=PL1E9342504260D7F2

This scene involves two characters having a conversation about changing the world. As the sequence begins, we realize that they are under surveillance. They move to a smaller room to continue the dialog.
First two shots are closeups of the actors, then we go to wide shots as the actors lead us into the "safe" area. The camera pulls back to a very wide shot, before cutting inside the room to a series of closeups and OTS shots.
The color scheme changes as the characters enter the "safe" area. Blue is used for the area where they can't talk out loud, red and neutral are used in the safe area.
The tone changes as well. Unsafe area = dark tones, safe area = bright tones.
The "safe" area is where Ben Kingsley's character explains his seemingly benevolent plan to Redford's character.

Cider House Rules

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JES2fQLPoGU&feature=share&list=PL1E9342504260D7F2

This is a time-lapse sequence involving Toby M's character reading through a series of letters he has received/sent.
Fades are used to signify the passage of time between shots.
In addition, at the end of each shot, the focal element in the shot is framed in a way that it spacially overlaps the focal element in the NEXT shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzfQ2Bwhkcc&list=PL1E9342504260D7F2&index=116

This is a moment of discovery for the main character. He is about to discover a nautilus shell, which will inspire him to mathematically decode the stock market.
The first shots are super-high contrast in tone.
The shots are also ambiguous in their framing. We are in a disorienting, yet inspiring space with the character.
As the sequence continues, we are put into a more recognizable space, when the main character sees the treasure hunter inspecting the nautilus shell.
Note how the director chooses to SHOW the main character LOOKING at the hunter/nautilus shell, and then cross cuts to shots of what he is looking at.

Jurassic Park 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7tNqjsclhs&list=PLF4CD53B8ECA3BB87&index=1

Tons of deep space in this shot.
The camera work during the dino fight is made to feel as though a documentary filmmaker is there. Just enough camera movement to sell the presence of the camera, not so much to distract from the animation.
There are several shots where one element is in the shot (human running away), and they react to something off-screen (falling dino), which then enters the frame. Very cool!

The Shining

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMbI7DmLCNI

The flatness of the shot = super awkward.
Going from framing Danny far away to super closeup = awkward/jarring
Letting Danny lead the camera around the corner to reveal the girls heightens the audience's suspense.
Danny's sweater is one of the most color saturated elements in the scene - blood red
The close up non-moving camera on Danny's reaction to the girls heightens the horror - he is literally paralyzed with fear.

Frame Still sites

http://www.hitchcockwiki.com/wiki/1000_Frames_of_Hitchcock

http://mikegrost.com/zmath.htm

http://image-par-image.blogspirit.com/

http://evanerichards.com/

3D Camera Techniques

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Free Rigs!

Free 3d Model sites

Rhythm and Pacing

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Notes on space in film

SPACE

Movie Clips!

Frame Still sites