The Art of Technique

CONTENTS Preface = xiii 1 Interpretation and Treatment = 1 Interpretation = 1 Treatment of the Subject = 1 Determining Purpose = 2 Discovering Theme = 3 Employing Technique = 5 Exercising Imagination and Originality = 5 Virtual Reality = 6 Treating Reality in Documentary = 6 Intention = 7 The Written Treatment = 7 Interpreting the Script = 8 Personal Style = 7 2 Ideas = 15 The Storytellers = 15 Conflict and Mood = 15 Jack the Giant Killer = 16 Prince and the Pauper = 16 Clash of the Titans = 16 The Peacemaker = 17 Triumph of Courage = 17 Tempting Fate = 17 Role Reversals = 17 Fish Out of Water = 18 Strange Bedfellows = 18 Buddy Pictures and Love Stories = 18 Ship of Fools = 18 The Quest = 19 Portraiture = 19 Stories = 20 Your Experiences = 20 Other Sources for Story Ideas = 22 Stories for Episodic Television = 22 Inspiration = 23 Lack of Inspiration = 23 Research = 24 Story Research = 24 Location Research = 25 Library Research = 25 Interviewing = 25 Synthesizing Research = 27 Visualization = 28 Motif and Symbols = 28 3 Point of View = 31 The Points of View = 31 POV Shots = 31 Perspective of the Storyteller = 32 First Person = 32 Second Person = 34 Third Person = 35 Character Point of View = 36 Attitude = 39 The Audience's Point of View = 43 Defining the Audience = 44 4 Story Structures = 47 The Rules of the Game = 47 Beginning, Middle, and End = 48 The Beginning = 48 The Middle = 49 The End = 50 Rising Action = 50 The Inciting Incident = 50 The Crisis = 51 The Point of No Return = 51 The Climax = 52 A-Story and B-Story(Plots and Subplots) = 53 Other Formats = 53 Skits = 53 A Day in the Life = 54 Portraiture = 54 A Special Place = 54 Constructing the Structure = 54 Structuring an Idea = 55 Log Lines : The TV Guide Version = 55 Beats : The Story Steps = 56 Structuring the Production = 62 A Real-Time Medium = 62 Pauses = 63 Creating Expectation = 63 Pacing = 66 Reminders = 66 Sequences : The String of Pearls = 67 5 Mood = 71 Treatment of Mood = 73 Location and Setting = 73 Color, Texture, and Design = 75 Lighting = 76 Camera Framing, Angles, and Movement = 79 Lens Focal Length = 83 Editing = 84 Montage = 85 Sound = 86 Sound Effects = 88 Voice = 88 Performance : Talent and Direction = 89 Putting It All Together = 89 Harmony of Mood = 93 6 Characterization and Portraiture = 95 A Question of Balance = 95 The Quest for Personality = 97 Physical Features = 97 Sociological Situations = 99 Psychological Profile = 103 Vitality and Power = 104 Lasting Relationships = 104 Secondary Characters = 106 Making Vital Characters = 107 The Treatment of Character in Production = 107 Preproduction : Casting = 107 Production = 108 Setting／Arena = 109 Props = 110 Other Characters, Narration, and Commentary = 111 First Action = 112 Lighting = 114 Image Size and Camera Movement = 115 Portraying Characters = 117 7 Mise en Scene and Design = 119 The Philosophy of Mise en Scene = 119 The Material Content of Shots = 119 The Production Elements of Mise en Sc$$\grave e$$ne = 120 Evocative Locations and Photographic Opportunities = 120 Creating a Catalog of Visuals = 123 Visual Storytelling = 124 The "Look" of the Production = 125 Designing the Frame = 126 Shooting Mise en Scene = 127 Day Exteriors = 127 Night Exteriors = 128 Interiors = 129 Set Dressings and Props = 131 Costumes = 134 Lighting = 135 Contrast Ratio = 138 Lighting Ratio = 138 Hard and Soft Lighting = 141 Design = 145 Techniques for Interpretation = 149 8 Using the Camera for Interpretation = 151 Lensing the Image = 151 The Eye of the Beholder = 151 Inside the Fourth Wall = 152 Visual Variety = 152 Camera Placement = 153 Framing = 153 Wide, Medium, and Close-Up Shots = 153 Angles = 159 Frontal Angles = 160 High and Low Angles = 162 Focal Length = 165 Short Focal Length = 166 Normal Focal Length = 170 Long Focal Length = 172 Focal Length and Portraiture = 175 Camera Movement = 177 The Moving Point of View = 178 Specific Compositions = 178 Motivating the Move = 179 Executing the Move = 180 Complex Moves = 181 Camera Mountings = 182 The Hand-Held Camera = 182 Tripods = 183 Dollies = 184 Composition = 185 Dynamic Composition = 185 Rule of Thirds = 188 The Compositional Triangle = 188 Point of View = 192 9 Editing for Interpretation = 195 Salvaging the Production = 195 Creating Materials to Edit = 196 Shooting for Continuity Editing = 196 Jump-Cuts = 197 Off-Screen and On-Screen Action = 198 Cutaways and Cross-Cutting = 201 Cut-Ins or Inserts = 207 The Match-Cut = 209 Intentional Jump-Cuts = 214 Orchestrating Continuity = 214 Shooting Strategies for Editing = 215 Master Scene = 215 By-Threes = 216 Multiple Camera = 217 A Marriage of Styles = 217 Shooting for Montage Editing = 217 Montage Theory = 218 Montage Editing = 218 American Montage = 219 Rhythm = 221 Patterns of Three = 222 POV and Other Setups = 222 Confusion Versus Mystery = 223 10 Lighting for Interpretation = 225 Lighting Designs Versus Lighting Setups = 226 High-Key and Low-Key Lighting Designs = 226 Lighting Instruments and Shading Devices = 227 Hard Light and Soft Light = 229 Lighting and Contrast = 230 Contrast Ratios = 230 Lighting Ratios = 232 Lighting Setups = 234 Narrow Lighting Setups = 234 Broad Lighting Setups = 236 Cross-Lighting Setups = 237 Backlighting = 238 Eyelights = 240 Set Lighting = 240 Lighting for Movement = 241 Exterior Lighting = 242 Scene Duplication Exercise = 243 11 Symbols = 249 Film as Symbolic Expression = 250 Semiotics = 250 Symbolic Communication = 251 Symbolic Expression = 251 Significant Detail = 253 Denotative and Connotative Symbolism = 254 Cultural Icons = 254 External and Internal Symbolism = 257 Creating Internal Symbolism = 259 The Surreal Landscape = 262 12 Significance = 267 Significant Events = 267 Gut Reaction = 267 Events That Arouse Passion = 268 Audience Conflict = 268 Meaning in Events = 270 Portents and Importance = 270 The Mirror of Production = 271 Entertainment = 271 The Dark Side = 272 The Lighter Side = 272 So What? = 273 Creative Vision and Coherent Productions = 273 The Power of Performance = 274 Plastic Reality = 274 Responsibility = 274 Production as Artifact = 275 The Role of Dialogue = 275 Coherency = 277 Once Is Enough = 277 Making Moving Pictures = 278 Appendix A Electricity = 281 The Formula = 281 Volts = 281 Amps = 282 Watts = 282 Circuits = 283 The Procedure = 284 Appendix B Measuring Light = 287 Reflected Light Reading = 287 Reflected Reading from a Gray Card = 287 Incident Light Reading = 288 Measuring Contrast by Foot-candles = 288 Measuring Contrast with Reflected Readings = 288 Latitude = 289 Measuring Latitude = 289 Index = 293

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