Cinematography

What is Cinematography?

Cinematography is a visual language, which uses visual manipulation to convey the emotion and personalities of characters on screen. It is very much about communicating with the viewer by zeroing in on certain aspects of the script and their meaning and about the use of perspective to evoke emotion in the audience and to emphasise scenes.

Cinematography is a crucial element of the production process because it can manipulate the audience's opinion of characters and events and it evokes specific emotions from the audience, allowing them to emote with specific characters using certain perspectives and camera angles.

The main elements of cinematography are the lighting, the movement of the camera, the position and angle of the camera, the camera's focus and the zoom of the camera.

Use of cinematography in 'Nightcrawler'

An example of use of cinematography is in the film nightcrawler. The cinematographer has used specific techniques to exaggerate the film's theme of isolation. One technique they used is bokeh, this is when the lens of the camera is used to deliberately render out-of-focus light. In most scenes Lou, the main character, is shown to either be in footage with either only him in the frame or in shots where the other people in the frame are out of focus. This emphasises Lou's self-imposed segregation as it shows Lou is always in his own world. It also displays Lou as a self-centred character, causing the audience to feel dissociated and distanced from his character.

Another example in night crawler is the cinematographer's use of light. For example, in the scene where Lou meets with Lina, the only light in the studio is produced from the studios TVs. This gives an insight into both of the characters lives. They both are isolated from the world, living in the darkness and their only passion is for news. Their lives revolve around finding good news and the use of light here in the frame has conveyed that. Furthermore, Lou's face is almost always shrouded by a shadow, only half of his face is ever exposed to us in full light. This causes the audience to feel unease around the character and causes them to be unable to emote with him.

My last example from nightcrawler is the cinematographer's use of camera position. Lou is often shown in a side profile so half his face is completely unseen by the audience. This suggests he's hiding things. The audience never know Lou's emotions and never know his plan until he has said it to another character, and even then the audience would be doubtful if he's telling the truth because of the way the cinematography has displayed him; as a secretive and cold character.

Shot Types

Key Terms (Shot Scale, Camera angles and movement)

Key Terms

Use of shot types in Whiplash- Date Scene

This scene shows Andrew, the main character, and Nicole on their first date. Overall the scene only uses three different shot types here, wide establishing shots, medium shots and close ups.

Below you can view some examples of the shot types and why I believe they were used.

Establishing shot

This shot sets the scene and allows the audience to see the dynamics between the characters.

Medium shot

As the characters get into a conversation it cuts to a medium shot where we can see the characters smiling at each other, but also see their actions.

Close up

The camera cuts to a close up when Andrew asks a question and Nicole becomes defensive to show the audience that tension is building. The shots stay as close ups until it cuts to an establishing shot, when both characters relax again.

Close Up

The camera cuts to another close up later in the scene of Nicole and Andrew's feet touching. This close up instead of showing tension to the audience demonstrates intimacy between the two characters.

Storyboard Task

1.1 - Sets the scene of the confrontation before it takes place.

1.2 - Close up of the character's phone shows to the audience how focused the character is on it.

1.3 - Medium shot gives an overall view of the beginning of the confrontation.

1.4 - Provides a different perspective of the start of the confrontation, allowing the audience to decide whose at fault.

As a group of three, we worked together to shoot eight still images focusing on shot scale and camera angles in order to depict the narrative sequence of a confrontation.

1.5 - Medium shot to allow the audience to understand the characters' body language.

1.6 - Audience can see character's actions but also now their expression.

1.7 - Tension is created as the audience can clearly see the character's expression.

1.8 - Another wide shot marks the end of the scene, the confrontation has not been resolved but both character's have walked away from the argument; leaving the audience in suspense of the characters' tension.

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