Cinematography Analysis

Cinematography Analysis (20 pts) Cinematography studies the language of the camera. How does the camera use focus, film speed, frame, and movement to speak to us? Minimizing the cues from mise-en-scene and sound, examine how a cinematographer communictes with the camera alone. 1. Watch “Who Wins This Scene?” for an example of cinematography analysis. 2. View the three video clips attached to this assignment. They can also be found in the class notebook in the content library. CHOOSE one for your analysis. 3. Write a 500-700 word essay analyzing how the camera works to convey relationships, power dynamics, points of view, mood, tension, tone, and the revelation of information. Consider cinemagraphic techniques : Tone and color palette Film speed : fast motion/slow motion Depth of focus Frame Camera angles Camera height Camera distance Reframing Off-screen space Fixed Camera: pan/tilt Tracking Shot/Dolly Handheld/Steadicam Tips: Watch your chosen film clip a few times to get a clear sense of the relationship between characters and between characters and their settings. What’s the mood of the scene? Does the mood change? How does the camera capture it? Your essay should focus on small, specific details. For instance, it’s not enough to say “Lector is in a prison cell.” You need to explain how the camera reveals Lector’s relationship to his prison cell; e.g. we know that Lector feels at home in the cell because the medium long shot reveals that he is standing up and totally at ease and the medium close up reinforces this by showing his face in a relaxed expression. Choose 3-4 most important cinemagraphic details and discuss them well rather than trying to cram every possible cinemagraphic technique into a 500-word paper. the sources