CINEMATOGRAPHY

Cinematography

Terminology

Low angle: The camera is positioned below the object and this makes the image look bigger
High angle: The camera is positioned above the object and this makes the image look smaller
Canted angle: This is when the camera is tilted and this is used to suggest instability and imbalance (unsteady)
Eye level: The camera is positioned at eye level with the audience so that they are more engaged with the scene

Movements

Crane: A camera is mounted on a crane and it moves around at a distance above ground level and it can move up and down
Panning: The camera moves  from left to right, right to let following the moving object
Zooming In: The camera moves in and out of an object to create importance and to draw the audience into a closer relationship with the subject
Zooming Out: The camera moves away to create an emotional distance
Handheld: Is used to produce a jerky, bouncy, unsteady image, which can create a sense of immediacy or chaos
Point Of View: Is used to show the audience the same image as the character
Steadicam: The camera remains perfectly level and smooth as the camera moves positions
Close Up: Shows a fairly small part of the score and emphasis on something, such as a characters face and neck in detail that is fills the screen
Extreme Close Up: An image fills up the whole screen and no background is shown
Midshot: Is when the camera frames the actor from waist up
Longshot: A shot that shows all of a fiarly large subject (such as a person) and usually much of the surrounding
Shallow Focus: Is used in films to show the audience one image in full focus while the rest of the screen is out of focus and appears to be blurry on screen
Deep Focus: Means the depth that the audience can see background, middle ground - shows mise en scene
Extreme Long Shot: The camera is positioned at a further distance from the subject emphasising the background and also reducing the importance of the subject
Establishing Shot: defines the location and gives the audience a perspective on the action that is to. Also they are often essential to defining a genre.
two-shot: is where two people are featured in the frame
aerial: is where the camera looks down on something and it is like a birds eye view shot
tracking: is when tracking the camera itself is moved smoothly towards or away from the subject while the focus remains constant.

Cinematography is essential in a thriller film because they build a relationship with the audience and enables them to see the facial expressions clearly which can tell the audience how the characters are feeling and how they are reacting to what is happening within the movie. Also camera shots build an atmosphere throughout the movie, allowing the audience to feel involved as much as possible.

 

Within the thriller movie insidious, the director has used a variety of different camera shots causing the film to become more effective. The main camera shots that took my eye and stood out the most were the mid shots and the close ups. One mid shot I thought was most effective was when the little boy is found laying on the floor in the hospital room. The mid shot allows the audience to get a clear view of part of the background and the characters body language showing their feelings. The background consists of the hospital room and bed being out of sequence, making the audience think there was an attack inside the room. As well, the hospital bed is broken and the sheets are covered with blood handprints, which conveys someone has attempted to attack the little boy and that is the reason he is lying on the floor unconscious. The blood handprint also represents the child has been possessed and that chaos has occurred in the room. Both parents are holding on to their child and this shows the audience they are concerned about their son.

 

Another shot I thought was important in the film was the close up that was taken to show the main characters feelings. Within this particular shot, there is suspense built up as behind the main character there is a horrifying red demon face watching over him as if he is going to attack and as if the main character is in danger of being harmed. This close up also shows the facial expression being scared and worried. This shot also emphasises on the fact the film is a thriller as it makes the audience feel scared and on edge as they are wanting to find out what is going to happen next.

What I found out about using appropriate camera shots in a thriller film has helped me to understand how I can interpret these into my own thriller movie by seeing how the different shot can create a suspense and an atmosphere. It also helps me get a clearer understand of how each different shot can cause the audience to see different views. Also I am now aware how certain shots convey a clearer view of which genre certain films are.