COMPONENTS OF FILM- Camera Movement

 

A camera movement refers to the way a camera shifts to visually narrate and shape a viewer’s perspective of a scene. In the world of film and video, there are several basic and advanced camera movements that can help enhance our story. 

What is a static shot?

A static shot allows actors to work the scene together and produce something authentic.

A static shot in film is also known as a locked-off shot, or an immobile shot. The frame can be filled with the movement of vehicles, characters, props, weather, etc, but the frame itself does not move in a static shot.

A static shot will be quicker and easier to capture than a dynamic shot. In a tight schedule or  working on a small budget, then  use of static shots can save you both time and money.   The static shot can be a versatile tool for capturing a wide range of moments.

Static shots are almost always far simpler visually speaking than dynamic shots. For this reason, many cinematographers and directors hold a great preference for dynamic shots over static shots.  

A  shot in which the camera moves, is known as a dynamic shot.

What is a camera pan?

 

(shooting by using cell camera) 

A pan shot or panning shot is when you turn the camera on a fixed head. It is a technique where you follow a moving subject.  

A camera pan is horizontal movement in which the camera moves right to left from a central axis. A panning camera can be achieved with just about any camera rig, whether it is handheld, using a dolly or crane, or even a drone.  We can shoot this with a slower shutter speed to create a feeling of speed or action.

Pans are often motivated by a character’s actions. They can also be used to reveal new information to the audience. The pan is one of the most basic camera movements, it can also be one of the most effective. 

PAN SHOTS ARE OFTEN USED TO:

 1.   give the viewer a panoramic view of a set or setting. 
2.   This can be used to establish a scene.  
3.   Panning has a ability to be used for a wide range of situations and sceane , 
4.   It can give a better idea of the sceane’s setting , 
5.   Enable to set a specific tone or explore unusual surroundings., 
6.   Panning can be used to switch from one subject’s view to another’s.

7.   Transition between scenes:  This is often used to indicate a jump through time and/or space

8.  Pan shots are sometimes used to change around a scene’s orientation. 

9.  Panning is a great way to communicate movement or to give a static scene some energy

10. By using pan shots during a back-and-forth interaction to create tension or, more commonly, humor.

 

TYPES OF PAN SHOTS IN FILM

Depending on the scene and needs, we can choose between a few different types of pan shots: 

 Aerial pan shots: Filmmakers often attach cameras to drones and fly them over cityscapes, landscapes, or other large areas. While attached to the drone, the operator can pan the camera left or right to capture the shot.

Whip pans: Often referred to as a whip shot or a swish pan, a whip pan is a pan so quickly that it results in blurred imagery. As a result, it can leave the audience feeling temporarily disoriented. To create a whip shot, you can use a handheld, gimbal, dolly, or a tripod.

CREATING A PAN SHOT IN FILM

The steps to start panning:

1.   It is possible to pan with a handheld camera, but using a tripod offers more stability for the shot.

2.   The frames in pan shots choose wisely.

3.   Make sure that the tripod works without sticking or jerking and that you maintain a consistent movement and speed throughout the pan.

5.   Before begin filming, rehearse the movements a few times to make sure there is nothing blocking or shaking the shot.

6.   Get several takes.  Make sure to get a few safeties takes before wrapping up when before unexpected interruptions happen.

 WHEN TO USE CAMERA PANNING:

• Establishes location of scene
• Tracks movement
• Elevates tension in a scene

Whip pans

1. When done quickly with speed, the fast camera movement is known as a whip pan. Whip pans are one of the best camera movements to add energy to a shot. 
2. Whip pans can be used between two characters rather than cutting to establish a more energetic connection.
3. Whip pan shot, also known as a swish pan effect, is a cinematography term that describes a camera movement that literally whips the camera back and forth on its x-axis to create a disorienting motion blur effect.

TILT camera movements 

Tilt is Moving the cameras lens up or down while keeping its horizontal axis constant.  A tilt shot is shot that uses a cinematographic technique called tilting in which the camera says fixed but rotates up and down on a vertical plane.  Tilting is similar to the motion of an individual raising or lowering their heads.

 Camera tilts can be used to give a character dominance in a shot or to reveal new information to the audience. Tilts enable filmmakers to capture the verticality of a film in moments of awe and spectacle

•  1.   Tilting is a little less common than panning but they are used fairly regularly for creative and practical purposes. 
• 2.   In an establishing shot — brings us to into a location 
• 3.    Downward tilts observe action over a large are
• 4.   Upward tilts can create psychological impression of inferiority or   weakness in a character

Tilt Movement 

Affects Psychology and Physical Space. Tilting the camera down from the perspective of one character to another visually indicates superiority from the higher angle point of view. It’s a great tool to show power vs. vulnerability in the film. 

A dolly Movement

A dolly shot is a specific kind of tracking shot where we follow a subject on an apparatus called a dolly. A dolly is a cart that the camera is mounted on, which rolls along dolly track or on its own wheels. Dolly shots are designed to be smooth and controlled camera movements. 

DOLLY CAMERA MOVEMENT

Push In

A push-in moves the camera closer to a subject typically with a dolly camera movement . 

Push-ins can draw the audience's attention toward a specific detail. Filmmakers also push-in toward characters to try and infer what is occurring internally. 

Pull Out

The camera pull out is the exact opposite of the push in. A pull out is a smooth camera movement that moves the camera further away from a subject. This movement causes the subject to grow smaller while simultaneously revealing their surroundings.

• Pull outs can be used to reveal setting and characters. 
• Emotionally, pull outs can highlight a character’s isolation or loneliness. 

DOLLY

The name comes from the old” dolly tracks” that used to be laid down for the heavy camera to move along - very much like railroad tracks. The phrase dolly-in means step towards the subject with the camera, while dolly-out means to step backwards with the camera, keeping the zoom the same.

The phrase dolly-in means step towards the subject with the camera, while dolly-out means to step backwards with the camera, keeping the zoom the same. 

 

 ROLL CAMERA MOVEMENT

 The camera roll is a rotational camera movement that rotates the camera over its side on its long axis. Rolls can be dizzying and unnatural. For this reason, filmmakers use it to disorient the audience or create uneasiness. Its specific effect makes it a very intentional camera movement that should only be used when wanting to elicit a discomfort in the audience.  Sometimes these effects tie in to a film’s theme.

ZOOM

A zoom shot is when the focal length of a camera lens is adjusted to give the illusion of moving closer or further away from the subject. Zoom shots are done with a zoom lens, which have variable focal lengths. The most typical camera zoom types are the "zoom in" and "zoom out," but it can also be combined with a dolly shot to create a "dolly zoom." 

A zoom shot is when the focal length of a camera lens is adjusted to give the illusion of moving closer or further away from the subject. Zoom shots are done with a zoom lens, which have variable focal lengths. The most typical camera zoom types are the "zoom in" and "zoom out," but it can also be combined with a dolly shot to create a "dolly zoom." 

WHY USE A ZOOM SHOT?

1.     To draw attention to a specific detail in the shot

2.     to give a character power 

3.     To emphasize a comedic or dramatic moment

DOLLY ZOOM

The dolly zoom is one of the most discussed cinematic techniques. This shot is commonly referred to as a vertigo shot, or vertigo effect .  A dolly zoom is an in-camera effect. A dolly zoom is achieved by dollying the camera away from or toward a subject while simultaneously zooming in the other direction.

DOLLY ZOOM

A dolly zoom is an in-camera effect. A dolly zoom is achieved by dollying the camera away from or toward a subject while simultaneously zooming in the other direction.

1.   this shot creates a sense of unease in the viewer, simulates a spatial(3 dimentional) warp, and

2.   can either shrink or extend distances based on the choice of direction.

3.   The dolly zoom can draw the audience into the story. 

4.    It is commonly used to capture the internal conflict of a character,

5.   Used to capture the internal conflict of a character and the character’s state of mind.

6.   the dolly zoom can also establish a relationship between two characters.

 

TRACKING SHOT

 A tracking shot is any shot that physically moves the camera through the scene for an extended amount of time. Tracking camera movement often follows a traveling subject, though they can be used to simply show off the scene.

 

Trucking is a type of tracking shot in which the entire camera moves left or right along a track.

PEDESTAL SHOT

A pedestal shot is a vertical camera movement in which the entire camera raises or lowers in relation to the subject. A pedestal shot differs from a camera tilt because the entire camera moves up or down rather than just pivoting from a fixed point.

A camera operator can do two types of pedestals: pedestal up means "move the camera up; "pedestal down means "move the camera down." 

 BOOM SHOT

To move the camera vertically upward or downward, filmmakers turn to the boom shot. Boom shots are achieved by using boom crane camera movements, pedestal camera movement, and jibs.  

To move the camera vertically upward or downward, filmmakers turn to the boom shot.

1.   Boom shots are achieved by using boom crane camera movements, pedestal camera movement, and jibs.  

2.   These shots are known as establishing shots. They can be small boom movements typically used for reveals and characters.

3.   Filmmakers use large boom movements to show off the setting of a scene. These shots are known as establishing shots.

 ROLL CAMERA MOVEMENT

1.   filmmakers use it to disorient the audience or create uneasiness.

2.   Its specific effect makes it a very intentional camera movement

3.    be used when wanting to elicit a discomfort in the audience. 

4.   Sometimes these effects tie in to a film’s theme.

ARC MOVEMENT

The arc shot orbits the camera around a subject in an arc pattern. Arc shots are typically used to add energy to a shot in which characters have minimal actions. 

 

RANDOM MOVEMENT

Sometimes, camera movements are not motivated by character actions, but rather audience experience. Filmmakers often add random movement to a shot via camera shake through a hand held shot to heighten the intensity of a scene. 

1.           camera movements are not motivated by audience experience.

2.           movement to a shot via camera shake through a handheld shot to heighten the intensity of a scene.