Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Graphic match vs. Eyeline match
An Autumn Afternoon (Yasujiro Ozu, 1962)
Ozu is famous for ignoring the 180-degree rule. He didn't break the rule for the disorienting effect. As proof of this, his violation is not temporary. Let us now take a look at the scene in An Autumn Afternoon.
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Ozu is famous for ignoring the 180-degree rule. He didn't break the rule for the disorienting effect. As proof of this, his violation is not temporary. Let us now take a look at the scene in An Autumn Afternoon.
As you can see, both shots of Kawai (Nobuo Nakamura) and Hirayama (Chishu Ryu) have the same composition. They look like looking at the same direction not each other. Why did Ozu do something like this? According to his cinematographer, Yuharu Atsuta, Ozu takes graphic match more seriously than eyeline match. While usual shot/ reverse shot is an alternation between composition and reversed composition (eyeline match), Ozu's is an alternation between composition and composition (graphic match). Ozu's style picked graphic match at the sacrifice of eyeline match.
In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-wai, 2000)
Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) is talked to by the landlady as they pass each other in the narrow hallway. For following the rule, you have to film the corresponding shot of A from B', getting rid of the wall. Even if it is possible to put the camera at B' in the set, the background of the landlady from B' is just a stretch of wall. The background of shot B' is flat and boring enough to unbalance shot A. Comparing with that, shot B looks well balanced with shot A regardless of mismatched eyeline.
How to film shot/ reverse shot of the two lying down facing each other
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher, 2011)
Hanna (Joe Wright, 2011)
In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the alternation of shots and reverse shots makes you gaze right and left following their eyes. It's annoying on a laterally long screen in a theater. On the other hand, in Hanna, graphic match enables you to keep focusing around the same location . Actually, this shot/ reverse shot cannot be true. It was filmed by not changing the camera angles but changing their places. However, who would notice that? Nobody in the world can say that's no way. That's the magic of movies.
How to break the 180-degree rule in your desired intensity
Steamboat round the bend (John Ford, 1935)
At first, Dr. John (Will Rogers) and Fleety (Anne Shirley) are at loggerheads over the marriage between his nephew and her. After driving away guys who tried to take her back, their relationship starts to improve. How did John Ford depict this decisive moment?
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At first, Dr. John (Will Rogers) and Fleety (Anne Shirley) are at loggerheads over the marriage between his nephew and her. After driving away guys who tried to take her back, their relationship starts to improve. How did John Ford depict this decisive moment?
a) He is puzzled by driving them away before he knew what he was doing.
b) She gazes at him facing left.
c) He is on the screen left. She is on the screen right.
d) She gazes at him facing right.
e) He is on the screen right. She is on the screen left.
John Ford broke the 180-degree rule from c to d. Viewers get disoriented and confused like them because their relationship totally changed and it hasn't sunk in yet. We cross the 180-degree line just when Fleety does a 180 degree turn. Comparing b with d, she faces in the opposite direction. Comparing c with e, the backgrounds are completely different. As I mentioned in the previous entry, crossing the 180-degree line during a shot changes viewer's view dramatically. But you can also give viewers the feeling of disorientation by crossing the 180-degree line from shot to shot. The thing is, it's just a temporary violation. After breaking the rule from c to d, John Ford resumes following the rule within a new 180-degree arc before viewers realize the rule was broken. That makes viewers assume the dramatic change and disorientation come from her acting.
The Angel's Egg(Shin Togashi, 2006)
This scene opens with the profiled two-shot in which Ayuta (Hayato Ichihara) and Natsuki (Erika Sawajiri) chatter in a cafe (a). By crossing the 180-degree line (a-b), we (it's my work as a cinematographer) cut to the next shot in which she suddenly gets to the point. This reverse cutting mainly offers the change of lighting like Promised Land, the different side of face like The Holiday and the feeling of disorientation like Steamboat round the bend . But viewers are not puzzled as much as Steamboat round the bend. Since I filmed the shot of her as over-the-shoulder shot (b), viewers can reorient themselves relative to his shoulder unlike the single shot of Anne Shirley (d) in Steamboat round the bend.
Tora-san's Runaway (Yoji Yamada, 1970)
This is from one of the Japanese movie series (48 installments) called Tora-san. Tora-san (Kiyoshi Atsumi) realizes that his love is hopeless in this scene. How did Yoji Yamada depict the decisive moment?
He depicted Tora-san's upset by crossing the 180-degree line (b-c). However, viewer's reorientation is way easier than Steamboat round the bend and The Angel's Egg. Unlike them, the consecutive shot is a new establishing shot which defines the opposite 180-degree arc (c).
Conclusion
We can use the effect of disorientation coming from breaking the rule and control the intensity by crossing the line:
0) during a shot (No disorientation) ex. The Champ / Promised Land / The Holiday / Heat
1) to the consecutive shot that is wide enough to establish a new 180-degree arc (min) ex. Tora-san's Runaway
2) to the consecutive shot that is taken over-the-shoulder ex. The Angel's Egg
3) to the consecutive shot that is close up to a single person (max) ex. Steamboat round the bend
Regardless of how much the intensity is, it is just a temporary violation. For the violation to be temporary, it is crucial to keep the rule other than the right timing and the right reason.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
What inspires you to cross the 180-degree line?
Shot/ reverse shot is called 構図 KOUZU/ 逆構図 GYAKU-KOUZU in Japanese. 構図 KOUZU means composition. 逆構図 GYAKU-KOUZU means reversed composition. I discussed in the previous entry that If you need a precise reverse shot (GYAKU-KOUZU) of a shot (KOUZU), all you have to do is:
1) Use the same focal length lens. (Magnification)
2) Maintain the same distance between camera and the object. (Distance)
3) Keep the same angle between imaginary line and camera axis. (Angle)
According to this theory, we end up having two results (see the diagram above). One is Jude Law in the reversed composition of Cameron Diaz and the other is he in the same composition as she. Two in the same composition may appear to look at the same direction or at least disorient viewers. Now, let me add one more to the other 3rules.
4) Don't cross the 180-degree line.
In essence, if two characters switch relative positions on the screen from shot to shot, it causes disorientation and confusion. While during a shot, it doesn't.
Two ways to switch their relative positions during a shot
1) Actor's movement
The Champ (Franco Zeffirelli, 1979)
Billy (Jon Voight) tries to convince Jackie(Jack Warden) of his come-back at the restaurant.
C#1,3 Jackie is facing left on the screen right. (Shot)
C#2,4 Billy is facing right on the screen left. (Reverse shot)
C#5 Billy moves from left to right. Jackie now faces right on the screen left. (Shot in which they switch relative position)
C#6,8,10,12 Billy is facing left on the screen right. (Reverse shot)
C#7,9,11,13 Jackie is facing right on the screen left. (Shot)
2) Camera movement
Promised Land (Gus Van Sant, 2012)
The Holiday (Nancy Meyers, 2006)
Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)
Why do they go that far to switch their relative positions?
1) For Background
In The Champ, first-half shot/ reverse shot shows the bustle of the restaurant as their background. After Billy moves in C#5, his background changes into the wall. The wall lacking depth isolates and emphasizes Billy. This change comes just when Billy makes a counter-charge against Jackie's opposition.
2) For Lighting
As you can see in Promised Land , camera crosses the line two times during each shot by moving itself. Ostensible conversation starts with front lighting. When the politician subtly demands a bribe from Butler (Matt Damon), camera goes to the opposite 180 degree arc in which they are silhouetted against a large window. After their negotiation is settled, camera goes back to the original 180 degree arc with front lighting.
3) To show Left side face or Right side face
In The Holiday, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) on the screen left interviews Graham (Jude Law) on the screen right at first. When they change their roles, camera goes to the opposite 180 degree arc showing their different side of face mainly. The interviewer is always on the screen left. The interviewee is always on the screen right.
4) To show Inside or Outside
In Heat, during Neil (Robert De Niro) gives the cold shoulder to Eady (Amy Brenneman) out of caution, shot/ reverse shot is taken as over-the back of-shoulder shot. After letting his guard down, camera goes to the opposite 180 degree arc giving us over-the front of-shoulder shots.
As stated above, there exist the right timing and reason to have to cross the 180-degree line.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Shot / Яeverse Shot
The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino, 1978)
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The above famous Russian roulette scene was dominated by what is called shot/ reverse shot. This scene consisted of the above 5 camera setups and a few cutaways. While CAM#4 is called the reverse shot of CAM#2, CAM#2 is called the reverse shot of CAM#4. The same goes for CAM#3 and CAM#5.
How do you get precise shot/ reverse shot like the mirror image of themselves?
All you have to do is (refer to the diagram above):
1) Use the same focal length lens. (Magnification)
2) Maintain the same distance between camera and the object. (Distance)
3) Keep the same angle between imaginary line and camera axis. (Angle)
As the tension between them gets intensified, 1)the size gets bigger, 2)the distance to the object gets closer, 3)the camera goes around their front. Somewhere along the way, the objects turn out to be the subjects for us. We realize we have been absorbed in the diegesis. These factors (Magnification, Distance and Angle) serve as 3faders to control the subject-object relationship.
Family Plot (Alfred Hitchcock, 1976)
Ostensibly a jeweler and a customer, they are actually kidnappers. When they pretend to bargain, camera is set perpendicular to the imaginary line and shows their profiles. When they whisper to avoid other customers from overhearing, camera axis almost overlaps the imaginary line and camera displays their frontal faces. Hitchcock put us alternately into the most objective viewpoint and the most subjective one(Point-of-view shot).
The alternating repetition of shot and reverse shot tells there exists an imaginary line out there. In the case of The Deer Hunter, it is their friendship which is invisible but which we wanna see. Shot/ reverse shot implies an imaginary line between them, that is, their relationship. In fact, only an invisible line can connect irrelevant shots to each other. Just take a look at the next video.
In this case, Imaginary line is the path of the ball. Every shot is elaborately filmed and edited so that sequential shots have the relation of shot/ reverse shot through the path of the ball. Otherwise they will fall into pieces.
L.A. Confidential (Curtis Hanson, 1997)
This shot/ reverse shot wasn't filmed by two simultaneous cameras. It's obvious because both shots were filmed against the light. If they were filmed simultaneously, either one's back would be too bright to pay attention to the other's face. That is due to creating a halo around her blonde hair. But lighting isn't the only reason shot/ reverse shot is filmed by a single camera. Another reason is changing position. For instance, if there is an irremovable obstacle in the background, you can avoid it by shifting the position as the diagrams show below.
Whether parallel or pivot shift, the thing is to keep the relative positional relation. It's all about how the object distinguishes itself from the background. When the background rises to the surface, the object decomposes. The imaginary line to guarantee the connection between juxtaposed shots also dissolves. Therefore, if you wanna depict the relationship, what you should show is an invisible imaginary line.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Left side face or Right side face
In Angel (Ernst Lubitsch, 1937), Maria(Marlene Dietrich) is forced to choose between her husband Frederick(Herbert Marshall) and Halton(Melvyn Douglas) who calls her "Angel". It's called love triangle.
Like Snowpiercer (2013) which I took up at the previous entry, her choice between Frederick or Halton is expressed with "Left or Right". Almost always when she is with Frederick, he is positioned on the left side.
When she is with Halton, he is positioned on the right side the whole time.
When they are together, Frederick is positioned on the left while Maria is positioned in the center and Halton on the right.
Although Halton loves her, she tries to end the relationship with him. Although she needs more attention from Fredrick, he ends up ignoring her. The wind of love blows gently from right to left, so to speak.
But the thing is, Maria shows her left side of her face whenever she looks at Fredrick and her right side whenever she looks at Halton. The secret of "Left or Right" lies rather which side of her face she shows than in which side they are. It indeed helps her express different emotions toward each of them. Because each side of her face gives us different impression.
Of course, Marlene Dietrich looks perfect and symmetrical. It is a common perception that the more average the face the more attractive. On the other hand, completely symmetrical faces are disconcerting. Even Dietrich's face can't be completely symmetrical. The difference might be subtle but certain. It's like a beauty mark to highlight the skin's whiteness or a few highlights for low-key lighting to emphasize the darkness. Slight asymmetry emphasizes symmetry. The nuance dedicates not only to her beauty but also her (re)acting. Although she just does nothing well, we can tell how she feels. It's called the Kuleshov Effect.
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Like Snowpiercer (2013) which I took up at the previous entry, her choice between Frederick or Halton is expressed with "Left or Right". Almost always when she is with Frederick, he is positioned on the left side.
When she is with Halton, he is positioned on the right side the whole time.
When they are together, Frederick is positioned on the left while Maria is positioned in the center and Halton on the right.
Although Halton loves her, she tries to end the relationship with him. Although she needs more attention from Fredrick, he ends up ignoring her. The wind of love blows gently from right to left, so to speak.
But the thing is, Maria shows her left side of her face whenever she looks at Fredrick and her right side whenever she looks at Halton. The secret of "Left or Right" lies rather which side of her face she shows than in which side they are. It indeed helps her express different emotions toward each of them. Because each side of her face gives us different impression.
Film acting is, in large part, reacting and listening.
The chief requisite for an actor is the ability to do nothing well, which is by no means as easy as it soundsAs Michael Caine and Alfred Hitchcock say, reacting which is the key of film acting is doing nothing well. All you have to do is do nothing, that is, show the right side of your face in the right place(during reacting).
Alfred Hitchcock
Of course, Marlene Dietrich looks perfect and symmetrical. It is a common perception that the more average the face the more attractive. On the other hand, completely symmetrical faces are disconcerting. Even Dietrich's face can't be completely symmetrical. The difference might be subtle but certain. It's like a beauty mark to highlight the skin's whiteness or a few highlights for low-key lighting to emphasize the darkness. Slight asymmetry emphasizes symmetry. The nuance dedicates not only to her beauty but also her (re)acting. Although she just does nothing well, we can tell how she feels. It's called the Kuleshov Effect.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
The wind blows gently from screen right to left
Snowpiercer depends on one simple rule: Camera left is the back of the train, while camera right is the front. And we gradually move from left to right.We understood which direction means what in this movie. But what if Left and Right were opposite? What if we moved from right to left? Is the screen direction just optional?
Betsuyaku Minoru, a Japanese playwright, says "Stage has a spatial tendency like the wind blows gently from stage left to right". The direction of the wind is called the forward route, and the direction against the wind is called the reverse route. Regarding movies, we can say as follows. The forward route is the following wind from screen right to left. The reverse route is the opposing wind from left to right. According to it, we move along the reverse route in Snowpiercer. That reminds me of a side-scrolling video game which is well known as Super Mario Bros. Most of the characters in side-scrolling video games move from the left side of the screen to the right to meet an objective. That is to say, moving against the wind is appropriate for the protagonists who are facing difficulties. Let's have a look at two contrasting movies.
Oldboy(Chan-wook Park, 2003) vs Oldboy(Spike Lee, 2013)
Like Snowpiercer and side-scrolling video games, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) in Oldboy(2003) goes from left to right. By contrast, Joe Doucett (Josh Brolin) in Oldboy(2013) goes in the opposite direction. We can detect distinct differences which don't necessarily derive from direction.
Mauvais sang (Leos Carax, 1986) vs Frances Ha (Noah Baumbach, 2012)
Alex(Denis Lavant) runs like struggling against the wind.
Frances(Greta Gerwig) runs like dancing before a following wind.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Mamoru Hosoda, 2006)
Unlike live-action films, Animated films don't depend on location. Animation directors can position the object at any orientation freely. How did Mamoru Hosoda determine the blocking in a steep slope scene?
The uphill direction which gives some resistance set against the wind(left to right).
As the video essay says, filmmaker should be conscious of the sense of the screen direction. That is not really optional. Although it's so subtle, there is a spatial tendency as Betsuyaku Minoru says. The wind blows gently from screen right to left.
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