Video Composition
How you choose to frame the shot
Placement of subjects and objects in the camera frame
Rule of Thirds
Basic rule for placement of a subject or object in the frame
Divide the screen into thirds with imaginary lines
Rule of Thirds
People or the main object (eg. buildings) should be placed on one of the vertical lines in the Rule of Thirds.
A persons eyes should fall on one of the horizontal lines.
The horizon in the video should usually appear along one of the 2 imaginary horizontal lines.
Rule of Thirds
Rule of Thirds
Rule of Thirds
Rule of Thirds
Camera Angles
Low Angle
Low Angle camera positioned below the eye line looking
up (this creates a sense of power for the subject)
High Angle
High Angle camera positioned above the eye line looking
down (this diminishes the sense of power from the subject
and will make them appear small)
Eye Level
Eye Level camera is positioned at eye level with the
subject (very common neutral shot creating a sense of
equality)
Eye Level
Eye Level camera is positioned at eye level with the
subject (very common neutral shot creating a sense of
equality)
Birds Eye View
Birds Eye View an extreme high shot used to create the
sense of a birds perspective (an overlooking God-like view)
Dutch Tilt
Dutch Tilt camera is tilted horizontally so that the horizon
is not level (creates the sense of uneasiness or unbalance)
Dutch Tilt
Dutch Tilt camera is tilted horizontally so that the horizon
is not level (creates the sense of uneasiness or unbalance)
Dutch Tilt
Dutch Tilt camera is tilted horizontally so that the horizon
is not level (creates the sense of uneasiness or unbalance)
Foreground, Middle ground
and Background (FG/MG/
Foreground, Middle ground
and Background (FG/MG/BG)
Foreground is the area immediately in front of you that sets the stage for the main part of the landscape.
Middle ground is everything in between.
Background is that part of the landscape that is the most distant from you.
What are the important visuals in this photo?
Which "framing" do you prefer and why?
Composition Considerations:
Medium Shot with proper headroom
Use of "Rule of Thirds"
Viewers focus is now on subject and accented by the background building - not
visually split
Pay close attention to both your subject and the background. The background
provides important time and space information. We have a sense of where our
subject is located (Pantheon in Rome Italy)
Why is shot composition
Important?
Headroom
The space above a subjects head and the edge of the TV frame.
When framing a person in a CU, MCU or
MS, there should be a small amount of hearoom.
Too much headroom and the subject will look like they are falling out of the frame.
Too little headroom makes the subject look like they are glued to the top of the frame.
Note: Headroom "naturally" increases as shots becomes wider
Activity 2:
Camera Composition
Each student will create the following 3 camera shots:
MS, WS/LS, and XWS/XLS
Each camera shot must now demonstrate your
understanding of the following:
Proper shot sizes
Rule of Thirds
Proper camera angles
FG/MG/BG consideration for all elements in frame
Lead Room
To Little Lead Room
The space that is in front or "leading" the subject in the direction they are travelling OR LOOKING.
Gives the viewer a sense of where the subject is going.
In a video we already know where the subject came from. Help to visually move the story along.
Lead Room
Proper Lead Room
The space that is in front or "leading" the subject in the direction they are travelling OR LOOKING.
Gives the viewer a sense of where the subject is going.
In a video we already know where the subject came from. Help to visually move the story along.
Sources
Instructor: Mr. Snyder - TGM 3-4M - Lesson: Composition, Rule of Thirds, Headroom, Lead Room and
Foreground, Middleground and Background
http://www.crockwellphotography.com/blog/files/00a9-crockwell-landscape-rule-of-thirds.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xzQRDPGfGME/T1WLOmM7fXI/AAAAAAAAAFg/9uEFy2s7WLc/
s1600/9325.jpg
http://www.crockwellphotography.com/blog/files/00a9-crockwell-landscape-rule-of-thirds.jpg
http://static.videomaker.com/sites/videomaker.com/files/videonews/2012/09/Hands_directing.jpg
http://filmsforchange.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/rule-of-thirds-2.jpg
http://www.pxleyes.com/images/contests/rule-of-thirds-portrait/fullsize/rule-of-thirdsportrait-5295c4df43e4f_hires.jpg
http://www.reeftology.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DOF.jpg
Short Video Example
Danny MacAskill: Way Back Home
