Claswork: Technical Elements

 Here I will be summarize all of the technical elements that will be needing when executing the music video project

Camera angles: 

Close Up (CU): Focuses on a character's face or part of an object, emphasizing emotions.

Extreme Close-Up (ECU): Highlights specific details (e.g., eyes) to intensify emotions.

Medium Shot (MS): Shows the character from the waist up, allowing for body language and facial expressions.

American Shot: Frames characters from thighs up.

Long Shot (LS): Shows the full body in relation to the environment, emphasizing action.

Extreme Long Shot (ELS): Shows the character at a distance, focusing more on the setting.

Establishing Shot: A wide shot that introduces the location, setting the scene.

Point of View (POV): Shows the scene from the character’s perspective.

Reaction Shot: Shows a character’s reaction to an event or dialogue, revealing emotions.

Over the Shoulder Shot: Frames one character over another’s shoulder, common in dialogue.

High Angle: Looks down on the character, making them appear weaker or vulnerable.

Low Angle: Looks up at the character, making them appear powerful or intimidating.

Dutch Angle: Tilts the horizon, creating a disorienting effect that indicates distress.

Camera movements:

• Panning:

  • Horizontal or vertical movement of the camera to follow a subject.
  • Draws focus to specific elements or reveals surroundings, adding spatial context.

• Tracking Shots:

  • Camera moves toward or away from a subject, often using a dolly.
  • Creates a sense of approaching or retreating, enhancing the viewer's immersion.

• Zooming:

  • Enlarges or reduces the subject without moving the camera.
  • Emphasizes details but can be distracting if overused; good for documentary-style effects in MV.

• Tracking (Sideways):

  • Camera moves left or right, often on a track.
  • Follows characters or actions across the frame, engaging viewers by aligning with movement.

• Crane/Helicopter Shots:

  • Camera is elevated off the ground for expansive views.
  • Often used at the beginning or end of a scene to set the location or to conclude with a wide perspective.

• Tilt:

  • Pivots camera up or down, often for POV shots.
  • Useful for following a character’s gaze or scanning scenery.

• Handheld:

  • Operator carries the camera, creating shaky movement.
  • Adds immediacy or realism, often used in action or emotional scenes for raw effect.

• Steadicam:

• Camera is stabilized in a harness for smooth movement.
• Allows fluid, floating shots in complex environments, adding a dreamy or eerie feel often seen in MVs.

Mise-en-scene

mise-en-scene is a term that refers to the visual elements that a director or filmmaker controls within a scene to convey meaning and mood. The term is French for "putting in place" or "stage". 

Some key aspects of mise-en-scene include:

Setting: The time and place of the scene, including the location, scenery, and environment. Setting can help establish mood or foreshadow events. 

Costumes and makeup: Clues about characters that can include clothing, hair design, and makeup. 

Lighting: Sets the mood and guides the audience's vision. 

Staging of actors: The movements and performance of the actors.

Edits

- Cross-Cutting: Switches between multiple storylines or actions happening simultaneously to build tension.

- Continuity Editing: Joins shots in a linear flow, keeping time and space consistent.

- Fade: Gradually fades one shot out and another in, often to show time passing or transition scenes smoothly.

- Jump Cut: Quickly shifts between similar shots to create a jarring effect, emphasizing emotional change or passing time.

-J-Cut: Audio from the next scene starts before the visual cut, creating a smooth transition.

-Montage: Assembles a series of images or clips to tell a story or show progression.

-Cutaway: Briefly shifts focus to something outside the main action, helping to orient the viewer.

-Cutting on Action: Cuts from one shot to another right in the middle of an action for a seamless effect.

-Graphic Match (Match Cut): Links two scenes by aligning visual elements from one shot with the next.

Reflection: Learning all these technical elements is fun for me because I have already had some exposure to them in Grade 11, so they feel more familiar now. I enjoy experimenting with different techniques and seeing how they can transform a scene or convey specific emotions. It's exciting to realize how each camera movement or editing style can add depth to a story, and I feel more confident using them now that I have learned the basics. It is rewarding to see how much I have progressed and how I can now apply these skills to my own projects.