Hey there,

One shot that many beginning filmmakers tend to forget is the reaction shot. A reaction shot, like its name suggests, shows the reaction a character has to what is being done or said on screen. Whether it is drama or comedy, this is a vital concept that all genres of film must abide by. To do this, you should film the scene like you normally would, capturing the appropriate action and dialogue. For the best results, go back and shoot the scene again, this time focusing on one character’s reaction.

            The reaction should always tell the audience something so only use them when the situation calls for it. You don’t need a reaction shot for every line of dialogue. If you have a scene of a man ordering coffee in a café, chances are you don’t need a reaction shot of the waiter.

            If you’ve learned anything from the past posts I’ve done, it should be that everything in film relates back to the audience. This is why reaction shots are so crucial because it not only lets the viewers in on the mindset of your characters, but it can also tell the audience about the story as a whole.

            Here’s a pretty funny video I stumbled upon that is filled with that show the cause and effect nature of reaction shots from some of the best movies of all time. 

     See you all next Friday at 7 p.m. If you can think of any of your own favorite reaction shots let me know!

Hi all,

     I thought I’d diverge a bit from the structured material I normally post and discuss something a little more fun. Whether it be from special effects or picking the right song to go with a scene, one of the best parts about filmmaking is incorporating sound.

     Sound is one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal because it directly taps into the viewer’s emotions. Films do this in a number of ways, but to demonstrate this best I’m going to introduce you to some awesome examples of music montages in film. The first is from Wes Anderson’s Royal Tenenbaums with the song Needle in the Hay by Elliot Smith.  

     Notice how even without context, the montage tells a story. Also note how the scene uses music to influence the viewer’s perspective of the mood of the film. It also makes good use of silence as a tool as well, which many films forget to do.

     Another classic example is from Richard Kelly's Donnie Darko with the song Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears.

     This montage is excellent for not only incorporating a fitting song that matches the pace of the plot, but it also advances the storyline as well.

     Music is a great way to connect with the audience and to create a better feel for your film. So next time you’re planning out a script, challenge yourself and put in a montage!

     If you guys have any of your own favorite montages in film, let me know! See you next Friday at 7 p.m. for a lesson on how to plan before filming.

Rule of Thirds

Hey guys,
     Sorry this is a few days late. I thought I had is set on automatic post for Friday at 7, but it didn't seem to go through.

     We’ve got an important topic to cover today — the rule of thirds! Most people’s first impression of a shot is to make everything in the shot front and center, but normally this isn’t the case. In film, you want the subjects in your shot to be a little off kilter.

     You do this by imagining your shot is broken up into thirds, hence the title “rule of thirds.” To do this, imagine there is an invisible grid of lines running over the shot, cutting your shot into nine equally sized squares. For further emphasis, here is an embarrassing childhood photo of my brother and I that we can use as a demonstration: 

     Imagine this is your shot. Now you’ve broken the shot into nine squares so the “weight” of the shot is focused on the bottom, right third of the shot. By putting your shot off balance, it makes it more interesting and dynamic. A straight on shot is often boring and predictable.

     Check in next week for a post on interesting ways to use sound in your film. See you all next Friday at 7 p.m.

Hi guys,

     Today, I want to talk a little bit about the importance of including entrance and exit shots. A common mistake that beginning filmmakers make is that they do not include their subjects entering a scene or leaving a scene. Without these, the often-dreaded “jump cut” tends to happen, in which characters seem to have been magically placed in a scene or magically disappear from one. You want to avoid this. It’s confusing for the viewers to follow and just isn’t good visual story telling.

     It’s simple. Say you would like to show your character in one location, and then you want to take that character to another:

1.     Take a shot of your subject walking out of the shot. It does not always have to be the subject physically exiting a door, but you want them to walk out of the frame.

2.     Leave the scene “empty,” or devoid of the character, for a few seconds so the viewers know that they’ve made their exit.

3.     Now, show your subject entering a scene at another location by having the character walk into the frame. This way it doesn’t appear like they’ve teleported themselves there.

     Check out this site for some great visual tutorials on how to accomplish exit and entrance shots successfully.

     It does not always have to be this cut and dry. Once you get a handle on the basics, you can try to get a little more creative, like this scene from one of the greatest iconic movies of all time, Dazed and Confused:

     Notice how the camera follows their car into the shot and then the scene cuts to a straight-ahead shot of them walking into the Emporium. It's clean and concise. This is a creative way to show a exit and entrance scene.

    Have a great weekend! And tune in next Friday at 7 p.m. to learn about the rule of thirds in film.