Camera Introduction & Bag Swap I

Rules and regulations of the cameras;

• Do not touch the lense of the camera
• When not filming close the lense
• Never film in the rain unless you have an umbrella to protect them
• Never film at dangerous or illegal locations
• Never commit illegal activities when filming

Camera angles ( the basic of the basic )

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Camera angles are significant in any film regardless of  genre, they assist in establishing which characters are in power to reflecting a characters emotions allowing the audience to read between the lines of any situation.

Low/High angle shots: These can show power relationships with the viewer either looked up at people or objects, or situated above and looking down. These shots are typically used when the villain is present and the producers want to highlight the superiority the villain harbours.

Point of view shots: The present action shown from the viewpoint of a character, this can encourage the viewer to empathise with a certain situation. Regularly viewed and most effective in thriller/horror movies because it gives the viewer that uncomfortable seat in the heart of the action allowing them to feel engaged in the movie and boost the level of suspense in the scene.

Camera movement

Self explanitory - This section will roll over the main ways in which a camera can move;

Panning: With a panning shot, the basise of the camera stays still but the camera moves left or right. The movement is horizontal and might be up to 360 degrees. Pans can be used to introduce a particular setting, as a camera slowly reveals part of a room.

Tracking: A tracking shot occurs when the camera base moves sideways to follow the action. The camera is moved on a dolly or a set of rails. This enables the programme maker to show moving action through out scenes.

Tilting: When tilting, the camera base remains static, while the camera moves vertically, up or down. A classic use of a tilt would be up or down a usually female characters body to show sexual attraction.

Handheld (My personal favorite): Handheld camerawork can also be used to follow action or to show events from a characters point of view. Programme makers sometimes exploit the shaky nature of handheld camerawork to make the viewer feel uneasy or to communicate distress etc.

Here is possibly the best example of a handheld camera in action. This is the trailer of the 2008 American Disaster movie - Cloverfield.

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Bag Swap I (introduction);

As well as learning how to operate the cameras and running over the camera shots we were also given the task of creating our own bag swap as seen in the opening of the movie Collateral.