We must know that all the topics we are working on create an own atmosphere, one image, one scene, etc. and then with a combination of each one we would be able to see a sequence. During a sequence it is obvious that we need cameras, and, if it has got a good production, we would have several cameras. This means that we will be capable to take different perspectives, views, angles, and also, the main topic today, the movement.
There are several resources in a camera, and there are also uncountable ways to film a scene, so that directors do not always film with a fixed camera. Sometimes the want to follow somebody or maybe take a view of a skyline. That has got integrated movement, wanted or not. It´s impossible to film without movement, and is here where our ideas, imagination or knowledge take place. We must take advantage of it, filming just the movement we wanted.
There are many ways of representing the movement, let´s start with the basics.
Here it is the link of the sequence, our part stars in the minute 1:24:
Here we have, one more time, all the sequence divided in 20 scenes:
The first question is, how can we create movement? Do we need obligatory mix the movement of the camera and the movement of the objects or subjects? Well, let´s see some examples here.
In the first scene (1) we can see a complex movement of the camera. It is important to do emphasis on “camera” because is this one which does the move, and not the object. For the spectator is him/her the subject which gets closer to have a look through the hole, and there is an actual movement. People looking around, changing their position only because they do not know where they are, what they must do and what will happen, and as a consequence they move restless.
The complexity of the image depends, in turn, on these elements:
- Size of the plane. Normally a long shot will remain more time on screen that the first plane.
Internal and external movement of the plane. A plane with movement of chamber or with movement of prominent figures or objects has a minor impression of duration that a static plane.
From the third scene until the sixth one (3-6), we only see first planes (you can more read about it in: my blog alejandrosolweb) but it exist a camera movement between scenes 5 and 6, there is no cut on the scene. We can see a camera which “cannot centre” the image, like if it could not focus on the face, and at the final it does it.
Then most of the movements we can say are actual. What means actual? It refers to the moves which appear on real life, and what is more real than a group of woman scared in a room? The director did not need create any movement as relative or induced. The panic of the woman will move them anywhere.
In addition, I dare to affirm that the main movement of this sequence is created thanks of the spontaneous gestures of the woman, who only react to everything is happening. This means that for example, between sequences 13 and 20, they move spontaneously so that most of the lines created thanks of the movement have not been written in the script.
In conclusion to this part, we must pay attention not only to the people, we must do it to the water. What does the water? It appears and falls from the shower. That is a vertical line, but not completely a relative or induced movement. The objects which might be static, are not; they are scared people, so they are moving, and the water appears contrasting this image. Moreover, until the end of the scene the water lines and movement is contrasted with the moves, principally, of the arms and heads of the women. But in any moment a woman pass by in front of or behind each other, that is because is actual movement.
We have talked about actual move, but we do not know what relative, induced and apparent move is, I will explain it thanks of P. Lacasa work.
Relative: The movement of one object can be gauged by its changing position relative to a second, stationary object.
Induced: A moving object transfers its movement to a nearby stationary object.
Apparent: When one stationary object is replaced by another stationary object.
Movement in the screen world
After that, we as viewers are going to talk about how we perceive the image. When we see, in this case, a film, we focus on three main elements: direction, scale, and quality. It refers to how we process in our brain the information we are receiving, and that is because that is how was planned to be filmed.
The spectator while is seeing a movie puts his attention in sounds out of the field of vision, in the alternation about whom he speaks and who listens in a conversation to the movement of things and persons, the direction of the looks of the prominent figures and the gestures that point at a direction.
Here it is an example of where and how he focus on some parts of the screen more than in others, and that is not a coincidence.
Pay attention to the scene number.
Red color: main focusing area Orange color: secondary focusing area
If we have in front of us a face, in a first plane, we will look at it and unconsciously we will analyse where is it looking, the face expression, etc.
If we have an amount of heads walking and moving as in the seventh scene (7) we will look only above of their heads, and maybe a head which is closer to us.
Our brain is prepared to react when we need it. Most of the time we do not think where we must look, we only do it. In films is the same. For instance, when we see a subject which is motionless and then another object pass by very quickly our brain sends a message to our eyes to make them to look to that object, to recognize it: “Why is it moving so fast? What was that? Is it important?”, and actually we do not know we are thinking on those questions.
Contrast and affinity
Movement of an object with a background
What about a stationary background? It is obvious that if we have one, all of our attention will go to the objects in front of it, and then they will move, or not, that is not important now. But what if the background has got moving elements? Where do we have to focus? Here it is the clue of the work in this area: the movement.
Continuum of movement
If we divide the screen in 9 parts, as we can see in the image, we will be able to compare it to the 20 scenes. I recommend you to go up and have a look of them, and then come back. It would be helpful.
What we can see is summarized in this scheme to make it easier understand where are the objects situated following this image model.
Number on the screen Scene
1 6, 13
2 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
3 19
4 10, 14, 17, 18, 19
5 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20
6 15, 18, 19
7 16, 18
8 15, 16, 20
9 9, 18, 19
Well, let´s finish analysing this part. We can affirm that several scenes have them focusing area in the centre, in the points 5, 2, 4 are the most important. This happens thanks of the first planes, the art direction and lighting, which are not the topic in this article.
As I said before, there are not big contrasts between the movements of the women because they do not pass by in front of other one, or walk in different ways. The contrast exist with the illumination, shadows, human bodies, etc. (You can read about it in my blog alejandrosolweb).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LACASA, P. 2016. “Sesion 7 to 1 Audiovisual Movement” in WordPress. Available on:
https://prezi.com/hm3i1y5qvavs/session-7-1-audiov-movement/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
MARRANGHELLO, M. 2016. “El estudio científico de cómo los espectadores ven las películas” in Laprensalibre. Available on:
SOLER, A. 2016. “Sequence project” in WordPress. Available on: https://alejandrosolweb.wordpress.com/2016/11/04/sequence-project/
CINE GRATIS 