Understanding Motion Pictures

4 Elements of FilmCAMERA – Cinematography & lightingEDITING - selecting shots, combining into sequencesSOUND – Dialogue, sound effects, musicMIS-EN-SCENE - "placing on stage"

CAMERA PersonelDirector of Photography - also called cinematographerCamera Operator - also called cameramanFirst Assistant camera - also called focus pullerSecond Assistant camera - also called clapper loader

CAMERA Movement1st film cameras were fixed & didn’t move during a shotPan - horizontal shiftTilt - vertical shiftDolly -  moving platform to move closer or farther from the subjectTracking - moving platform to move it to the left or rightCrane - lift off the ground & swing it side-to-side

CAMERA CompositionDepth of field of a scene - how much the background, mid-ground and foreground will be rendered in "acceptable focus“Zoom movement – controlled by the lens, not moving the cameraPhotographic standards of composition – rule of thirds

EDITINGEditing was done with a positive copy of the film negative called a film workprintStrips of footage were cut & attached together with tape or glueTechnology evolved - Splicer and synchronizers with a viewer (Moviola), and flatbed editorsNow, all editing is done digitally and is “non-linear”

EDITING TechniquesContinuity - a series of shots should be physically continuous, as if the camera simply changed angles in the course of a single eventMontage – a sequence or short segment in a film in which narrative information is presented in a condensed fashionTransitions – getting from one scene to another using diolves, wipes, jump cuts (A/B Roll Editing)

EDITING 7 Rules1. NEVER make a cut without a positive reason2. When undecided about the exact frame to cut on,

cut long rather than short3. Whenever possible cut 'in movement‘4. The 'fresh' is preferable to the 'stale‘5. All scenes should begin and end with continuing

action6. Cut for proper values rather than proper 'matches‘7. Substance first—then form

Edward Dmytryk

SOUNDSound-on-film – The Jazz Singer (1927)Often, sound is recorded separately from filming and added during editing – dubbingSound effects - artificially created or enhanced soundsMusic – As part of the story (as in musical comedy films) or as a score

SOUND EffectsHard sound effects - common sounds that appear on screen, such weaponsBackground - sounds that do not explicitly synchronize with actionDesign sound effects – created for effectFoley sounds - require Foley artists to record, such as footsteps

Mise-en-scèneMise-en-scène refers to everything that appears before the camera – composition (design), sets, props, actors, costumes, and lighting

Mise-en-scèneSets and design - the setting of a scene and the objects (props) visible in a sceneShooting on a set vs location

Mise-en-scèneLighting - a concern of the designers & cinematographerLight (and shade) can emphasize texture, shape, distance, mood, time of day or night, season, etc.

Mise-en-scèneSpace & Composition Depth, proximity, size & proportions can be manipulated to effectively determining mood or relationships between elements in the story world

Mise-en-scèneCostumes - the clothes that characters wearMakeup & hair styles establish time period, reveal character traits

Is Film Still Film?After 123 Years, Motion Picture Film Cameras Go Out of ProductionMajor manufacturers of motion picture cameras - ARRI, Panavision & Aaton – no longer make film cameras

CITIZEN KANE

The Greatest Film Ever Made?

BackstoryCharles Foster Kane, played by Orson Welles, based upon the American newspaper mogul William Randolph HearstHearst tried to use his influence and resources to prevent the film from being releasedHe ultimately succeeded in pressuring theater chains to limit showings of Citizen Kane

BackstoryHearst purchased the New York Morning Journal and competed against Pulitzer’s the New York WorldMarion Davies, mistress of Hearst, may have been Kane’s “singer” mistress Susan AlexanderXanadu was Kane’s estate. Hearst built San Simeon

Orson Welles1937 at age 22 he co-founded the Mercury Theatre in New York CityThe Mercury Theatre on the Air radio broadcast of War of the Worlds (1938)

Orson Welles1939 RKO Radio Pictures contractAlthough an untried director, he got complete artistic controlCo-wrote, produced, directed & played Kane

Citizen KaneShot in 10 weeks, released 1941Hearst’s effort to suppress distribution hurt box office salesCritically acclaimed. But significance grew over time

Pre-ProductionScreenplay attributed to Herman J. Mankiewicz & Orson WellesNumerous revisions, uncredited contributors

CameraCinematographer Gregg Toland wanted to work for Welles because he did NOT have film experienceCollaborated to create a very different style through lighting, angles, & camera movementDeep focus technique

Camera1st "test" - the projection room sceneFilmed in a real RKO studio projection roomDarkness that masked many actors who appeared in other roles later in the film

EditingRobert Wise editorThe film was intentionally shot for post-production techniques, such as slow dissolvesWelles & Toland edited the film "in camera" by leaving few options

SoundWelles used radio audio engineers, not filmCreated all of the sound effects instead of using RKO's library of soundMusical score by Bernard Herrmann (1st film score)

SoundWelles used techniques from radio such as overlapping dialogueCreating audio montages Integrated sound as cues to editing transitions

Casting10 were from the Mercury Theatre & had no film experience"He trained us for films at the same time that he was training himself" Agnes Moorehead

Set DesignArt Director Perry Ferguson made scale models he shared with Welles & TolandThe film's famous ceilings were made out of muslin fabricRKO cut the film's budget and many elaborate sets were abandoned

Make-UpMaurice Seiderman was a junior member of the RKO make-up departmentMade plater face & body forms to plan aging processCreated pliable plastic pieces applied directly to facesThe “old Kane” make-up took over 3 hours to apply

Asked where he got the confidence as a 1st-time director to make a film so radically different, Welles said:

Ignorance, ignorance, sheer ignorance - you know there's no confidence to equal it. It's only when you know something about a profession, I think, that you're timid or careful.

NOW WHAT?Watch the film with the 4 elements in mind: Camera, Editing, Sound and Mise-en-scèneIn the discussion assignment, you will be asked to give examples of how Citizen Kane used these 4 elements