Visual Design and Cinematography

Visual Design Elements

• Visual design refers to what is seen on the screen or inside the frame
• Components of visual design include:
• Performance
• Blocking
• Lighting
• Costume
• Set/design
• Props

Film vs. Theater Lighting

• In film, lighting is used to communicate and set the scene

Types of Lighting

• Key light: brightest light source, hits the side or front of the subject, most prominent light in a frame
• Fill light: counters the key light, usually at an angle of 60 degrees, fills in "shadows", doesn't create its own shadow, less powerful
• Back lighting/Hair light: edge light to the rear of the subject, adds contour, behind the subject, "kicker"

Lighting Styles

• High key/soft lighting: use of key light and fill light, makes the scene more bright and open
• Low key/hard lighting: fewer light sources, lots of shadows, sharp contrasts between dark and light

Light Sources

• Natural lighting: modifying natural light, such as the sun and moon
• Motivated lighting: using lamps, light bulbs, flashlights to light a scene

Cinematography

Camera Frame

• Close-up shot: face and neck
• Long shot: entire subject
• Medium shot: waist up

Camera Angle

• Low/superior angle shot: camera positioned below, subject appears larger and more powerful
• High/inferior angle shot: camera positioned above, subject appears smaller and weaker
• Eye level shot: camera at eye level, neutral perspective

Camera Movement

• Pan: stationary camera, moves left to right at a fixed angle
• Tilt: stationary camera, moves down-up
• Zoom: stationary camera, changes focal length
• Dolly: camera moves in a person's hands, in a helicopter, follows the subject in every way

Sound Design

• Components of sound design include:
• Sound effects
• Dialogue editing
• Music
• Diegetic sound: sound originates from within the scene, seen in the frame (e.g. tweeting sound from a bird)
• Non-diegetic sound: sound does not originate from within the scene, not seen in the frame (e.g. ticking clock sound with no clock in the frame)

This quiz covers the basics of visual design elements, film and theater lighting, camera shots, angles, movement, and sound design in filmmaking.