The ABCs of Film Directing – Lev Kuleshov (Unpublished in the US)
NOTES
the page numbers are the PDF page numbers
p.2 - not knowing how to walk, you can't learn to stand on your feet - Kuleshov
-One must thoroughly prepare before shooting a film.
One foot of...
- 35mm film has 52 frames...
-16mm - 131
-8mm - 262
Silent films the speed of film is 16frames per second, in sound it's 24fps
p.5 - The frame and the cell
-every'cell' of the celluloid which records an image is always an "image" (frame)
- the "rule" or "law" of compositions in films shouldn't be "static" like in photographs - but ever-changing compositions; like movement in one shot. The "image" may still be the same, but thecomposition has changed(photo on this page as an example)
-the movement within a frame always changesa composition
Close-ups, Medium shotsandWide shots
-in films the most common shots are; close-up, medium shot, and wide (pic 10-13)
-connection of aclose upand amedium/wide -creates aDEEP shot in terms of perspective(p.7, visual examples)
Why do we need various shots?
-let's say you're shooting a 30 second scene of (example on page 7) and you want to capture it all, you'll shoot from various angles and shot lengths... like close up, medium, wide, etc...Each one of theseform a scenewhen you edit them together and get rid of the unnecessary.
p.9 - What is Montage?
"Montage–is the assembly" - Vasilyev
-Every shot in the picture (shot lengths too; CU, MS, etc) mustserve a purposein the order of which they're shown. The previous shot and the next shot - the order of shotsmatters, and must be justified. Logically make sense, the decisions of cutting to and from various shots.
-Rhythmis an important factor, not just the order and the logical sequence of shots. The rhythm must correlate with the action on screen (the action of the scene itself)
p.11 –Diversification of filming and montage
1.Something that's constantly moving, repeating-you can study the patternand then organize your set ups according to the pattern and what you want to film.
2.something that's "known" yet unpredictable- these kinds of things areharderto shoot (people walking in and out of a store, walking on a street, sport...etc) you know it basically, but can't necessarily predict certain things that may suddenly change.... this willdemand from youto be a bit more elastic in your shooting, and quick judgment and plasticity...
3.Organized action – can be two types
a) Repetition of an action currently produced (acted) – (footage of something like missile testing or an assembly of something at a shop)
b) Newly organized and rehearsed action (generally, a work of an actor)
This type of action demands a director and a DP a great deal of organization in work and professional experience
My notes: essentially he is talking about HOW you would film “organized action” – whether it’s a sequence on set, or how would you capture, for instance footage of an assembly line? It’s organized, the action, but how would you film it? Etc that’s where the “organization” comes in, in your work (storyboarding, planning, set ups at the right locations)
4. “Peeped” action. (Candid camera)
This type of action is filmed when the person in the frame is unaware of being filmed. This type of action is never organized and in the 20’s used to be called “Kino-eye” – Dziga Vertov’s invention – and later on became cinema verite and usually this is used in documentaries.
p.12 - It must beclear to youthat you can'tshootnoreditas you "wish" - youmust chooseand you mustchoosewiselyduring shootingandbefore- how you are to edit a scene.
- even if you are shooting aspontaneousincident- let's say out and about somewhere - youmust think abouthow to shoot it, in what shot lengths, and how toedit them later- so that you can TELL this incidentin time and spaceto the VIEWER!
- "without an idea, or a deeply thought out theme or topic, you won't have a film, but a sequence of "live photographs - no more" - Kuleshov
Montage of a film
The film is edited in the same way frames/shots are edited in to form a scene.
-Scenes connected in a certain, logical order formepisodes. Episodes form parts. Parts form a film.
- Having captured on film whatever it is you have shot... (Natural phenomenon, landscapes, cards, etc etc) we must join all the different halves of the shoot in a special order, an imperative order...
-This junction IS callededitingormontage
-EDITING by nature, illustrates the director'sattitudetowards the material shot (example, this attitude could be the director's vision of a certain emotion, philosophy of life, etc etc)
- EDITING helps the viewer better SEE the film, to GRASP it.
p.13 - Different types of montage
- The editingmust be achieved in such a way that it isdictated by an IDEA, a THEME, or CONTENT
-EDITING musthelp the viewer see the film in the BEST way perceive and comprehend the ACTION through a screen.
-The content of the film, or its scenes, episodes, etc, maydictate ONE or ANOTHER form of editing; one or another TYPE of editing (fast/slow, etc rhythm) - the BEST kind that transcends the content to the viewer.
-Two styles of editing: slow and fast.
-Slow: images rarely change...pacing is slower
-Fast: images are shorter and the pacing/rhythm is fast.
Composition of a frame
Alsothe man is framed in the CENTER because he's the MAIN component of the frame (alsoimportant to nice Kubrick always framed dead center)
p.14
-Don't just look at the object in the frame, look at its SURROUNDINGS.
- Learn to choose in your frame THAT which you NEED,NOT"Anything goes"
-
Object in an image
-p.15
-Moving the camera closer or father away we areconcentrating the attention in various ways:wide (whole object), medium, close up - all serve different purposes.
- Each close up or wide shot of anobjectin the frame, gives usdifferent content- different objects and shots.
-Depending on the task- what isnecessaryto show in the frame - one must "enlarge" or "reduce" the size of the object, that is -select only what you NEED. Andit does not matter if the object that we're shooting isone and the same- thecontentof the frame from "enlargements" and "reductions" (close ups, or wide shots)will be DIFFERENT.
1. Indetermining the frame-rememberthat the camera may always be up close or further away from the object - that you may create different SHOTS (lengths)
2. By enlarging or reducing the distance of the camera in relation to theobject-you are always changing the CONTENT of the frame.
3. In order to "take" from the given frame THAT which isrequiredby way of aplan- it isnecessaryamong all else, todeterminethedistance of the camera from the object
Should you always center an object within a frame?
p.17
-When you are learning to compose - first learn how to FRAME an object dead center before you can compose it any other way.
-How should one use the space of the frame? By filling it with a more "active" more "expressive" elements or equally balance the frame? Obviously, maximum space of the frame must be filled with themain, more expressive. Example on page 17 is amazing...
-Best example of this is image 60 - the space is balanced equally and is expressively filled.
- This imageprovesthat notalways one must compose everything DEAD CENTER.
- It’s almost always required that thedirection of a person’s view must leave empty space.
- imagine if you've got a window and a shaft of light shining on a man - you must compose in such a way that the composition isbalanced (example p.18) - the attention of the viewer will be greatly enhanced because of the way the shaft of light (when rightly composed) intensifies the focal point of the composition - a man.
-In choosing a frame/composition do the following; 1) enlarge, or reduce the frame by moving the camera closer or away from the object you're photographing (or the lens, etc)
2) By placing the mainobject in the center of the frame- begin "looking" through ahorizontal and vertical axisthe more "correct" distribution of the main object andits subsidiary objectsin the frame.
Laws of Composition
-While composing a frame.... or working with compositions -keep in mind-not alwaysthe "laws" or "rules" of compositions are undeniable (meaning you can argue the "rules"). A lot of people follow compositional "dogmas" But you can't look at a composition as something "self-sufficient". The best way to achieve therightcompositional frame is -logicandsequence in the arguments, the subordination of the composition within the meaning of shooting, and dramatic problems.
-thecontent of the framedictates thecomposition.
-Contentandcompositionare inseparable.
-nice example on page 19. of when compositional "rule" isn't right.
-"A composition alwaysdepends upon the CONTENT of the frame, of the TASK- (the example in pics, 72 and 73 illustrate this difference)
The Whole and the details
"Sometimes part of the main, a detail, speaks better about the "whole", than the "whole" of the image itself.Remember this.
- composing a frame "always keep it "minimal" (come back to this)
“Closed” and “free” compositions
-There aretwotypes ofcompositions:
The first is when the compositional framing is 'closed' in the frame andoutsideof it, you do not feel any
Continuationof the given compositional system (what you've composed within the frame...)
Thesecond- is when beyond the limits of theframeyoufeel the continuation of the composition.
-"Closed" compositions are no different than that of thecanvasthe painter uses, and the type of painting he or she draws - example being; a plate, an apple, or whatnot - within thecanvasthe painter composes the painting/image.
This type of composition is allwithin a FRAME- you don't feel anything outside of it. There's nothing else beyond the boundaries of the frame - you can't even imagine it.
"Cut-off" frames of people, such as the ones shot by Eisenstein or Dovzhenko - beyond those types of frames, youfelt the world. There was real continuity beyond the edges of the frames. The expressive position of a man in a frame spoke about the expressiveness beyond the frame(image 76)
Example of the second type on page. 20
"Compositions - idea, point, concrete task"
Balance and contrast
- The choice of a background and the use of the vertical and horizontal panoramas help correctly set up the objects in the frame.
- The Objects in the frame must be set upnot in - anything goes fashion, but in corresponding with theTASK- theme of the image,
- In composing a shot- one must strive to use all of the space of the frame effectively.
- Balancing of the frame is vital, and it strives to not only compose each object in the frame (balance it) - but also the contrast of light and dark, the color, tones..., object and space - everything must be considered in theirtotality. And distributed in a way thatyour task asks of you.
Perspective
p.21
Almost always,the frame must bedeep-perspective
- Almost always it's not "practical" (?) to shoot an object head on... (Let’s see if I can observe these in films, example)
-Also don't shoot an object up against a flat wall like in examples (85, 86)
There are no rules without exceptions
p.22
-If you're shooting a normal action in a normal setting -strive to shoot with the most perspective.
-Do not shoot up against a flat surface or head on... unless you are shooting something like a portrait a picture on a wall - shooting something like that with a skewed, perspective will mess up the picture (as in example 90)
-Shots of people, nature, decorationshead oncan also be acceptedbut only when it's dictated by the content of the frame(story?)
-Though, as arule of thumbif you can, always shoot with aperspective, depthandavoid HEAD ON shots
The frontal plane and perspective
-The more "planes of field" in the frame, the more impressive the perspective of the frame (depth)
-Multiple planarity; makes the perspective morefelt.
-The "frontal plane" makes the depth more impressive, especially when you've got multiple planes in the frame (examples 93, 95)
When choosing a "frame" - look in that frame for the "first plane of view (frontal plane)" (such as in examples 93, 05) --- and perspective.
In a daytime light, thefrontal planeof view that's dark...underlinesa perspective! (Depth)
p.23 - Foreshortening
Moving the camera around thevertical axisintensifies a perspective.
- This type of change in vertical axis - changes thecharacterof every frame... meaning psychologically it affects the viewer in different ways. For instance to make someone really big and important you shoot from a lower angle, etc... Etc...
These type of shots are called "foreshortened"
Foreshortening – A strongly induced perspective
-shooting this type of way, gives the object in the frame a special kind of meaning and character.
- these type of shots examples can be found in a variety of works from Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel, Giovanni Tiepolo in the villa of Valmarana Senior in Hermitage in Leningrad. Alexander Deyneka on metro station of Mayakovskaya. , Eugene Lanceray
p.24 - Be Careful
-We see our environment usually from our normaleye-levelvision. Only inspecial casesdo we see it from alow angleorhigh angle.
That is why images which are shot in that fashion onlyappearto us "natural"only whenthe shooting fashion isjustifiedby thecontentof the frame or its'point of view on the object(a view from the pit, balcony, a plane...)
- If the film has alarge amountof shots from different points of view (high angle, and low angle) theviewer will begin to get tiredfrom this - because it isunnatural- since most of what we see is ateye level.
- Just look at a real life example; try eating something with hot sauce or hot pepper all the time - or how about constantly eating sweets, nonstop - the same candy, or the same donuts, all day everyday - you see the point now? You'll begin tohate it.
-You must notoverusethese type of shots (short focus lenses have a tendency tounderline/intensifythese angled shots)
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p.24 - Choice of a frame during filming
When choosing theframeon a shoot...Do not simplywalk around the object, choosing thedirectionof the shot, but at thesame time-walk UP and DOWN(change the level vertically, raise higher physically)
- In practicality it's done this way: First you walk around the object,looking at it from your height, MARK the most 'correct' for the TASK AT HAND (keep in mind the task, it'swhat's going on in the current shot, what's the story?)directionfor the shot. Then,look at, from the alleged angles you've chosen - the object - from low or high angles and finalize your choice.
2. Do not forget to getcloser or/and farther awayfrom the point of view you've found that's best for the shot.DEFINEthe "plane of view" (perspective),SIZEof the object in the frame (large or small - wide),DISTANCEof the camera from the shot.
3. Check the frame - find the mostexpressivepoint of view by using thevertical and horizontal axisof the camera...
Also using a "Dutch" angle isn't always used, but sometimes it canadd a dynamic to a given shot. (Waving of a flag)
p.25 - Practice using a painting
This is a vital section - it FORCES you to practice composing shots from works of art
p.27 – Clarity
-Simplicity, brevity, clarity- the main condition for the construction of an image
-If you don't think about how to compose a shot without using these three concepts - you can expect a lot of unexpectedness (meaning, let's say there's a clock behind someone, if yourashlycompose it - you may have a composition that appears with theclockmorphing into the head of someone- you must compose with a lot of these things in mind, and EXPECT a composition to be based on the abovethree concepts
p.28
Examplesof good compositions shown here.
1) In choosing your frame...try to:
a)Not to include in the field of view -unnecessary, leftover material
b)Choose thenecessaryobjects- and doing so in a way where the objects in the frame don'tmorph into each other or get in the way of each other.
2) When the frameis chosen...
a) Get rid from it objects which found themselves to be unnecessary or unneeded.
b) Switch aroundobjectsin such a wayso they don'tobscureeach other.
Exceptions in compositions – p.28
-in some casesobjects obscuring the field of view or each otheraren’twrong... (Image 119, is a good example)
-You can still understand what's going on...and that is due to...
-The parts - "details" - of objects in a given imagespeak a great deal about a WHOLEno worse than if the objects wereshownas a WHOLE
-That is whywhen you are "clearing" the frame from "extraneous" objects - KEEP IN MIND the EXPRESSIVENESS of certain details.
-A DP canlight an objectin such a way that when the OBJECTS intersect/morph/obscure each other -will not result in MORPHING(meaning, you'll be able to see 'depth' and discern objects within a frame)
-examples: image 120 (light MORPHS) image 121 (light SEPARATES objects)
-However-keep in mindthat when you areclearing the frame(getting rid of objects in the frame for example)you run the risk of "dry out"the frame!- By making itunrealistically succinct- devoid ofnecessary details