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Course: Storytelling > Unit 2
Lesson 5: Film grammar- Introduction to film grammar
- Major vs. minor beats
- Activity 1: Major and minor beats
- Basic shot types
- Activity 2: Basic shot types
- Extreme shots
- Activity 3: Extreme & angles
- Dynamics shots
- Activity 4: Dynamic shots
- Storyboarding
- Activity 5: Storyboarding
- Advice on film grammar
- Glossary: Film grammar
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Activity 2: Basic shot types
Part A: Pick a scene or sequence from one of your favorite movies, review it, and answer the following questions:
- Can you find a moment where changing shot types (wide shot, medium shot, close-up) help emphasize a story point?
- How does the staging and framing heighten the emotional impact of the scene?
- Can you find a shot where the rule of thirds is followed?
Part B: Return to the minor beats you identified in your story from the previous exercise. For each beat choose a shot type which would work well (wide, medium, close) and then do the following:
- Sketch the frame for each of these three shots from the camera’s point of view. Remember to consider what you want the audience to know, and what you want them to feel.
- Consider using either “centering” or “rule of thirds” to place your subjects within the frame.
- To help you visualize the staging, imagine looking down on each of the three shot types. Put the camera and character(s) where you imagine they need to be in order to create the shot type. Add any notes, lines, or details that would indicate direction for camera or character.
Check out the lesson on Virtual Cameras to learn how different shots are created in Pixar films.
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Revenge of the Sith - Scene 140
Int. Padme's apartment - Day
Establishing shot
OBI-WAN: When was the last time you saw him?
PADME: Yesterday.
OBI-WAN: Do you know where he is now?
PADME:...No.
Camera follows Padme slightly.
OBI-WAN: I need your help, Padme. Anakin is in grave danger.
PADME: From the Sith?
Close up on Obi-Wan
OBI-WAN: From himself. Padme...Anakin has turned to the dark side.
Over the shoulder shot, focus on Padme.
PADME: You're wrong. How can you even say that?
Close up on Obi-Wan, follows him as he moves. Padme can be seen behind him
OBI-WAN: I have seen a security hologram...of him...killing younglings.
PADME: Not Anakin. He couldn't.
Over-the-shoulder shot, focus on Obi-Wan.
OBI-WAN: He was deceived by a lie. We all were. It appears the Chancellor is behind everything, including the war. Palpatine is the Sith Lord we've been looking for. After the death of Dooku, Anakin became his new apprentice.
Medium shot of Padme, pan alongside as she sits down.
PADME: I don't believe you...I can't.
Close up on Obi-Wan as he sits beside her.
OBI-WAN: I must find him, Padme..
Medium shot of the two.
PADME: You're going to kill him, aren't you?
Close up on Obi-Wan.
OBI-WAN: He has become a very great threat.
Medium shot.
PADME: ... I can't.
Camera follows Obi-Wan as he leaves. He stops and turns to Padme.
OBI-WAN: Anakin's the father, isn't he? ...I'm so sorry.
He gets into his speeder and flies off.
Meanwhile, there are a few medium shots of dead Separatists on the floor in various rooms on the planet Mustafar. Wide shot of Anakin looking out on the horizon, then close up on his face.(37 votes)
I have brought peace, freedom, Justice, and security to my new empire.(2 votes)
Movie) The Lego Batman
Wide shot- whenever he is fighting all the villians at the same time.
Medium shot- when he is apologizing to his family for being so distant to them
Close shot- Is when he is singing about him kicking the villians' butts(19 votes)
Part A: Pick a scene or sequence from one of your favorite movies, review it, and answer the following questions.
Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy
Can you find a moment where changing shot types (wide shot, medium shot, close-up) help emphasis a story point?
Yes, as the Guardians step into the control tower to escape the prison, there is this really awesome wide shot used to introduce Rocket, Peter, Drax, Gamora, and Groot as a team.
How does the staging and framing heighten the emotional impact of the scene?
As Gamora and Peter are dancing together, it becomes a close-up and the cameras and lights seem to focus more on their facial expressions.
Can you find a shot where the rule of thirds is followed?
Yes, during the sene when Peter and the blue alien fight over his walkman and Peter gets a taser to the stomach.(14 votes)
Movie: Incredibles 2
Can you find a moment where changing shot types help emphasis a story point?
Yes. There is a wide shot used to show how Dash and Violet are surrounded by guards.
How does the staging and framing heighten the emotional impact of the scene?
There is a close up of Violet and Dash's faces and show their facial expressions of surprise and panic.
Can You find a shot where the rule of thirds is followed?
Yes. While they are running from the guards there is a shot where Dash is running across the water.(7 votes)
- In the Titanic the shot type changes from when they are having a good time on the boat to when they crash into the iceberg and the boat starts to sink in the middle of the ocean. There was a lot of emotion and energy going on in the part where they crashed and were sinking.(10 votes)
In Sing, there was a wide shot of where Johnny's dad is racing across the tops of buildings, chased by the police helicopters.(6 votes)
1) Movie: Tangled
Scene: Rapunzel and Pascal play hide and seek
- wide seen showing closed window
- medium shot on Pascal trying to hide, shows emotion of being scared and changing colour
- wide shot on Rapunzel opening the window then walks away
- closeup on Pascal to show emotion of being relieved and happy
- medium shot on rapunzel upside down pulling Pascal
- closeup shot on Pascal to show how he freaked out --> to show emotions
2) How does the staging and framing heighten the emotional impact of the scene
- the medium shot wants to show how Pascal is running while showing his emotions
- the closeup on Pascal emphasizes the emotions, scared, relieved, freaked out
- the wide frame showing the staging, Rapunzel through the window and Pascal hiding on the side emphasizes how unexpected it is for Rapunzel to find Pascal
Can you find a shot where the rule of thirds is followed?
The scene where Pascal stand at the window and says "Well, I guess Pascal is not here"(11 votes)- Avengers Endgame:
Wide Shot - Landscape of destroyed Avengers Headquarters
Medium shot - Every Avenger running towards the battle
Close shot- Tony snapping his fingers(8 votes)
it was a dramatic in all of these shots, as in you can make anything happen in the different shots.(1 vote)
- Movie
Halloween (1978)
I not much of a fan of Horror movies (especially due to the fact that a lot of them have reptitive cliches and the teenagers feaured in the movies are dumb... like REALLY dumb), Halloween to the eyes of a lot of people are considered a classic.
However, I did like one scene in the film where It showed Michael Myers Halloween mask but in Myers point of view. I liked the shot because it had both framing and a POV, possibly to up the scare ante within the film while also making it a bit artsy.
In many Halloween films, Myers true face behind the mask is kept hidden, even in the reboots with Rob Zombie. However it could have been intentional to make Myers a bit more mysterious and of course, scarier to the audience.(8 votes) 
in the SpongeBob movie when they are at the krabby patty car it is a wide shot(6 votes)
when people are closer to the camera it adds more feeling and tensity to the scene(5 votes)
when the avatar stands on a rock all cool looking it's a wide shot(3 votes)