The Art of Illusion: Production Design for Film and Television by Terry Ackland-Snow & Wendy Laybourn

Author:Terry Ackland-Snow & Wendy Laybourn [Ackland-Snow, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781785003448
Publisher: Crowood
Published: 2017-09-30T04:00:00+00:00

Transporter with missile launcher up in the firing position.

The Spies Like Us crew with the missile in the freezing Austrian Alps.

CHAPTER 5

CAMERA ANGLES, LIGHTING AND PERSPECTIVE

Filmmaking is essentially the art of creating illusions. The Art Department builds magnificent sets in the studio and creates the same illusion on a location set whilst making it look untouched. Most feature films combine the two, although there are exceptions with films such as The Phantom of the Opera, which was made entirely in the studio on stages and the back lot of Pinewood Studios. However, the key to extending this illusion on to the cinema screen is the work of the Camera Crew and it is essential for the Art Department to have a good working knowledge of this process.

Every Junior Draughtsman, from the beginning of their training in the Art Department, will start to assimilate information about camera angles and perspective. The camera lens is the medium through which the audience sees the finished movie, so the Designer effectively has to imagine the scene as if ‘through the lens’ and all the drawings and blueprints have to reflect this. Given this fact, the experienced Production Designer and Art Director need to have a good working knowledge of cameras and lenses, both film and digital, and have to keep abreast of changes and innovations in camera technology and techniques. The Art Director will also be involved in any lens tests with the Director and Cinematographer, so a working knowledge of apertures, F-stops, T-stops, focal lengths, aspect ratios and perspectives should all be in their mental bag of tricks.

UNDERSTANDING THE JOBS IN THE CAMERA DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING GRIPS AND LIGHTING

* Please note that the following titles marked with an asterisk are generic terms and are used to describe both male and female practitioners. All roles can be filled by either a man or a woman and references to ‘he’ are for convenience only.

Director of Photography (DoP) or Cinematographer

The Director of Photography is in control of the Camera Department on set, orchestrating the Camera Crew, Grip and Lighting teams, who use their skills and expertise to film the action on set in order to capture exactly the images that the Director wants. Liaising closely with the Art Department throughout the shooting process, the DoP is key to maintaining the consistent ‘look and feel’ of the film. The input of the DoP also extends into the post-production phase. Once the edited sequences have been completed by the Director and the post-production team, the DoP must be involved with the final colour grading in order to ensure that the Director’s desired ‘look and feel’ of the film is maintained prior to final release or screening.

Camera Operator

The Camera Operator is the right hand of the DoP during filming. Responsible for the physical operation of the camera, this entails the Operator working closely with the Director, the DoP and the individual members of the cast to line up and plan a sequence. When filming, the Operator must ensure that the

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