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THR334Film & MoviesTextbook Spring 2003: How to Read a FilmSubscribe to Open Class @ 200x AestheticsFilm & Video Directing (Spring 2004): textbook Grammar of the Film Language by Daniel Arijon
In addition to Checklist Page I thought that I should make another one about the basic rules.
I recommend to read the Mise-en-Scene in Stage Directing and learn the 9 squares of the stage (DS, US and etc.) -- and do some floor (ground) plan exer. Stay with the simple geometrical patterns: line, diagonal, circle, triangle, square. Changing of directions of movement. One actor only moves (case).
Remember all movement must be MOTIVATED! If there is no emotional reason for moving, a practical one must be found (the most effective movement is that which results from emotion). Re-examine the scene (dialogue).
We stress the stationary camera, at least for now.
Number the sub-shots (different images in one continued shot) as 1a, 1b, 1c and etc. The same with the position of actors: A1, A2, A3 and B1, B2, B3...
Editing with the film frame is also called "a fluid camera style" (long master shot that flows smoothly, covering a scene completely of a large portion of it). Sidney Lumet... and Alfred Hitchcock: "Good films are made on a desk -- not on a sound stage"!
This is not instead of the Shot-by-shot techniques, but in addition!
Review the Motion Page and the Triangle Princple before reading this page. We work with the Two Players Dialogue mostly and EDITING PATERNS for static dialogue scenes first.
One of The Triangle Method of covering two players located on the common line of interest:
Camera viewpoints for master shots, are on the angles of the triangle. Take a note: each actor is framed on the same side of the screen (A - left, B - right)!
The Nature of Screen Motion
1. Motion broken down
Changing view with movement
3. Using cut-aways
4. Neutral direction
5. Performer indicates the change
6. Contrasting motions in the same half screen
7. Conditions of the cut
8. Where to cut
9. Cutting on action
10. CUTTING after the MOVEMENT (motion page).
Primary Motion Cases
7 Basic Techniques: EDITING in the CAMERA
1. A pause between movements
2. A change of zone
3. Approaching or receding from the camera
4. Changing of body positions
5. Substitution by sectors
6. Switching of screen sectors
7. Numerical contract
MOVING from ZONE to ZONE
Stationary camera:
zone 3
I
zone 2
I
zone 1
I
\/
@
6 ways of pan
1. straight, 2. diagonal left-right 45%, 3. diagonal UP - DSL, 4. semi-circle, 5. angle in, 6. angle out
Ful circle (zones around the camera)
Moving Camera
Summary
The page will be extended.
Questions
Which motion is "stronger" -- primary or secondary?
Homework
Editing in the camera: arrange the scene within the given pattern.
Script Rules: Nonody READS scripts! You have to get me right away!
Deer Hunter, The (1978)
by Deric Washburn.
More info about this movie on imdb.com
EXT. PENNSYLVANIA STEEL MILL - LIGHT SNOW - DAY
The plant is massive, grime-streaked, squatting in the valley
under five massive stacks, each one trailing a black ribbon
across the winter sky. Fires can be seen flickering through
the windows and long flames weave and dance from the tops of
guyed metal flues. Steam rises in clouds from vents and
chimneys and the sound of it all -- the hissing, the
clanging, the rumbling, the shrieking -- comes faintly, muted
by the falling snow.
In the foreground is a street -- COLUMBINE STREET -- which
inhabits the bottom of a narrow ravine and plunges directly
down the hillside, straight at the mill. Columbine is a sad
looking street, a grim-looking street, a street hanging on by
the skin of its teeth. Dilapidated stores hug the narrow
sidewalks. Battered signs squeak in the wind. Sandwiched
between the stores and scattered on twisting roads along the
hillside are narrow Victorian houses. These houses, which run
to three stories or more in height, all seem on the verge of
toppling over, and undoubtedly would, except that they are
all connected one to another by a mad arrangement of utility
lines which cross and re-cross between them with occasional
aid from a leaning pole.
MUSIC COMES UP -- dissonant, rather frightening music -- as
we watch a car come charging up through the slush on
Columbine Street. As it nears CAMERA the car falters on the
slippery grade and slides out of sight. A figure appears,
huddled against the driving snow. The figure disappears AS
CAMERA HOLDS ON THE STEEL MILL AT THE END OF THE EMPTY
STREET.
MAIN TITLE COMES UP:
THE DEER HUNTER
TOPICS: drama + comedy + postmodern + time + space +
Artistic ID * Style * Story, Form & Genre * Screen Language * Projects * Script * Translation to the Screen * Directing the Frame * Subject Size * Angle * Perspective * Composition * Look * Movement * Continuity * Coverage * mise-en-scene * Casting * Rehearsal * Directing Actors * Audience * Expectation * Suspense * Surprise * Violence * Humor * Dynamic Dialogue Scenes * Static Dialogue Scenes * Group Dialogue Scenes * Tips * Documentaries & Experimental * scripts *
Strong finale (sample) -- DOG DAY AFTERNOON by Frank Pierson
...
INT. LIMO - NIGHT
MURPHY
Sal - please keep that gun pointed
up, huh?
THEIR POV - MOVING SHOTS
from inside the limo. The faces of the poor, the excited,
the vicious the curious, and in ONE SHOT some of the people
from the Gay Liberation Movement carrying hastily lettered
signs: one protesting Sonny:
YOU ARE AN INSULT
TO YOUR KIND
and another:
WE LOVE LOVE LOVE
YOU SONNY!
Their scared and wan faces swim past in the mob. Sonny's
mother is briefly seen looking out of the barber shop
window, alone and forgotten. The Cops stare heavily, sullen
with anger.
Now the limo is moving faster. People are running alongside,
YELLING insults, trying to see in, asking for hand-outs, but
they are going faster. Inside, they say nothing. Up ahead,
Sheldon's car flashes a red light. Behind, the police car
does the same.
VARIOUS EXT. AND INT. ANGLES - NIGHT
as the procession moves through Brooklyn.
MOVING VIEW FROM GROUND
A helicopter follows above them.
VIEWS IN STREETS
They move along, followed by a HONKING parade of kibitzing
cars, like a Mexican wedding.
ANGLE AT AIRPORT THRUWAY
They turn onto the thruway, trying to out-distance the cars
tagging along.
INT. LIMO
Silence. Sonny and Sal hold their rifles ready between
their knees.
ANGLE N AIRPORT FENCE
as they veer off the thruway, a barely seen Guard swings
open a gate and they ROAR through. The Guard pushes the
gate to, and the following caravan of cars brakes, skids and
a pile-up of fender bender accidents begin, cars going into
the fence and each other.
FULL SHOT - THRUWAY
Cars are strewn all around. Doors open and Drivers leap out
ready to YELL and do battle. The Cops guard the now closed
gate.
KENNEDY AIRPORT - NIGHT
Distant lights, some moving. Total darkness. The FBI car,
the limo, the following police car move across the darkness...
INT. LIMO - NIGHT
They sit quiet, following the FBI car. The FBI car stops.
They stop. Silence.
SONNY
Murphy, can you see what they're
doing?
MURPHY
He's still got some arrangements to
make.
Sheldon is getting out of the car up ahead. Sonny and Sal
and all of them come alert. As Sheldon and the other FBI
men get out of their car, a pair of aircraft landing lights
become visible, taxiing towards the limo.
SONNY
There it is, Sal. Sal?
SAL
I'm here.
SONNY
Oh, Jesus! Hey. How about food?
I forgot to ask to have food on
board.
Sheldon has been walking down to the limo. He stops beside
Mulvaney and KNOCKS on the window. Mulvaney rolls it down.
SHELDON
That's the jet. You give us one
more, now. That's the deal...
SONNY
Okay. Which one goes?
There is silence inside the limo. Mulvaney turns to Sylvia.
MULVANEY
Sylvia?
From a handkerchief, Sylvia draws a slip of paper.
SYLVIA
It's Maria. Go on, honey.
They open the door. They urge her out, and Maria goes with
a show of reluctance.
ON MARIA
As she stands up outside she is revealed to have a rosary
she's counting. IMPROVISE goodbyes, tearful and fearful all
around. Then:
MARIA
I pray for your safety...
(meaning Sonny and Sal)
... Sal? Because I know it's your
first plane trip. Don't be scared,
you know?
(gives him her rosary)
And Maria walks away. Now the plane has taxied into
position, where it can be seen in floodlights. It looks big
and impressive. We know the FBI has snipers ringing it.
SONNY
I ain't eaten all day. I just
realized it.
SHELDON
We'll have hamburgers on the plane.
You ready?
MURPHY
(turns to Sal again)
Sal, keep it up, huh? The gun -
please ...
CLOSE - SONNY
looking at the plane, grasping his money and his gun. The
rifle stands straight up between his legs. Sheldon leans
down, peering in at him.
SONNY
What do you think, Sal? You ready
to go?
ANGLE - SAL
in front of Sonny, behind Mulvaney. For the first time he
smiles. He realizes that escape is within their grasp. The
smile transforms him from a formidable Mafia imitation into
an utterly sweet and defenseless youth.
SAL
(gun pointing high)
Hey, Sonny - You did it!
CLOSE - SONNY
SONNY
Let's move it, goddamn it.
SHELDON
(to Driver)
You ready to get out first?
DRIVER
Yes.
Driver starts to turn in the driver's seat!
Sheldon brings up his hands to reach through the open window
to grab Sonny's rifle barrel, pushes it away, aiming out
windshield.
Mulvaney sees them beginning their move and starts to duck.
Sal begins to see movement out of the corner of his eyes and
is barely beginning to react.
DRIVER TURNING HAS A GUN OVER THE BACK OF THE SEAT!
Sonny sees it, and Sheldon's hand grabbing the barrel of his
gun at the same moment.
Sheldon drives hard into the side of the limo, reaching in.
Mulvaney grabs the girl next to him and pulls her by the
hair down toward the floor.
Sal, open-mouthed with amazement, is a split-second late
bringing his gun up.
Driver completes his turn and has his gun leveled at Sal
between Miriam and Margaret in middle row.
Sheldon grabs his rifle barrel and pulls hard. Sonny lets
it go.
Sal stares at the gun barrel, trying to get his gun up...
Driver FIRES.
Mulvaney hits the floor.
Sheldon holds Sonny's gun.
Sonny, CLOSE, watches.
Sal, hit, slams back into the seat; the gun flies upward.
Another SHOT hits him, flinging his head back.
Driver holds his third shot, turns to Sonny - holds gun to
his temple.
Sonny looks down so he can see fully as:
Sal's head snaps back for a split second and stares directly
into Sonny's eyes, upside down.
He stares sadly, into Sonny's eyes. As though he knew it
all along -- betrayed.
And dies.
The SHOT is ECHOING. Now SCREAMS, YELLS, SLAMMING doors,
panic... Sonny's voice: "Shoot me! For God's sake, shoot
me!"
FULL SHOT
They come pouring out of the limo, scrambling frantically
away from it. The limo -- the people fleeing it. Agents
pull people away from the car.
Driver and Sheldon and Cops peer into the back. Sal's body
lies slumped.
Driver, Sheldon, other Cops stand about, recovering. No one
makes the slightest sort of congratulatory move, it was just
another job. Driver clears his weapon, hands it to Sheldon
to be filed in case of investigation.
ON SYLVIA, MULVANEY, HOSTAGES
They hug, cry, laugh, jump up and down: they're alive!
SYLVIA
(to Mulvaney)
I been dying to do this for years!
And she kisses him hard in the mouth. He laughs and kisses
back...
CLOSE - SONNY
Tears are beginning to flood past his defenses:
SHELDON (V.O.)
You are under arrest. You have the
right to remain silent. You have
the right to counsel to be present,
during your interrogation.
(etc.)
His voice is dry, as though he were reciting from memory
something he learned in a language he doesn't understand.
LAP DISSOLVE TO:
CLOSE - LEON - HEAD ON SHOT
like a Warhol interview on TV. Segue VOICE TRACK.
LEON
Well, I don't see how Sonny can
survive in prison, he was very
loud, very boisterous. He was
obnoxious.
CLOSE - HEAD SHOT - SONNY
being manipulated like so much beef by impersonal FBI
agents...
LEON (V.O.)
He was very hard to live with...
HEIDI (V.O.)
He made me laugh.
EXT. BARBER SHOP - NIGHT
Remnants of the crowd of sightseers, being interviewed by TV
men avid for more, more, more news... these are people among
the group that held up the big banner earlier: now we see
them up CLOSE. They're folding up their banner. A very
ordinary-looking YOUNG GUY.
PROUD YOUNG MAN
I love him. He put an end to all
that pansy limp wristed shit!
FBI AND SONNY
They're getting off his belt, his shoe laces...
HEIDI (V.O.)
Because he always had a way of
getting out, always in the army he
was AWOL...
OMITTED
BACK TO SONNY
manacled and helpless. He is twisted into some yet more
uncomfortable position by the uncaring Agents.
HEIDI (V.O.)
I can't help thinking how he might
ring the bell one of these days.
That's why I'm nervous, because I'm
always thinking some day he's gonna
come along and ring the bell...
THROUGH THE SHOT Sal's body is carried, Sonny, seeing it out
of the corner of his eye. He tries to look...
FBI MAN
Keep your eyes front.
PAULINE NATURILE - BEING INTERVIEWED
A faded, rattled woman, perhaps a little drunk...
NEWSMAN
How did you know your son was
involved?
PAULINE
It was on the TV.
NEWSMAN
When was the last time you saw Sal?
PAULINE
Oh, a long time. Because I kept
asking my husband where the heck
could Junior be? He wasn't around
here. I thought maybe he was in
prison or some place.
NEWSMAN
Did you know he was a homosexual?
PAULINE
No, not until after they killed him.
NEWSMAN
Did you always call him Junior.
PAULINE
Yeah.
NEWSMAN
Do you remember anything else about
Sal?
PAULINE
No, that's all.
BACK TO SONNY - AT AIRPORT
Sonny isn't even listening... he sees something o.s.:
SONNY
Hey!
NEW ANGLE
The hostages moving toward a car to take them home are
passing nearby and turn to look at him...
SONNY
Goodbye! You were terrific! Mouth!
You're beautiful! See you!
THEIR REACTIONS
They stare at him; they've already begun to forget him: the
moment in the bank when they said their goodbyes is already
receding from their consciousness. Their smiles are forced,
and they don't really know what to say.
SYLVIA
Ah, Sonny! Good luck, you know?
MULVANEY
You were terrific, too!
SYLVIA
Hey. It's raining.
And, as the first welcome drops of cooling rain fall, they
begin to move fast...
ON SONNY
looking after them. The rain hitting his face... the
adventure is over. But the everlasting smile overtakes him...
LEON
I'm glad. Life is easier with him
in prison.
HEIDI
It would be like always, the bell
would ring, we'd have a ball.
OMITTED
BEGIN TITLE AND CREDITS:
SINCE THERE WILL BE NO BEGINNING TITLE OR CREDITS, THE
PICTURE LOGO WILL FLASH ON SCREEN NOW, AND END MUSIC UP:
AS PACINO'S CREDIT IS SEEN, OVER A STILL OF HIM FROM THE
PICTURE: THE FOLLOWING IS SUPERIMPOSED:
SONNY IS SERVING TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON.
AS LEON IS SEEN:
LEON IS NOW A WOMAN NAMED LANA.
AS HEIDI IS SEEN:
HEIDI LIVES WITH HER CHILDREN ON WELFARE.
FADE OUT.
THE END
