This week we started making the 3d storyboards of the idea we chose last week. I picked the Idea 3 which was about the star of the school.
3D Storyboards
I made the 3d storyboards this week and later on I got the feedback on how to improve it. My mentor gave me some ideas to change my shots and we also deleted some shots. The main feedback on these frames were that I should not show the entire class view and show all the students filling sheets, rather I should just focus on the last benches and pan the camera. I got the idea on how to save animation efforts in some scenes and make them more straight forward.
In these shots, I was told to show a star portal opening from where the character falls down. We also removed the whole camera rotation which leads to the establishing shot of the star. I have also been told about the posing and directions and camera transitions.
These are the shots in which a lot of action and camera movement is happening. My mentor helped me simplify the camera movements and placement of shots.
In these shots, we discussed about the placements of the characters and camera zooming.
Critical Reflection
This exercise of making 3d storyboards was extremely helpful. It taught me about different camera angles and transitions. I have also learnt about making the scenes simple yet engaging.
This week we studied animation from production point of view. We discussed mise-en-scene and its elements, camera animation and camera shots in films.
Mise-en-scène
Everything that communicates to us within the frame is part of the Mise-en-Scène. This is A French term meaning what is put into a scene or frame and is constituted by all the visual information in front of the camera and can communicate essential information to the audience. The Mise-en-Scène is an essential part of the director’s creative art.
The analogy works for animation too. The animation director metaphorically “stages” the scene by controlling the placement of images, colours and lines. They also work with background artists and storyboard artists, who play major role in shaping the layout.
Everything in the animated mise-en-scène must be consciously woven into the frame, whether it is through hand-drawn animation, props, CG, or some combination of the above. There is nothing that can be “incidentally” caught in the frame. Film directors go to great lengths to control the set design, where the cameras are set up, and so on. But even they are strongly influenced by physical factors such as the weather, their level of access to certain locations and props, and their crew size and abilities. This is why people talk about film as a form of “heightened reality”, because even though much of it is staged and often supplemented by computer graphics, it is never completely divorced from the physical environment.
Example
The epic romance and disaster film, Titanic, is largely memorable for its bewitching use of key mise-en-scène elements. The biggest challenge is that it’s wholly set in a ship sailing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, deep space is often used where even the far view of the ship is in clear focus. The use of lighting and costumes conveys the difference in classes within the ship. In the later half of the film, particularly, low-key lighting is used to express the epic tragedy. It wasn’t the tragic love story alone that made Titanic the success it was. The awe-inspiring visuals played an equal role. Now, that’s the power of a meticulously-designed mise-en-scène.
Image showing a still from movie, Titanic
Camera Shots
Extreme close-up: which gives us very little information, we can only see the character, bringing us very close to a person experience for instance.
Close-up: which gives the audience a bit more of Information but still limited and still tells to focus on that moment which is useful to create a feeling of intimacy.
Medium shot: still relatively close shot, usually showing a character from the waist up. A medium shot is used to emphasize both the actor and their surroundings by giving them an equal presence on screen.
Long shot: a view of a scene that is shot from a considerable distance, so that people appear as indistinct shapes.
Extreme long shot: a view from an even greater distance, in which people appear as small dots in the landscape if at all. No expression is visible and the characters get overwhelmed by the environment.
The camera within a shot can also move:
Pan shot: the camera is mounted on a non-moving base. The camera pivots on its axis along the line of the horizon pans left to right.
Tilt shot: The camera can move up or down while fixed on its axis.
Travelling shot (dolly shot): the camera can move forward or backward while fixed on its axis on a track.
Crane shot: The camera can move in and out and up and down while fixed on a mechanical crane.
Image showing camera shots
Exploring Camera Shots
We explored different camera shots today in the class using the crane rig. Here are some of the example shots I made
Apart from research approaches and strategies we have studied mise en scene this week. Mise en scène is the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play. In film analysis, the term mise en scene refers to everything in front of the camera. Mise en scene in film is the overall effect of how it all comes together for the audience. The elements of mise en scene are
Sets
Props
Lighting
Costumes
Actor blocking
Shot composition
We always saw some video references and it made the concept more clear to me. The video reference showcased the importance of mise-en-scene in film. I have learned that if is properly used, it elevates film from a series of moving pictures to an art form with purpose. Something bursting with atmosphere and emotions that pulls viewers in and doesn’t let go.
FilmExample: Titanic
A shot from the movie, Titanic
James Cameron’s epic romance and disaster film is largely memorable for its bewitching use of key mise-en-scene elements. The biggest challenge is that it is completely set in a ship sailing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, deep space is often used where even the far view of the ship is in clear focus. The setting in this film has created the contrast between higher and lower classes. The vivid acting style by several main and supporting characters has enhanced the storyline, and also made the story run smoothly. Lighting in this film has created meaning in all scenes, the mood has enhanced through different lighting in several scenes. The costume in this film is functional in telling audiences that the different characteristic of the characters in the scene. It has also enhanced the contrasted class level in this film. Space arrangement in this film has giving the meaning to the particular scene through different camera placement and camera shot. It wasn’t the tragic love story alone that made Titanic the success it was. The awe-inspiring visuals played an equal role. Now, that’s the power of a meticulously designed mise-en-scene
