INTRODUCTION: Good
composition is arrangement
of pictorial elements
to form a
unified, harmonious whole. A cameraman composes
whenever he positions
a player, a
piece of furniture
or a prop.
Placement and movement of
players within the
setting should be
planned to produce
favourable audience
reactions. Since viewing
a motion picture
is an emotional
experience; the manner
in which scenes are
composed, staged, lighted
, photographed and
edited should mobilise
audience reaction , in accordance to
the script's intent.
The viewer's attention
should be concentrated
on the player,
object or action
most significant to the story at
that moment. Composition should not
be devoid of character.
A well thought out
composition can create
a mood, an
attitude or a
meaning by drawing
attention to both
the formal as well as the narrative material that is being employed.
PAINTING/PHOTOGRAPHY & MOTION PICTURE: Motion Picture
composition borrows it’s
cardinal principles from
painting and still
photography. In that
sense painting and photography
is a pre-cursor
to Cinema. However
there is one
significant difference that
favours Motion Picture composition. Still photographs
freeze the decisive
moment in one
stationary image. A
still photograph may
suggest motion, but it
deals in space
relationships only. It
can, therefore, be
well composed only
within its singular frame of
reference. A motionpicture, on
the other hand,
is composed in
both space and
time. The temporal dimension
is just as
important as linear
dimensions and placement
of the pictorial elements within
the frame .
A motion picture
is a progression
of varied size
images. Space and
time relationships between various
elements may remain
the same or
change as the
picture progresses. The size
of the various
images may remain
the same, or change from
shot to shot;
or during a scene
if the players
advance toward or
recede from the
camera or if
the camera is
dollied , panned, tilted
or zoomed. This
constantly changing image
pattern tends to
complicate motion picture
composition. However, excessive and
insignificant movement can
not only disturb
and distract the
viewer it can
also ruin the narrative possibilities. Hence movement
is a critical element of motion picture composition.
BASIC COMPONENTS OF COMPOSITION • Line •
Form • Mass • Movement • Colour
These
compositional elements speak
a universal language
which trigger similar
emotional responses in almost
every viewer. If
properly integrated and
employed in an
artistic, imaginative, intelligent manner they comprise a
compositional language which can convey the desired mood, character and
atmosphere.
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