Composition in Direction

Composition - Blocking

composition = shapes lighting colors - everything you see in a shot
blocking = movement and positioning of cameras and actors

coverage = the amount of shots and different angles used to show whats going on on the screen
    good coverage provides clarity

Classical blocking and composition  - JAWS

using people as lines to point at the important characters

its better to do it in fewer shots and cuts

good composition often aids blocking.

Different styles require different coverage, but poorly planned coverage leads to poor direction.

Thinking it out, being smart with blocking, taking it slow = more beleivable

Director needs precise vision of what they want.

Blocking can be used to introduce new characters.

Static blocking - good for powerful emotional scenes - but boring if you need urgency or excitement

pair shots with similar camera movements
direct the eye through movement
isolate characters in the brightest light
cast characters in silhouette
obscure characters
lead eye with geometry and perspective
block and compose an image so that one characters movement transitions the shot
Lighting, set design, framing, timing = !!!!!

Reference - In the mood for love

Think carefully about every shot in your film and think of different ways of directing that don't involve a shot and reverse shot formula.

-Dan Fox

Composition -
staging
framing
depth
balance

by intentionally directing the scene within the frame you are enhancing the meaning of whatever it is you want to say.

rule of 1/3's
golden ratio
triangular

Composition tells a story in one single shot

"Theres good cinematography and bad cinemetography and then theres the cinematography that was right for the movie" - Roger Deakins

Composition

Attract the Audiences attention - tool to accentuate focal elements
compositional influencers -
-geometry
-framing
-eyeline of subjects
-diagonals
-focus
-subject close to light
-guiding lines
-scale

-the frame within the frame - guides eye, symbololizes different worlds - contrast of emotion or decision
-anything can be used to frame a subject - how can you create influence?

lines of convergence / perspective
how they converge
pin character in corner
highlight subject but converge away = new journey
attract vision as well as portray a message

use comp to show who has control in a scene
show degree of control a character has
artificial control / the aesthetics where we should be looking
primal control / what subject holds more weight in the narrative?

power = size and scale
size of object in frame should equal the importance in the story -hitchcock

a character slowly approaching shows incoming threat

frame centrality = imposing character

balanced framing shows distribution of control
to show a shift, imbalance the image

negative space
 can portray no hope for character or amount of distance they have to go

how can you compose multiple types of shots without moving the camera?

how can composition effect you on a psychological level? what emotions can you display?
create a sufficient, visually pleasing structure , find focal elements and use interesting visuals to highlight them - then everything you do from there should be an artistic venture to portray your message.

Directorial research

A good director is a good casting agent.  You cant impose everything.  However, dont assume an actor gives something to an audience...make a way for your camera to get it.

Have a plan and let go of the plan, deal with the adversity of the moment. Circumstance enriches the moment.

Never let someone push you off the set.

Empower people to do their job.

Pick a medium difficult scene, make it onyour iphone, make it perfect… figure out how much this is going to take.

What are your characters doing to get what they want? Focus…

Dont start until the script is what you want it to be and then dont stop until you make it.

Hire a really good script supervisor, dp, and editor.  

Talk through your problems and if it continues….fire them.

Help characters make choices to get what they want.

Listen more, talk less.

Have a clear idea of what you want and the story you want to tell, but be aware that actors can make you help that.

Ask the actors for what they want and tell them what their giving you is beautiful, you never want to become the critic. No one wants a critic in the room.

If you truly love cinema with all your heart and your passion...you cant help but make a good movie.  

Be  tenacious, be aggressive, dont be polite. ..go for it. You have to want it so desperately.

Dont take media studies, take philosphy, make thoughts, be competely obsessed.

Write your way iin, become a director, make something.

You really dont need any money or anything to make a good film.  Go out and make stories, make movies, and make scripts ...put all your heart in something and then go write something else.

If you want to be a dentist there are things to do. If you want to be a film maker just do it.

Dont pay attention to anyone, do your own thing.