Cinematography invisibly shapes a film’s world. Learn what directors should know about lighting, lenses and framing before they plan their shots.
While design can be defined as creating the three-dimensional world of a film, cinematography can be defined as invisibly shaping the lighting of that world and converting it to two dimensions by capturing it with a camera. The cinematographer (also known as the director of photography or DP) is in charge of the lighting and camera, using the art, craft, and technology of those tools to capture images in the service of a director’s “vision.” The director, with the advice of the cinematographer and others, is in charge of conceiving that vision.
While relationships vary from film to film, generally the cinematographer autonomously directs the placement of lights and the exposure of the camera based on “the look” desired by the director, but the director selects the approximate, if not exact, size of the shot, type of lens, and the placement, movement, and framing of the camera. The director also decides the number and variation of shots used to capture the scene—which should be discussed with the cinematographer before the first shot is lit. It is sometimes mistakenly believed that the director directs the actors and the cinematographer determines how to shoot the scene, but that is an aberration.
When you read a script, shots can come to you unbidden, but it is best to more sequentially let the script determine the performance, the performance (and set design) determine the actor blocking, the actor blocking determine the master shot, the master shot determine the coverage, and the coverage determine the editing—all in the service of the story. Notice breaking the script into shots comes in the middle of the process, not the beginning. If you start working up shots before you know what you are trying to express or what is dramatically correct for the actors to do, your work may be visually strong but ultimately unsatisfying. That is not to say that visual possibilities should be ignored when determining the action; cinema is a visual medium and sometimes an idea for a shot will shape a scene. But in the main, visual considerations should be made to serve the story in the choreographed dance of actor and camera, not the other way around.
Thought should be given to how each scene will be shot in preproduction to ensure that everything you need is on the set during production. However, while analyzing and visualizing the script on some level prior to shooting is a must, and breaking it down into detailed shots can generate ideas that might not come on the set, it is not always necessary or practical to map out each shot in advance. Scripts and sets change, actors and other collaborators bring new ideas and challenges, Murphy’s Law (“anything that can go wrong will go wrong”) can strike, and all can force you to change your shots. There is also a danger of focusing too much on detailed shot notes while shooting and not enough on the scene as it evolves before you—which should be a key source of new ideas. Detailed notes made in the calm of preproduction can also be confusing in the crucible of the set. And, even when you want to, there is often not enough time to break down every scene. Focus on technical scenes that require coordination or special equipment and complex scenes that are long or have many characters before breaking down the simple ones. And do not be surprised if you are forced to abandon your plans, think of them as a starting point to be improved upon. Remember, the most important thing is knowing what you want to express! That is the constant that must guide you.
If you want to break a scene into shots and the set is unknown, first determine what physical specifications are required for the space based on all the scenes that take place there, then create a rough design. This will help ensure that the final set design or location will satisfy your needs and it will give you something to work from in the meantime. However, this makes it extremely likely that you will need to rework some aspect of your shots.
It is also important to remember that you must think of all the narrative dimensions that follow wherever you are. So if you are in preproduction, working on the “page” planning your shots, you need to think in terms of “stage,” “screen,” and “seen.” Which is to say, you must not just see a two dimensional movie on screen in your head, you must also imagine being on the set and staging the scene in three dimensions or you may find yourself confused or working inefficiently when you try to execute your ideas. And, of course, you must always consider the understanding and reaction of the audience seeing your film.
Related filmmaking guides
- Film directing: getting good performances
- Coverage and the master shot
- Camera angles in film: a beginner’s guide
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