Editing theory and practice

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Sound Design

Cinematography Task: Completed Short Films

Students on the Integrated Production Skills module were asked to devise, shoot and edit a one minute sequence to practice their skills in Camera Movement and additional shot types.

They were asked to show:

A variety of movements from the camera
Trombone Shot
Flip shot
Trunk shot
Objective and Subjective camera angles.


Here is what they produced over one week with a 5D camera, tripod and a little imagination.


Georgiana, Emilia, Charlotte and Natalia decided on a chase scene. 

 They managed to incorporate, focus pull, hand held camera, zoom ,panning, trunk shot, and a trombone shot. 

The film is about a girl running from herself and she realises that she is running in a circle. The film favours a subjective viewpoint following her descending into madness.

 The camera movements support the interior world of the character, and especially the mental distress that she is experiencing.

Full Circle: By Natalia, Georgiana, Charlotte and Emilia.

 

Cinematography: Links to Split Diopter blogs

Split Diopter

Cinematography: Split diopter

SPLIT FIELD DIOPTER
AUDIOVISUAL SPLIT FOCUS
 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

In this article, I want to introduce the idea and technique of split focus. In cinematography, the concept of split focus was explored mainly during 1970’s to the early 1980’s, namely by Brian De Palma and Robert Wise.



But even to this date, this technique is still used, probably as homage to these directors. Interestingly, the concept of split focus can also be found in sound .

What always interests me is the narrative motivation for specific concept or technique, so here are 3 possible narrative motivations for the use of audiovisual split focus:

to introduce multiple elements without editing
to intensify the viewer’s emotional response
to add sense of realism
To discuss this technique in more detail, we have to briefly introduce/remind few facts about depth of field (DOF).

Depth of Field (DOF)

Depth of field (DOF) is a great and very powerful tool how to direct or guide the audience where to look at, i.e. how to tell them what is important in the image.

If you look at the image below, your attention most probably goes to the girl, which is in focus.

The Enigma by Andrew Mohrer

The Enigma by Andrew Mohrer

Technically speaking, DOF is the distance range in the image along the Z axis that appears acceptably sharp (=area perceived as being in focus). Although the lens can truly focus only at one distance (plane) along the Z axis, the transition between area in focus and out of focus is gradual; therefore we can talk about “field” (instead of plane).

In cinematography, a large DOF is often called deep focus (think Orson Welles and Citizen Kane) and a small DOF is often called shallow focus (think Gus van Sant and Paranoid Park).

Unfortunately, things are little bit more complicated than this; DOF is influenced mainly by the aperture of the lens: Larger aperture produces shallow focus, while small aperture produces deep focus.

But at the same time, aperture controls how much light hits the film or digital sensor, so you have to find the balance between DOF and exposure by:

some kind of compensation (additional light for small aperture, ND filters for large aperture)
using optical tricks
using a device called split field diopter.
Split field diopter

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

With the invention of split field diopter, it is possible to achieve the look and feel of deep focus (=large DOF) without the need of using additional lights (to compensate for the small aperture).

A split diopter is half convex glass that attaches in front of the camera’s main lens to make half the lens nearsighted. The lens can focus on a plane in the background and the diopter on a foreground element. (1)

A split diopter does not create real deep focus, only the illusion of this. What distinguishes it from traditional deep focus is that there is not continuous depth of field from foreground to background. Because split focus diopters only cover half the lens, shots in which they are used are characterized by a blurred line between the two planes in focus.(1)

Note: The following text consists of excerpts taken from the article “Notes on the split-field diopter” by Paul Ramaeker, available after free registration at jstor.org.

The split-field diopter lens simply permits focusing on a very close object on one side of the frame, while a distant subject is photographed normally through the uncovered portion of the prime lens; in this way, the shot may be focused on both near and far subjects simultaneously.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

The split-field diopter, while it could not provide true deep focus, could create an impression of considerable depth, without the requirement of any additional light. Previously, such effect was only feasible by combining two separate shots in an optical printer via a matting process.

While the edge of the glass at the split between the diopter portion of the lens and the flat glass is invisible, the diopter part itself has an extremely shallow depth of field. As a result, the region where the lens is split, in the center of the frame, will appear blurred due to the focal differences between the diopter and the prime lens. In order to maintain the illusion of depth and obscure the use of the diopter, this focal difference must be hidden in some way.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

For example, the edge of the diopter lens may be positioned so that it lines up with a straight edge in the background – such as the corner of a room, the edge of a column or a bookcase. A neutral background, of uniform color and texture, may hide the split, but may not always be feasible.

Two examples from Dressed to Kill, 1980

Dressed to Kill (1980)
Dressed to Kill (1980)

Unbeknown to either detective Marino or Dr. Elliott, Peter (the young man sitting outside) is bugging the conversation inside detective’s office. The staging and use of split field diopter functions here to unite a disparate group of characters variously connected to a woman’s death and to denote their differential access to narrative information.

Dressed to Kill (1980)
Dressed to Kill (1980)

Peter times exits from Dr. Elliott’s office so as to judge what sort of delay to put on the camera he is hiding at the scene.

Other Examples



Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Equilibrium (2002)
Equilibrium (2002)

The Untouchables (1987)
The Untouchables (1987)

Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp Fiction (1994)

Valibation (2013)
Valibation (2013)



Blurry line between audio and visuals

By now you’ve probably noticed the blurry line between the two areas in focus. Well, the same blurry line can be found between audio and visuals. These two guys have more in common than you might think.

My favorite example is when Walter Murch talks about editing in relation to Beethoven’s music or when Janusz Kaminski talks about shutter angle and describes actor’s movement using musical term.

One of the most recent examples of the correlation between audio and visuals is when Phil Benson is discussing the balance between music, sound effects and dialogue at the Sundance Film Festival. To quote Phil Benson:

“Imagine if you could have shallow DOF with like 4 different areas on the screen, your audience wouldn’t know what to focus on […], so imagine sound as being somewhat similar in some ways to playing with DOF, visually.”


Now, we know that split field diopter enables us to have two subjects simultaneously in focus at different distances along the Z axis. In other words, it creates two separate DOFs and the look and feel of deep focus (=large DOF). And I was wondering, what would be the equivalent in sound?



If you've ever been watching a film, say Carrie or Reservoir Dogs, and you've seen a shot that had incredibly deep focus, then maybe you were looking at a shot that used a split focus (or split field) diopter. These lens attachments produce a signature look that puts objects near and far into focus, a look that made Gregg Toland a legend, and later swept over the filmmaking world in the 70s. Vashi Nedomansky of Vashi Visuals takes a look at the use of split focus diopters throughout cinema, and picks out all 15 shots from Brian De Palma's 1981 film Blow Out that use one.

 But, for those who aren't familiar with them or have never considered using them in your films, many, many movies, especially in the 70s and 80s, used split diopters to get that deep focus look. Probably the most famous use of diopters is in Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, but All the President's Men, The Thing, and many of De Palma's films also utilize the effect.

Since split focus diopters are half convex glass, when attached to your camera's lens, it makes one side nearsighted, and the other farsighted. What this allows you to do is focus on multiple planes -- you could have objects in the foreground and background completely in focus. This also means that the staging of your scene must be copacetic.

The way that many cinematographers use this is to add a little mystery or uncertainty to their shot. Since our eye doesn't see things in this way naturally, it can be a jarring and disorienting experience when it does. In fact, some shots look almost like two separate images juxtaposed together, which immediately adds a layer of fantasy.

In the shot from Reservoir Dogs above, you can see that the split diopter creates a clear line down the frame, which can be masked using several techniques, like shooting the split against vertical lines or darkness.

All the President's Men (1976)

A Split Focus Diopter is half convex glass that attaches in front of the camera’s main lens to 

make half the lens nearsighted. 

The lens can focus on a plane in the background and the diopter on a foreground element. 

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Brian De Palma championed the use of this tool to enhance the visual and emotional experience of his films.

The Split Diopter allows for Deep Focus cinematography but requires much less light. 


It also delivers a distinctive look that blends sharp and out-of-focus imagery all in one frame. 


Subjects in both foreground and background can be kept in focus. 

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

The Split Diopter has a clear line 

down the middle of the 

frame between foreground and 

background. - 

See more at: http://vashivisuals.com/splitting-focus-de-

palmas-blow/#sthash.fc09JJoc.dpuf




In the video below are all 15 Split Diopter shots from Brian De Palma’s film Blow Out (1981).







Vertical lines in the frame can be used to hide the shift between foreground and background focus

All 15 Split Diopter Shots in BLOW OUT from Vashi Nedomansky on Vimeo.




The bottom line is that Split Diopters help achieve the cinematic and story goal of emphasizing subjects as needed by the Director and DP. When utilized for decisive or important moments…they can visually amplify the dramatic tension for the viewer. If used too often, just like with any other technique, the magic of this tool will diminish and the effect will become obvious. - See more at: http://vashivisuals.com/splitting-focus-de-palmas-blow/#sthash.fc09JJoc.dpuf

Trombone Shot: Jaws and Vertigo.

The 'Trombone' Shot in Filmmaking

Created May 25, 2005 | Updated May 26, 2005


A graphic showing the mechanics of the trombone shot, with the camera zooming in and pulling back. The effect is to make the subject and background of the frame appear to be moving in different directions while both are actually stationary.

In contemporary filmmaking, the camera trick known as the 'trombone' shot is widely overused and rarely achieved correctly.

 Originally conceived by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, in his film Vertigo, it was 'stolen' by Steven Spielberg for Jaws. (It is used when Police Chief Brody is sitting on the beach and spots an ominous black fin poking from the water, close to swimming children.)

Thereafter, it became known as the 'Spielberg shot'. This was not so much a planned attempt by Spielberg to name a technique after himself, but more due to the success of Jaws and the timing of the effect in the film: everyone talked about it and the movie, which gave birth to the term.


The Mechanics of the Shot
The combined use of a zoom, focus and track, timed perfectly, will produce this effect or optical illusion. Individually, zooming and tracking are difficult enough manoeuvres on their own.


The Zoom
A zoom is where the camera and subject stay still and a special lens 'zooms' into the subject from a distance, effectively closing the gap between the audience and the action without having to physically pick up the camera. The only problem with a zoom is that it looks unnatural, as it relies on the optical capabilities of the camera and lens to produce the illusion of moving closer to a subject, effectively magnifying it. If you watch closely, you'll see the background to the subject of a zoom will not alter perspective, and the relative positions and sizes of anything in the image will remain the same.


The Track
Comparatively, a tracking shot is where the camera is moved closer to the subject through the use of a track and dolly. The track is simply that: track - not unlike the rails a train runs on - but more lightweight, portable (in some cases collapsible)1 and can be made from metal or plastic. A dolly is the carriage that runs on such a track, but unlike a passenger train carriage this is a specially designed platform with coasters or wheels on each corner. It also has a seat and mechanism on top, designed to mount and secure a film camera and its operator. There are many types and variations of track and dolly in contemporary filmmaking, but in Hitchcock's days the tracks were usually metal and most mounts were suitable for one or two types of film camera.

The subject was generally situated at the far end of the track, and the director (or sometimes the cinematographer) would sit on the dolly with a camera mounted on it while a number of crew, called grips would push the platform or dolly along the track towards the subject. This had the effect of allowing the audience to move closer to the subject and the camera to make better use of lenses for effect. Unlike a zoom, the perspective of the background did change with a tracking shot, as the camera was physically moved closer to the subject.


The Trombone
The trombone shot is, therefore, a combination of the two techniques above, coupled with the added difficulty of keeping focus.

With the camera mounted on a track and dolly, and the subject stood still, the camera begins to zoom in on the subject as it is pulled backwards on the track, all the while maintaining perfect focus on the subject.

At a pre-determined spot the camera stops zooming, the grips stop tracking back and the focus puller stops rotating the focus ring. The difficulty is getting the speeds of the backwards-track and the zoom-in to match enough to create the effect, which is for the background to deepen in perspective (stretch, or drop away) while the subject remains the same size in frame.

The reverse of this - to track in and zoom out - can be just as impressive, drawing the background in and effectively closing the gap between the subject (a character or object) and its background.
Alternative Names
There has never been one definitive name given to this effect, and although the 'trombone shot' has become something of an industry title, it has gone under many other guises. Some of them are as follows:
•Forward zoom
•Reverse tracking
•The 'Hitchcock' zoom
•The 'Vertigo effect'
•The 'Spielberg shot'
•Dolly zoom
•Zoom-in, dolly-out
•Contrazoom

The name 'trombone shot' has its base in the physical motion of a musical trombone as it descends a sliding scale of notes or a glissando – the player pushes the slide outwards – and the descending tone it makes as a player does this and blows into a trombone. If you can imagine the sound and visualise the effect, there you have the basis for the name. If you can't, then go watch Vertigo or Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas.

Alfred Hitchcock used this technique in his film Vertigo to heighten James Stewart's sensation of vertigo by making the drop from the building in the opening sequence seem that bit further - the illusion that the distance between the character and the ground increases or extends - and again, later in the film in the stairwell, to similar effect. The effect next resurfaced (no pun intended) in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, and has since been done to death in countless films, tv shows and commercials.
An apparent quote by Hitchcock himself on the subject of the trombone shot:

Even with the advances of film technology the trombone shot is still a very physical one, demanding the use of a variety of grip and camera equipment, as well as a number of hands-on personnel. This means its successful production is very prone to human error and, unless prepared well in advance, can prove a fruitless exercise.

The DIY Trombone
It sounds simple, and anyone with a camera and a skateboard or rolling office chair can attempt this shot. If you own these, why not have a try?

 Just be careful not to fall off your chair or skateboard (or whatever else you're using as a dolly) and always be aware of health and safety... Sit yourself on a high-backed rolling office chair (eg one with coasters on its base or legs), take a video camera with a manual zoom and focus demand2, and focus3 on a subject (a person or object).

 Ask a friend or work colleague to then drag you backwards in your chair slowly in a straight line, while you attempt to keep the subject the same size in the viewfinder and simultaneously in sharp focus, by using zoom and focus controls respectively. It's best if you can record and watch back the results: while you're concentrating on attempting the shot, you may well miss the effect.

It's often a case of practice makes perfect with this shot. However, the advantages of having a secure track and dolly, several members of crew and a good camera with good lenses become obvious the more you attempt it without them.