The Geometry of a Scene

So all of you can compose a scene or at least know how to compose a scene. Its very easy isn’t it, take a master shot, then OSS, closeups and so on. If you are more creative then add some camera movements like dolly in/out or jib. Now the footage is on the editing table. Start with the master shot then cut to OSS, closeups and yahoo! your scene is ready. Its not that difficult.

But what if Master filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and Akira Kurosawa disagree with your opinion? They have their reasons to believe which either we don’t understand or avoid it as it is difficult to use and requires a lot of brain storming. Ask Hitchcock about such scenes which he refers as “photographs of people talking.” Watch the following video and then we can proceed further.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9PO-767D8I&feature=youtu.be

Isn’t that wonderful when he says

If possible, tell the story visually and let the talk be part of the atmosphere.

But wait learn from the Master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa about the geometry of the scene. So what exactly is the geometry of a scene? watch the following video essay by Tony Zhou.

Zhou has very explained the geometry of a scene used by Kurosawa. In today’s most of the movies we see this flat scene composition, master shot and then cutting closeups and adding reaction shots. But what if just shot a scene in a single shot and not adding a single reaction in post production, hmm.. that sounds challenging … but isn’t that is what the real cinema is … challenge.

Kurosawa has used different geometrical shape scene compositions in different films. Watch them, study them. Film making isn’t like book printing, you print 100 identical books. Its more of a art, a visual art which expects you to be creative… more creative.

So next time you compose a scene don’t just shoot closeups, be creative and see what kinds of shapes you can make?

Please let me now your thoughts about the geometry of a scene in the comment box below. Please subscribe to the newsletter above.