Cinematic Storytelling

by Van Sijll, Jennifer

• ISBN13: 9781932907056
• ISBN10: 193290705X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-08-01
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions

Summary

What the industry's most succcessful writers and directors have in common is that they have mastered the cinematic conventions specific to the medium.

Author Biography

Jennifer van Sijil teaches screenwriting at San Francisco State.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	viii
Preface: Cinematic Storytelling	x
Introduction	xi
Cinematic Storytelling: The Screenwriter	xi
The Problem	xi
What Does This Mean for the Screenwriter?	xi
Script Excerpts	xi
Cinematic Storytelling: The Director	xii
The Problem	xii
What Does This Mean for the Director?	xii
Space: 2-D & 3-D Screen Direction	1	(16)
Introduction	2	(2)
X-Axis (Horizontal) Strangers on a Train	4	(2)
Y-Axis (Vertical) Strangers on a Train	6	(2)
XY-Axes (Diagonals) Metropolis, The Piano	8	(2)
Z-Axis (Depth-of-Field) Citizen Kane	10	(2)
Z-Axis (Planes of Action) Dolores Claiborne	12	(2)
Z-Axis (Rack Focus) The Graduate	14	(3)
Frame: Composition	17	(14)
Introduction	18	(2)
Directing the Eye Citizen Kane	20	(2)
Imbalance Disco Pigs	22	(2)
Balance Disco Pigs	24	(2)
Orientation Apocalypse Now, Barton Fink	26	(3)
Size Metropolis	29	(2)
Shape Within the Frame	31	(14)
Introduction	32	(2)
Circular The Conversation	34	(2)
Linear Fargo	36	(2)
Triangular Witness	38	(2)
Rectangular The Searchers	40	(2)
Organic versus Geometric Witness	42	(3)
Editing: Pudovkin's Five Editing Techniques	45	(22)
Introduction: A Little Theory	46	(1)
Five Editing Principles	46	(1)
``On Editing''	46	(1)
Editing: Additional Techniques	47	(1)
Montage Citizen Kane	48	(2)
Montage Adaptation	50	(2)
Assembly Psycho	52	(2)
Mise-en-Scene Psycho	54	(2)
Intercutting Cabaret	56	(2)
Split Screen Kill Bill Vol. I	58	(2)
Dissolves Citizen Kane	60	(2)
Dissolves Barton Fink	62	(2)
Smash Cut American Beauty	64	(3)
Time	67	(22)
Introduction	68	(2)
Expanding Time through Pacing Barton Fink	70	(2)
Contrast of Time (Pacing and Intercutting) Pulp Fiction	72	(2)
Expanding Time --- Overlapping Action Pulp Fiction	74	(2)
Slo-Motion Raging Bull	76	(2)
Fast-Motion (Time Compression) Amelie	78	(2)
Flashback Sunset Boulevard	80	(2)
Flashforward The People vs. Larry Flynt	82	(2)
Freeze-Frame Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Thelma and Louise, The 400 Blows	84	(2)
Visual Foreshadowing The Piano	86	(3)
Sound Effects	89	(12)
Introduction	90	(2)
Realistic Sound (Diegetic) (Character) Klute	92	(2)
Realistic Sound (Diegetic) (Emotional Response) ET	94	(2)
Expressive Sound (Diegetic) (Outer World) Barton Fink	96	(2)
Surreal Sound (Meta-Diegetic) (Inner World) Barton Fink	98	(3)
Music	101	(8)
Lyrics as Narrator Apocalypse Now	102	(2)
Symbolic Use of Music Shawshank Redemption	104	(2)
Music as a Moveable Prop Out of Africa	106	(3)
Scene Transitions (Audio and Visual)	109	(24)
Introduction	110	(2)
Matching Audio Segue Sorry, Wrong Number, Fatal Attraction	112	(2)
Audio Bridge (Dialog) Citizen Kane	114	(2)
Audio Bridge (Sound Effects) Barton Fink	116	(2)
Visual Match-Cut (Graphic Similarity) Single White Female	118	(2)
Visual Match-Cut (Pattern and Color) Citizen Kane	120	(2)
Visual Match-Cut (Action) 2001: A Space Odyssey	122	(2)
Visual Match-Cut (Idea) Requiem for a Dream	124	(2)
Visual Match-Cut (Idea) Harold and Maude	126	(2)
Extended Match Dissolve (Time Transition) Titanic	128	(2)
Disrupted Match-Cut Bound	130	(3)
Camera Lenses	133	(14)
Wide-Angle Citizen Kane	134	(2)
Wide-Angle (Vistas and Establishing Shots) The Piano	136	(2)
Telephoto the Graduate	138	(2)
Fisheye Requiem for a Dream	140	(2)
Prop Lenses within the Scene (Fisheye) Citizen Kane	142	(2)
Objects Dances with Wolves	144	(3)
Camera Position	147	(20)
Close-up (CU) The Piano	148	(2)
Extreme Close-up (ECU) Kill Bill Vol. I	150	(2)
Two-Shot The Piano	152	(2)
Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS) Chinatown, The Piano	154	(2)
Point-of-View (POV) Halloween	156	(2)
Point-of-View (POV) Jaws	158	(2)
High-Angle Citizen Kane	160	(2)
Low-Angle ET	162	(2)
Hi-Lo Combined Psycho	164	(3)
Camera Motion	167	(28)
Static Shot Klute	168	(2)
Pan Dances with Wolves	170	(2)
Tilt-Up (Character) The Professional	172	(2)
Tilt-Down Fargo	174	(2)
Rotation Bound, Apocalypse Now	176	(2)
Tracking Shot Fatal Attraction	178	(2)
Circular Reservoir Dogs	180	(2)
Push In --- Push Out Fargo	182	(2)
Crane Touch of Evil	184	(2)
Handheld Touch of Evil	186	(2)
Handheld Pulp Fiction	188	(2)
Steadicam Goodfellas	190	(2)
Aerial The Piano	192	(3)
Lighting	195	(14)
Rembrandt Lighting (Light versus Dark) Apocalypse Now	196	(2)
TV Lighting Natural Born Killers	198	(2)
Candlelight American Beauty	200	(2)
Motivated Lighting Fatal Attraction	202	(2)
Unmotivated Light The Professional	204	(2)
Motion ET	206	(3)
Color	209	(4)
Coding Character Three Women	210	(3)
Props	213	(10)
Props (Externalizing Character) Barton Fink	214	(2)
Props (Externalizing Character) Raging Bull	216	(2)
Repurposing Props Bound	218	(2)
Contrast Harold and Maude	220	(3)
Wardrobe	223	(8)
Wardrobe Ed Wood	224	(2)
Repurposing Wardrobe Out of Africa	226	(2)
Contrast of Wardrobe Bound	228	(3)
Locations	231	(10)
Defining Character Hedwig and the Angry Inch	232	(2)
Location as Unifying Element The Sweet Hereafter	234	(2)
Location as Theme Blue Velvet	236	(2)
Moving Locations Dead Man	238	(3)
Natural Environment	241
Introduction	242	(2)
Climate The Sixth Sense	244	(2)
Seasons and the Passage of Time Amelie	246	(2)
Physical Phenomena Dolores Claiborne	248