Design Workshop Reflective Journal Simeon Chua 699181
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Journal Part A: Framing, Designing + Generating Design Ideas Journal Part B: Architectural Movie
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Framing, Designing + Generating Design Ideas Introduction 4 Design a Logo 9 Designerly Thinking 10 Imagine 12 Supporting Creative Work 14 What is Poetry? 16 Phenomenology 17 Creativity and Play 18 Where Does Creativity Hide? 19 Design Project Analysis 20 Descriptive Models of Creative Design 24 Thinkertoys 25 Design Sprints 26 Design Decision Styles 29 Communicating Design Ideas 30 Design a Design Exercise 32
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Lecture 1: Introduction Greg Missingham
Exbury Egg PAD studio, SPUD group, Stephen Turner.
Exbury Egg
The Exbury Egg stood out to me because of its eccentric shape and form. A bunch of questions immediately popped up in my head. What is it for? What is it made of? How do you access it? I especially love the smooth, curved profile of the structure that emulates an egg (obviously). The design generates added visual interest through alternating the direction of the strips that make up its exterior. I think the different colours on the strips also accentuate the profile by emphasizing the structure’s curves. I wonder if it floats on the water, or is supported by a base underneath. 4
Farnsworth House Van Der Rohe
Farnsworth House
I’m a sucker for minimalism and large windows, its as simple as that. It would be hard to find a house as elegant, yet as simple as the Farnsworth House. The phrase “Less is more� really comes to mind when looking at this building. The clean white colour used also lends to the overall elegance and simplistic design agenda of the house.
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Sliding House Brian Mackay Lyons
Sliding House
This incredible house really reminds me of a gyroscope, how it is able to maintain its orientation when you rotate it any direction. Lots of machinery utilise gyroscopes for this exact property. To me, the interior of this house is reminiscent of a gyroscope, locked within a shell (the exterior of the house).
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Project for the Palacio Capanema Roberto Burle Marx
Palacio Capanema
How could I not pick Burle Marx? As someone who loves tropical plants, especially those in the Araceae family, Burle Marx is my idol. The work he has done to increase awareness and popularity of these plants has made him a celebrity in his home country and all over the world. His abstract garden designs are also nothing short of spectacular and if I had to become a landscape architect, I think my designs would exhibit strong influences from this absolute legend.
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Rashtrapati Bhavan
Burle Marx faced a massive challenge in countering the European influence on garden design. The manicured lawns, orthogonal lines, topiary plants, I find all of these to be deeply boring. Sure they look satisfying, but I think that they lack the life and energy that nature should carry and exude.
Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi
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Design a Logo
SC ARCHITECTS
Simplicity
Personally, I love a logo thats really simple and gets straight to the point. No eagles clutching arrows or highly stylised curvy fonts. Simple and easy to read means easily recognised.
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Lecture 2: Designerly Thinking Greg Missingham
What kind of knower am I?
After learning about the different types of knowers, I believe that I am most likely a cross between a Contextual Knower and a Transitional Knower. I love to experiment with different ideas, whether be it new materials for model making, or new ways of approaching a situation. I have noticed that I do occasionally need assurances that I am getting close to the correct answer, but I feel that more often than not, it is a matter of wanting know to know if I should continue on a certain design path or pursue another. That being said, I feel that I am by and large an independent thinker. I have a grounded understanding of how my knowledge and skills may apply to a situation, and I have confidence in my ability to connect learned concepts to an applied situation.
Preparing a Design Agenda For a Chair
Perhaps its best to start by thinking who I am designing a chair for. As this is a very open ended brief, I will set up the parameters myself. I am designing a chair for a university classroom setting. It is for the students to use, and has to be comfortable without encouraging sleep, i.e. it has to be upright etc. Due to the nature of the class, it has to be moved easily. So, looking at the requirements of the brief, how do I begin to design this chair? I will first attempt to come up with individual solutions for each requirement, and after which, try to fit them together. Eames Chair Charles Eames
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Upright
Comfort
Mobility Reflection
The Classroom Chair of the Future
Unparalled back support. Comfort. Mobility. The game-changer chair. For when you’ve been in university for 12 hours straight and am feeling slightly brain dead.
It is often intimidating to look at a something very welldesigned, because you start to wonder if you yourself could do something like that, and if you were to even try, how would you even start? It is never easy to comprehend the lengthy design process that would have gone into making something like that. 999, 999 times out a 1000 000, the designer would have spent countless hours constantly designing, prototyping and refining their product. It is imperative not to forget that, both as a user and as a future designer. As stated in the lecture, when designing I should start with a simple base idea, and work step-bystep towards the end goal. 11
Imagine John Lehrer Reflection
Reading about Proctor and Gamble outsourcing the design of a new cleaner to Continuum despite having many of the best minds on their payroll really reminded me of a lesson I learned in school years ago. Sometimes, when you are stuck on a problem that you think cannot be solved, the solution is not to keep trudging on with the vague hope of maybe finding a breakthrough, but to take a step back, take a deep breath and look for a new route. Or just find someone else to do it for you.
The game changer.
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“The concept is only the start of the process, the hardest work always come after, when you’re trying to make the idea real.”
This quote really speaks to me, because up till now, a lot of the work we’ve been doing has been purely conceptual: ideas that would see execution as just a model at best. I am nervous to see what the real process of design and refinement in the workplace is like. I really hope that the satisfaction of seeing an idea come to fruition will be worth the countless hours put in trying to realise it.
Bob Dylan’s Brain
Sometimes I really feel beauty and aesthetic has been wrongfully demonized as shallow, if it does not hold a deeper symbolism or message. Making something beautiful just for the sake of doing so should not be a bad thing. I think that one of my favourite authors, Oscar Wilde, would agree that art does not need to have meaning to be appreciated. I will however yield that architecture, has to above all, serve a purpose. Maybe true success lies in balancing that aesthetic beauty with purpose. Form with Function.
“We tell the happy endings first.”
I know the feelings of frustration and anxiety all too well, but I have never thought about embracing them. Embracing the struggle is something I feel would dramatically transform how I view any design process. To appreciate the moments where your brain is at a standstill, and to understand how it fits into the bigger picture would help to alleviate any feelings of nervousness I might face, feelings that can severely hamper my creativity.
“I just write them. There’s no giant message.”
How would I remove the $100 bill? I would cut the note in half and take both sides to a bank to get it exchanged, or deposit it into my account. (Notes are still legal tender if damaged.) Why on Earth would I ever burn a hundred dollars. Ridiculous.
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Supporting Creative Work Alex Selenitsch
Tools for helping creativity (In the one place).
Keeping images reminds me of two different classes I have done in university. The first one, Designing Environments, required us to form collages from our previous works and make something new from that. Although I was initially skeptical, I could not argue with the results. I found it an extremely effective method of creating something almost entirely novel and new that still retained some meaning from the old. The other subject, which I am undertaking the same time as this class, requires us to form collages to tell a narrative or story. This requires us to be on the constant look out for beautiful images that capture our imagination. Using two things that do not necessarily correspond to each other and manipulating them to fir together and represent something new is another creative process I have grown to enjoy and appreciate.
Food and Refreshments
Check. My locker’s only purpose is to hold model making materials and snacks. Nothing like a bar of roasted almond chocolate to get you through a tedious Rhinoceros session.
Work Playlist (In progress)
1) Ten Thousand Hours- Macklemore 2) Two Bodies- Flight Facilities 3) Lost- Frank Ocean 4) Literally anything by Nujabes 5) The Opposite of Us- Big Scary 6) Young- Vallis Alps 7) Damn Baby- Alpine 8) Hometown Girl- Zhu
I could definitely see myself building up a library of images. At home, I have pinned up my work on my wall, and only replace pieces with something new if I think it is better.
Architecture student? Or the local psychopath.
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Highly recommended.
Photography
I always have a camera with me in the form of my phone, but lately, I have been considering bringing a proper one out with me after a photographer friend showed me what it can do. It was interesting to see the difference in overall image quality between a phone and a DSLR. Phones can take sharp images, but they often lack the visual depth of a proper lens. I would love to learn more about how to use an actual camera properly. I also have a sketchbook in my bag at all times, although I have been extremely hesitant of drawing around people. I feel like they would be something spectacular, and I dont always think I can satisfy. But as they say, practice makes less shit.
Draw. Write. Make.
Working on doing more of all three, but I reckon I am struggling the most with writing, as words don’t always come to me naturally or as eloquently as I would like.
Set Some Deadlines.
I really really need this one. I find that setting the pressure on myself early on really saves me the pain of trying to rush something out the day before it’s actually due. Plus it means I have more time to improve and refine it.
Practicing drawing.
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What is Poetry? Images
Forms Evocative Ideas
Representation
Exploration
Thoughts
Communication Story
Narrative
Imagination
Expression
Concept Creativity Memory
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Emotions
Phenomenology What is Phenomenology?
It is the study of experience and conciousness. It seeks to allow for the objective study of normally subjective matter such as emotions, judgements and experience.
How does Phenomenology relate to Architecture?
Is it how we experience built spaces and environments? How do Peter Zumthor and Stephen Holl create architecture that provides and experience?
“The experience of the subject in architecture, the experience of materiality, of light, of colour, of space...” - Eisenman College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture Stephen Holl
Reflection
Perhaps Peter Zumthor’s works can be regarded as being related to Phenomenology because he places a distinct focus on how light and shadow plays a role in his designs, particular in the famous Vals Thermal Baths. Peter believes that “Light, materials and atmosphere are the most important aspects of architecture”. Similarly, Stephen Holl places a large emphasis on materials, texture, colour and light. Both architects have a vest interest in how people experience their designs with their five sense.
Vals Thermal Baths Peter Zumthor
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Creativity and Play Tim Brown
Peer Judgement
Fear of peer judgement often causes us to be more conservative in our thinking and designing. I have found myself caught up in this problem many times before, where the worry of being judged as “bad” or “inadequate” has resulted in me not trying at all. This fear only serves to inhibit our thinking and judgement, and serves no positive purpose, hence it is in my best interest to overcome it where possible. I feel that may be two main solutions to this issue, the first being having more confidence. Having more confidence in my skills and knowledge, and ability to follow through with my task. The second solution is being okay with failure. Learning from my mistakes and improving should be the main takeaway from a failure, not the fact that my idea did not work. It was interesting to read that children often do not possess this fear. I think it goes to show that most fears are learned, and consequently, can be un-learned. How can we provide a sense of security and safety in a design environment? An environment where people are able to throw out crazy ideas without a fear of ridicule from their peers? Comfort and relaxation are incredibly important in creating this protective workplace. People tend to have their best ideas when they are in a relaxed state, as stress and worry often causes people to tense up, hindering their creative process.
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Breaking the cycle
How can we shock people out of their established way of thinking and forget about being an adult? Drugs? Security? Fun? Whatever the solution, it is undeniable that children have a boundless sense of creativity that they seem to lose as they grow older. Perhaps the age-old adage “prevention is better than cure” goes especially true here. Should we work on changing the school system? Maybe we need a system that places less emphasis on rote learning and repetition, in favour of one that rewards creativity and different ways of thinking.
Where Does Creativity Hide? Amy Tan
Nature vs Nurture
Are we humans inherently equipped with creativity? If creativity was decided at birth, does that mean that it cannot be learned or improved? Can we learn or train to be more creative? Can we use processes that make us more creative? Personally, I believe that while some people are predisposed to be more creative than others, it is definitely possible to “improve” your sense of creativity. The more you design, the more you recognise the trends, and you start to see the intangible threads of logics that lead you to the solution.
“There is an uncertainty in everything, and that is good, because I will discover something new.”
No one will ever know everything. It seems so simple and obvious, but it is one of the most important things I have learned in my life. Understanding that nothing is absolute, that what has worked for me 99 times might not work the 100th time. It has taught me to be more open-minded, to keep learning, to not rest on my laurels. It has taught me to not be afraid of the unknown, to embrace uncertainty, and to seek out challenges.
How do I create something out of nothing?
By questioning. By constantly questioning every piece of information that comes my way. Why was it built that way? Could I do it better? How could I do it better? I have found that design processes are very rarely a “Eureka!’ moment, and more often than not is a tough, lengthy process of questioning and refining. Constantly asking why, looking for the tough questions to answer, is what results in design improvement that is known to everyone else but the designer as creativity. People very rarely observe the design process, they only see or experience the finished product.
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Design Project Analysis How do I start? Research and Analysis?
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For my Digital Design and Fabrication project, I started out by making key measurements of the given precedent object, in both its open and closed form. I then analysed how it functioned, studying the mechanism that allows it to open and close, etc. These two steps allowed me to attain a greater understanding of how the object works, and how I could potentially rework and adapt it for my purposes.
365 880
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How do I work? Experimentation and Refinement?
I then chose an aspect of the umbrella I liked, and isolated it. I really liked the how the arm could be retracted into a very compact form, so I cut it out using a bolt cutter. Next, I experimented with different configurations and combinations. I liked the “scissored� configuration, and decided to experiment with it further. The next step was refinement, I slowly improved on the design, making small adjustments here and there that eventually transformed it into a better design. Experimentation and refinement was the favourite part of the process for me, and I really enjoyed the actions of deconstructing and reconfiguration.
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How do I judge if I have succeeded?
Peer review, marking rubrics, tutor feedback, and testing are all methods of evaulation that I can use. These are all important measures of where I have succeeded, allowing me to review my design and the process through which it was created, serving as a guide as to how I can improve in the future.
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Descriptive Models of Creative Design Nigel Cross The Creative Leap
A creative leap is the sudden perception of a completely new perspective on the situation. Or is it more like building a “creative bridge”? Do we attribute the “eureka moment” to an other-worldly source because of our lack of understanding of the mechanism? Like how people used to think earthquakes and lightning were acts of God. Creative leaps are design decisions that seem to skip the lengthy design process of experimentation and refinement. It is undoubtedly welcome in any design project, but it is not something that can be controlled or relied upon. It is often best to rely on a concrete process that does not depend so much on blind luck. 1) Explore the problem and write a performance specification. 2) Generate a range of concepts. 3) Evaluate and select the most promising concepts. 4) Develop the concept into a detailed design. 5) Communicate the final proposed design. All of the classes and courses I have undertaken have had slightly different design processes, but by and large, they follow these guidelines.
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Steps in the Design Process
Design should occur in a series of stages. The overall problem should be decomposed into smaller sub-problems. Sub-problems should be investigated and tackled individually, before combining sub-solutions into an overall solution.
”It is the recognition of a satisfactory bridging concept that provides the “illumination” of the creative flash of light.”
Thinkertoys
Michael Michalko Monkeys vs Kittens, which one am I?
What do I do when I am in trouble? Do I sit around and wait for someone to help me, or do I actively look for help or solutions to help myself? I feel that too often people sit around passively when they are in trouble, hoping that someone will come along and tell them what to do. In the university environment, this will not work. There is no one to pick you up and carry you, you have to stand on your own feet. You learn and improve only as much as you want to. This was one of the toughest things I realised, as you no longer have tutors or parents checking on you to see if you are doing your assignments, you moniter yourself.
What do I have to do to start valuing myself?
How much do I value myself, skills and knowledge? Do I have confidence in myself and the work I produce? Should I let how others feel about me affect me?
“The most exhilarating feeling in the world is getting up and moving forward with a smile” - Richard Cohen
“Creators are joyful and positive”
From my relatively short experience with architecture and its insanely high workload and required time commitment, you have to love it to do it. If you dont appreciate architecture at a fundamental level, or enjoy doing the work it involves, why would you put yourself through such a course? I personally believe that approaching this course with a sense of joy, appreciation and openess is the only way.
The two levers for changing beliefs and overcoming fears
1)The belief that one is capable of holding one’s share. 2) The belief that there is something inside that makes one equal to the rest of the world.
Believe in yourself, and look for the positive side of things
Never dwell on the negative. Someone once told me that happiness was a decision, and I have found that to be largely true. I have learned to focus what makes me happy, and that has made all the difference.
How do I respond to failure? I feel it is normal and expected to be demoralised after failing something, but the most important thing is picking myself up, analysing where I went wrong, and try again with a smile. Nothing good will come of letting past failures come back to haunt me.
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Lecture 3: Design Sprints Linus Tan
Design Stages
1) Understand- Framing design problems 2) Diverge- Exploring design ideas 3) Decide- Deciding design ideas 4) Prototype- Developing design ideas 5) Validate- Testing design ideas
1) Framing the Problem
Precedents Study both successful and unsuccessful ones. Understanding why some things work, while others did not, and applying the lessons to our design. User observation Investigating the site and finding out how it is used, inhabitated, etc. Finding out how the people who frequent it think it can be improved.
2) Exploring Potential Solutions
Take notes What aspect interested me? Why does something not work? Creative thinking No such thing as a wrong or bad idea. Explore crazy solutions.
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Crazy Nines
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Crazy Nines Reflection
Reflection
3) Deciding Design Ideas
I wonder where these will fit in in my future projects, and how much I will use them. I suppose it is a matter of trial and error, trying to find the exercise most suitable to my style of thinking and designing.
Maybe I’m not doing it properly, but personally I am not a big fan of the crazy nine exercise. To be quite frank I reckon 99% of the ideas that would come out of it for me would be unuseable, but thats just me. While I understand it is not good to dwell on a single potential solution, and its best to come up with as many as possible while still early in the process, I like to take a more thoughtful, measured approach to coming up with ideas.
Grouping ideas Bring similar ideas together Analyse ideas Rank ideas according to most to least suitable response. The biggest potential to move on to the next stage.
4) Developing Ideas
Draw, write, model Draw to show design intentions, write to refine and describe, model to understand. Refine Change and improve the design.
5) Testing Ideas
Critique Consider evaluations by others, for e.g. tutors, peers. Validate Check the design against the brief.
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Refering back to Amy Tan’s “Where Does Creativity Hide?”, the question raised was, can creativity be trained or aided with processes? Can the creative/design process really be helped with exercises? I believe that this lecture has answered that question. There will of course be differing levels of success between different people, but on the whole, these exercises have the potential to boost people’s creative output, and facilitate the design process.
Design Decision Styles Jared Spool
1) Unintended Design
Happens when designers do not properly consider how their product will be used. Unintended effects: sometimes good, sometimes bad. For example: MSD. It has a beautiful atrium with an award-winning hanging studio, but there is often not enough study spaces for students. The architects did not properly consider or evaluate how much space the building’s inhabitants would require. Characteristics: Happy-go-lucky, carefree, no attention to detail.
2) Self Design
Happens when designers are creating something that will use. Design decisions usually informed by “easiest to implement” rationale. Quality improves the more the team seriously uses the product. Characteristics: Somewhat experienced, intuitive, investigative.
5) User Focussed Design
Uses most user research. In-depth look at goals, needs and context of users. Characteristics: Attention to detail, investigative, curious.
Reflection
With the exception of unintended design, I believe that all the decision styles have their own pros and cons, requirements and pre-requisites. I can aspire to have a certain style, but ultimately, if my knowledge, skills are not up to par, or I am not working with the right team or situation, I would not be able to achieve that style. I feel that its all about the context. Ideally, I believe most designers would aspire to be within the genius design category, where the base level of knowledge, skills and confidence is high enough to skip several levels of preparation and research. .
3) Genius Design
Looks at vast experience of team members. Works well with experienced team members. Characteristics: Experienced, willing to contribute to team.
4) Activity Focussed Design
Plan and execute looking at user’s activities, especially relevant when team is inexperienced. Usually uses activity-based learning techniques, workflow diagrams etc Characteristics: Excellent team skills, mesh well with others, constructive. 29
Lecture 4: Communicating Design Ideas Greg Missingham
Tool of Empowerment
Visualisation tools empower people to communicate their ideas and designs more clearly. You can see this everywhere you look: graphs, diagrams, drawings, models. The phrase “A picture speaks a thousand words� really comes to mind. How many visualisation tools do I use on a day to day basis? And how effectively am I using them? What can I do to improve?
Writing
Drawing
Words
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The Sweet Spot
1 A picture speaks a thousand words, but a diagram speaks 6.
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Pictures
We cannot, or maybe should not, rely on just writing or just drawing to communicate our ideas effectively. Both techniques should go hand-in-hand, complimenting each other, and filling in the gaps the other cannot.
Reflection What is important in a diagram?
Keep them simple, clear and straight to the point! Intentional Choices > Arbitrary Choices.
Shape
Colour
Well-made diagrams are severely underappreciated in many facets of society today. Their prevalance and importance to how we communicate cannot be understated. This is without a doubt one of the skills I know I will have to work on to improve. There are several things I can do to work on it. The first is to learn more programs that would allow me to create said diagrams, for example Adobe Illustrator. The second is to study “good� diagrams, and analyse how I could emulate or adapt them. The third, of course, is to practice. I have to keep making and making, without fear of failing. And if I do fail, I have to learn what went wrong, figure how I can do better, and try again.
Placement
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Design a Design Exercise: Poetry Background
Poetry explores the aesthetic and emotion behind ideas. It is an exploration of creativity that is unique to an individual. Poetry is subjective. In this exercise you will partake in a visual conversation between your group members. The aim is to explore your subjectivity and creativity and form a design amalgam from the myriad of different ideas, thoughts and concepts possible, garnered from the conversation.
Tools
3 exercise sheets Blank working sheets Drawing Materials
Task Part A
With Paper 1, the first member of the group will add one line to the page with a final image in mind, without verbally communicating the idea. The paper is then passed on to the next group member who will add another stroke with their own image in mind. The paper is passed around the group until each member has drawn 5 lines. Each member has 10 seconds for each stroke. Repeat this with the second and third pieces of paper, starting with a different group member each time.
Task Part B
Once the drawings are complete, spend 10 minutes discussing your design intentions in each of the drawings. Discuss what you saw in the drawings, how this changed throughout the process and how it changed in the following drawings. Then, combine the three drawings to create one new image that reflects each of the initial drawings.
Task Part C
From your final combined image, choose one of the following tasks: 1) Design a pavilion for, Belly dancers under 12 with Autism 2) Design a chair, for a left-handed alien in space. 3) Write a narrative about a journey, include a storyboard.
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Reflection
I think one of the issues the test group had was difficulty understanding the task due to a partial language barrier. Due to their lack of understanding, they did not take the task seriously at first, and initial observations were not very optimistic. The easy solution to this issue was to delegate someone to breakdown the task to the test group, and walk them through it. This also allowed us to keep them on track, and we saw a positive change which really bolstered our confidence. Perhaps, instead of delegating someone as a guide, which might always be feasible, we could attach a set of completed design exercises as an example of what they should be doing. I think overall, the design exercise worked out pretty well, and they came up with some pretty cool designs.
Doing a design exercise
For the task assigned to us, we had to design a structure that incorporated a studio, storage room, gallery and toilet. We had to come up with a configuration based on randomly platonic shapes of paper given to us.
An example of one of the configurations.
We came up with maybe 20 or so different configurations before narrowing them down to 3. We then built quick sketch models, which presented its own difficult. It was hard to create 3D shapes on a platonic 2D footprint without altering it slightly, but we found this challenge actually benefited the design process on the whole. Maybe this is how Frank Gehry came up with his designs?
Mediocre architecture student sketch? Or Frank Gehry? We may never know.
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Architectural Movie Architecture & Cinema 36 The Dawn of the Virtual reality in Architecture 40 The Father of Montage: Sergei Eisenstein 41 Politecnico Workshop Movie 42 Reading Perspective and Architecture through the Film “In the Mood for Love” 46 Damnation 50 The Weeping Meadow 52 Design Reflections and Decisions 54 What to do When Stuck 56 Akira Kurosawa: Composing Movement 60 Sanjuro 66 Design a Director’s Facade 68 Andrei Tarkovsky- Meticulous Composition 70 Michelangelo Antonioni- Cinematography and Blocking 76 Drive 80
Communicating Design Ideas 82 Evaluation + Assessment 84 Selling Ideas 86 Mastering Your Design Process 88 O Sangue 90 Sparkles and Wine 92 Practicing Image Composition 94 Video Template Analysis 98 Site Analysis 102 Planning 106 Learning from Mistakes 108 Planning for Uncertainties 114 Ending Options 116 Storyboard 118 Reflection 281
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Lecture 5: Architecture & Cinema Hamid Khalili
How can we use film + cinema, its techniques and methods of thinking as a source of inspiration for architecture?
Movies and film are intrinsically the communication and articulation of space and time. The job and responsibility of a film maker is in this way, curiously similar to that of an architect. Rem Koolhaas, a world renown architect, started out as a film maker, attending film school as a young man, before transferring to AA to pursue a career architecture. Film, and filmmaking has had a large influence on his architectural works, both direct and indirect. Koolhaas based the design of the ramp in his Dutch House on the angular, dramatic and dark ramp in the film ‘The Cabinet of Dr Caligari’. This is an example of how inspiration for architectural forms can be derived from film.
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari Robert Weine
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What can we learn from film? And what can we unlearn from it?
Would it be possible to condense the essense and spirit of a film into a built form? Can we translate the overarching philosophy of a filmmaker into architecture? How can we learn the method of cinematic thinking, and translate it into architecture? Often, the architectural forms are not as important as the experience it provides. Phenomenology, in architecture, has close ties with film in this case as it deals with the experience of the visitor or spectator. Phenomenological architects such as Peter Zumthor or Albert Mo would have very similar concerns as a filmmaker, in terms of light and shadow, framing a view et cetera. So perhaps we could adapt filmmaker tools and techniques such as storyboarding and diagrammatic planning and intergrate them into the architectural design process?
Dutch House Rem Koolhaas
Sergei Eisenstein and the Montage Theory
Eisenstein was a filmmaker who was trained as an architect. He proposed that a montage is a method of generating new meanings from fragments, the essential driving force behind filmmaking.
A nice old man
This was demonstrated to great extent by Sir Alfred Hitchcock. The insertion of either a woman with a baby or a woman in a bikini between 2 shots of a man starting to smile has vastly different implications and effects, and exemplifies the potential of montage in film, and by extension, architecture.
A dirty old man
Montage in architecture
Fiip Dujardin is an architectural photographer who uses montage to create conceptual designs. Using digital programs, and following the montage theory, he stitches together bits of different buildings together to create something new, an amalgam that holds far greater meaning and value than any of its individual components. The union of different physical forms can also imply deeper symbolic meaning, This is an example of how a fimmaking concept can be applied to architecture and used to derive new forms. I have used a concept similar to montage, collage, in a previous subject to great effect. The ability to easily derive new meaning from already available forms was an incredibly useful tool in the design process, and should be considered when stuck in a design roadblock. Montage/ collage is incredibly interesting to me because it can be both an end in itself, or a means to an end. There is a great deal of versatility in this technique/method. Untitled Filip Dujardin
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Narrating a event, place or narrative
In the early days of montage, Eisenstein said that a multiplicity of perspectives or point of views to properly narrate something. Eisenstein used storyboards and diagrams to plan how to connect and intergrate different facets of his story, in the example above, he was connecting the film to the musical score. This multiplicity of point of views is paralleled in our perception of architecture. When we think of a building, we form an assemblage in our minds, thinking of how it looks, the spaces within, textures, smells, sounds, and then fitting everything together to create a mental projection of the building. Diagrams, and storyboarding in particular will play an essential role in our task, to both create a cohesive, well-composed film, and to properly communicate the architectural elements and character of our chosen building.
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Storyboarding Sergei Eisenstein
Adaptation in architecture
Multiple architects, including Le Corbusier and Bernard Tschumi, have looked to Eisenstein for inspiration. In the example above, Tschumi has adapted the storyboards of Eisenstein, using a modified version to break down and explain his architecture and design process. Although film and architecture do have their intrinsic similarities, I do feel that this is a reminder that inspiration for architecture does not have to come from architecture itself. Direct and indirect inspiration can be derived from anything, and it is important to keep my eyes and mind open to other potential sources.
Diagramming Bernard Tschumi
Evolution of Eisenstein
In his later years, Eisensten moved away from montage, and claimed that the best way of communicating architecture was to use an uninterrupted and continuous take, moving the spectator through the space just like we do in real life. While his method of thinking had changed, he continued to use diagramming to plan and explain his ideas for a film.
Commonalities between Film and Architecture
While film and architecture are different in terms of scope, purpose and practice, they are united by several parallels. Movement. Architecture is experienced through movement, you move or journey through a space. You have to move through a space to feel it, and there is a definite link between motion and emotion. Time. Duration and temporality. Movement takes time. Both architects and filmmakers have to frame movement and time simultaneiously. Spatial articulation. Depth, volume, masses, recessed. Background Middleground
Eisenstein used a series of plans and perspectives to simple yet effectively communicate the path the camera would take through the space, and the perspectives one would see at various points through this journey. This technique has been used extensively throughout architecture, by architects such as Gordon Cullen and ARM. While we would probably shy away from doing an uninterrupted take due to our lack of equipment and skill needed to execute such a difficult technique, we will definitely be using this combination of plan and perspective to show our different camera angles and locations. A section could also be used in place of a plan.
Foreground Scale. Close up/supplement scale: materials and textures. Medium/human scale: furniture, human body. Long/architectural scale: buildings and landscapes. Peripheral vision. Things not in focus are just as important. Other dimensions. For example, sound.
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The Dawn of the Virtual Reality in Architecture Gunita Kulikovska
Are the current tools and skillset of the modern architect inadequate for communication with the public?
Architects use a variety of communication techniques and mediums to convey their design and desired outcomes across to builders and clients. Models, diagrams and drawings are ubiquitous in architecture practices all around the world, and indeed, these are the main skills we have been honing throughout our studies thus far. Gunita Kulikovska puts forward the notion that these techniques are a language used by architects, for architects. Other stakeholders in the design and construction process, such as builders and clients, may not be privy to the knowledge and experienced required to decipher this language.
Weak communication = Failed Expectations
When there is improper communication between the stakeholders, a lack of understanding develops. Designs dont get built the way the architect meant, and aren’t Builder designed the way the clients How to build wanted. Improving the method of communication will improve the design outcome. 40
Can virtual reality bridge this gap in communication?
People only really understand the dynamics and spatial qualities of a space when they experience it in person. Virtual reality holds the potential to allow stakeholders to have this ‘experience’ before the design is physically constructed, giving time for changes to be made.
Architect
Design Vision
Virtual reality VS conventional methods
Client
Outcome: visual and practical
While I feel there is definitely a place for virtual reality in architecture, and it is only a matter of time before it sees more widespread adoption, conventional methods will still remain the backbone of an architect’s toolset. Virtual reality can help to improve communication, but only if the design has been built on a solid foundation of drawings, visuals and models.
Virtual Reality Autodesk
The Father of Montage: Sergei Eisenstein “The revolution introduced me to art, and art, in its own turn, brought me to the revolution” - Eisenstein Battleship Potemkin Sergei Eisenstien
Editing and montage
Released in 1925, “Battleship Potemkin” was a demonstration of Eisenstein’s realisation that the cinema medium could both compress and expand time. It was a demonstration of the power and raw potential of editing and montage. Eisenstein took individual pieces and put them together to make something new with its own meaning.
Breaking Tradition
At the age of 22, Sergei Eisenstein broke from the family tradition and became a theatre set designer instead of an engineer. He then moved to cinema, bringing with him some of the ideas and methodology of the theatre. He placed great emphasis on the placement of actors in the scenery within the frame, and believed in the fundamental importance of editing to filmmaking. Along with his compatriots, he developed and refined many theories of filmmaking.
Individual Part Individual Part
Word/ Phrase
Sentence/ paragraph
Film Language
Montage, composition and framing creates a visual story. This visual story is the power of film: it is a medium that is easy to understand and digest.
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Politecnico Workshop Movie
The video starts out with a few static shots of the surrounding context, with little or no movement of the camera or anything in the frame. This highlights the relative emptiness of the site, and adds to the atmosphere of the video. The wide 2 : 1 aspect ratio adds a cinematic feel to the video, and emphasizes the multiple vertical elements found throughout the video. Sounds from each shot is mixed with a lingering background soundtrack, which creates a smooth flow from one shot to the next.
The vertical elements are aligned with the frame of each shot.
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The shots are a mixture of close, medium and long shots, and most of them have multiple layers, creating depth that provides visual interest.
The video features a singuler male protagonist’s joourney through the site, an adaptation of Eisenstein’s later montage theory that architecture is best converyed in an uninterrupted journey.
Attention is focussed on the protagonist. The protagonist is placed in the centre of the shot. Lines in the frame point to the protagonist, leading the viewer’s eyes to him. The protagonist’s blue shirt in an otherwise monochromatic shot instantly attracts the viewer’s attention. 43
Shots featuring the protagonist moving follow the 180 degree rule, whereby the camera only follows the subject from one side of the line of action. This results in the subject only moving either from left to right, or right to left throughout different shots.
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Head tilts from the protagonists precede a cut to a shot of the surrounding context, be that a person or just an empty landscape. Like what Sir Alfred Hitchcock said about montage, sticking these 2 shots together creates new meaning, whereby the cut to another shot right after a head tilt implies that we are now looking at the context from the protagonist’s point of view.
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Reading Perspective and Architecture through the Film “In the Mood for Love” Simone Shu Yeng Chung Visual choreography
Set in 1960’s Hong Kong, “In the mood for Love” is a masterpiece of mood and composition by director Wong Kar-Wai. These two elements work in tandem to materialize the palpable emotion and tension within the story. Movement and rhythm are created and emphasized through editing, and “celebrates how the human body negotiates itself around the city.” Tension through composition and mood.
Framing
Kar-Wai uses the tight confined spaces of the shooting location to his advantage. He places the characters in a small section of each frame, emphasizing the physical constraints of the setting, and lending to the tension between the two main characters. This frame around the main characters serves as a metaphorical and literal wall between them and the other characters. Characters such as their spouses and neighbours are always placed just ouside the frame during interactions, which highlights how disconnected and trapped the main characters feel.
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Characters trapped within the frame.
Lighting
Carefully controlled lighting is used in the film to manipulate emphasis on the characters. The lighting has the ability to focus the viewer’s attention on a character’s body language and facial emotion, highlighting their current state of mind, or hint at their intentions. The movie relies on natural lighting such as streetlights and lampshades, and by playing with different points of focus through illumination, the film is able to achieve a sense of depth.
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Music
During the two Mahjong scenes of the film, the same score is used to drastically different effects. In the first scene, Mrs Chan is elated, and is happy to be taking part in the social gathering alongside her husband. The music creates a playful ambience and the audience is led to believe that the mood is lighthearted and relaxed. In the second scene, the mental state of Mrs Chan has detiorated, and she is feeling trapped. Here, the same music serves as a sombre tune, each line adding to the sinking feeling that Mrs Chan is trapped in a situation she cannot escape.
This is a form of assemblage alluding to montage, one that Eisenstein and Hitchcock used to great effect in their films. It demonstrates that editing and montage is not a strictly visual affair, and can incorporate other senses and dimensions.
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Damnation BĂŠla Tarr
Focus and Framing
The film starts out with a long shot of cable cars in the distance carrying materials. The steady and consistent rhythm of the cars, coupled with the harsh and barren landscape creates a sullen and melancholic tone, inviting introspection from the audience.
Long/ Architectural scale
Tarr then pulls the camera out slowly, changing to a close up and shifting the focus to a set of windows, thereby revealing that the setting is within a house. The moment of almost hypnotic pensiveness is broken here, and the audience is pulled out from instrospection into extrospection, seeking to ascertain the newly introduced context. The camera then pans and moves to the right, revealing the silhouette of the protagonist, Karrer, watching the cars. Karrer replaces the cable cars in the frame of the windows, and is now the sole focus of the shot. The audience’s initial emotions and thoughts while watching the cars is subconciously projected onto Karrer, building up an idea of his current state of mind or mood. Tarr shows how it is possible to connect two things and create new meaning with a single continuous shot, and how to use architectural details to frame and present intangible elements. 50
Close up/ Supplement scale
Close up/ Supplement scale
The Intricacies of Film
I think a lot of people, including myself, have deeply underappreciated the intricacies and sheer brilliance of some directors. The sheer, raw, power and potential of visuals, harnessed through film, is something that not many understand, although they often do feel how it affects them. Similar to how Eisensten’s films spoke to the illiterate Russians, films still speak to the general populace, communicating complex language, emotions and ideas subconciously and effectively. 51
The Weeping Meadow Theo Angelopoulos
Layers, Journey and Music.
This scene shows the internal, emotional development between the two main characters, Eleni and Alexis. The starting shot shows the couple in a moment of conflict, united but with a degree of physical separation, a metaphor for their emotional and mental state. The medium shot of them is layered against a long shot of the town behind them, alluding to the cause of their angst and anxiety. Music from behind the camera then attracts their attention, and triggers the start of their journey of discovery. The camera pulls backwards, maintaining the same scale and showing the couple’s entrance into the field of sheets. The shot then changes to their perspective, revealing the source of the music to be a musician with an accordion. The sound of more music lures them deeper, and musicians are spread out ahead of them, separated by sheets. The sheets serve as a transitional element, and also hides the eventual destination, although the fluttering motion occasionally grants sneak peeks. As they reach the end of the field of sheets, the musicians amalgamate and their music crescendos together as they transition to form a line in front of the destination: the beach and the sea. At this point, the camera remains static, and the couple moves forward to embrace tightly in front of the musicians. The openess of the shot, the sea in the background and the couple’s embrace serves as a counter metaphor to the one presented in the first shot, and represents their combined desire for freedom and escape. Angelopoulos uses visual metaphors to great effect in this scene, showing and demonstrating character growth and development through motion, and juxtaposition of characters with context.
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Assemblage
Watching this scene reminded me of a storyboard by Eisenstein. The alignment of music with visuals is yet another powerful tool in the director’s arsenal, but has to be used with purpose and proper planning. I would love to use it in our film, but at the moment, there are a hundred other more prevalent elements to factor in. Im especially struggling with learning the functionalities of the camera, and how to compose shots well.
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Lecture 6: Design Reflections and Decisions Stephanie Liddicoat
What is a Design Decision?
Conclusion or resolution after consideration. Act or process of deciding something or of resolving a question. A moment you choose between options. Resolving a question inherent in your project.
What
1) Attack Context Appraise situation, alter thinking, approach context. 2) Suspend Judgement Delay response, open oppourtunities, create new perspectives. 3) Embrace Complexity Do not reduce scope, recognise assumptions, stop assumptions. 4) Expand and Concentrate Expand knowledge through research, broaden field of understanding, speculate and reflect on what I have discovered.
How
5) Search for Patterns Identify and explain patterns in my designing or design thinking. 6) Deepen Themes Develop the potential to bring design project further, work at multiple scales, interplay ideas with each other, investigate many options to achieve the same aim. 7) Sharpen Frames Communicate interpretations clearly, reflect. 8) Be Prepared Support interpretation to show journey.
Reflection
Outcome
9) Create Moment Get expert advice, discuss with peers, ascertain assumptions. 10) Follow Through Intergrate these into design.
As I read through these various steps, I recognised several that I have used in previous design processes. I have never really used them conciously however, they’ve mostly been instinctual. I suppose following a process like this step-by-step would minimise chances of me missing out on one, and take the guesswork out of the process. 54
How do I use my journal?
1) Record Process Allows me to see what steps I took, see what media, see and follow the threads of logic. 2) Record Design Thinking Using words, diagrams, others. 3) Reflect What was successful, not so successful, what other options/techniques could I have used? What other options/techniques could I use now? What does what happened tell me about myself? 4) Readjust Inform of design trajectory. Make adjustments to future design trajectory. Go back to previous more successful iterations. Revisit past projects to see if it might be useful now. Inform myself of design agenda, what might be concious or unconcious.
Action-orientated Bias
Excessive optimism: Overestimate likelihood of positive events, underestimate that of negative ones Overconfidence: Overestimate our skill level, take credit for past positive outcomes without acknowledging role of chance.
Perception and Judgement Bias
Confirmation bias: We place extra value on evidence consistent with a favoured belief Anchoring and insufficient adjustment: We root out decisions in an initial value and fail to succinctly adjust our thinking away from that value. Groupthink: We strive for consensus at the cost of a realistic appraisal of alternatives. Egocentrism: We focus too narrowly on our own perspective.
Alternatives Bias
Loss aversion: We feel losses more acutely than gains, which makes us risk-averse. Sunk-cost fallacy: We pay attention to historical costs that are not recoverable. Escalation of commitment: We invest additional resources in an apparently losing proposition because of the effort, money and time already invested. Controllability bias: We believe we can control outcomes more than is actually possible.
Stability Bias
Status quo bias: We prefer the status quo. Present bias: We value immediate rewards very highly and undervalue long term gains.
Reflection
I am definitely guilty of possessing more than a few of these bias, but as they say, acknowledging the problem is the first step to fixing it. Now that I am more conciously aware of them, I can recognise when they are in play, and work on removing them. I have also noticed that keeping a design journal helps to focus my design process, so I would like to try to maintain that. 55
Lecture 7: What to do When Stuck Greg Missingham Getting Unstuck
Take a break Could be a meal, a nap, a walk outside. The idea is to step away from the project to rest, and hopefully have more energy and a fresh perspective when I return. Change Designer’s Frame of Reference Altering the Frame of Reference helps to change the way I think, design and evaluate my project. It would definitely help to grant a new perspective on the project I am working on. Change Medium of Working I found this to be especially useful in my digital design and fabrication class. Changing materials and fabrication techniques often granted us a new perspective that allowed us to progress our design futher. Change when I work Breaking and changing up the routine. Arbitrary Exercises Again, I think the idea is to step away from the project. Often, I get too focussed on the task at hand, and can lose track of the big picture. Arbitrary exercises forces my mind to think differently. Arbitrary Time Periods Forcing randomness and spontaneity.
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In practice
In my other class, digital design and fabrication, we were having a massive problem trying to figure out how to get pieces of MDF to bend so we could construct more curvilinear forms. We had tried all sorts of things, waffling, hinges, etc, but none of them worked as well as we had hoped and wanted. Inspiration came when I took a break and decided to browse through Pinterest. A random short snippet of a manufacturing video gave me a Eureka moment, and we managed to study and apply that precedent to our design successfully. This was a prime example of how stepping away from a project to take a break can grant some much needed rest and provide a fresh perspective at the same time.
Adam’s List of Blocks
Perceptual Inability to see or perceive issues or useful information, for example, through stereotyping. I find this to be an extremely prevalent issue especially during group work. When we dislike someone, no matter the reason, it is hard to agree with them, or even listen to their opinion and point of view. This can obviously hinder the progress of the group and design output. Emotional Fear, anxiety, intolerance. Emotions can drastically affect the design process negatively. Fear of failure and judgement is something that has impacted me a lot, especially when the stakes are high. It has been proven to obstruct creativity, hence I have been trying hard to keep it under control, using breathing exercises and meditation. Cultural Taboos and cultural restrictions can often control how or why an individual thinks and acts.
Environmental Lack of cooperation, trust etc. I’ve also found that the physical environment plays a large role in how productive I am. The space I work in obviously has to be able to accomodate what im doing, it has to have the right ambience, and this may sound silly, but temperature. Finding a workspace uncomfortable or unsuitable can be downright distracting or obstructive, and if the problem cannot be fixed, it might be best to move. Intellectual Insufficient/inaccurate information, inflexibility etc. Expressive Inadequate language skills, failure to articulate thoughts, inability to properly record and express ideas. Another block that I struggle with on a regular basis. Finding the words that adequately describe how I feel or what I’m trying to convey in my design can be very difficult, but I find taking a moment to pause and collect my thoughts often helps.
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Under Electric Clouds Aleksey German Jr.
Layers of People
German places the actors carefully on screen, arranging them according to several factors. Firstly the order of significance. The people most relevant to the scene are closest to the camera, and diminish in importance as the further away they are. In this scene, the two protagonists are having an altercation with the group of adults. hence both groups are played at the forefront. The protagonists have a greater importance so they take up a greater proportion of the screen. The children, while relevant, are not participants in the altercations, so they are pushed back into a small space in the middle ground.
Direction
The protagonists travel from the left of the screen, moving right. The antagonists, the adults, enter from the right of the screen, travelling left. In this way, German has used a common technique to show confrontation simply and effectively by having two opposing groups intersect and meet in the middle.
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Exiting the Scene
In a scene that begins with an intimate conversation between two people, German uses crowds and movement to disguise the exit of one of the main characters in the scene. As she is about to exit, she is met by a small group of friends who join her as she leaves the frame. At the same time, a horse drawn carriage travels in the same direction across the screen. In this mess of motion, the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the other main character, who remains on the other half of the screen.
Visual Interest
Through the use of movement and multiple layers, German has created a scene with no shortage of visual interest. The multiple layers within it adds a great sense of depth, while movement ensures the audience’s eyes never rest and linger on a single spot. 59
Akira Kurosawa - Composing Movement Tony Zhou (Every Frame a Painting)
Rain provides another layer that the audience can relate to sensually.
Master of Motion
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese director who made over 30 films over a period of half a century. His films used movement beautifully to great cinematic effect, capturing the viewer’s visual attention completely.
Movement of Background
Kurosawa often used weather effects to create background interest in his shots. The constant movement ensures that each shot remains dynamic and retains visual interest, even when the shots are still. 60
Weather is used even in moving shots, to create an added, extra layer of interest.
Combined movement creates visual interest, and shared emotion amplified.
Movement of Groups
Kurosawa often used groups of people in his film, using their movement to create strong visual interest, or their combined emotions and reactions to amplify the effects of a scene. Emotions felt and displayed uniformly by a group of people tends to feel stronger and clearer than if it was just a single person. Kurosawa used the lack of reaction of a group just as effectively: an army remaining impassive and still in response to their emotionally charged leader communicates the great disjunction between them perfectly. The great gulf between the leader and his men.
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Movement of Individuals
The blocking of characters in Kurosawa’s film tends to be “unrealistic and exagerrated”, in a good way of course. Their body movement often reflects their state of mind, visually displaying their internal emotions and condition.
An outraged character would be confrontative and aggressive, hence he stands upright and faces his opponents.
Repeated gestures An ashamed character would be shy and fearful, hence she curls up and hides her face.
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Actors were often instructed by Kurosawa to pick a gesture and repeat it throughout the film, which achieved a few things. Firstly, it made their movement more interesting and dynamic. Secondly, it made the character immediately recognisable and memorable. Thirdly, it helped to show how the characters felt.
The Ronin’s characteristic shoulder shrug.
Movement of Camera
The camera movement in Kurosawa’s films tends to be fluid and smooth, shifting between different scales and perspectives effortlessly. They also have a distinct beginning, middle and end, similar to how essays have an introduction, body and conclusion. Each shot has to have a point or tell a story.
The Hidden Fortress
This shot in the movie changes between a few scales of General Makabe, a medium shot is used to show his body language: frantically looking sideto-side for someone. Next, it changes to a closeup of his face, showing the audience his distressed facial expression, clueing them in about his state of mind. A medium-long shot shows him searching in different directions, and finally an over-theshoulder shot shows him discovering what he was looking for. Kurosawa has used camera movement simply and efficiently to communicate across emotions and intentions without using any dialogue.
Flowing between scales smoothly.
Beginning, middle, and end.
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Movement of the Cut
Kurosawa uses clever, deliberate editing to cut between shots. If he is cutting in a scene, he goes from movement to movement, the continuous flow disguising the cut. If he is cutting at the end of the scene, he often uses a strong change of pace, either from static to movement, or vice versa, to keep the audience guessing.
Movement
Static
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Movement Movement
Movement
Movement
Reflection
Movement of background, groups, individuals, camera and cuts. These 5 dimensions of movement that Kurosawa has used to create the most beautiful and riveting scenes has given me so much think about. In the context of our architectural movie, I reckon movement of the individual, camera and cut would the most important, followed by movement of background, and then groups. We could get the actor in our movie, Annie, to develop a more interesting walk or a specific gesture to repeat at certain points in the movie. We also have a lot to work on in terms of camera movement, and choosing the right places to cut shots, I would like to use Kurosawa as a primary influence and inspiration in this regard.
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Sanjuro
Akira Kurosawa Composition
The face-off between the two swordsmen form the primary focus of the scene, hence the shot is built around them. The most important parts of their character in this moment, their facial expressions and their weapons, form the basis of the top and bottom boundaries of the frame. No more and no less than what s required is shown. They are spaced out somewhat equidistant from the centre of the frame, suggesting that they might be equal opponents. The spectators in the middleground form the secondary focus, their reaction an important factor in the scene, so Kurosawa places them such that none of them are obscured by the swordsmen. As is with the case with many well-composed shots, this one contains multiple layers that adds visual depth and interest.
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Direction movement
Many directors use the 180 degree rule, whereby the camera stays on one side of the line of action. This ensures that the character travels in one direction only, from left to right, or right to left. This not only makes the scene or even whole film more cohesive, but reinforces the idea of a journey. Many protagonists travel from left to right, as seen in the scene with opposing groups from Under Electric Clouds. One reason directors do this might be because the audience usually reads from left to right, meaning that that direction of movement is ingrained in them and they are dispositioned to sympathize with characters travelling in that direction. While Kurosawa is Japanese, and Japanese books read from right to left, his films have had Western influences.
Overcoming Adversity
In this scene. the protagonist starts out on the left of the frame, and faces off against his opponent on the right. As he makes his single lethal stroke, he shifts to the right of the frame, moving past his opponent who falls to the left. He thens looks back to the left of the frame at his fallen advesary. Hence, Kurosawa has used the line of action to both literally and metaphorically show his characters overcoming adversity and progressing.
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Lecture 5 Homework- Design a Director’s Facade
Modelled after Seven Samurai title card
Tilting to show movement Unique gesture repeated Background wind and rain
Multiple levels of pagoda alluding to a group
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Andrei Tarkovsky- Meticulous Composition
Composition
It would be remiss to study Andrei Tarkovsky without mentioning the inexplicable, philosophically introspective nature of his films, but something like that would take a whole journal of its own. Hence this is merely a study of his masterful and meticulous style of forming composition.
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Symmetry
One of most common compositional techniques, symmetrical images generally hold high aesthetic value. Balance between both halves of a frame can create a sense of stability, and can be used to reinforce something in the storyline, or as a contrast.
Balance
In this scene from Nostalghia, Tarkovsky has used the implicit stability inherent in symmetry to highlight the contrast between the onlookers and the madman. The contrast reinforces the disparity in mental state and lack of empathy between the two parties.
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Rule of Thirds
Another common compositional technique, this one involves the spliting of the frame into 9 equal sections. The boundaries of these sections form 2 horizontal and 2 vertical guidelines, and the idea is that placing of elements at the intersection of these guidelines creates a more interesting composition with greater tension and visual interest. Tarkovsky has used this to emphasize the primary elements in this frame, the girl and the rising sun.
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Golden Ratio
While Tarkovsky has used the rule of thirds to emphasize his main elements, the golden ratio was used when composing the overall image. Although he golden ratio is prevalent in nature, art, architecture and photography, it is much harder to execute properly.
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Frames
It is in the director’s best interest to compose each shot with as little unnecessary elements as possible, so that the important ones don’t get lost in the mess. Frames can help to direct the attention to something, without having to resort to changing the scale. This also allows the director to retain some of the context, adding to the overall meaning of the shot. Frames can often take metaphorical or allegorical roles, as mentioned earlier in the analysis of In the Mood for Love.
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“Photography is truth, and cinema is truth 24 frames a second.” - Bruno Forestier Juxtaposition
It is not just the arrangement of elements in a frame that determines its power, value or meaning, but also the interaction between different elements. The way two elements come together to create new meaning is reminiscent of Eisenstein’s Montage Theory, but instead of that meaning spread over several shots, it is compressed into a single frame. In this scene from The Mirror, Tarkovsky has the woman sitting on a well while she watches her livelihood burn in the background. Separately, each has its own meaning, but together, it speaks of hopelessness and surrender.
Reflection
I have always wondered what makes a good photograph “good”, what causes it to appear aesthetically pleasing to our eyes, and how “good” photographers do it. While I feel there is and always will be an element of chance, I think I now understand that it involves no small measure of planning and thinking to create the kind of composition that not only looks good, but captures the imagination and attention of the viewer.
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Michelangelo Antonioni- Cinematography and Blocking Justin Rydziel (The Way He Saw It)
Frames
Michelangelo Antonioni stands out for his unique style of cinematography. He eschews cuts within a scene for clever camera movement, shifting between multiple scales and compositions seamlessly. This creates a smoother cinematic experience, although I reckon it would require a much more experienced crew.
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Medium
Pan Right
Medium-Closeup
Track Left
Closeup
Long
Track Right
Closeup
Track Right
Medium
Track Forward
Closeup
Pan Left
Closeup
Medium
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Composition and Movement
The blocking of actors in Antonioni’s films is just as vital as camera movement for composing seamless shots. They move from location to location, the camera following them to capture the new compositions. Hence, the cameras and actors work in tandem, in a choreographed routine that would require multiple takes and lots of practice.
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Scale
Antonioni also uses scale differently to most directors, often utilising a wide shot for dramatic moments. This works brilliantly, as not only does it include more of the surrounding context, the miniature scale of the characters diminishes their presence and power in relation to their environment and situation.
Reflection
There are a lot of similarities to be found between Antonioni and Kurosawa, the biggest of which being movement. Movement of the camera and actors have been used to great effect by both directors, creating beautiful, dynamic and smooth shots. Of course, they also have their differences, where Kurosawa uses movement to disguise his cuts, Antonioni tries to avoid it altogether. There is no one better method however, as they are both just simply different styles of cinematography. I think this is one of the more important things im beginning to understand, that there is no perfect method of filming or editing, and as someone once told me, “there is no such thing as a bad idea, just bad execution.� This has relieved a lot of the stress I’ve been feeling, wondering about whether we have chosen the right method or style, etc. I feel that we have to go with what feels right, and do our best to plan and execute it to the best of our ability.
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Drive
Nicolas Winding Refn
The Quadrant System
Through the course of the movie Drive, a number of scenes feature a simple quadrant system. used by Nicolas Winding Refn to mesmerizing effect. Winding Refn uses quadrants to create balance and interaction between different elements on screen.
Horizontal divide between the driver and Irene.
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Vertical divide between the driver and the father.
Interaction Between Quadrants
In this shot/reverse shot between the driver and Irene, their faces are place in opposite quadrants, symbolising their division and inability to be together in that moment.
Confrontation
This is taken to the next level when the father enters the scene. The driver and the father are placed in the same quadrant to show how they are fighting for the same spot- they want Irene, who is placed in the opposite quadrant.
Reflection
This reminds me of Tarkovsky’s juxtaposition of elements within a frame, albeit taken to another level. The careful framing of the shot and placement of key characters and elements show how powerful composition can be for creating, showing or implying meaning. I almost wish we had multiple characters in our film so we could try creating some scenes with dialogue. I will however attempt to adapt and use the quadrant system when figuring how to compose a shot. 81
Lecture 8: Communicating Design Ideas Greg Missingham
Scale of Consideration
Individual How does the individual perceive and experience something? How can I build around that? I am reminded of phenomenology, the architecture of experience, the journey of the senses. How did Peter Zumthor use light in his design? How did ArchitectEats use smell in their design? How can I follow in their footsteps and design FOR the individual experience?
Perspective
Section
Therme Vals Peter Zumthor
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Design Studio Earth For my design studio, a part of the brief required a secret space for an object to be viewed by a single person for a maximum of 5 minutes. I used sunlight in my design, relying on the Sun’s position in the sky to illuminate a tube leading down into secret underground caverns containing light. Once the sun moves a certain angle, light into the tube is restricted and and the object falls into darkness.
Group How do groups behave as a whole? Is it possible to study, predict and then design around that? How do they communicate, and conversely, how do we communicate to a group through our design? How does our design perform for a group? Community Symbolism and reifying, how does the design appeal or cater to the ideals, culture or otherwise of the broader community?
Bob Eberle’s Modification of Osborn’s Evaluative Checklist-SCAMPER Substitute something Changing a part of the existing design, may be functional or aesthetic. Combine it with something else Putting two separate designs or concepts together to form a new entity.
MSD John Wardle Architects
Adapt something to it Altering something else to suit the design. Modify of Magnify it Altering the design’s shape or size.
ARM- Barak Building The face (a-ha!) of the Barak Building is a giant symbol for all to see. Featuring William Barak, a well respected Wurundjeri Elder, it comes in a time where Aboriginal rights and treatments are still being hotly contested. To be honest, I don’t enough about the issue to reflect deeply on it, but I believe this is great example of how design can be used as powerful symbolism, engaging directly with the broader community.
Vanna Venturi House Robert Venturi
Put it to some other use Altering the design’s function. An example might be the repurposed shipping container trend in architecture? Eliminate Something Removing an obsolete part of the design. Reverse or Rearrange it Mixing up the existing design. 83
Lecture 9: Evaluation + Assessment Greg Missingham How do I think my designs are assessed?
Brief fulfilment Does my design meet the requirements set out in the brief? Does it elaborate on each requirement set out? I believe this is the most important factor in assessment, as ultimately it is a measure of whether the client has had their needs met. Aesthetic Does my design look good? Does the aesthetic play into the requirements of the brief? Maybe objectively the least important, but subjectively the most? People, especially designers, are oftened swayed by how good something looks. Innovation Has my design innovated? Or has it followed precedents. If so, to what extent? The second most important possibly? The vision to create something new and innovative has always been the hallmark of a great designer. Detail How fleshed-out is the design? Is it fully realised or just a skeleton. As the saying goes, devil’s in the details. Potential Does the design have the potential to be improved and taken to the next level?
Example of a marking rubric.
How does this affect my design process?
With a better understanding of how I am assessed, I can plan out my project better from the start, ensuring that I have not been neglecting any one of the assessment criteria. By constantly addressing multiple different assessment criteria, I can stretch the limits of my project. While I believe the focus should not be solely on attaining better grades, assessment criteria do serve as an excellent guide for projects. 84
Marking feedback.
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Lecture 10: Selling Ideas
Robyn Pollock Why am I doing this presentation? Who am I presenting to? What do they already know? Why am I doing these drawings?
As there was a lot of information on the page to digest, I chose a solid colour for the background to keep the page simple and enhance the diagrammatic feel.
Section diagrams explain the experience and the phenomenological aspects of the design.
A series of plans explain the size of each platform, which relate to the overall narative.
Text follows hierachy, title is the largest and foremost.
Scales and labelling were especially important because of the range of drawings and scales across the entire presentation.
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Clouds tie the page together and embellishes the section/elevation.
The hero image of the page, anchors the page, and serves as a starting point.
Contours are an excellent tool for communicating the topography of a site. It also informed what materials and fabrication process I used.
The model allowed me to communicate the spatial qualities and scale of the design across to the audience.
Reflection Having a model that opened was essential for communicating the underground spaces, so I had to design the model around that, choosing suitable materials, fabrication process, and construction process.
While I was happy with the quality of my presentation, I do believe I have a lot more to work on. The posters need a lot more refinement and have to be more attention grabbing, and I believe the model can be built to a much higher standard. 87
Lecture 11: Mastering Your Design Process Stephanie Liddicoat
Using Video and Cinematography in My Design Process
Explore ways of representing space and experience How can camera and cinema techniques be used to represent space and experience? Can a long continuous shot through a building be used to show a journey through a space? Or are multiple cuts better for doing so. What is the effect I am trying to achieve?
Saving Private Ryan Steven Spielberg
Isolating aspects of experience that were important How can the video I are making capture the essence of the building or design? What is the essence? What stands out when I visit the site? Light? Sound? Scale? How can camera and cinema techniques be used and manipulated to show the audience that? Will they see the same things I do? Or is the video solely for me.
In the Mood for Love Wong Kar-Hai
Inform understanding of architectural strategies to create the experience How did the architectural strategies used in the physical design create the experience? Are the windows designed to let in light at a certain angle? Does the floor echo each footstep? How does the size of the space influence the experience?
The Shining Stanley Kubric
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Using Photography in My Design Process Explore media, mood, opacity, colour, materiality Can photography be used to capture experimentation with form, media, mood, opacity, colour and material? Or can the experimentation relate to the photography itself? For example, filters, photographic effects etc. Can I use these to aid and enrich my design process? Or does it help to explain my design process?
A Beautiful Mind Elena Bee Photography
Definite materiality and light qualities of final design and how it related to the user. How well can I use photography to define the materiality and light qualities of my design, and show how the user will experience it? Does materiality affect how light comes into play? And does light affect materiality? How can photography highlight or enhance the effect of both? Can photography be used to greater effect than drawings?
Untitled HÊlène Binet
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O Sangue Pedro Costa
Composition
Pedro Costa’s films have a marvelous sense of fabricated composition that possesses a lovely balance between light and shadow, black and white. In this opening scene from O Sangue, Costa uses back-and-forth POV shots to set up the scene. Both shots have the characters squarely centered in the middle of the frame, making them the obvious predominant focus of the scene. Along with the blurred landscape in the background, this makes for a simple yet beautiful symmetrical composition,
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Cuts
Costa also places his cuts carefully, retaining some reference to the previous shot, so as to not lose the audience. After the young man is slapped, the film cuts to a shot of the older man just pulling his hand back. This implies that he was the one who slapped the younger man, and establishes the scene even though the audience have not seen the two men in the same frame yet.
Character movement sets up this beautiful composition.
Scale
Costa also uses different scales to show and emphasize different things. In the previous shots, the stern or sullen faces were given the spotlight as he needed to establish the mood of the scene. In this shot, he uses a medium scale to show the older man picking up his luggage and beginning to walk. No more and no less than what is required is shown.
Reflection
Costa shows the importance of proper editing, as it is often the minute details that add to the believability of a scene. I also really appreciate how he set up the scene, using a simple back and forth POV with no dialogue to establish ithe situation without having to resort to verbal dialogue. This would be especially applicable to our film, as I dont think we will have any dialogue in it. 91
Sparkles and Wine HAZE FILMS
Colour and Angles
The manipulation of light shining onto a face, using varying angles and colours can create a wide range of different effects. Emotion, mood, and state of mind can be highlighted witht the right lighting, meaning more can be communicated to the audience without having to resort to verbal dialogue and explanations. Soft red lighting creates a soft, lustful ambience.
Partial lighting on one side of the face adds depth and texture.
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Desperation, danger. Shadows under eyes are emphasized, giving a tired or weary appearance.
Pleasant surprise possibly? Or slight mistrust.
Purple lighting creates an unnatural, alien effect.
Soft and earnest.
Extremely unnatural lighting, hides the jaws, nostrils and lower cheeks. Creates an unsettling effect, as if she was evil, dangerous or plotting something.
Downward diagonal lighting highlights the cheekbones, hides the chin, and defines the jawline, makes the subject appear more beautiful and pleasant.
Soft yellow lighting creates a warm and friendly ambience.
White light creates a clean, almost-natural look.
Mysterious, plotting.
Slight annoyance
High front lighting creates a safe and welcoming look. Very natural lighting.
Reflection
Up till now, I have not been giving much attention to the lighting on a subjects face when I take photos or videos of them. I was especially struck by how the angle of the lighting can make the person look and feel completely different. I would love to investigate and experiment more with this, and I wonder how much of it can be done with natural lighting. Would it be better to manipulate the position of the lighting? Or of the person?
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Practicing Image Composition
When composing this render, I placed a large emphasis on layers and visual depth. The man in the foreground was vital in communicating the scale of the design, as well as creating visual interest and depth.
I also placed the main focal point of the design within the frame using the rule of thirds.
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For this render, I thought about how lighting could influence the mood and ambience of the composition. A warm orange glow implied a sunset, and created a pleasant, comfortable and inviting atmosphere.
The rule of thirds was used again to place the most import characters and features within the frame.
The rule of thirds was used again to place the most import characters and features within the frame.
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I placed the subject off-centre to create a more dynamic composition. I thought about how light could be used to draw attention to a certain section of the subject.
I played with layers to create visual depth and add context to the image.
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I tried to find interesting ways to create compositions and visual effects. This was a reflection off a tray of water, giving the photo a surreal, dreamy effect.
I thought about how light could be used to highlight texture, and using a small aperture to blur the background and place focus on the primary subject.
I thought about how camera settings could be used to take advantage of the natural lighting conditions to place emphasis on certain elements in the frame.
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Optic
Video Template Analysis
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Reflection
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
In
From Where to Where
How Long
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Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
I’ll be the first to admit: I know next to nothing about film and videography, and this has been an incredibly challenging task, especially with multiple cases of “not knowing what I dont know”. However, as the de facto cameraman of the team, it is my reponsibility to do my best to learn as much as I can, for myself, and especially so I do not disappoint the others (too much). I will be analysing the film template provided to us, in an attempt to learn and understand some of the jargon, and hopefully apply it properly.
Optic Lens
Tele: For long distance “close up� shots. For example, shots of animals in the wild. Focal Range>100mm (The higher the number, the greater the zoom). Can cause images to look flat. Wide: Captures more of the scene within the frame. Especially useful for architectural shots. Low Focal Length. Can cause nearby objects to look larger. Normal: Creates a natural field of view. Roughly 50mm. Low levels of distortion. Zoom: Dynamic and multifunctional lens. Allows for a range of focal lengths.
Diaphragm (Aperture)
Open: An open diaphragm is created by having a smaller f-stop. Used to blur background behind subject. Closed: High f-stop. Sharp image throughout.
Depth of Field
Directly affected by aperture. A large DoF is called deep focus, and conversely, a small Dof is called shallow. Shallow Low f-stop. Sharp foreground, blurred background. Deep: High f-stop. Sharp image throughout.
Optic Depth
The perceived depth and distance between objects in frame, closely linked to type of lens used.
Focus
Which part of the frame is in focus? Scroll to adjust focus is usually found on lens. Low f-stop/high aperture allows for focus to be manipulated to a higher degree. Can be changed while filming.
Subject in focus does not necessarily need to be in foreground.
Low f-stop= High aperture= Shallow depth of field
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Screen/Space Perspective
Scale Composition
Vanishing point The imaginary spot in or outside the frame where parallel linear elements in the frame align towards.
The “scale” of the composition literally. Depends entirely on the subject, and what effect or information needs to be conveyed. Closely related to lens types.
1 Vanishing point, in frame. Landscape scale
2 Vanishing points, outside frame.
Space layers
Objects within the frame can be put into different categories based on proximity to the camera. For example, foreground, background. More detailed information can be found in Lecture 5’s notes. Human scale
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Camera/Movement Pan
Horizontal movement of the camera.
Rotate
Rotation of the camera itself
Zoom
Tilt
Vertical movement of the camera.
Reflection
I have a new-found respect and admiration for the technical complexities of both photography and videography. The amount of effort that goes into composing and executing each shot or frame is mind-boggling. I was honestly skeptical about this whole planning process, as I thought it would have been much easier to just shoot and diagram everything out after, but now I think this would yield a much greater result. Understanding each term has made me feel a lot more confident about planning out the architectural movie. I can also see how this would benefit me in future projects, not just in terms of taking good photos or videos. Composition, proportion, focus, et cetera, are all veiled intrinsic components of architecture, understanding them puts me in a much greater position to manipulate them to my advantage. 101
Site Analysis
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art Wood Marsh Architecture
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Where
Located approximately 1.2km South of the CBD.
Who is it for?
Built primarily as an exhibition space for contemporary art from all around the world. Also houses Chunky Move, a dance company, and Playbox, a theatre company.
Who is it by? Wood Marsh Architecture.
When was it built? 2002.
Why did we choose ACCA?
During the site selection process, we had ran into a few problems trying to get filming permission for some of the other sites on our list. Harold Holt Swimming Centre, Hamer Hall, etc, all required actual permits, and placed no guarantee on how long the application process would take. Keeping in mind the limited time we had to plan, film and edit the video, we had to look for a location that had laxer restrictions on who was allowed to film. ACCA provided this, without needing us to compromise on the architectural qualities of the chosen site. Designed by a team of brilliant architects, ACCA is a gorgeous building, inside and out. The dynamic, unique design would provide us with endless opportunities to experiment with composition and other film techniques. 103
Exterior
1
4
2
The deeply angular forms create stunning sharp shadows, especially beautiful on sunny days. The shadows obviously transforms throughout the day as the Sun changes its position in the sky.
1
3
2
The immediate area outside ACCA has been paved with rough dirt/ gravel. There is also a clear view of the city from the North side.
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3
The entire external facade has been faced with gorgeous vertical panels of corten steel. Graffiti can be found scrawled all over the lower section. The scale is ambiguous until a figure is placed in the frame.
4
Though not part of the original design, “Vault� by Ron Robertson-Swann has been permanently installed to the North-East of ACCA. Its complimentary form and deeply contrasting colours forms a nice partnership with ACCA.
Interior
5
The entrance hall features walls of pressed steel, providing a stark contrast to the exterior corton steel in terms of colour and texture. Formwise, the pressed steel looks somewhat similar, with its tall vertical panels.
6 6 7
The main gallery is somewhat uninspiring, just a large room with blank walls. The building features little windows to cater to the more light-senstitive exhibitions. 5
7
The secondary galleries just to the side of the main gallery are much smaller.
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Planning
Precedents and Inspirations
This being our first film ever, and being largely new to the world of videography and cinematography, we decided to follow the style and format of a precedent from the Italian film workshop. The concept of following a single character’s journey through a space, while articulating and communicating the spatial and architectural qualities of a site, is a simple yet effective one.
Journey
We wanted the character to travel through both inside and outside spaces, covering the spaces and areas we thought were most interesting and had more potential for beautiful or creative compositions. Our character is a young lady loitering in the area around ACCA, when she decides to investigate the building. There is no character backstory like in the studied precedent, our video is rather about the character’s frivolous decision to explore ACCA and its surrounding context, and consequently, what she experiences. 106
Central Themes
Choosing a few central themes allows us to focus on certain aspects of the building, and imbues the film with a central motif. The themes we chose for the film after analysing the site and its physical and phenomenlogical qualities, were mass, light and texture.
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Learning from Mistakes
Whats Wrong
Horrible composition. There is no real structure to it, and elements within the frame clash with each other. For example, the umbrella shades and the shadow of ACCA meet at a really awkward angle. Also, Annie has been cut off at a really strange part of her body, just below the hips.
How to Improve
Find a better angle or composition, and frame the character better.
Whats wrong
Similar issue to the first. Elements such as the glass windows and the character have been cut off at strange places.
How to improve 108
Include the whole glass window and either the whole character or find a better part of the body to cut out of the frame.
Whats wrong
A really boring composition.
How to improve
Bring the camera angle lower to include some movement. Either through the glass or in the reflection.
Whats wrong
Over-exposed. Overused closeup of leaf cliche. Bad framing.
How to improve
Reduce either the ISO or increase the aperture, although that might diminish the blur effect that was intended, so probably ISO. Find better angle, and maybe something more interesting to do a closeup of. And definitely find a time where there are no cars. 109
Whats wrong Unfocussed
How to improve
Get the character to stand in place while setting up the shot. Use the zoom tool to get close in to details on her, and set the focus to that. Zoom back out and shoot.
Whats wrong
Sunlight spoils the lighting, camera settings unable to compensate for it.
How to improve 110
Wait for a better time, or find a different spot out of the Sun.
Whats wrong
Boring composition, and too zoomed in on the face. Hair is tied in previous shot, and untied in this. Jump from the long shot to a closeup immediately was also very jarring, and did not feel natural.
How to improve
Whats wrong
Bad composition, no real attractive aspect to it.
How to improve
FIND A BETTER ANGLE.
Shoot a medium shot instead maybe, from a better angle. Tie hair up.
Final shot sequence.
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Whats wrong
Vertical elements not aligned.
How to improve
Use grid guidelines on the camera, and be more careful when setting up shot.
Whats wrong
Too close in, unfocussed.
How to improve 112
We have to be careful not to use too many closeups. Would a medium or a long shot work better? Zoom in to focus.
Whats wrong
Is it better to adjust the lighting to show the inside or the outside of the building? What are we trying to show in the shot? The texture of the corten, or what the character is looking at? It is imperative to decide this before deciding how to set up the shot. That being said, adjusting the settings to show the texture resulted in the window looking overexposed, and showing the outside context was boring, and had been done earlier in the movie.
How to improve
Find a way to eliminate unnecessary elements, and focus on what we need.
Final shot sequence.
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Planning for Uncertainties Weather
With such a large proportion of our shots based outdoors, we were really slaves to the weather. If it was raining, we would have to postpone the shoot. Even if it wasnt raining, we had to be careful about the lighting conditions. Overcast days resulted in horrible lighting, with barely any shadows on the building which made the structure look very flat and boring. With sunny days, we had to think about which angle the light was coming from, and make sure that it was somewhat consistent between shots. We had to do the same with shots showing large sections of sky, taking into account the colour, and how much clouds could be seen.
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Seasonal Changes
Another aspect of the weather, one that we really didn’t take into account was seasonal changes, and how that affected the context. When we first started shooting, the trees were green and lush, and as we progressed, it started to orange up, and by the time it was done, it was bare. We had to be really careful not to have shots with extremely different levels of foliage.
Parking On-site
This was something that was deeply frustrating and mostly up to chance. There would often be vehicles parked at various points around ACCA, which obviously ruined any shots of that section. We had to act and think quickly on the ground, thinking about other sections of the building we might be able to shoot, and coming back to that area another day. We also found that shooting on the weekend dramatically lessened the chances of there being vehicles, but it was not a 100% certainty.
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Ending Options Decisions decisions...
As we planned the film, the one topic that kept popping up (with good reason) was how to end the film. There were maybe about 6-7 different serious ideas we came up with through the entire process. These were the two favourite/best ones, that raised strong debates and opinions.
First Option
Annie walks out of the gallery to a seat, the lighting and ambience is strong and beautiful. Cut to a closeup of her face, and she slowly drifts to sleep. Cut to black. We thought this would be a really interesting way to end the film, open to interpretation. Was this the culmination of her journey? What happens next? In the end we decided not to use this for a few reasons. Firstly, it ended on a really weak shot, that wasnt very memorable. Secondly, the shot was interesting, but it didnt really mean or show anything relevant to our movie. Thirdly, there was more of the building that we wanted to show, and shots we wanted to put in that we would have had to cut out if we chose this ending.
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Second Option
Annie walks out of the building and around the corner, close to the corten steel facade. As she walks, the camera cuts closer and closer, up to an extreme closeup of the steel. Cut to black. We ultimately chose this ending for a few reasons. Firstly, it was cinematically much more interesting. The technique of constantly cutting closer, coupled with the movement of the character, resulted in a scene that was attention-grabbing and just visually beautiful. Secondly, it placed less emphasis on the character and what happens to her after, and more on the building, and the fact that it remained there even after she left. Thirdly, it referenced all three of the main themes of our movie, light, texture and mass. The mass of the building is felt strongly when juxtaposed with the small stature of the character in the first shot. Light is shown by her shadow as she walks by the wall. And lastly, texture, as demonstrated by the last shot, a closeup.
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Storyboard Shots 1-5
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M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 119
Optic
1
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
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Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
121
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Reflection
Following the example of the first Italian workshop film, we decided to start the movie with a series of contextual shots to set up the scene. With the first shot of the movie, we needed something really beautiful and just picturesque. We chose this shot because it immediately introduced the surroundings to the audience, and was just aesthetically pleasing. There were multiple layers, the trees, building and sky, the first two just packed with detail and interest.
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Optic
2
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
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Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
Camera Movement
Due to limitations with equipment, skill experience, we decided to stick to static shots, eschewing camera movement for well-composed frames.
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Changing scale
Originally, we had planned to cut from this extreme long shot to a closeup of Annie, which was extremely jarring and felt forced. There was this disjunction between the two shots that could not be reconciled with just the two shots alone, no matter how you placed the cut. To smooth the transition, we placed another shot between the two scales. It also introduced movement to the movie, so that the first movement shot was not the closeup of Annie immediately which looked and felt strange.
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Optic
3
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
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Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
129
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Reflection
This is the shot that changed the entire filming process. Up till then, we had been feeling really nervous about our ability, too timid to experiment much. We were second-guessing ourselves, unsure if what we were doing was “right�. We did realise that our movie was very short on movement, and that even shots with Annie walking in it felt very flat, boring and still. Taking a cue from Kurosawa, we wondered about how we could introduce more movement to the film. I remember watching a child spin around on the merry-go-round, while we stood 5 metres away staring dejectedly at ground wondering how we could bring more life into the film. It was a slow moment of realisation, absolutely wonderful. After this shot, morale was immediately raised, and I felt that the quality of the compositions after was just a whole other level to before.
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Optic
4
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
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Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
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Reflection
Learning how to use a camera on manual mode from scratch in a matter of just weeks was really really challenging. I think it was this shot where I just sat back looking at it on the computer screen and feeling so satisfied, like all those hours researching and practice had finally begun to pay off. It’s a very simple image, but it was one of the first few where we had spent awhile setting up the shot: find a nice composition, making sure it was balanced and everything was aligned or fit into the frame well. Checking the exposure. Zooming in, focussing, zooming out. I feel very very proud of this shot. 135
Optic
5
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
136
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
137
138
Reflection
With Annie’s spinning sequence, we wanted to first create a sense of mystery and maybe even wonder. We wanted to keep the audience guessing as to where she was, and how she was spinning. We decided to utilise three different scale, each revealing or focussing on something the different. The closeup was all about Annie, how she was feeling, how was she was feeling, what she might have been thinking. The medium shot set up the overarching context, and linked it to the previous shots. The long shot set up the immediate context, she was in a playground, and was just coming to a stop.
139
Shots 6-10
140
M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 141
Optic
6
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
142
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
143
144
Reflection
Setting up this shot was a lot more challenging than we anticipated. due to how many distracting elements there were all around ACCA. Parked cars, lamp posts, BRIGHT YELLOW TRAM STOP BUMPERS. Figuring out the best spot, and the best lens to use, and best framing took a lot, a lot of trial and error. We needed the shot to focus predominantly on ACCA, to introduce the audience to the main facade, and some of the surrounding context.
145
Optic
7
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
146
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
147
148
Reflection
We were not originally planning to use this shot, but we thought the lady walking the dog was so animated in such a fluid and cheerful manner that we couldnt possibly leave it out. We placed it just before the next few shots of Annie, to create a smooth transition between the extreme long context shots and the upcoming long and medium shots of Annie.
149
Optic
8
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
150
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
151
152
Reflection
I think this was one of the more “conventional� composition techniques we used in the film. We also used the monolithic rock in the left of the shot as a framing element, and as a means to link it to the next shot.
153
Optic
9
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
154
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
155
156
Reflection
This was one of the first few shots where we started placing characters in the background to create more visual interest, and to define the visual depth clearer. We had to shoot the multiple times, trying to get Annie to climb the barrier interestingly, yet naturally. We also had to try to balance her movement with that of background characters such as random passersby and cars, such that there wasnt TOO much going on while she was walking.
157
Optic
10
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
158
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
159
160
Reflection
I think this shot works beautifully because there’s this very nice tension between symmetry and asymmetry. Theres enough symmetry in the buildings lined up towards the vanishing point and in the vertical masses of the skyscrapers to make the shot attractive, and enough asymmetry in the trees and cars to make the shot visually interesting and compelling.
161
Shots 11-15
162
M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 163
Optic
11
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
164
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
165
166
Reflection
We had to place this shot in as originally, there was way too big a jump in context between shots. There was no link between the long shot of Annie crossing the road and of her walking into the yellow structure. This shot links the two, while recalling the brick building previously introduced to the audience in shot 9, adding a sense of familiarity.
167
Optic
12
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
168
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
169
170
Reflection
Straight up: I know the golden ratio does not fit the frame perfectly. However, there is something about it that reminds me of the ratio, the way it seems like each element slowly gets smaller in such an almost mathematically smooth manner. Or maybe its the asymmetrical balance between each of the frame, or the way the yellow structure frames Annie. Whatever it is, I truly believe this is one of the most beautiful shots in the film.
171
Optic
13
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
172
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
173
174
Reflection
We thought about if we could create another *somewhat* symmetrical frame, with Annie placed in one half again to push that sense of tension and asymmetry. I thought it was extremely ironic that we were searching for symmetry and visual balance in such a un-uniformly shaped structure.
175
Optic
14
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
176
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
177
178
Reflection
Similar to shot 11, this was all about linking past and future. The audience had been introduced to both ACCA and the yellow structure, but were unaware as to where they sat in relation to each other. This provided that context, while showing more of Annie’s journey.
179
Optic
15
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
180
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
181
182
Reflection
We had shot multiple versions of this scene, from different angles and from different scales. Personally I felt this one worked the best because it created a flow of long>medium>close shots. There was also a strong contrast between dark and light, between this shot and the next shot of Annie. In terms of content, the texture in the background of this shot links up to 20, which is the last shot from Annie’s point of view, which provides a nice bookend to the series of shots (15-20).
183
Shots 16-20
184
M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 185
Optic
16
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
186
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
187
188
Reflection
This shot served a dual purpose. Firstly, it served to imply that the next few shots were from Annie’s point of view. Secondly it provided more contextual linkage between ACCA’s location and the skyscrapers in the background (CBD).
189
Optic
17
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
190
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
191
192
Reflection
Another dual purpose shot. This one again provides context to the location of ACCA, but also begins to demonstrate the three themes of the movie: light, texture and mass. Mass comes through the strongest, by means of the massive overhanging structure that dominates the frame, creating a strong tension between ACCA and the skyscrapers. 193
Optic
18
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
194
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
195
196
Reflection
This shot was all about light and shadow, how the varying angles of surfaces created several different tones.
197
Optic
19
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
198
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
199
200
Reflection
Texture. Texture. Texture. I was very interested by how many different ways corten steel can age and develop a patina or patterning. I thought the white on red created a lovely contrast in colour that drew attention to the joint between different panels and sections of the building.
201
Optic
20
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
202
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
203
204
Reflection
Again, all about texture, but one of my favourite shots BY FAR. The contrast in texture due to different exposure to the elements, and the “dripping” pattern it formed in between. There is just so much in this shot that I love. The contrast between the blue reflection of the sky and the orange of the bricks in the shinier half of the frame. or the contrast between the darkness of the right edge and the lighter edge of the left. I dont think there was a better shot to end the series of Annie’s POVs.
205
Shots 21-25
206
M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 207
Optic
21
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
208
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
209
210
Reflection
Another shot that we had to reshoot multiple times. We had originally wanted a backwards tracking shot to precede Annie, but we found it almost impossible to execute properly. To add more visual interest, we got Eddie and Frankie to walk across the frame in a direction perpendicular to Annie.
211
Optic
22
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
212
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
213
214
Reflection
One of the more interesting compositions, we used the reflection in a glass door to show Annie walking behind the camera, with a closeup focus on the corten texture to bookend that.
215
Optic
23
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
216
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
217
218
Reflection
Throughout this film, we have created many “partner shots� where 2 shots next to each other have strong connections, aesthetic, conceptual or other wise. This, along with the previous mirror shot shots Annie in the background, with a predominant focus on the context. In this case it was a random man (Reese) on his phone.
219
Optic
24
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
220
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
221
222
Reflection
The focus of this shot was the texture of the building, and how the character seemed captivated by it. To emphasize that, I had the corten steel take up the entire frame, making sure it had the audience’s undivided attention.
223
Optic
25
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
224
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
225
226
Reflection
Another one of the “partner shots�. We had shot the latter shot first, and we were trying to figure out how to show Annie entering the building. We wanted to avoid shooting the front of the building as much as possible, as it was almost impossible to get a good shot due to all the visual distractions. This partner shot is all about looking through layers, but also facilitates the transition between inside and outside by having Annie exit to the right in the middle of the frame, and having her enter from the left, in the middle of the frame.
227
Shots 26-30
228
M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 229
Optic
26
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
230
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
231
232
Reflection
This shot was one of a few alternate angles we had shot of Annie walking in, with an intended focus on the multiple layers and framings that the convoluted layers afforded us. We chose this particular shot because there seemed to be a flow and balance between each layer, whereas with the others, some of the layers seemed to dominate the shot, reducing the effect of multiple layers.
233
Optic
27
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
234
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
235
236
Reflection
While we had tried to use a 50 mm lens for most of the film, in some cases it just was not feasible. The confined setting meant that we had to use a wider lens to include the multiple frames and layers we wanted in the shot. As a result, there is some slight visual distortion. 237
Optic
28
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
238
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
239
240
Reflection
With ACCA, we found that it often very difficult trying to create pleasing compositions with such an an irregularly-shaped structure, so we endeavoured to find order amidst the chaos, and this shot was one of the results. We attempted to split the frame up into 3 main segments, with Annie moving between each of them.
241
Optic
29
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
242
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
243
244
Reflection
We were very very tempted to use a closeup of Annie for this shot, and it seemed to be our go to for when we wanted to show the emotion of the character. However, we realised that body language can often reveal more than just the face. In this shot, Annie is feeling contemplative of her surroundings, but isnt necessarily feeling comfortable. This is shown in the way she sits, her straight posture, her upright angle of her head, and her closed feet.
245
Optic
30
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
246
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
247
248
Reflection
With this shot, we were, again, trying to show mood and ambience through the architectural features of the site and the body language of the character. The lighting highlights the contemplative mood of Annie, and the fact that what is outside the window is obscured and not revealed to the audience creates a sense of mystery and secrecy.
249
Shots 31-37
250
M.C.U
C.U M.C.U
M.S M.L.S
L.S E.L.S 251
Optic
31
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
252
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
253
254
Reflection
I thought this shot was really interesting as although we had shot it as one uninterrupted sequence, we replaced parts of it with a few shots from different angles and scales. So while this uninterrupted sequence would still have made complete sense if left intact, it would have been slow-paced, boring and probably lost the audience’s attention.
255
Optic
32
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
256
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
257
258
Reflection
Again, we had to think about we wanted to show in this frame: the inside, or outside. Cinematically, having the interiors extremely dark looked gorgeous when contrasted against the light outside. However, in the context of our film and our goal to communicate the architectural qualities of ACCA, we elected to show the interiors. This meant that we had to reframe the shot in order to minimise how much space in the frame the doorway took, and to maximise how much of the interior was shown.
259
Optic
33
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
260
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
261
262
Reflection
As mentioned before, we really wanted to minimise how much of the front facade we shot, due to how many negative visual distractions there were. Bicycles, streetlamps, cars, these all served to detract from the building. The frame we chose served to exclude these distractions, while showing as much of the building as possible. 263
Optic
34
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
264
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
265
266
Reflection
As a result of its highly irregular shape, its quite hard to put a scale to ACCA without a figure next to it. These series of shots constantly cutting closer really does the job of highlighting that concept of mass, along with the other two themes of the movie, texture and light.
267
Optic
35
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
268
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
269
270
Reflection
This series of shots was much harder to plan and execute than we had originally thought. The blocking was relatively simple and easy, but figuring out what scale to show Annie, and what ratio of ground:facade to show took a lot of trial and error.
271
Optic
36
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
272
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
273
274
Reflection
Medium shots was perhaps the scale I struggled most with creating. How much of the body should I show? How much is relevant? And does it look natural? For example, we learned in one of the bad shot analysis that we should not cut the person off at the ankles. As mentioned in the previous shot, this took a whole lot of trial and error.
275
Optic
37
Lens
Tele Wide Normal Zoom
Diaphragm
Open In-btw Close
Optic Depth
Flat Normal Deep
DoF Shallow Normal Deep
How Long
Nr of Focus Points
Focus
Nr of Changes
Fixed Chaging
Screen/Space
Backward Forward
Perspective
2VP
VP Outside Frame
1VP
VP in Frame
VP Outside Frame
N
Space Layers
1 2 3 4 5 6
How Long
Scale Composition
Sub-human
Tripod-Camera Movement
Pan
human
Camera/Movement
Hand-Held Camera Movement
Architectural
Landscape
Up
Right
Tilt Down
Left
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Pan
Right Left
Up Tilt Down
Rotate
Diagonal
How Long
Clockwise Anti-Clockwise
Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
Forward Backward
How Long Horizontal
Right Left
Deep
How Long
Crane-shot
Up Down Diagonal
Drone/Heli Shot How Long
Up Down
In Out
Zoom
From Where to Where
Tracking Shot(Dolly/steadycam/Gimbal)
Tracking Shot(Hand-held)
Zoom
From Where to Where
How Long
276
Distorted
VP in Frame
North South West East
Forward Backward
Diagonal
Diagonal
In Out
277
278
Reflection
The final shot of the film. We wanted it to focus more on the building, than of Annie. We cut Annie entirely out of the shot, focussing on the texture, but to link it to the series of prior shots, we had her walk closer than normal to capture her shadow on the wall. Cut to Black.
279
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Final Reflection Looking back at this semester, I think I can safely say that this has been one of the hardest, most time-intensive subjects I have done, though it was definitely equally as rewarding. Someone once told me that in university, you really only learn as much as you want to. Which is why I am happy to have taken up this alternate Design Workshop submission task, as it has been an incredibly interesting project and has stimulated me to put in so much work, which in return, taught me so much more. To be honest, I did not know much about what this project entailed when I signed up for it, I mostly did it on a whim. Film for me was purely from an audience member’s point of view, so I was going into this completely green. Even as an audience member, I had no idea what a good film was, I thought it was just the acting and the story that determined if it a movie was “good” or “bad”. I found the lecture on Architecture & Cinema an enriching experience, that served as a great introduction to good cinematography, and how it could potentially relate to architecture and vice versa. From there, studying and analysing great films and filmmakers such as Kurosawa or Antonioni not only proved a great source of entertainment, but a great education on a myriad of film techniques. Camera movements, character movement, editing processes, these were all things that I had never considered.
Learning how to use a camera properly presented a very steep learning curve as well. I learned from a variety of sources: youtube tutorials, books, friends, tutors, and of course, trial and error. The difference in quality of photos between the start and end of this project is stark, and I feel incredibly proud of how far I have come, although it would be remiss of me to say that I dont still have a long way to go. The filming process although taught me a lot about different things. Working with such a relatively big group presented scheduling, task delegation and morale issues. Choosing a site that was suitable for filming proved an eye-opening experience as well, and it was quite disheartening to find so many sites we loved that we were not allowed to film. These were just some of the issues that we faced throughout the process that forced us to learn and adapt. All things considered, I am incredibly happy with how this subject has turned out. I am equally excited to keep working on the film, I am sure that the editing process will present its own challenges, and of course opportunities to learn as well.
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