Preliminary filming rules

I forgot to mention at the beginning of my blog the rules. Possibly the most important part of the filming. So here we go...

"A character opens a door, walks across a room, sits down opposite another character and exchanges two sentences." - Our brief.

The brief was simple to understand and take ideas from but the hard part? The rules.

Our preliminary task rules, we had to use:

1. 180 degree shot
2. Shot/reverse shot
3. Eye line match shot
4. Match-on-action shot

 180 degree rule:

Two characters in the same scene share the same left and right. You film the same side of each person as the other. This orients the viewer and creates geography. It also maintains the characters physical relationship.

 

Shot reverse shot:

One person is shown, often off screen, looking at another character and then the other character is shown looking 'back' at the first character.

Since characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer unconsciously assumes that they are looking at each other.

A video example...

(Sorry no pretty picture this time)

Eye line match:

Based on the premise that the audience will want to see what the character on screen is looking at/seeing. 

This method begins with a character looking at something off screen, then there will be a cut to the object or person at which they are looking.

e.g. A man is looking off screen to his left and then the film cuts to the television he is watching.

A video example...

Match on action:

This means cutting from one shot to another that matches the first shots action on energy. This gives the impression of continuous time when the film is edited. This happens by having a subject begin on action in one shot and carry it through to completion in the next, the editor creates a visual bridge.

A video example...