I wanted to develop this idea concerning the use of cinematography in the Global Warmning project before my shoots. I want to keep the feeling of realism in the documentary style pieces however I want to manipulate the audience a little using cinematography within the framework that the documentary style allows.
TV News Piece
For the TV news piece I am going to have play it pretty straight in order for it to look real and right. It will follow the formulaic conventions of TV news. The reporter will need to be at eye level and address the camera breaking the fourth wall for his pieces to camera in a MS (mid-shot) perhaps at the start and MCU (medium close up) possibly at the end for the outro.
The shots of the interviewees will be the traditional MCU to MS and the GV's of them for cutaways looking at things, doing etc in their environments will be a mix of shots. I want the climatologist in a sciency looking office and the woman an old friend of Wright in a home environment
Manifesto Pieces
These are designed to be campaigning pieces that will go online so again break the fourth wall with Ben Wright addressing the audience directly. Shot sizes of the main camera angle will be very traditional MS and MCU. These will be mixed with BCU (big close ups) and CU (close ups) shot from very different angles. This will add real creativity and mystery as the audience will not be used to seeing these sort of shots. they will allow probing of Wright and putting him under the spotlight of the audience as they try hard to see more of him. The very CU work will again not fully reveal all of his though but parts of him. The camera height here will be a little under eye level so Wright looks more powerful and looms a tiny bit over the audience making him look strong.
What is also very important here will be the mise-en-scene as I want Ben Wright to be obscured slightly so it is hard to see him. Masks etc could be used to hide but these would be too OTT and possibly intimidating mystery I want intimidating I do not. The easiest solution would be lighting. These will be shot in a TV studio so I have lots of control over this and a mix of strong backlight to create a halo effect and a low key light to put a little light on his features will work well.
Documentary Interview Piece
This piece allows for more creativity BUT it must still feel like an interview but with a youthful crew creating it it can work a little outside obvious convention. the premise of this piece is that it is a one shot chance at interviewing Wright. therefore if I was in charge of shooting it for real I would make sure I got as much coverage as I could. It would be shot as an interview due to time and also will avoid the need for the interviewee to put the question from the interviewer (who would be cut out at a later date) in the answer. This will also allow for drama to play out as they both play a game of strategy one trying to dig deep and the other rebuffing him. For this reason I will cover the shoot with four cameras.
Camera 1: A WS (wide shot) covering the whole scene with lights, crew cameras and setting in it as well as myself interviewing and Ben Wright. This will cover all of the action and provide a go to safe shot if one is needed. It will also cover all of the action in the scene if any happens and be great for setting up the interview showing the process of the shoot to the audience. It will provide a warts and all look for them at the interview. the camera will be at eye level and reveal the location only not the surroundings to keep it a mystery and the log cabin could be anywhere. This shot will remain the same throughout and will be shot on a wide angle lens and this will give it a deep depth of field that will make sure the whole scene is in focus.
Cameras 2 & 3: A Shot of the interviewer AND reverse shot of the interviewee in MS & MCU. The MS will be used for more general questions and for the more heated and tense and emotionally charged questions and responses the camera will move in for a MCU. The only exception to the shot size will be on the interviewee where a CU will be used for very emotionally charged moments. The closer shots CU & MCU allow for more emotion to be conveyed in the frame by the actors to the audience.The camera will be at eye level and the interviewer and interviewee MUST both have looking room. These cameras will be shot on a standard 18-55mm lens.
Camera 4: This will be the probing and creative camera. It will be given license to get lots of CU details of the shoot to add some texture and feel that the participants are under its scrutiny. It will be hand-held and this will also give a real fly on the wall feel that the more static cameras will not be able to get. This will also give the footage from this camera a restless energy and kinetic feel.
Shots will include ECU of the faces of the participants, feet, hands, fingers wringing pans from one participant to the other and also pans in from objects in the set to the characters. It will also pick up the details of an interview shoot such as the other cameras, lights, microphones and question cards to create a real behind the scenes authenticity to the shoot. It will also gets lots of GV's (general views) of the location and elements in it, books, photos, artefacts to add texture. This camera will use a prime 1.8 50mm lens. This will give it a really shallow depth of field and allow focus for the audience on details and minutiae of the scene. Extra close ups for emotion to drag the audience into the scene will also be beneficial.
The mise-en scene will be a log cabin which is very atmospheric and no other details about the location will be shown so it could be anywhere. It will be set dressed with objects, books and photos that are in keeping with Bens character and plenty of books on the global warming topic. The costumes will be Ben looking smart in shirt tie and cardigan looking like an older man but neat and tidy. I will be wearing smart jeans, shoes and a shirt but looking more contemporary but smart all the same. the crew will all be dressed don in comfortable clothing.
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