Here is my documentary project. In case the embedded video doesn't work for whatever reason there is also this link to it on vimeo. I think the quality is actually better on vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/87148919

Effective-Motivated Camera Movement.

So almost any director would tell you that everything on screen should serve a purpose, be it a narrative driven purpose, an emotionally driven purpose, or something else that conveys the message the director wants to transmit to the audience. That makes sense. Oh, look, a set of examples of effective and motivated camera movement just below this block of text! How long has that been there?

1. Speed Racer.

Speed Racer is awesome, but you already knew that I'm sure. This movie, like the cartoon, is pretty awesome. So it makes sense that the camera work would be awesome, right? Of course. In this scene the camera jumps from close ups of Speed as he jams on the pedal like he's never coming back to reaction shots of his family, flashbacks, and of course the powerful Mach 5 in action. The close ups do a great job of seeing the emotional content of this scene. Speed wants to win, you can see it. The close ups also serve to show his reason for wanting victory, he is driven to succeed in all things, that's just the character. I love that this fact comes out so well in this scene, I don't think it would be as emotional without the close ups. Also, watching the action from an overhead view is awesome and reminds the audience that they aren't just watching Speed psychoanalyze himself with memories of his dead brother, nope, this shit is happening in the middle of the biggest and fastest race that mankind has ever seen. In short, I think this scene is made by the emotions presented in it which are in turn made by the jumping from close ups to overhead action shots of the Mach 5 zipping around the track. Go Speed Racer!

2. Segata Sanshiro.

Ah, Segata Sanshiro. I miss him. In his final commercial it appears that he is killed in space by a missile, I, however, am not entirely convinced that he is dead as I don't believe any man made weapon could hurt him. He's probably deep in some hidden mountains in Japan, training, training for the day that we will need him again to kick our asses and get us back inside to play video games. But I digress. I love the camera movement in this commercial. The close up of the laughing villain is a classic way to show the audience that the character onscreen is up to no good. Oh, and a close up of a big red button is always nice too. You can't be ok with your situation after seeing a close up of a big red button, you know that the button is no good from what your mother told you about big red buttons, and mother knows best. Seriously, what better way to show that a button is nefarious than to have an extreme close up of it being pushed right after a close up of a laughing creepy dude? That's good camera movement, take note. After the missile is launched the CEO dude in the office building sees it and I think the camera movement here really shines as it perfectly conveys his fear. That close up with the camera being pulled backwards makes a really jarring image which of course helps convey the total shock the character feels when seeing a giant missile fly towards his face. I would like to write an entire essay about this commercial and its effective camera movement but I won't, because denying yourself is a way to grow as a person and not at all because I just realized this is a very long paragraph. So to make things short; medium shot of everyone in the boardroom crying = showing the audience the mutual feelings of sadness they are all feeling over the loss of their beloved hero and protector, Segata Sanshiro clutching the bomb in outer space with Earth in view = conveying the message that Segata cares for all the world and that is why he sacrificed himself to save us, close up of Segata Sanshiro as he chants his name before exploding = letting the audience see the deep conviction and moral strength of the character, which is the core of the character, extreme long shot of Tokyo skyline with a superimposed image of Segata Sanshiro smiling happily over us = again reinforcing the notion that he loves us and that he died to protect us, giving us an emotional connection to the character and his actions. Sayonara, Segata Sanshiro.

3. The Cure - Friday I'm In Love.

What a great song, what a great band, what a great music video. This is one of the lighter and more bubblegum tunes from The Cure and I think the camera movements in this video compliment the sound quite nicely. We begin with a shot of the band running on stage, preparing to begin the shoot. I think this is a great way to set the tone of the video, it's fun and not to be taken too seriously. Then we get plenty of goof shots of the band all together, which is of course to remind us that this is a band and not a solo act, which would be the unfortunate result if they fixed the camera on Robert. There is a nasty trend in music videos now of holding the camera on the singer, which gives mixed messages to the audience. If you held on just the singer you would think you're watching a solo act, right? Anyways, after the band begins to play we get a few shots of stagehands running around, moving props, holding costumes, that sort of thing. I think that is to reinforce the emotional theme of the video which is pretty lighthearted and fun. Compare it to this other video from the same band.

 

This song has a much different emotional story than the previous one I listed and I think the video for this compliments that feeling quite nicely. We get a lot of shots of solitary band members playing their instruments in the dark, dissolves to the other members, and of course close ups of poor Robert singing in a single dim ray of light. What else is there to say about this? The images alone would probably convey the feeling that the director is going for here but when coupled with the song it is an awesome statement made with film. You should watch it. Hey, you know what? You should watch all of the music videos from The Cure. Not just because the band is great and their songs are amazing, but also because they had a lot of really cool videos that I think you could learn from, honestly! Look at this other one and all of the spooky stuff going on, it really blends well with the song to convey an emotional message. Look at those close up shots of the cobwebs, that really sets the tone straight out of the gate, huh? I need to get away from this keyboard now, so you just go ahead and watch the video and come up with your own conclusions regarding camera movement and emotional conveyance. Feel free to leave a comment, I am interested in what you all would think of this video, there is a lot to take from it, especially in terms of using camera movements with purpose and how effectively doing so can yield a wonderful product.

5 scenes I like!

1. There is no spoon.

Neo is taught an important lesson from an unexpected master. Now he realizes that there are no limitations, only perceived limitations created by his mind. Just as his mind creates the spoon, his mind can bend the spoon; because there is no spoon. I always liked the close up on Neo when he bends the spoon, that probably would not have looked as cool if that was a long shot.

2. a bit like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole.

Surprise! Another scene from "The Matrix". In this scene Neo meets Morpheus, the enigmatic leader of the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar and a man described as the most dangerous human alive. Morpheus isn't a terrorist or evil man though, he is a revolutionary and devout believer of fate. He wants to open Neo's mind and eyes to reality, the real reality, not the pseudo-reality of the Matrix. This scene is awesome in so many ways. The dialogue is heavy, the scenery is lit in such a way that makes everything seem eery, which fits the emotional weight of the scene. The moment when Neo's reflection appears in Morpheus' shades always stuck out to me, I thought that was a cool way to show the character and his interest in Neo.

3. I'm going to be as forthcoming as I can, Mr. Anderson.

Wowee-zowee! Another scene from "The Matrix!" The performance from Hugo Weaving is my favorite part of this scene, he is so scary in this scene. This scene used to give me nightmares when I was a kid, and that's kind of awesome. Anyways, the shot that this scene opens with is great, that cantered overhead shot of the blank interrogation room, so spooky. The way the camera keeps cutting from the face of Agent Smith to Neo builds tension and I think really adds weight to the words being said, especially the line "One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not." The camera work makes every word spoken seem very important and makes the viewer feel a bit like Neo, trapped and surrounded, being questioned, given no real options. It really makes the scene what it is in terms of emotional conveyance.

4. I know kung fu.

No way! A scene from "The Matrix" for an unbelievable fourth time! This is a great action scene with some awesome classic Hong Kong camera work. Plenty of wide shots that let us see the two characters fight it out in the dojo. Close ups for the reactions from the rest of the crew as they watch a noob take on their captain. The close up on Morpheus as he watches Neo fly over his head is priceless, it shows how that character is so much further advanced than Neo in terms of understanding the Matrix as well as combat prowess. On a personal note, I wish I had a sweet dojo, that is all.

5. He is the One.

In a totally unforeseen turn of events, I present to you another scene from "The Matrix". In this scene Neo finally realizes that there are no limits in the Matrix and that he is the One, the person who can see and manipulate the code to whatever he desires. It always amused me how there were actual sparks flying when Neo and Trinity kiss. That zooming in close up on Agent Smith is perfect for what is happening in the story at that moment, it perfectly shows how shocked he is to be witnessing what he is. Oh man, then Neo catches those bullets with his mind and the camera zooms in on them dropping to the floor, then the camera shows a close up on his face as he starts seeing the Matrix as code, so awesome. Visually speaking I think the entire hallway, and presumably the world, breathing in and out as one with Neo was a really cool visual statement about how he the character has transcended into a God like form, at perfect harmony with the world around him. Very cool stuff. Ok kids, that's all I got. Eat your milk, drink your vegetables, stay out of school, and go watch "The Matrix".