The Art and Science of Cinematography
Cinematography is a blend of science and art, used in the filmmaking process. It involves aspects such as lighting, camera motion, compositions and more to tell a story. This article unravels this multidimensional concept, breaking down both its artistic and scientific components.
The Art Aspect
The art aspect of cinematography involves the creative direction of the camerawork. Here, Cinematographers through the lens, paint a picture, set a mood, or establish a theme. This element of cinematography includes:
- Camera Framing: This deals with the positioning of visual elements in a shot and the perspective from which the scene is shot.
- Lighting: Defining how a scene is lit involves controlling the texture, ambiance, drama, and mood of any given shot.
- Mise-en-scène: This refers to arranging the visual themes, location, costumes, prop, actors and the lighting of a scene.
The Science Aspect
Contrary to the art aspect, the science part of cinematography lies in the technical manipulation of the camera and light to attain the desired shots. It involves:
- The Camera: Understanding the nitty-gritty of how a camera works, is fundamental. This is inclusive of grasping concepts like exposure, aperture, ISO, shutter speed, etc.
- Lighting techniques: In the science of cinematography, it is about understanding how light works. This can be natural light, artificial light or even light modifiers.
- Post-production processes: These involve adjusting the colour grading, syncing soundtracks, and applying visual effects.
Wrapping Up
It is quite manifest now that cinematography is both an art and science. The ‘art’ is all about creative choices one makes to convey the story visually while the ‘science’ revolves around understanding and operating the technical tools used in filmmaking. Through mastering both aspects, it is truly possible to bring a unique vision to life on the screen.