Contents vii
CHAPTER
Video Space
About Video Space . . . . . . . . . . 60
The Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
The Frame Controls Content . . . .
61
The Frame Determines
Compositions and Movement. . .
63
Video Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . 64
Horizontal and Vertical . . . . . . .
65
The Illusion of Depth. . . . . . . . .
66
Spatial Relations . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Size, Position, and Distance . . . . .
67
Relationships among Objects . . . .
68
Direction of Movement . . . . . . .
69
CHAPTER
Video Time
About Video Time . . . . . . . . . . 74
Real-World Time vs.
Video-World Time . . . . . . . . .
74
Video Time Speed. . . . . . . . . . . 75
Altering Actual Speed
within a Shot . . . . . . . . . . . .
75
Altering Apparent Speed
in Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
77
Video Time Flow . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Serial Time Flow . . . . . . . . . . .
78
Parallel Time Flow . . . . . . . . . .
79
Disjointed Time Flow. . . . . . . . .
80
Video Time Direction . . . . . . . . . 82
Time Running Backward. . . . . . .
82
Flashing Backward (and Forward) .
83
Video Time Coherence . . . . . . . . 84
Split Edits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
84
CHAPTER
Video Composition
About Video Composition . . . . . . 90
Organization in Composition . . . . 90
Simplicity, Order, Balance . . . . . .
90
Emphasis in Composition . . . . . . 91
Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
91
Relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
91
Signifi cance . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
92
Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
92
Depth in Composition . . . . . . . . 94
Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
94
Composing Video Images . . . . . . 96
Compositional Schemes . . . . . . .
96
Directing the Viewer’s Eye . . . . .
99
Managing Camera Movement . . .
104
Composition for Widescreen Video. .106
The Pros and Cons of Widescreen . .
108
Composing Widescreen Images. . .
110
CHAPTER
Video Language
About Video Language. . . . . . . . 116
Video Language Terms. . . . . . . .
116
Why a Language of
Video Is Needed . . . . . . . . . .
116
Studying Video Language . . . . . .
116
Camera Angle Names . . . . . . . . 116
Subject Distance. . . . . . . . . . . .
117
Horizontal Position. . . . . . . . . .
119
Vertical Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . .
122
Lens Perspective . . . . . . . . . . .
123
Shot Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . .
124
Shot Population . . . . . . . . . . . .
125
Shot Name Confusion . . . . . . . .
126
Creating Continuity . . . . . . . . .127
Varying Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . .
127
Matching Action . . . . . . . . . . .
128
Making Transitions . . . . . . . . . .130
Classic Hollywood Transitions . . .
132
Modern Transitions. . . . . . . . . .
133