FILMMAKING

1. ACT ONE FILMMAKING FOUNDATIONS OF Aesthetic Theory & Communication Application

2. L8.TIME:The Matter In Motion Continuum • TIME • Event Time vs. Experiential Time • MOTION • Normal, Fast, Slow and No Motion • What binds the two mediums? • We’re going to discuss time in the film sense • How time forms the viewers perspective • How we can control that viewers sense of experience through the event

3. TIMEBrief Look At Time • 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. • 14Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; (Genesis 1:14 NKJV) • Unstoppable unidirectional irreversible force • Therefore an effect cannot precede the cause • Time happens all the time– we can’t escape it! • Everything is connected to it (language, matter, etc.) • Clock & Calendar Time • Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Months and Seasons • TIME is an external source out of our control, ACCEPT IN FILM!

4. TIMEPast, Present & Future • Time is verbally broken down into: Past, Present and the Future • Technically speaking, the present moment cannot be pinpointed unlike the past and future • We call the process of living in the present moment EXPERIENCE • We experience life by sensing our environment through EVENTS

5. FORMS of FILM TIME • EXPERIENTIAL TIME (internal) • The viewers subjective sense and perception of time • Influenced primarily by how the film event is formed • Experiential Time is an effect of the cause (the event) • EVENT TIME (external) • Individual event sections and a films overall objective running time, and the projection of that time • Event time projects an altered form of time which can effect the viewers sense and perception of time

6. Subjective ClockExperiential Time • The viewers psychological, spiritual and biological clock • Psychological: empathy, rationality, logic, emotions, moods, feelings, perception, knowledge. Spiritual: empathy, wisdom, understanding, beliefs, feelings, wants, desires. Biological: heart-beating, breathing, etc. • Experiential Time is perceived in duration and speed • The viewers sense and perception of time feels real-time when the viewer has ‘escaped’ into the movie, engulfed INSIDE the EVENT, rather than looking at the event • The faster an event moves, the faster an experience may feel Depends on how the event variables synergizes and synthesizes • Ex. Waiting for a friend feels longer as opposed to being with the friend, “time flies when you’re having fun.” BUT, if you’re thinking deep thoughts while you’re waiting, it may no longer feel like you’re waiting very long – you’re engaged inside a different event, but not as potent.

7. Objective ClockEvent Time • A film clock pertains to the film itself • Running Time is the overall length of a moving picture 210 minutes = 3 hours 30 minutes • Shot Time, Sequence Time and Scene TimeStory Time: Plot Time and Character Time • Event Density, Event Complexity and Event Intensity* • Viewers tend to associate all parts of a film into one whole experience

8. Objective ClockEventTime Factors • Event Density • The density is determined by the amount and type of aesthetic variables and how those variables synergize and synthesize. • Aesthetic variables include camera framing, colour factors, graphic elements, vectors, blocking, etc. • Event Complexity • The complexity is determined by the densityof aesthetic variables and how those variables synergizeand synthesize in relation to the story, themes, subject matter and the event intensity. • Event Intensity • The intensity is determined by the motion and energy-level the event carries • How the story, plots, themes and characters effect our mood, emotions and feelings, which influence our sense and perception of time (the overall experience)

9. Event vs. Experiencewhen watching a film… • The more involved we are inside of an event, the less concerned and aware we are with event time. • Event Time feels more real the more we invest our essence in a film, and because we are less aware of the event time, we become vulnerable! And thus, the viewers sense of time is more easy to influence and alter • Event Time feels longer and less apart of our reality the less attached and intimate we are with the event itself • Generally Speaking: the viewer naturally associates the present moment with the self, and thus places more importance into the experience rather than the event! • Our goal as filmmakers is to watch a movie bijectively for BOTH the EVENT and the EXPERIENCE

10. Event vs. ExperienceLet’s graph it! Subjective Time vs. Objective Time

11. Event vs. ExperienceTime Vectors &Factors Pace Vector Tempo Vector Rhythm Vector Graphic-Time Colour-Time Sound-Time

12. Event vs. ExperienceTime Vectors • Pace Vector • Perceived speed of individual event segments or the overall event • Tempo Vector • Perceived duration of individual event segments or the overall event • Rhythm Vector • Flow of aesthetic variables within and among the event segments (shots, sequences, scenes) in relation to the pace and tempo of event segments

13. Event vs. ExperienceTime Vector Factors • Graphic-Time • Aesthetic construction of graphic elements and vectors within a segment can influence our sense and perception of time: pace, tempo and rhythm • Colour-Time • Colour factors within a segment can influence our sense and perception of time: pace, tempo and rhythm • Sound-Time • Music, sound effects and dialogue within a segment can influence our sense and perception of time: pace, tempo and rhythm

14. Event vs. ExperienceTime/Motion Manipulation • Timing is the control of the event time and time vectors to structure and direct our experiential time • Time and Energy are married! The timing of how long a specific feeling should be in motion is super significant! TIMING is EVERYTHING! • Ex. Transitions: quick cuts in a slow subject matter scene, such as a conversation, could look and feel unnatural and very unfitting for the scene • Ex. Cameramovement: the speed of the camera can be too slow or too fast depending on the energy of the scene

15. FILMMOTIONA MOTION PICTURE • What is moving picture? • A series of seamless connecting still images (frames) that form the illusion of a moving picture [24 FPS]

16. Event vs. ExperienceMOTION SPEED • Event Speed (the film itself) • 3 Motion Factors: Event, Camera and Transitions • Normal, Fast, Slow & No Motion • Experiential Speed (viewers perception of speed) • Knowledge of the primary object (Ex. Car/horse) • Primary objects actual speed (across the x, y or z-axis) • Blocking: relative surrounding moving objects • Camera placement, angle, movement and lens

17. FILM MOTIONEvent Speed: 3 MotionFactors • EVENT: Primary Motion • The speed of the story, plot, themes, subject matter, characters and objects • CAMERA: Secondary Motion • The speed of the camera work through a segment and the distance between an object and the camera • Zoom, dolly, pan, tilt, crane, static • Normal, Fast, Slow and No Motion (also event motion) • TRANSITIONS: Tertiary Motion • The speed and types of transitions between shots • Cuts, dissolves, fades, shot time, sequence time, etc.

18. FILM MOTIONEvent Speed: 3 MotionFactors EVENT: Primary Motion CAMERA: Secondary Motion TRANSITIONS: Tertiary Motion

19. FILM MOTION & TIMEEvent Speed: Transitions • Cut • The instantaneous change from one image to another; the shot ends abruptly, sound does not have too • Dissolve • A gradual transition from shot to shot in which the two images overlap, causing a temporary superimposition • Fade • The gradual appearance of an image from black or its disappearance to black • Smash Cut • Both image and sound cut abruptly • Specials: wipe, star, etc.

20. FILMMOTION & TIMEEvent Speed: Fast, Slow & NO • FAST MOTION • reduce the frame per second as they record footage so they can pump up the speed • Objects/subjects become more erratic and ‘jumpy’ • IN-POST SLOW MOTION vs. IN-CAMERA SLOW MOTION • In-post: increase the frame rate in editing (motion looks choppy) • In-camera: increase the frame rate during recording time • Ex. 300 fps will be reduced down to 24 fps in post to make the slow motion look smooth • A post-slow motion can feel more natural and authentic than an in-camera slow motion effect; it simulates the feeling of an actual perceived slow motion experience in real-life more effectively • In-camera slow motion feels more surreal, dreamlike and inorganic • NO MOTION is a freeze frame

21. FILM MOTIONMotion Paradox • A foreground object moving in a direction forms an illusion of motionlessness or direction reversal juxtaposed against the background. • Ex. When you’re pulling into or backing out of a parking spot and someone reverses or pulls into the spot beside you at the same speed, it gives this illusion of standing still (of being parked)! • Ex. When the camera moves the same speed in parallel direction with a moving object, the object can look motionless with a moving background • Always be aware of the figure/ground relationship

22. FILM MOTIONMotion Paradox K

23. TIME & MOTIONFlashback |Flashforward • Narrative Flashback • The storyline shifts back in time to fill in crucial information and to forward the plotline • Backstory: the storyline jumps to a time before the plotline existed • Replay Flashback • The movie reshows an image to remind the viewer of vital information to forward the plotline • Flashforward (Narrative) • Reveals events or images that will come in the future

24. STORY TIMELINE • STORY SPIRAL (EVENT & EXPERIENTIAL TIME) • Timeline and Story Development Tool • Radial, Linear and Nonlinear plots • Teaches you to think in three-dimensions • Make your story wrap around in ‘full spiral’ • Shot, Sequence and Scene Time • Story Time: Plot Time and Character Time • Event Density, Event Complexity and Event Intensity • This is not a rule! It’s a guideline.

25. Watch a QuickFlickTheOdyssey Ecclesiastes • Watch for the pace, tempo and rhythm • Observe theTIMING • Be aware of the 3 MOTION FACTORS • Event, Camera and Transitions • TIME, ENERGY & MEANING!

26. -FIN-