Grammar of the Shot

by Christopher Bowen

Overview

The new edition of Grammar of the Shot teaches readers theoretical principles behind successful visual communication in motion media through discussions of shot composition, depth cues, lens choices, lighting, screen direction, and more. Designed as an easy-to-use reference, this book is a staple of any filmmaker's library.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032190136
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/21/2023
Edition description:	5th ed.
Pages:	340
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Christopher J. Bowen has 25 years of experience within the motion media industry as a cinematographer, editor, director, producer, and educator. Currently, he enjoys visual content creation, fine arts painting, and writing fiction. He is the author of the companion text, Grammar of the Edit.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter One “ The Shots: What, How and Why? What to Show Your Audience? Choosing Your Frame Aspect Ratio A Brief History of Aspect Ratios Further Exploration “ Why We Might Like Widescreen so Much An Introduction to Shot Types - The Basic Building Blocks of Motion Pictures Long Shot / Wide Shot Medium Shot Close-Up The Extended Family of Basic Shots “ The Powers of Proximity Extreme Long Shot / Extreme Wide Shot Very Long Shot / Very Wide Shot Long Shot / Wide Shot / Full Shot Medium Long Shot / Knee Shot Medium Shot / Waist Shot / Mid Medium Close-Up / Bust Shot Close-Up Big Close-Up (UK) / Choker (USA) Extreme Close-Up Why Do We Even Have Different Shot Types? Pulling Images from the Written Page Script Breakdown for Cinematographers Shot Lists Storyboards Phases of Film Production Let™s PracticeChapter One Summation “ The Pictures SpeakRelated Material Found in Chapter Seven: Working Practices Chapter One “ Review Chapter One “ Exercises & Projects Chapter One “ Quiz Yourself Chapter Two “ The Basics of Composition Simple Guidelines For Framing Human Subjects Headroom Subjective Versus Objective Shooting Styles Look Room / Nose Room The Rule of Thirds Camera Angle Horizontal Camera Angles360 Degrees MethodClock Face MethodCamera Position MethodThe Frontal ViewThe ¾ ViewThe Profile ViewThe ¾ Back ViewThe Full Back View Vertical Camera AnglesNeutral Angle ShotHigh Angle ShotHigh Angle of an IndividualHigh Angle as a POVHigh Angle of an EnvironmentLow Angle ShotLow Angle of

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Roy Thompson and Christopher Bowen provides a clear and concise explanation of motion picture visual language. This universal language (or grammar) is an essential foundation for filmmakers to produce a film or video....I highly recommend Grammar of the Shot for film and video production classes. In addition, it would be useful for emerging filmmakers and for those who need a refresher." —Amazon reviewer of the second edition.

Editorial Reviews

"Grammar of the Shot is well-written and provides valuable information for young filmmakers and seasoned veterans alike...I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting into media creation, especially if you have no idea where to start." - Amy Roberts, Tri-County Technical College

From the Publisher