FMP3

this week is to understand the camera setting often used in the fight scene. this can help me to organize my storyboard. I found some references to help me set up the scene from choreography to camera setting.

Based on these videos, I analyzed the fight scene I like.

2017 John wick chapter 2 subway fight scene

This fight scene happens in the subway a place which is narrow and long, the space for actor movement is small, same as camera. First shot is using the shoulder level camera angle and the camera movement is the tracking shot. Shoulder level shot is natural and common, it gives the shot an anticipation, that something might be happens very soon, and close enough to help audience see the actor’s facial expression. The tracking shot is physically moving the camera and following the actors, they move with the actors and track their position. Tracking shot being used to build the tension between two subjects.

And the second shot is an over the shoulder shot, over the shoulder shot often happens in a conversation but at this time, these two actors they don’t have a actual conversation, but they are having a eye contact conversation instead. They are observing each other’s facial expression and action to predict what will happens next. And this shot it is random camera movement, is defined by camera shake, in this fight scene the environment builds in the running subway, the natural camera shake is adding up the tension feeling and gives us the impression that the events are happening in the real-time.

The third shot is on the hip level, and it is tracking shot.

This shot is tracking the actor’s hand movement, to show every subtle movement of the hand, the actor pulls out the knife from his pocket. Hip level shot often using in the cowboy shot is because the gun holster is rest at the hip, it is the same reason why this shot using hip level, to show the weapons in actor’s trousers pocket.

In the fourth shot they used eye level shot, and the camera is close-up to the actor’s face. It is the most natural height for the audience, and it clearly show every detail on the actor’s face. And the camera movement is pan. Pan shot is rotating the camera horizontally, from left to the right, it shows the position of the subject in the scene. And the movement of the camera is nearly 180 degree.

The fifth scene is a static cam and the angle is shoulder level.

This shot using static cam to show the character’s upper body movement, because in this part of choreography is mainly on the upper body, the static shot is commonly capture by locking the camera to the tripod and in a fixed position, this is great for actor choreography to shine.

Same as the below part in the film, the actor is having a intense fighting on their upper body, the camera itself nearly 0 movement, and the actors performance can be show clear and piercing.

In the sixth shot, the camera been placed on the ground level, the camera movement is still static.

Because in this part of choreography, one of the actors been hit to the ground, and the mainly action are on their lower body.

In the seventh shot, the camera movement is pan and the camera angle back to the shoulder level, the camera is rotation between these two actors, and their weapons are on above the hip level, so the camera don’t need to put lower to the hip level, and have more space in the upper part of the shot to show the actors facial expression.

 

 In the eighth shot the actor start to fight again, so the camera become static and it keeps in the shoulder level, this camera setting can show the actors stunning choreography. And will not adding any connotation or emotion to this shot though the camera angle and movement.

In the ninth shot is a tracking shot and switch between hip level and shoulder level. the camera track and follow the actor’s action, in this shot, character using fist to fight and then using leg to kick. The camera movement is based on this.

The tenth shot is using random camera movement, the camera shake is exaggerated the tension between the actor in the scene, the camera angle is on the eyelevel, because the actors are grabing each other’s shoulder.

In the eleventh shot the camera back to static again and it keeps on the hips level. the character is fighting rapidly using fist and knees, so the camera movement need to be simple.

In the twelfth shot the camera drop to the ground level and the camera is still static, to show the process of this over shoulder throw.

In the thirteenth shot, the camera is a tracking shot it move from the hip level to the shoulder level. is following the actor’s movement, from down and up.

The fourteenth shot is a track shot and it keep on the shoulder level, then slowly close, it shows the actors using knife to stab another actor and then put him on the chair. The slowly zoom in to show the character facial expression.

Nobody 2021 bus fight scene

In the film ‘nobody’ bus fight scene. We could see that the space of the environment is much smaller than subway, so the camera movement space is getting less.

The first shot is a medium close shot, medium close up shot is the med chest just above the character’s head, it reduces the distraction of the prioritize story and the character details, audience can easily see the winkles on the actor’s face and the grey beard on his face. And the camera is stay in static and keeps in eye level, every camera setting helps this shot looks simple and natural.

The second shot is using a static camera as well, it set on a shoulder level, the similar camera setting, create a connection with the first shot, that tell us the mainly actors going to fight with these 5 young and strong people, which trap himself in a tough situation.

And the third shot is cut back to the actor’s face. The camera is still in a eye level and static.

The fourth shot is a shoulder level shot, it is static and set up at the main character’s back. To show the position of each subject in the scene and exaggerated greatly different amount between the main character and the side characters.

The fifth shot is a tracking shot it physically moves the camera following the side character, who’s steps inward and gives the main character a punch. The random camera shake happens while the camera holder is rapidly walking close to the main character. the camera shake creates the tension feeling to this scene.

The sixth shot still using a tracking shot, it moves with the same side character again, who’s being knock back, the camera movement speed is almost same as the speed the fist comes out. and the random camera shake creates an immersive scene for the audience.

 In the sixth shot, the camera being place in a high angle and slowly push in towards the main character, this shot is the main character being hit by two young people from the left and the right. He is in to passive and weak side. The high angle shot exaggerated the imbalance of power between the main character and the side characters. It used to diminish the main character.

In the seventh shot, is a tracking shot and on the shoulder level, the camera moves with the main character.

In the eighth shot also a tracking shot, the camera tracking the main character’s movement, The rapidly camera shake show the chaos situation.

the ninth shot is the over the shoulder shot, it shows the characters, and the camera being placed on the shoulder level. the choreography is mainly on their upper body. The sider character tries to use the wine bottle to attack the main character, this camera setting clearly show the process of this action.

The tenth shot is a shoulder level shot and the cam is static, the shot shows two actors’ upper body movement clearly, comparison to the ninth shot, the composition of this shot show that two actor’s position become same, the wine bottle is in the middle and two character are stand on both side, this shot show how the main character blocks the attack.

In the eleventh shot is using the over the shoulder shot and static cam. The main character is placing on the foreground and this shot composition show the main character got the leading position. The shoulder level is to show full process of the upper body attack.

In the twelfth shot is using high angle and static cam, the high angle in this shot is to exaggerated the hit on the side actor’s head.

In the thirteenth shot is using the shoulder level and tracking cam, the hand hold camera is tracking the main character, the random camera shake gives this shot a real time feeling and the choreography in this shot is the main character pull a side character back, the same direction of the character and camera gives this action more power.

In the fourteen shot is using the tracking level and tracking subject, switch from the main character to the side character.

 In the fifteen shot is using a static cam and shoulder level. The side character comes close and swing the knife towards the main character. The camera is almost straight in this space, is create a visual impact for this scene.