Choreographing the CameraPER007-1 Applied Choreography: Dance and Innovation

Dr Louise Douse

When the frame become a shot

• The frame is the rectangle created by the camera lens

• The frame never remains the same for more than a split second.

• Either the subject of the frame will move

• Monday’s workshop – camera is static, dancers moving

• Or, the camera moves

• Choreography of the camera

• Or, in most cases, both will move.

• Choreography of the camera and the subject

University of Bedfordshire 2

The shot

• Multiple frames make up a shot

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The Camera in Motion

• Camera is stationary but lens moves

• Panning

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• Camera is stationary but lens moves

• Panning

• Tilting

The Camera in Motion

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• Camera is stationary but lens moves

• Panning

• Tilting

• Rolling

The Camera in Motion

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• Camera is fixed in space but lens moves

• Panning/ Whip pan

• Tilting

• Rolling

• Zooming/ Crash Zoom

The Camera in Motion

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• Camera is fixed in space but lens moves

• Panning/ Whip pan, Tilting, Rolling, Zooming/ Crash Zoom

• Camera travels through space

• Strafe

The Camera in Motion

University of Bedfordshire 8

• Camera is fixed in space but lens moves

• Panning/ Whip pan, Tilting, Rolling, Zooming/ Crash Zoom

• Camera travels through space

• Strafe

• Crib

The Camera in Motion

University of Bedfordshire 9

• Camera is fixed in space but lens moves

• Panning/ Whip pan, Tilting, Rolling, Zooming/ Crash Zoom

• Camera travels through space

• Strafe

• Crib

• Tracking

The Camera in Motion

University of Bedfordshire 10

• Camera is fixed in space but lens moves

• Panning/ Whip pan, Tilting, Rolling, Zooming/ Crash Zoom

• Camera travels through space

• Strafe

• Crib

• Tracking

• Circling (around the action)

The Camera in Motion

University of Bedfordshire 11

• Camera is fixed in space but lens moves

• Panning/ Whip pan, Tilting, Rolling, Zooming/ Crash Zoom

• Camera travels through space

• Strafe, Crib, Tracking, Circling

• Camera shot styles

• Handheld

• Steadicam

The Camera in Motion

University of Bedfordshire 12

Task 1 – Moving Camera / Single Shot

• Choreograph and film a minute-long continuous shot involving one or more dancers and in which the camera is in constant motion for the duration.

• The camera movement can be the result of panning, tilting and zooming or tracking, strafing, circling etc. and combinations thereof. For flexibility, handhold the camera or carry it on your shoulder.

University of Bedfordshire 13

Task 2 – In-camera montage

• Choreograph and film and video dance made up of the following shots in the order that they appear below:

1. CU, Low, Tilting

2. Birds Eye View, Rolling, Zooming

3. Tracking, Back, MS

4. Pan, WS, Front

• You need to ‘edit in camera’, which means that the shots must be filmed consecutively. You should rehearse each different shot before recording as you only want one take of each shot on tape.

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Next Workshop

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Teaching week 7Calendar week 47Week beginning Monday 17th November

Workshop 2:Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production

McPherson, K. (2006) ‘Developing the work,’ in Making video dance: a step-by-step guide to creating dance for the screen. London: Routledge, pp. 43-60.