How to Deliver Information to an Audience (Director's Edition)
Identify the information that the audience needs to know and ensure that all of it is included., Emphasize the information appropriately., Communicate both information and feelings to your audience.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Identify the information that the audience needs to know and ensure that all of it is included.
A common mistake for directors is omitting information.
Though some information may seem not so important, it will confuse the audience and take them out of the movie.
For example, a scene involving a burglar and a locked cabinet of valuables might be shown like this:
The burglar discovers that the cabinet is locked, and opens it with a key.
Where did the key come from? How did the burglar get the key? If it is not shown, the audience will not know it.
Instead, try this:
The burglar discovers that the cabinet is locked, we see the burglar open the top draw and remove a key from it, thus opening the cabinet.
Now, with the missing piece of information included, the audience will be satisfied. -
Step 2: Emphasize the information appropriately.
Though identifying all the information is important, if you un-emphatically present the information, the audience might miss it.
When adding emphasis to information, remember the following:
The bigger the image size, the more emphatic the information contains.
By organizing the composition of the image, you can call attention to the information you wish to emphasize The perspective from which the audience sees the information, or camera angle, is a powerful tool for emphasizing information.
Objective inserts is shot from no particular point of view, thus neutral; subjective inserts are usually from a certain point of view, thus more emphatic.
You can control emphasis simply by how long you display a piece of information on the screen.
The audience has more time to notice and absorb the information when it is on screen longer. , Communicating information is only half the job of a director; A good director presents information in a way that involves the audience emotionally.
Here are ways to do this effectively:
The bigger the image size, the more emotional impact it carries.
Control the length of a sequence by shooting it in greater or smaller number of shots.
By stretching the length of a sequence, the director increases the feeling of urgency.
A sequence with ten shots is more suspenseful than a sequence with three shots.
Camera Angles can contribute to the overall emotional effect of a scene.
High angles often convey a feeling of detachment, while low angles emphasize the power of the image, and the powerlessness of the viewer.
Head-on, frontal angles feel formal and calm, while diagonal setups convey movement and energy.
The feel of an image is strongly affected by the lens used to record it.
Wide angle lenses exaggerate depth and motion toward or away from the camera; the effect they convey is dynamic and energetic.
Telephoto lenses, by contrast, suppress depth and motion, keeping the viewer at a distance and conveying a sense of formality.
Camera movement can add significantly to the emotional cast of a scene.
A stationary camera, panning and tilting from one position, conveys a sense of detached observation.
A moving camera, especially when dollying in and out, becomes a part of the action.
Moreover, a constantly moving camera imparts a feeling of restless energy.
Individual shots can be made shorter or longer, depending on the effect desired.
Short shots with quick cuts convey a sense of dynamic energy, while lengthy shots feel calm and deliberate.
That is why fights are typically constructed from many brief shots, while romantic scenes are often assembled from fewer but lengthier angles. -
Step 3: Communicate both information and feelings to your audience.
Detailed Guide
A common mistake for directors is omitting information.
Though some information may seem not so important, it will confuse the audience and take them out of the movie.
For example, a scene involving a burglar and a locked cabinet of valuables might be shown like this:
The burglar discovers that the cabinet is locked, and opens it with a key.
Where did the key come from? How did the burglar get the key? If it is not shown, the audience will not know it.
Instead, try this:
The burglar discovers that the cabinet is locked, we see the burglar open the top draw and remove a key from it, thus opening the cabinet.
Now, with the missing piece of information included, the audience will be satisfied.
Though identifying all the information is important, if you un-emphatically present the information, the audience might miss it.
When adding emphasis to information, remember the following:
The bigger the image size, the more emphatic the information contains.
By organizing the composition of the image, you can call attention to the information you wish to emphasize The perspective from which the audience sees the information, or camera angle, is a powerful tool for emphasizing information.
Objective inserts is shot from no particular point of view, thus neutral; subjective inserts are usually from a certain point of view, thus more emphatic.
You can control emphasis simply by how long you display a piece of information on the screen.
The audience has more time to notice and absorb the information when it is on screen longer. , Communicating information is only half the job of a director; A good director presents information in a way that involves the audience emotionally.
Here are ways to do this effectively:
The bigger the image size, the more emotional impact it carries.
Control the length of a sequence by shooting it in greater or smaller number of shots.
By stretching the length of a sequence, the director increases the feeling of urgency.
A sequence with ten shots is more suspenseful than a sequence with three shots.
Camera Angles can contribute to the overall emotional effect of a scene.
High angles often convey a feeling of detachment, while low angles emphasize the power of the image, and the powerlessness of the viewer.
Head-on, frontal angles feel formal and calm, while diagonal setups convey movement and energy.
The feel of an image is strongly affected by the lens used to record it.
Wide angle lenses exaggerate depth and motion toward or away from the camera; the effect they convey is dynamic and energetic.
Telephoto lenses, by contrast, suppress depth and motion, keeping the viewer at a distance and conveying a sense of formality.
Camera movement can add significantly to the emotional cast of a scene.
A stationary camera, panning and tilting from one position, conveys a sense of detached observation.
A moving camera, especially when dollying in and out, becomes a part of the action.
Moreover, a constantly moving camera imparts a feeling of restless energy.
Individual shots can be made shorter or longer, depending on the effect desired.
Short shots with quick cuts convey a sense of dynamic energy, while lengthy shots feel calm and deliberate.
That is why fights are typically constructed from many brief shots, while romantic scenes are often assembled from fewer but lengthier angles.
About the Author
Robert Butler
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: