4/7

3-Act Setup 

(Timing)

1st: Setup; start in the middle of an action (especially in shorts)

2nd: Confrontation/complication (i.e. biting the wire - how does it lead up to

3rd: Resolution

Think about the ending, and work the story around to reach that point.

Ideally, run through story in 3 sentences (1 per section), and complete the arc to see how it is.

Cinematography

• Shots: camera framings, and how they change
  
• Shots build up scenes
  
• Common process for the shot progression: Wide for setup --> Medium to show several characters --> Close to focus on an individual

Scenes:

1 - think about location/setting

      Research settings - find reference pictures, descriptions, etc.

2 - tell us about characters in the scene

      think about the rigs, features, traits

3 - think about how we enter/leave the frame (are people already there?  what's going on?)

4 - how does everything exist within the environment?  What effects does it have on characters/objects, and how do they influence it?

      Multiplanar environments - background done in layers (origins - with layers of glass; less movement the farther back the layer is)

Shots:

1 - pacing - think about timing/speed

2 - how are shots cut together - think about connections

3 - what is best to set mood?

4 - what is best to tell story?  how does the shot play up strengths/weaknesses

5 - what's the framing

6 - angles and visual storytelling

7 - depth of field - by default, 3D has no depth of field effect, all parts are equally visible

      >tone down the colors for items not in focus;

For next time:

1) Post finalized story arc: 3 sentence summary; think about full character development

2) Post ideas about scenes.

3) Play with rigs, and make decisions.  If you discover new options, post them to blog.

BILL - bring in quadraped locomotion information for Thursday