Planning Shot Composition

Planning Shot Composition

    Another important element of planning my film would be the use of props as it pertains to the shot composition.  The use of shot composition further develops the ideas and gives the objects further depth and meaning as they relate to the characters and story.   These tools create more tension specifically in thriller/suspense films to help engage the audience.

YouTube Video: Beware! This Video is EVIL-How To Build Suspense with Shot Composition by StudioBinder

    I have learned that not only is the object itself important to the audience but the object can tell more about the story with its size.  Typically when framing an object in a film, an object portrayed as large builds power while an object shown small is diminishing power.  This can be achieved by zooming in on an object that I would be trying to draw the audience's attention to and it could look as large as a relatively larger object but as shown smaller within the shot from a distance.  Often times the larger the item it relates to the greater the threat that is approaching.  This format would be guiding my viewer to determine the importance of the object over what else is being shown in the scene. Often times the character's dialogue is used to reinforce this idea instead of blatantly just coming out and telling the audience thus increasing tension.

    I have been searching for ways to use the props and shot composition into my low budget film but learning how to use simple objects seems to be extremely helpful. The use of empty space as simple as it sounds also is significant,  the use of a high angle shot with the character in a large empty space makes the actor look small or less significant therefore taking away some of their power in that scene. On the adverse side, as the character gets closer they take the power back in the scene.  I plan on using broken glass, vehicles and the use of the space surrounding with the shot composition techniques to further define my ideas in the film.