Mise-En-Scéne II - the tracking shot

In the previous mise-en-scéne assignment, the one shot, static camera, silent film, you didn't move the camera. At all. It was set up on a tripod and the action in the frame was recorded. No editing - no montage. Instead of relying on editing to tell your story, you had to place or block your characters and props. It was necessary to plan the movement across the frame and time.

Our rudimentary and basic understanding of mise-en-scene is everything that happens in the single frame. It is what the director controls. If you have not read the mise-en-scéne section please read it. If you can't pronounce it try "misa-sen or meez on sen" depending on who you ask that claims to speak French.

Some filmmakers, critics and film scholars have broadened the defintion of mise-en-scéne, "...a scene in which the action plays out in front of a continually running camera. New compositions are created through blocking, lens zooms and camera movement instead of cutting. The scene is shot in real time as one uninterrupted take that will stand on its own without the aid of editing." Cinematic Storytelling, Jennifer Van Sijll, p. 54

Blocking it the planning and positioning of characters and props from beginning to the end of the shot. In the examples of Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai", you saw how he positioned his actors so they would all be visible within the frame, an example of excellent blocking. Zoom is changing the focal length of your camera while filming. Its something to avoid. Better to move the camera into and out of the using with a fixed focal length. A fun technique is to combine zoom with your dolly (you can use wheel chair, garden cart, wagon, anything on wheels that you can push that is functionally stable.)

The long tracking shot can be much more challenging. Montage allows you to have shorter shots that are assembled. You can fluidly cut from close-up to close-up when doing a conversation. A tight closeup allows the producers to save money on lighting. Background, because of reduced depth of field, is out of focus illiminating unwanted merging or background foreground separation. With the long mise-en-scéne shot you must continually pay attention to the entire frame. Since zooming in and out is obnoxious to say the least, you are limited

Most often the camera is moving and following the action during these long shots. These are called tracking shots. The camera tracks the action. Usually a dolly or a crane is used to steady the camera motion. An entire scene is done in one shot. If you film a conversation you move the camera back and forth instead of setting up two cameras or using one camera and filming from two directions. In the tv series "The 70's Show" when the four teen characters were one-lining in the basement, the camera was rigged to appear to move in a circle covering the characters in one shot. One of the masterpieces of tracking is an eight minute shot at the beginning of "The Player" directed by Robert Altman. His cinematographer uses a moving crane and follows groups of actors around a studio parking lot.

Budget minded film makers usually rely on hand held cameras. You might have a steadycam but you probably don't. Moving the camera by hand can result in a jerky and jumpy motions, but with some practise you can achieve reasonable smooth and fluid results.

The following are frames taken from the beginning of Tim Burton's "Ed Wood," a tribute to film director Ed Wood Jr. Ed (Johnny Depp) enters the scene compositionally framed by the arch of the door. He places his potted plant on a desk and walks over to the women reading a newspaper. The camera shifts position using a crane (not the white bird, but a device that allows the camera to make smooth, swinging motions to track the action). Ed puts away his sunglasses peers over to see what the excitement is all about. He is given the newspaper. Cut to closeup of newspaper - then the scene is smoothly transistioned to Ed's apartment. You will find this technique used in Orson Welle's "Citizen Kane". Notice in the background you will see a poster advertising the movie, "Citizen Kane". The motion in this shot was minimal but very effective. All elements of mise-en-scéne were carefully considered, planned and filmed.

Project

During class time get together with your group. By the time you get to class you should have already read this and you should be able to bring an idea to the table. If you are at home reading this (as instructed) then think of a short idea that you can use for a ONE MINUTE tracking shot. No edits unless you want to try something amazing like the newspaper transition. Work with a partner and then you and your partner should collaborate with another group of two. Share the work and produce two one minute tracking shots.