Length: ≈4 pages, double spaced, 12pt font (MS Word doc or pdf – no Apple files!)
Grading criteria: accuracy, demonstrated understanding of language of cinema, language use
Overview
A shot breakdown is a list of every shot in a given film or sequence. For this assignment you’ll just have to provide a breakdown of a short sequence.
While shot breakdowns may be approached in different ways (hand-drawn story boards, screen caps, pre-viz animatics, written list, etc.) for our purposes a detailed descriptive list will suffice.
Remember: each cut or transition = a new shot, and each shot must be listed.
Details
Chooseoneof the following sequences and write a detailed and descriptive list of each shot making up the sequence. The details you need to include will depend upon the particular shot, but you should consider the following: time code, shot type, camera angle/movement, lighting, significant elements of misé-en-scene, special transitions, etc. Be sure to explain thesignificanceof your observations (for example, if a high angle is used, explain what effect this has).
Your assignment should contain the following sections:
- General remarks: A brief summary of the sequence (if applicable, be sure to also mention the central theme) – a few sentences should suffice.
- Shot Breakdown: Your detailed shot-by-shot list – this will make up the bulk of the assignment.
No secondary sources are required for this assignment.
Example
Your shot breakdown section should look something like this:
Shot 1 (00:00-00:15): ELS, camera slowly pans left, revealing a vast expanse of desert, and a lone figure in the distance. Neutral angle, natural lighting, sharp focus. The visual composition emphasizes the character’s isolation. Cross fade transition.
Shot 2 (00:16-00:24): MS of the lone figure, low angle, high-key lighting. Shallow depth of field. The figure abruptly turns (3/4 turn).
Shot 3 (00:25-00:31): CU of the lone figure, neutral angle, high-key lighting. The shallow depth of field forces us to focus on the character's facial expression.
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