Film Directing Tips, Film Making Articles and Online Resources for the Independent Filmmaker » blocking

Here are four film staging and blocking techniques:

Peter D. Marshall — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:37:44 +0000

1. static camera (the camera doesn’t move)

- subjects can be still

- subjects can be moving

2. moving camera (the camera moves)

- subjects can be still

- subjects can be moving

3. static subjects (the subject doesn’t move)

- camera can be still

- camera can be moving

4. moving subjects (the subject does move)

- camera can be still

- camera can be moving

—––
Sign up for your own FREE subscription to “The Director’s Chair” filmmaking ezine, packed with hundreds of film making articles, tips, tools and techniques. This FREE monthly Film Directing ezine is read by over 2900 filmmakers in 100 countries around the world. http://www.actioncutprint.com/ezine.html
—–

Two methods a film director can use to stage groups and individuals

Peter D. Marshall — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:36:12 +0000

1. zone coverage - when you stage the coverage of groups in the same location (like battle scenes/sports events/crowds)

2. man-to-man coverage – when you stage the coverage of individual characters according to their movement in relationship to others

—–
Want to Learn More Film and Television Directing Tips and Techniques? Check out Peter D. Marshall’s 2008 multi-media reference guide for filmmakers, “The Art and Craft of the Director 10-Day Audio Seminar“ – a 162 page eBook packed full of insider film directing tips and tools supported by over 500 film making reference links, 26 mp3 audio files, 28 video links and 23 pdf special reports all designed to help you become a successful, working film and television director.
—–

Two ways a film director can stage space.

Peter D. Marshall — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:54:10 +0000

When blocking a scene, a director has two ways to stage space:

1. by staging across the frame

- left to right

- right to left

2. by using “in-depth” staging

- foreground to background

- background to foreground

How to determine the opening position of a character in a scene:

Peter D. Marshall — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:27:39 +0000

The opening position of a character is where the characters start in a scene and is a very important element of your blocking plan.

1. use your knowledge of the characters to help you imagine their opening positions

2. different character types tend to move to different places in the room:

a. strong characters could move to the middle of room

b. weak characters could move to the side of room

A film director’s blocking plan is determined by:

Peter D. Marshall — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:31:42 +0000

1. whose POV is being expressed at the time (the writer’s, the character or the director)

2. what distance are you from the subject (the size of shot – are you close or far)

3. what is your relationship to the subject (the angle of view – choice of lenses)

Before blocking a scene, a film director must know these 3 things:

Peter D. Marshall — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:38:26 +0000

1. what is the LAST shot of the previous scene

2. what is the FIRST shot of the next scene

3. when (and where) were the characters LAST SEEN

What to do Before Designing Your Director Shot List

Peter D. Marshall — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:24:38 +0000

Before you can figure out your blocking plan (and your shot list), one of the first things you need to do is understand is the complexities of the SCRIPT – what is the story about, what are the themes, what are the story points, who are the main characters and what happens to them. And you accomplish this task by breaking down the script first, then analyzing the individual scenes.

A good way to start this process is by finding out what the INTENT of the scene is. In other words, what is the scene used for dramatically in the script? Once you know the story points and the intent of a scene, you can then properly figure out your blocking plan.

Here are just some of the factors you need to know about each scene.

1. what are the MAJOR POINTS OF ACTION

2. what are the important LINES OF DIALOGUE?

3. which character CONTROLS the scene?

4. what are the PLOT POINTS?

5. what is the CLIMAX of each scene?

6. what is the RESOLUTION?

What is Blocking?

Peter D. Marshall — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:50:56 +0000

What is Blocking? Blocking is simply working out the details of an actor’s moves in relation to the camera. It is also the dramatic use of the camera to help find the truth in a scene by analyzing the scene in detail from all the relevant perspectives (beats, themes, story, character, style etc.)

1. where the camera is placed is determined by what is important in the scene (dialogue/action/a prop)

2. there is never one, definitive, interpretation of how a scene should be blocked. Blocking is like a puzzle – keep working at it until the whole scene falls into place.

How Newton’s First Law of Motion Apply’s to Filmmakers

Peter D. Marshall — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:06:27 +0000

Issac Newton’s first law of motion is: “An object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an external or unbalanced force and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external or unbalanced force.”

Don’t worry, this is not a physic’s course, but I want to show you how a LAW OF PHYSICS can help filmmakers block a scene and direct actors.

By translating Newton’s Law of Motion into filmmaking terms you get this: “A character who is stationary will not move until some sort of physical event or emotional feeling compels him to take action.”

In other words, a character (actor) must be “MOTIVATED” before they will take any kind of action.

How to Properly Block a Scene

Peter D. Marshall — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:16:18 +0000

Blocking a Scene

When you first start directing, blocking a scene can be one of the hardest – and most embarrassing – parts of your job. Get it wrong here, and you could waste valuable shooting time trying to get out of the mess you created!

Click Here to read entire article.