The cinema as a graphic art : on a theory of representation in the cinema (1959)

THE CINEMA AS A. GRAPHIC ART of the scenario. Parallel with the directorial distribution into shots and hi planning of the mise en scene, the camera-man decides what are the main ele ments necessary to the representational treatment of the given shot. By th time he has finished working out the director's scenario he should finally hav elucidated the following : The chief elements governing his general standpoint in the representation* treatment of the given film (the ' literary ' or stylistic characterisation). His standpoint in relation to the representational characterisation of thj various persons in the film. His chief technical requirements in regard to the decorative formulation c the set, costumes and make-up, and finally, the technical requirements india pensable to drawing up estimates for the picture. The next stage of the process consists in the detailed formulation of th production scenario to be used in producing the picture. The elements of th; camera-man's treatment included in the production scenario are the following' For each object in the film, taking the compositional scheme of the longi shot as his basis, the camera-man works out in editing form the compositions schemes of all the main shots that are of decisive importance in the editing com position. We may also include editorial cut-ins of secondary importance am shots which do not involve any special composition in advance. Taking th normal length of a sound film at 7,200 feet and the average length of an editin; piece for a sound film at 15 feet, we get about 480 shots, of which some 300 ma" require preliminary compositional treatment. On the average, the creation o; compositional schemes for this number of shots, with the camera-man and arj director working together, occupies not more than from ten to fifteen days. Thi compositional schemes thus worked out are then included in the productioi scenario as illustrative material to each directorial shot. Each scheme is giveii in fairly simplified form, without any indication of details. In the linear-dimen sional scheme only the situation of the object in the frame space is usually given Here the planning of the objects along one or another diagonal, the height of th horizon in the frame, the foreshortening, etc., are provided for. For the tonal scheme, which is built up after the scheme of linear-dimen sional composition has been determined, a more complex sketch is provided While preserving the same distribution of objects as in the first scheme, the tona scheme also gives the distribution of the tonal spots. With this scheme of tonai composition to guide him the camera-man can later judge of the type of negative required in filming the given object, the filter to use, and the contrast of imagi; necessary. In Fig. 63 (a-e) are given schemes of compositional treatment for th< film " Chapayev " (directors, the Vasilievs ; camera-man, Sigayev). It is not always necessary to produce a worked-out lighting scheme for eacl separate shot, as the lighting scheme of the long-shot usually governs that of al the editing links in the given scene. If, however, these provide special lighting tasks, then of course supplementary schemes can be worked out and included ii the production scenario. The production scenario also includes all the material obtained in making tests. This material is of guidance mainly on the questions of actors' make-uj and costumes. In regard to exterior shots the camera-man provides material for the pro duction scenario only after he has examined the location of the exterior sho jointly with the director. 126