Category "cinematography"

Is there a rating of the 3D-ness of a 3D movie?

If things aren't thrown in my face during a 3D movie, I feel somewhat disappointed. I also appreciate the use of 3D to enhance a wide-angle sh

What was the earliest mass-release movie that used Matrix-like "bullet time"?

One of the things that The Matrix was famous for was "bullet time" cinematography. I'm fairly sure that, while it was the first one to use the technique extens

Were any non-CGI movies shot in their entirety though a colored lens/filter?

This is a 2-part question: Is it technically possible to shoot a movie though a colored lens/filter? (as opposed to changing the image color AFTER the movie is

What was the first full-length feature film shot completely with digital cameras?

Nowadays almost every movie is shot with digital cameras. I would like to know what was the first full-length feature film shot completely with digital technolo

History and reasoning behind average length of a feature film

I've personally always really enjoyed 'shorts', and always wondered why feature length films are the length they are, especially given my expe

Why was Kurosawa the first director to shoot the sun?

Akira Kurosawa is often credited as the first director to point his camera towards the sun in his film Rashomon (1950). Was this an artistic first, or was there

Zoom actor in while background out? How is this effect called and made?

I don't have a youtube link (I think "The shining" has such a scene), but you all probably know this effect, the actor is zoomed in by the camera while the back

Is there are list/table what camera filters cause what perception of a movie by the audience?

I remember the movie Traffic which uses a lot of different filters. How do these filters typically change perception of a scene or whole movie (I've seen whole

When will high definition television no longer account for the standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio?

The vast majority of TV shows are now available in high definition. However, much content still seems to be framed for "center cuts," where the center of a high

How is dialog between two people filmed?

I was always wondering how dialog between two people is filmed. Suppose there are two people talking. The screen is switching between faces of the characters wh

Did the director and editor for House of Cards make aesthetic decisions based on H.264 encoding limitations?

Given that the production team for House of Cards knew the show would be streamed online as the only distribution method, did the directors and editors consider

Camera shot with close-up next to farther away standing person

While watching Final Destination 3 I noticed a very characteristic camera shot. At a scene where the main character, Wendy, sits in her room at the computer (wa

Zoom actor in while background out? How is this effect called and made?

I don't have a youtube link (I think "The shining" has such a scene), but you all probably know this effect, the actor is zoomed in by the camera while the back

Why is it a common trend to pan the camera past an object then back to it?

The title might have been vague so let me clarify. I have see this in many movies and television series over the years, even cartoons. Let me create a scenario

Slowing down the frame rate vs. using a slow-motion camera

Why do even some of the big budget films slow down the frame rate to give slow motion effect rather than use a slow-motion camera? The point is that the first t

Camera sway as cinematic technique?

I've noticed a trend in movies where the camera "sways" during quiet, drama scenes, as opposed to "shaky cam" which is used during action scenes. I've noticed

House of Cards - Camera Shots

Did anybody notice the extended shots of the backs of characters' heads in House of Cards? I am wondering if those have any symbolism or intended value.

Camera movement in final scene of 'Into The Wild'

I just watched 'Into The Wild'. In the final scene the camera rotates around Chris' face, zooms out of the bus and zooms out showing the surrounding area above

What are light meters needed for in digital movies?

I know when shooting on film, a light meter is used to determine the amount of exposure time for the film to get the right colours. Wikipedia also mentions they

What was the first use of the driving closeup shots known from Miami Vice?

One of the trademarks of Miami Vice were the nightly cruises through Miami's streets, which were usually accompanied by great music and very characteristic came