There is a 'language' of film making - this is what film makers use when constructing their image, to put across this meaning. This 'language' consists of more than 200 Composition Rules. These rules are apparent across all forms of filmed media product. In this blog I discuss a small fraction of the compostion rules.
Different Type of Shot Size
There are many different shots used across all kinds of film making (Documentaries, Movies, TV Shows, Music Videos etc. Different shots portray different messages and meanings to the audience. Bellow are several of the different shots, and the significance of them.
Extreme Wide Shot/ Extreme Long Shot
These shots are most commonly used establish a sense of location, as it usually shows where a scene is taking place. Over 95% of the time, this type of shot features at the beginning of a scene. It is crucial when there has been a change of location, especially to an unfamiliar one not previously featured.
Long Shot/ Wide Shot
Long shots or wide shots, are still used as 'establishing shots' but are usually be more focused around a subject, and will most probably feature the subject from head to toe. They are used to establish a subject within a scene or location. Sometimes they are used to establish a link between two people or several people within the frame, as there is more room to do so - this is difficult with a medium shot because it often means the subjects are positioned too close. Also used for action sequences, as they allow for a lot of detail to be positioned in the frame with out it feeling too 'crowded'.
Medium/ Mid Shot
These kind of shots are used most commonly, as they position the subject(s) with in the frame, in a way that is comfortable for the audience to watch. It is not particularly intimate (like a Close up/ Extreme close up) but is close enough to highlight that the subject is important, affords an element of meaning to the subject, and provides enough detail to get a story across to the audience.
Close Ups
They can be used t highlight details of a subject such as facial features or emotions, and to establish rapport between audience and the subject. Often used to convey a sense of meaning.
If a subject is filmed with close ups, it suggests that they are important or their feelings/reactions are important to the scene. This is why so commonly, lead singers in music videos are often favoured with many close ups.
Extreme Close Ups
Used to really emphasise intricate details of a subject, such as the eye, a close up shot really draws attention to a minute detail or development, that would not be clear in a mid shot, or maybe even a close up, such as to film a drip of sweat.
Extreme Close ups, don't tell a story, but are excellent for accentuating specific emotions within a scene. They are particularly overwhelming, especially if used excessively, so when intercut together well, can make the audience feel uncomfortable.
Point of View (POV)
Basically shot from the same position and angle as a subject would be seeing, often intercut with a mid shot of the subject looking in that direction to reflect that this is the case. Often used to create a familiarity with the subject or too see the world from 'their point of view'. It is also just an interesting shot, and is often a welcome deviation from the usual angles.
Camera Position and Angle
Camera angles can tell you alot about how the director wants you to react to the subject in the frame. The two angles most commonly used to portray different meanings are the; high angle - looking down on a subject, and the low angle - looking up at the subject.
The low angle shot, looking up, suggests strength, power and importance, as is demonstrated in the image above. Often referred to as the 'hero shot' as it is often used to represent the 'hero', demonstrated in the image bellow.
The high angle shot, looking down at the subject, has the opposite effect to the low angle shot. The shot insinuates that the subject is small or in a position of weakness. A well known example of this is in 'Oliver Twist' when Oliver asks for 'more'.
Another type of shot angle is 'the dutch angle'. This is when the subject is positioned on the horizontal, and is often used to portray 'psychological uneasiness' or to estrange a subject. If this is utilised well it can be very useful, if not it can just look clumsy. he image of 'the Joker' demonstrates how a dutch angle can be used well, as it really reflects the character's disturbed nature.
Another standard camera angle used particularly in documentaries, news broadcast or interviews, is when the camera faces the subject from a 32degree angle (give or take - depending on the head/subject size), this is to give depth to the image, instead of looking 2 dimensional
Camera Movements
There are several different standard camera moves available to directors and camera men. It is not often a movement is done free hand, purely by the camera operator moving with the camera, in film, unless for a desired effect. This is often done for documentaires and the news, when it is unscripted and the camera man may need to move to follow a subject - often seen in news footage of the conflict in Afganistan.
Tracking shots are used to film movement across the horizontal. The lens is kept at a fixed angle but the actual camera and opperator move, usually along a track or attached to a vehicle. This is great for filming car chases, as there is obviously alot of movement involved, or someone running. It makes the audience feel involved with the on screen events. The camera moves with the subject.
Cranes can also be used. This is when the camera is raised on the end of a long crane or pole, that can be controlled from the bottom. Alternatively the camera and operator are rasied using machinery like cranes. This is usually done when the camera needs to get really high.
Crane shots provide a different perspective on a scene, and are visually entertaining for an audience. 
Through the use of a tripod, with appropriate pivots fitted, Pan and Tilt shots can be done. The camera remains in a fixed possition, but the angle changes. Panning is when the angle moves along the horizontal axis, and tiliting is when it is on the vertical axis. They are usually used to show things that are too wide or tall for a static shot such as; panning - used to film wide land scapes, and tilting - used to film tall buildings. They give an audience as sence of space and height, but dont create a real sense of involvement, especailly if used to film movement.
Tilts and Pans often begin at one end of the axis and finish on the subject. An example of a possible beginning of a tilt shot is shown bellow. The camera would then tilt down to reveal either the subject, or the enterance to the building, to establish location, this would then cut to a shot of inside the building. This would tell the audience where exactly the scene was taking place
Lighting
The lighting of a set is very thought out process, and is usually the job of a gaffer. A poorly lit set can result in footage being hard to see, and shadows can appear which will distract from what the director wants you to see.
A basic and commonly used method of set lighting (the one I have used in previous projects and will use for my music video) is one that is known as 'three point lighting'
The key (spot/flood) light is placed first, to provide the main source of the light on the subject's face and body. However, this results in shadows appearing down one side of the subject, due to the body being full of contours and bulges (clothes, nose, eyes etc). We therefore use a 'fill' light.
The fill light is there to eradicate the shadows, and is positioned accordingly, but will usually be at a similar angle from the camera to that of the key light, but on the opposite side.
The idea of the back light is not to light the subject, but to provide light behind the subject, to create a sense of depth and 3 dimensionality.
This kind of lighting set up is comfortable for the audience to watch. Intensities of light can be adjusted accordingly and so to can the colour of the light ( see colours) to create a different mood or atmosphere.
We use lights known as 'Blondes' and 'redheads'. A blonde ranges from 1 kilowatt - 2 kilowatts and a red head from 400 watts - 1 kilowatt. These provide more than enough light and can be used to fill large spaces.
Colours
A lot of thought and consideration goes into what colours to be used on sets, clothing and lighting, as different colours can be used to convey different emotions. Sam Peckingpah's 1969 western ' The Wild Bunch ' uses primarily washed out browns throughout; sets are this colour, buildings, people etc, this was to reflect the 'colourless', melancholy environment in which the film is set. You can usually tell alot about how a director wants a character or scene to be portrayed, by the way they or it are dressed with certain colours.
Examples of what different colours suggest are;
Black is a pronounced, mysterious and intimidating colour as it is ultimately the absence of light. Can be used to suggest a strong personality or on the other hand a troubled one. Black is not very comforting.
White is often used to reflect purity and virtuousness. It can also suggest a cold and isolating environment.
Red suggests an outgoing, physical, active character, and associated with love but is also often seen to be promiscuous, sexual and lustful. Alternatively it can reflect anger. Red is associated with power.
Green is associated with nature and the earth but also money and wealth. As a result it can be used to suggest an empathetic, natural, abundant character, but also used to portray a jealous, envious.
Blue insinuates a cool, clever, chilled, contemplative, loyal character. It can also be used to portray an depressive, withdrawn environment.
Shapes and Lines within a frame
Shapes and lines that appear within a frame from backgrounds, and aspects of the set, or as part of movement or editing, can be used to suggest different meanings and atmospheres.
For example, horizontal lines, such as those created by a shot of the horizon, suggests stability, restfulness, peacefulness, and generally not threatening or challenging.
Vertical lines suggest height, ridgitity and can be quite threatening.
Diagonal lines, as with the 'dutch angle' (see camera angles), suggest movement, unreal, bizzareness. They often feature more in the climax of a film
Straight lines in them selves express strength, formality, sterness and regularity. Where as curved lines, or those forming a circle, reflect flexibility, freedom and naturalness. Jagged lines, with lots of sharp angles suggest unpredictability and danger.
The image bellow uses a combination of lines, such as jagged, horizontal and straight lines, to create a sense of urgency, danger, freedom, strength and unrest.
The Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds devides a frame into 9 squares of equal size. Two parallel, equally spaced horizontal lines devide the frame into thirds, and two parallel, equally spaced vericle lines also devide the frame into thirds, resulting in the 9 squares.
The 4 points at which the lines intersect are known as 'hot spots', and these are the four main area that the eye focuses, so film-makers try to possition important features within the frame, at one of these four focal (hot spot) points. This is because our eyes find it more pleasing to have the primary feature or character on one of the lines or hot spots, opposed to positioning them in the centre of the frame.
However, each of the focal points can portray a different meaning. this is a result of the eye naturally reading a frame from left to right. The audience naturally feels comfortable with the feature/individual position in the top left focal point, however if the feature/individual is positioned in the bottom right focal point, the audience will be more affronted.
When protagonist (eg. good Spider-man) and antagonist (eg. bad spider-man)are featured with in the same frame, the protagonist will usually be positioned on the left hand side, and antagonist on the right. The promotional film images below reflect this, as even when the characters are switched around in the frame, the audience still feels more comfortable with the figure on the left.
