Best book to learn cinematic movements ?

[Soumendra Jena]

Hi, we are starting to offer Cinematography services for wedding events, which we cover. Clients are bored with those old school videography and need something lively and dynamic.

A short short of 15 minutes but nicely edited and speaking all about the event. A very cinematic version.

I have watched a lot of videos from professional wedding cinematographers and learned a lot.

But may be, you can suggest some books which teaches exactly that movements and how to carefully handle those movements.

I already have the 5D Mark III kit ready and steadicam with arm vest ready to shoot!

[Adrian Tan]

Hey Soumendra, if you just google "camera movements", you'll probably find a few books. Eg, on my shelf I have "Master shots". It claims, for instance, that circling around a character so that their face ends up on the other side of a screen might suggest that their world has just changed on them. Walking backwards while an actor is walking towards you, keeping them at the same distance, might create a feeling of confinement -- the audience can't get away.

So there are books out there that go into the possible psychological effect of different moves. But these are also moves made under quite controlled circumstances. I mean, the DoP would have had time to think about the script; director might have storyboarded everything; you can do multiple takes to get it right, etc.

I don't think wedding films are yet that sophisticated. Under event circumstances, you can be hard pressed to capture the action, and get it in focus, let alone think about psychological implications of different moves. So, most of the moves that people make are simple reveals or just-for-the-hell-of-it slider and steadicam shots.

In fact, there's a crude way of thinking I think many people have, especially photographers coming into video, in which "cinematic" means shallow depth of field, slider, steadicam, crane -- things that look special to clients because they're hard-pressed to create similar effects on their mobile phones.

But that's not to say that wedding films can't be as sophisticated as movies, and think more carefully about meanings of moves. If you yourself can push wedding films into more subtle terrain, I think that's better for everyone.

[Kelly Langerak]

I would start off by offering a 3-5 min video and 8-10 min video. 15 is very long and difficult to edit unless you had a stellar ceremony, toast and maybe 3 shooters. It can be done and I've seen it before but like you said you want something that is edited tightly and keeps the viewer attached and anything over 8-10 might feel like another boring video.

Even if your clients think that's not enough, once you have a good solid sample of those edits they will want to buy them.

A good balance is a 3-5 min highlight video, full ceremony, full toast, full formal dance and performances

then you can add on a "extra footage edit" where if they want to see everything you just edit the getting ready, picture taking, cocktail hour and dancing using the live audio NO music and chapterize it in the DVD.

[Soumendra Jena]

Originally Posted by Adrian Tan

Hey Soumendra, if you just google "camera movements", you'll probably find a few books. Eg, on my shelf I have "Master shots". It claims, for instance, that circling around a character so that their face ends up on the other side of a screen might suggest that their world has just changed on them. Walking backwards while an actor is walking towards you, keeping them at the same distance, might create a feeling of confinement -

Exactly! I just need to know the best ways for doing those two things.

Circling around, coming towards or going away and moving round a constant object or monument or decoration .

How do you guys do it ?

[Soumendra Jena]

I found those 3 books :

Volume 1 , Volume 2, Volume 3

Amazon.in - Buy Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie Volume 1 Book Online at Low Price in India | Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie
Amazon.in - Buy Master Shots Volume 3: Vol. 3: The Director's Vision: 100 Setups, Scenes and Moves for Your Breakthrough Movie Book Online at Low Price in India | Master Shots Volume 3: Vol. 3: The Director's Vision: 100 Setups, Scenes and Mo
Amazon.in - Buy Master Shots: v. 2: 100 Ways to Shoot Great Dialogue Scenes Book Online at Low Price in India | Master Shots: v. 2: 100 Ways to Shoot Great Dialogue Scenes Reviews & Ratings

Do you suggest to buy all 3 books ?