Ultimate Guide to Film Composition & Framing — Key Elements Explained [Shot List Ep. 11]

In this episode of The Shot List, we break down of the elements of film composition and framing — how they work together to create depth, meaning, and aesthetics in cinematography.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro — Composition: Creative Ways to Build a Shot
00:52 - Composition Definition and History
01:29 - Aspect Ratio in Composition
01:59 - Points
03:28 - Lines
04:20 - Shapes
05:20 - Textures & Patterns
06:57 - Space
08:19 - Depth
09:48 - Balance
11:56 - Angles
12:56 - Color & Tone
15:02 - Combining Composition Elements
15:17 - Skyfall Exercise
17:01 - Takeaways

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Film Composition Explained

With their origins in fine art, the elements of composition in film provide a foundation for visual storytelling. In this video, the latest in our Shot List series, we’re going to explore cinematic composition and its seemingly endless possibilities.

What is Composition?

Composition is simply how you arrange the elements of your image. This includes your subject and the space surrounding them, the size and shapes, the color and contrast, the leading lines created to help guide the viewer’s eye, and so many more. By understanding the elements of composition in film, you can execute your visual storytelling on a whole new level.

Elements of Composition

There are many “rules” and guidelines when it comes to composition. But no matter which of these composition techniques you use, the goal is always to understand what you want the viewer to take away from a particular image. Creating focal points is a highly valuable skill so that you can guide the viewer’s attention where you want it. This can be done with “leading lines,” creating shapes, the rule of thirds, and even using color and contrast.

There are also framing and composition techniques like “frame within a frame” that helps isolate your main subject. Another technique is the Golden Ratio which uses a pattern we find everywhere in nature to create a sense of balance.

We can also look at how to use depth in the image, creating a sense of space using foreground, middle and background elements. And, of course, the angle of the camera creates its own bias and influence on how the audience perceives a composition.

Learning all of these elements of composition in film at once is certainly a daunting task. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to operate on a more intuitive level where film composition becomes second nature.


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♬ SONGS USED:

"Cyberpunk Sunrise" - Evgeny Bardyuzha
"Origin" - David A. Molina
"Cdhiddendir" - Out Of Flux
"Last But Not Least (Instrumental)" - Chelsea McGough
"Mercury" - Alon Ohana
"Time Warp" - Notize
"7th Heaven" - Larry And The Lamplighters
"War Paint" - Rhythm Scott
"Crush" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"Hold On (Instrumental)" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"Binary Love" - Stanley Gurvich
"Piano Trio in E flat, op. 100 (Second movement)" - Franz Schubert
"La Vie En Rose" - Louis Armstrong
"Double Espresso" - Francesco D'Andrea
"From a Distance (Theme From Hit TV)" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"Kinotrope" - Luke Melville
"Opening" - Johnny Klimek & Tom Tykwer
"Choke" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"Keep Moving" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"State Lines Instrumental Version" - Aaron Kellim
"Obituary" - Alexandre Desplat
"Surgery" - Trevor Gureckis
"A Glowing Light, a Promise" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"Rock and Roll (Part 2)" - Gary Glitter
"Yumeji's Theme" - Shigeru Umebayashi
"Stuck Behind a Train (Instrumental)" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"Showtime" - Samlight
"New Digs" - Thomas Newman
"That Night" - 2050

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