Film Directing 112: The Director's Frame

/

LEVEL 100 blogs are for film students and first-time directors taking on the directing role for a short film. The series is designed to help and guide new filmmakers through the director’s prep duties, pre-production activities, and principle photography dynamics.

Good films need intentional frames

Building a frame is like playing 3-dimensional chess, but with more options to consider.

Given the number of variables, looking at this in sections will help to better understand the dynamics of building an effective frame.

  • A frame must have narrative intention.

Ideas for a frame can come to mind when you first read a script. If they do, make a sketch or write a note. Don’t censor yourself. Don’t dismiss an idea. And don’t take the chance that a good one will slip by or be forgotten.

Details in a shot can come from story points, character points, or imaginary back story that you have invented.

Why are you thinking of this frame? Why is it important?  How does it comment on the situation? How does it advance the narrative?

Ideas for frames grow and multiply through your director’s prep. The writer John Steinbeck said it best — 'Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.'

  • A frame connects with the previous and following frames – except for the first and last shots in a film.

Cutting and continuity are key factors in the 5 C’s of cinematography. *Note – if you haven’t read the book, the other directors competing with you probably have.

If the frame is the opening of your film, can you create an iconic image that speaks to a universal audience? Can your opening image set the tone for your story or main character?

How does your last frame differ from your opening frame? What has changed? How has the conflict been resolved? What do you want the audience to take away from your film? 

  • A frame must hold and direct the audience’s attention.

An engaged audience reacts to the director’s choices in every frame. Focus, light, movement, composition, and shot content are factors for every director to consider when constructing a frame.

What is important to the story? Where should the audience look? What’s in the frame? What’s out of frame?  

***

Here are two checklists to help build and organize static and moving camera shots. They are by no means exhaustive. They are not listed in order of importance, nor in order of how they should be completed. They are lists to help every beginning director think about the power of an image and the potential of visual storytelling.

If the camera is static, directors need to choose:

  • camera position/camera angle,

  • lens,

  • shot size,

  • composition,

  • character/object placement,

  • character/object movement,

  • lens focus,

  • audience focus/attention,

  • light source(s),

  • shot content, and

  • ideas for creating depth.

If the camera moves, directors need to know all of the above – as well as:

  • opening frame,

  • closing frame,

  • direction of the camera move,

  • dynamics of the camera move,

  • when the move starts and stops,

  • speed of the move, and

  • all frames where the camera or character(s) stop.

The director in prep creates ideas to be developed into film frames.

When building your visual plan, any of the tools discussed previously – doodles, thumbnails, schematics, and shotlists – can be the impetus for a great frame.

Frames are pre-planned on paper, sometimes alone or with a storyboard artist, but they come to fruition through time and collaboration with the cast and crew.

The creative choices of the location/set, props, wardrobe, etc. contribute to building the frame — in prep and in principle photography.  

The key outcome of a strong director’s prep is to make sure that everything that is necessary to call ‘action’ is on set and ready when it’s needed.

On set, everyone will be looking to you to manage the frame.

Be ready with lots of answers.