How to Frame Your Shots - Tutorial

R

rodypolis

3854159_orig.png


Hey guys, I recently started a filmmaking tips blog/vlog on my website. I'm hoping to share a little bit of the knowledge I've acquired over the years. So the first post deals with the Rule of Thirds. Following this guideline can really help you frame better shots.

Check out the tutorial.

Be sure to comment and share it around! Thanks.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
I think it's very very important to say that you by no means have to follow this rule. It works almost all of the time, but sometimes it looks weird too!

The creative part of filmmaking is breaking rules. It's great to know about the rule but don't make your camera work dependant on it!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Phil_UK said:
I think it's very very important to say that you by no means have to follow this rule. It works almost all of the time, but sometimes it looks weird too!

The creative part of filmmaking is breaking rules. It's great to know about the rule but don't make your camera work dependant on it!
Click to expand...

I think it's very very important to say that you have to know the rules to break the rules.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jwarren244 said:
I think it's very very important to say that you have to know the rules to break the rules.
Click to expand...


I don't agree. The rules are only important to those who know them. Most people who spend the time learning the rules tend to want to follow them afterward.

The people who see the finished work for the most part have no clue what the rules are. They are only concerned if they like it or not.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It's not too much of a distinction, but I like the "golden rule" even better than the rule of thirds. It isn't talked about nearly as much (probably because it's harder to remember), but it's the same idea, except the point of interest is at the golden ratio of the frame (.618 in any direction).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cygnus said:
I don't agree. The rules are only important to those who know them. Most people who spend the time learning the rules tend to want to follow them afterward.

The people who see the finished work for the most part have no clue what the rules are. They are only concerned if they like it or not.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with your logic at all. I always don't understand the point you are trying to make. The rule of thirds is fairly essential to any cinematographer/photographer. By no means do you have to follow the rule, what I was saying is that to break the rule successfully you should have a good knowledge of the proper rule before attempting to go dutch on everything. Does John Toll, Roger Deakins, and Jeff Cronenweth always abide by the rule of thirds? No. Do they have expert knowledge of the rule? Absolutely.

Also, don't undermine the intelligence of your audience. If you play down to them your project will tend to flop. Also, the director, producer, sound engineer (even the PAs), know what a proper shot is suppose to look like and that plays a big part in them liking or disliking something.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jwarren244 said:
I don't agree with your logic at all. I always don't understand the point you are trying to make. The rule of thirds is fairly essential to any cinematographer/photographer. By no means do you have to follow the rule, what I was saying is that to break the rule successfully you should have a good knowledge of the proper rule before attempting to go dutch on everything. Does John Toll, Roger Deakins, and Jeff Cronenweth always abide by the rule of thirds? No. Do they have expert knowledge of the rule? Absolutely.

Also, don't undermine the intelligence of your audience. If you play down to them your project will tend to flop. Also, the director, producer, sound engineer (even the PAs), know what a proper shot is suppose to look like and that plays a big part in them liking or disliking something.
Click to expand...

Well said. To successfully break any rule you have to know it, and in this case that would be the difference between "good' and "bad" composition, otherwise why would there be a difference?

Audiences know very well about good composition - they may not know the technical aspects of it but they know when a shot does not feel right. Example - the tension caused by lack of "look room" works great for horror but may not be what you're going for in a comedy.

One last thing when breaking a rule do it for a purpose. Don't go making excuses for bad composition as "breaking the rules". If you do it make sure it is withing the context of the story - that something warrants it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Jwarren244 said:
I don't agree with your logic at all. I always don't understand the point you are trying to make. The rule of thirds is fairly essential to any cinematographer/photographer. By no means do you have to follow the rule, what I was saying is that to break the rule successfully you should have a good knowledge of the proper rule before attempting to go dutch on everything.
Click to expand...


I have earned my living with photography for more than 20 years and in that time have learned about what the rules mean and to whom.

If you stopped 100 random people on the street and showed them a photo or video, the people will pick what they like or don't like.

If you stopped 100 photographers/videographers on the street and showed them the same photo or video, all of the sudden the rules become important.

I have also found that it is the random people and not the photographer/videographer who buy the images.



Kosh said:
Well said. To successfully break any rule you have to know it, and in this case that would be the difference between "good' and "bad" composition, otherwise why would there be a difference?
Click to expand...

Good composition doesn't make a great shot. Great shots begin with great subjects.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Well, the "Rule of Thirds" predates photography by several hundred years. It's a principal borrowed from painting (like color theory). The human eye (brain) is drawn to certain areas and can be directed in certain ways when it processes an image. That's what the ROT is all about. You put the primary feature (object) in a place where the eye tends to fall anyway. You use diagonals in composition because it naturally draws the eyes into the image. This all comes from painting.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cygnus said:
I have earned my living with photography for more than 20 years and in that time have learned about what the rules mean and to whom.

If you stopped 100 random people on the street and showed them a photo or video, the people will pick what they like or don't like.

If you stopped 100 photographers/videographers on the street and showed them the same photo or video, all of the sudden the rules become important.

I have also found that it is the random people and not the photographer/videographer who buy the images.


Good composition doesn't make a great shot. Great shots begin with great subjects.
Click to expand...

I don't tend to concern myself that much with rules when taking pictures aside from whether or not the picture captures what I want it to capture. I guess the rule of thirds is fine for still shots but when you're dealing with things like wildlife photography the subjects don't exactly want to cooperate.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You have to make your own rules ( including which "rules" you keep, which you break and when ) and then you stick with your rules. That way you have a style. Just doing whatever and not giving the viewer a flavor is an error IMO
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top