Shot Composition and Lighting Lecture Notes

Vocabulary and concepts regarding video shot framing, composition rules like the Rule of Thirds, and various types of lighting and placement guidelines.

Rule of Thirds

A composition theory based on dividing the screen into thirds vertically and horizontally, and placing the main subject and its eyes or the horizon along those lines or intersections.

Headroom

The space between the top of a subject’s head and a monitor’s upper-screen edge, which should generally be minimized and should increase with longer shots.

Leadroom (Lookroom or Noseroom)

The area in front of a moving object or person where the camera leads the activity, providing more space in front of the subject than behind.

Cut Lines

Natural cut-off lines of the body, including the neck, elbows, waist, knees, and ankles, where framing should be adjusted to be slightly above or below rather than directly on them.

Back Light

Illumination of a subject from behind used to separate the subject from the background, though it can cause severe silhouetting if used incorrectly.

Backlit (Bad Lighting)

A lighting error occurring when a subject is in front of a window, turning them into a nearly invisible silhouette.

Ceiling Shot (Bad Lighting)

A lighting error where ceiling light puts the face in shadow and makes the chin the most prominent feature.

Below Light (Bad Lighting)

A lighting setup that produces an exaggerated, creepy appearance with too much light originating from below the subject.

Head Protrusion (Bad Composition)

A distracting framing error where a background object, such as a lamp, appears to be projecting out of the subject's head.

Good Indoor Lighting

A combination of indoor and natural lighting that ensures the background is not distracting.

Good Natural Lighting

A setup where the subject is seated facing a window for light with the camera positioned at eye-level with the face.

Interviewee Look and Placement

The requirement for an interviewee to occupy about $\frac{2}{3}$ of the shot while looking into dead space at eye-level with the camera.