Bordwell and Thompson - 143-158 - Part Two

Space and Composition in Film

A film shot visually resembles a painting with a flat array of colors and shapes.
Mise-en-scene offers cues to guide viewer attention and emphasizes elements in the frame.

Filmmakers distribute points of interest evenly in the frame, balancing upper and lower sections.
Viewers tend to focus on the upper half where character faces usually appear.
Bilateral symmetry: Extreme balancing of the frame can create a symmetrical composition (Example: Life on a String, Chen Kaige).
Loose balancing: More common; filmmakers might place a figure at the center to minimize distractions.
Shots can encourage eye movement between elements (e.g., in L'Avventura).

Unbalanced shots can create strong emotional effects.
Example in Bicycle Thieves: Father is depicted as vulnerable with most figures on one side.
Example in Il Grido: A hero and a tree trunk on one side create an urge to discover hidden faces.

Filmmakers can create suspense through momentary unbalance in compositions (Example: The Dying Swan).
Doorways often signal new characters' entries, leading to subtle balancing and composition adjustments.

Our eyes register differences; thus, contrast plays a pivotal role in guiding attention.
Light costumes/brightly lit faces stand out against darker backgrounds in black-and-white films.
Bright colors or warmer hues attract attention; they can serve as key visual elements against subdued palettes.

Color contrasts: Even small differences can create visual interest, guiding focus.
Monochromatic color design: Using variations of a single color can attract attention when contrasted elements appear.
Movement increases the viewer's awareness of visual differences (e.g., static photographs vs. moving elements like dust).

Depth cues provide a sense of volume and layers in film—lighting, setting, costumes, and staging contribute to this sense.
Overlap of shapes nested within a background creates layers in visual storytelling (e.g., objects with varying textures and colors).

Movement is a crucial depth cue—attaching depth to space is reinforced by figures appearing smaller as they recede (size diminution).
Depth cues work together to create narrative expectations (e.g., preparing the viewer for upcoming actions).

Shallow-space composition: Little depth between planes, often focusing on two main planes.
Deep-space composition: Significant distances between planes make for visually rich storytelling.

The filmmaker not only decides what to show but when to show it, affecting viewer engagement and narrative perception.
Expectation can be built not only through visual cues but also through movements and previous actions in the narrative.

Static images may focus attention on one element, while compositions with movement prompt viewers to scan across the frame dynamically.
Narrative time: The relationship between foreground and background often enhances suspense and expectation about future actions.

Settings, costumes, lighting, and character performances all contribute to advancing a film’s narrative.
Specific settings create contrasts that heighten thematic narratives (e.g., Our Hospitality highlights contrasts between the McKay and Canfield settings).
The evolution of character's costumes and props aids in audience understanding of their roles and narratives.

Lighting helps differentiate scenes (e.g., juxtaposing night and day enhances narrative development).
Deliberate lighting choices can create suspense in significant action sequences.

Using deep staging allows for simultaneous narrative events to occur, enriching the viewing experience (e.g., Our Hospitality utilizes both comedic and dramatic depths).

Graphic motifs enhance narrative flow (e.g., recurring images of doors signify transitions), while costume choices provide character identity cues.
Comic elements arise from mise-en-scene set-ups and character interactions.
The fish motif in Our Hospitality illustrates how elements can perform multiple narrative roles, showcasing the integration of humor and narrative advancement.