Lighting

Lighting is one of those things that I always knew was a part of film and photography, but I never knew just how much it can do for a shot until I had to think about it for this class. Lighting can make or break a shot. It can set mood and tone or tell the audience where to look, and therefore must be gone about very carefully.

When lighting a people in a scene, side key lighting is interesting to me. The shadows that are cast on the face when this happens give a much different meaning than lighting from the front. Without any words, a character can say so much.

Like shadows, the color of light can do a lot for the mood of a shot also. I really love when lighting is warm with an orange tint to it. For example, the type of light a flame would give off. Whether this is natural or staged light, it still emits an inviting image that I enjoy.

Natural lighting is always beautiful to me because it is just that, natural. It looks realistic because it is and it can make even simple images beautiful because of this reality. Light from sunrises and sunsets are one of my favorite types of natural light.

Silhouettes can also be very beautiful if done right. Like other forms of lighting, they can serve as a great contributor of tone and mood in a shot. The detail of the subject is completely gone, but the focus is now on the subject as a whole, its outline.

Shot by Shot Analysis: Pirates of the Caribbean

The scene that I chose comes from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. This is the first time in the movie that Jack Sparrow appears, so the scene introduces the character for the first time to the audience. One thing that is really notable about this scene is the camera movement within each shot. Many of the shots either move with the action or are still on the action but move with the movement of the ocean, or handheld camera operation. It really sets the mood for the scene as an active, dynamic, determined set of shots.

It opens with a low angle shot from behind as Jack is sailing into port. The shot moves from this angle 

all the way to a still shot of Jack overlooking the water. This is a great shot for showing Jack’s point of view while keeping him in the shot. Here you can already see the rocking movement of the camera, as the horizon is not level. This movement really gives the illusion of being on the water with Jack.

Then in the next shot, we see Jack from the front. A moving shot, it begins as a 3/4th shot

and moves to a close up of Jack’s face. Since this is the first time we see Jack’s face, the movement closer to his face is important.

Next it cuts to another low angel shot, the view from the bottom of whatever Jack is sailing on.

At this point we have only really seen Jack. We know he is on something, but until now, the details whatever he is on are unclear. It cuts to the floor of the boat,

which Jack then jumps onto.

Now we get to see the what Jack is on in its entirety. It gives the little details that we have seen up to now a bigger identity. This shot also illustrates the solitude that Jack is in on the boat. All we see is him and an empty sea.

Then it cuts to a closer frontal shot of the action going on in the boat with Jack in the right third of the frame.

An even closer view of a bucket that Jack is about to use.

Another full shot of the boat.

Now, a closer look as Jack throws water out of the boat. The water is headed straight toward the camera and even splashes onto the camera lens. This makes the scene more like the audience could really be there. 

The focus of the scene now changes drastically from Jack and his entrance to what he is entering into. The audience knows a little more about where the scene is headed. This shot shows a few skeletons hung.

Next we go back to a medium shot of Jack who is now aware of the bodies, just like the audience.

A closer shot of the hanged bodies is next. We get more detail of the scene with the sign that reads “pirates ye be warned.” This tells a lot about what kind of area that Jack is about to enter into. It creates a small sense of anxiety even though a feeling of adventure is still in the air from seeing Jack.

Next, there’s a close up of Jack showing his sympathy to the unfortunate. 

Then, it’s another moving shot from the point of view of Jack on his boat. This is the first time we see the port that he is sailing into. Notice how this shot is very green and full of people. It is a big contrast from what we’ve seen so far, a lonely Jack in a big blue ocean. It starts from far out...

and moves to focus on the old man. The old man is looking at...Jack?

No, it’s a bucket!
Now with this shot, we are confused as to why Jack gave up on throwing the water out of the boat. It keeps interest.


Then we get a panning shot of the crowd watching.

 Once again, the swift movement of the camera adds to the steady, flowing mood that is created with Jack’s sailing boat.

Finally, we see why there was a bucket floating and what the people are looking at. This shot is a moving shot that starts wide on Jack on the top of his boat 

and widens as Jack gets closer to the dock. The widening shot comedically reveals that the boat is sinking.

The next shot is a moving shot once again. it starts as a close up on the step Jack takes on the dock, which shows depth from the diagonal lines of the dock

and widens and pans around to the right as Jack walks down the dock. The movement even now as Jack is off the boat and on “land” still contributes to the determined mood of Jack’s entrance into Port Royale.

Close up of Jack and the dock manager watching the boat. The close up is important because this is the first time Jack speaks, so we are getting to know him more and more. First visually and now, audibly as well.

POV shot of the sinking mess.

Close up of Jack’s interaction again. 

Close up of his offering to the manager in exchange to keep his name secret. The detail of his hand reveals even more about Jack’s appearance, with the rings and hygiene.

Now we see the manager’s reaction to the money.

This shot is quite interesting to me. The book covers the middle of the boy’s face the entire shot. I think that this just emphasizes the expression his eyes make at the  interesting exchange Jack just made.

Now we get a different angle, nearly the angle that the boy we just saw has. 

 After the interaction, the two parties split. A medium shot of the manager and the boy leaving to the left.
And one of Jack leaving to the right,

but not before taking a sack of coins sitting on the desk.

Definitely, a part of his character.