From the course: Creating a Short Film: 07 Cinematography
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Utilizing thirds
From the course: Creating a Short Film: 07 Cinematography
Utilizing thirds
- So then, how do you frame your shots? This is really a field of study unto itself, but one of the more fundamental guidelines is to use the rule of thirds. This consists of dividing the frame horizontally into equal thirds and doing the same thing vertically as well. These lines and the points where they intersect, become the most potent places to put the key elements in the frame. In the opening shot of The Assurance for example, we have Korda'a sitting in the right third of the frame. The idea here is that one third of a frame with a person in it has the same visual weight as two thirds of a frame without a person in it. This is actually a balanced composition. It feels more comfortable and pleasing to the eye, than say, moving her over like this. This isn't purely a filmmaking concept. This is just good design. We see this principle used here by Tarantino. Here by Spielberg. Here by Scorsese. But also here by Van Gogh. And here by Rembrandt. I used this all the time when framing…
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