Background Characters

[niebrueg]

Hello all

 

I'm doing a research project for school that involves studying different factors that make background characters more/less distracting from a scene. For example, lighting, contrast, range of motion, size on screen, look direction, etc.

 

Does anyone know if this topic has ever been addressed in a book or does anyone have any suggestions for places to look for previous work on this? I've looked at a few cinematography books but so far nothing, maybe even something along the lines of "rules" usually given to movie extras or something along those lines?

 

Thanks

 

Bill

[Rob Belics]

Right now all I can say it yes but I can't remember where I read it. This is more a discussion for editors and directors.

[DanStewart]

It sounds like that's the right angle, considering the perceptual factors that draw the eye to any part of a composition, ie contrast & affinity in line, space, shape, colour, tone and movement.

 

Perceptual psychology and books on the visual system may help. Also try 'The Visual Story' by Bruce Block which is a great primer for any one working graphically.

[David Beier]

In general, one simply throws the backround out of focus to draw attention away from the background characters. For more interesting examples, look at works in deep focus by Welles or Kurosawa. Roger Ebert's commentary on the Citizen Kane DVD, in particular, discusses a number of ways that the viewer's eye is draw from one character to another without ever losing focus.

[Mitch Gross]

I would also emphasize what you wish people to pay attention to in the frame using light and color. Dressing the background players in drabber colors without patterns and lighting them a bit dimmer from the lead actors will help lead the eye.