zoom

Keith Mottram · September 9, 2004

I've always been a bit anal about mixing film grammer and I tend to think of zooming alongside hand held/ sticks docu style filming. The zoom for me tells the audiance that the camera is a character which is fine if that is the effect your looking for. Therefor I wouldn't think of, for example, using zooms in a film where everything is filmed in a more composed way (i.e. never use a zoom- instead use a track) the exception to this rule is the perfectly composed zooms in Barry Lyndon which still fit with the beautifully composed style. Now though I'm not so sure, I love the use of zooms in Rushmore (which I watched last night) and I'm eagerly awaiting Wes Andersons latest. He seems to throw the grammer book out of the window- due to his fondness for the films of the seventies. I also watched The Graduate recently and again the use of zooms were integral (a big influence on Mr Anderson I think). Anyway just wondering where zooming fits with other peoples idea of film grammer.

Keith

Michael Nash · September 10, 2004

I think your use of the term "grammar" is appropriate here, since I tend to think of all the visual elements a cinematographer can use as the film "vocabulary," and the way you put them all together to communicate an idea as a visual "language."

And like any language, the meaning of any single word or phrase is dependent on its context and the way it's used. In other words, a zoom shot doesn't always mean the same thing, instead it's the equivalent of a visual word or phrase that can be used in new ways. So I don't agree that a zoom always suggest the camera as a character. It can also be used to suggest the pov of a literal character in the film, just as easily.

And like all language, there is a precedent for the meaning of a phrase -- in film we call it "conventions," or commonly used and commonly understood devices. A zoom can suggest the pov of character beacuse we've seen it used that way before. But at the same time, you can go about redefining your own language with your visuals. You can "make" the zoom mean something else as long as you give the audience enough information for them to follow your intention.

To me, that's the beauty of art, and film in particular. It's an unspoken language that continually evolves and redefines itself with each new piece. As filmmakers a lot of the fun is exploring that process of re-writing the language and saying new things, while ALSO finding a new way to say it.

Greg Gross · September 11, 2004

After seeing the film "Open Water" I do not feel comforatable anymore

deciding or trying to interpet how the audience will think or feel. I do think

though that great feature films-Chinatown,Raging Bull,Vertigo,Mystic River,

Seven(shot 35mm)and well planned for in all phases may still move the

audience to make comments about technical aspects of the film. When I

asked people(I asked a lot of people from all walks of life) what they thought

about "Open Water", the most common answer was "not as scary as I thought

it would be". Not one answer related to the look of the film! Its funny that when

I ask people about "Vertigo" they love it and then want to talk their heads off

about Mr. Hitchcock(I do too,love him,god bless him). I think before I make my

next dv film, I'll practice balancing a figurine of a black bird on my nose. Then

we'll make it the logo for Film 7 Productions. I think rules need to be broken

and you can damn well zoom if you want . However it may or may not be per-

ceived as you wish,the audience may say "not as scary as I thought it would be" .

I think people just want to be entertained these days, are'nt they lucky we want

to entertain them? Why is it that every time I see "Chinatown" I'm full of emot-

ions(its always the same,timeless,the whites knock me right out of my desk

chair!) I feel like John Alonzo is standing behind the camera,I can feel him there

(god bless him,he's one of my favorite cinematographers). Have you seen the

Panavision Camera(new,Genesis)? Well fellows,maybe its "just Chinatown".

Bob Hayes · September 11, 2004

I started shooting during a period when we all hated zooms. They reeked of bad television. We always tried to dolly. Now I am starting to get into zooms again. A slow zoom during a long dialog scene can add intensity with out drawing attention to it?s self. Sometimes it can bring you into the mind of the character better then a dolly in.

Laurent Andrieux · September 21, 2004

I think that when you combine it with a tracking shot, it works great, or even only with a pan. When done "in the axis", it feels like an artficial technological thing that interfers with the drama, I think.

DavidSloan · September 21, 2004

And like any language, the meaning of any single word or phrase is dependent on its context and the way it's used. In other words, a zoom shot doesn't always mean the same thing, instead it's the equivalent of a visual word or phrase that can be used in new ways.

That is on the money! Are you into film theory, Michael?

I've always loved the way Andre Tarkovsky does his super slow zooms. You don't even realize they're zooming until half way through the shot, and you say to yourself..."this guy is suddely closer...when did that happen?" lol

Check out Stalker and Mirror for some poetic use of the zoom.