what is line of action in film.

[JEFFBANZ]

helow am jeffbanz,am a student of multimedia university majoring in film and animation.

all viewers can reply this question via email. (jeffbanspvp@yahoo.com)

Edited March 14, 2008 by JEFFBANZ

[Hal Smith]

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZJ3a9X5hB...TGlBc&hl=en

 

"Line of Action" in a two-person scene is an imaginary line drawn between the two actors and extending off-screen to the right and the left. You can shoot from anywhere on one side of the line and the actor on the left stays somewhere on the left side of the screen, etc. But if you shoot from the other side of the line you reverse the position of the actors. You can break this rule but only with thought and care - in some way you have to clue the audience that you're going over to the other side of the line. For instance: If you dolly around one actor while keeping both in frame the audience's frame of reference changes but they "saw" you do it.

 

So in general you always have to keep the audience clued into the physical relationships of cast, sets, and scenery on screen. "Crossing the Line" is a sure way of confusing them if they're not prepared for the cross in some way.

 

PS: Forum rules are that your Display Name be first and last name - like mine: Hal Smith The signature at the bottom of your post is free, if you want to use a cute handle, do it there. But in truth the rules over at cml make the most sense. Sign with real name, job/craft description, and location.

 

Like this:

[JEFFBANZ]

helow am jeffbanz,am a student of multimedia university majoring in film and animation.

all viewers can reply this question via email. (jeffbanspvp@yahoo.com)

[Bob Hayes]

The concept of ?The Line? is an artificial convention that helps the audience understand where things are and how they relate to each other. If the good guys are going from the left of the frame it helps for the bad guys chasing them to come from the same area. If one actor is on the right looking to the left it helps if the other actor is looking to the right. It just makes it less confusing and as a film maker you usually don?t want the audience confused.

 

There are many rules regarding ?The Line?. Geography, movement of actors or objects, and how they relate to each other as create rules of relationship. It is really important to understand how this tool works. However, in today?s film making concepts of the line are becoming less important. These rules were made for people who were watching films 85 years ago. In the early days of film making when the audience saw a gun pointing at them they thought they were going to get shot. The audiences today are much hipper to the technology so they don?t need as much help. Or maybe films are made today by people who don?t understand screen direction for and audience that doesn?t care.

[Hal Smith]

................Or maybe films are made today by people who don?t understand screen direction for and audience that doesn?t care.

How do you define the line when everything is shot close up and then edited in a blender? ;)

[Paul Bruening]

Why, back in my day... I learned it as the 180 degree rule. While it does get broken often these days (as are all of the rules I learned in film class when young) it was founded on the idea that the director was supposed to avoid the confusion in orientation that the viewer would encounter if the rule was broken. It was considered an obvious, psychological necessity towards creating an "invisibly directed" movie. Of course, we were also taught to use hand-held camera sparingly and as smoothly as possible. You young little whipper-snappers!