Psychological Cinematography

Woodson · November 12, 2004

I was wondering if there are articles, books or even you can list films that have this kind of cinematoraphy.

I don't know the correct name for it, but for example in the movie "The Motorcycle Diaries" there is a feel from the cinematography for example when Ernesto and Alberto are riding their bike on dirt road, and its shaking. The shots were done so well, it felt like you were riding on that bike and shaking.

Also I know there is a lot of these things in the movie "The Terminal" If you seen this you will know what I mean.

Well what is this called.. psychology and cinematoraphy mixed together.

I would love to learn more about this.

mark leuchter · November 12, 2004

I'd say anything by Ingmar Bergman would qualify. See The Silence (1963), Persona (1966), and Cries and Whispers (1972). Maybe also John Frankenheimer's Seconds (1966). For earlier work, see Fritz Lang's M (1931) which is genuinely brilliant.

DavidSloan · November 12, 2004

By cinematography are you talking about lighting? It sounds to me like you're talking about the staging of the shot which is more of a director's realm. The Grammar of Film is a good book. Also, Sculpting In Time, by Andre Tarkovsky. For films try The Sacrifice by Andre Tarkovsky, Cries and Whispers by Ingmar Bergman, and Soy Cuba (the name of the director escapes me).

Woodson · November 12, 2004

Yes I'm talking both about lighting and the techniques of the camera.

Thank you for those suggestions.

:)

Greg Gross · November 12, 2004

Quote From Sven nykvist,

RE: "Persona" 1966,

"When we came to Persona, we virtually discarded the medium shot. We

went from wide shots to close-ups and vice versa. Ingmar had seen a

certain resemblance between Liv Ullmann and Bibi Anderson,and the idea

had dawned of making a film about identification between two people who

come close together and start to think the same thoughts. The film gave me

the opportunity to explore my fasination with the face, which has earned me

my nickname,'two faces and a teacup'." Sven nykvist

Greg

DavidSloan · November 12, 2004

Okay. I just kinda hate when people say: "did you see that handheld work, that was amazing cinematography." Cinematography is lighting...camera movement is something else.

Nathan Milford · November 12, 2004

I would beg to differ, Dave.

Camera movement is a part of cinematography as is lighting. Granted lighting is a huge chunk, but movement and camera operation can feed into it.

Sure, a lot of camera movement can be tossed off as a macho D.P.'s ego all over the screen or just plain spectacle, but great operation can be as expressive as great lighting. In my modest experience behind the camera I've found handholding akin to acting in the scene. You're reacting off of the actors as much as they react off of each other. It takes great skill to 'sell' it .

To say cinematography's sole objective is lighting is a bit short sighted. Cinematography is everything that goes into the image, from simply interpreting the director's vision to lighting AND camera movement all the way down to choosing the print stock.

That's tantamount to saying painting is simply about the paint. Nothing to do with the technique, brush textures, whether it is on a canvas or a fresco etc...

But, that is just the humble opinion of one technician. Not the opinion of a professional, experience-hardened Cinematographer.

Edited November 12, 2004 by nmilford

David Mullen ASC · November 12, 2004

Isn't most cinematography and visual storytelling in general more psychological than anything else? What's NOT psychological about cinematography? It's all about engaging the emotion and imagination of the viewer.

Woodson · November 12, 2004

For those of you who haven't seen "The Terminal" see it. I'm not talking for the story but for the cinematography. It's amazing, it feels like you are the camera and the camera is human. I don't know how to explain it, but it's magical. Don't know the right words or technical words to describe it.

Woodson · November 12, 2004

Okay. I just kinda hate when people say: "did you see that handheld work, that was amazing cinematography.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ya I agree what your saying. When I was talking about the shaking in Motorcylce Diaries I wasn't talking about handheld, typical shaking. It's different and amazingly done.

Woodson · November 12, 2004

I would beg to differ, Dave.

Camera movement is a part of cinematography as is lighting. Granted lighting is a huge chunk, but movement and camera operation can feed into it.

Sure, a lot of camera movement can be tossed off as a macho D.P.'s ego all over the screen or just plain spectacle, but great operation can be as expressive as great lighting. In my modest experience behind the camera I've found handholding akin to acting in the scene. You're reacting off of the actors as much as they react off of each other. It takes great skill to 'sell' it .

To say cinematography's sole objective is lighting is a bit short sighted. Cinematography is everything that goes into the image, from simply interpreting the director's vision to lighting AND camera movement all the way down to choosing the print stock.

That's tantamount to saying painting is simply about the paint. Nothing to do with the technique, brush textures, whether it is on a canvas or a fresco etc...

But, that is just the humble opinion of one technician. Not the opinion of a professional, experience-hardened Cinematographer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I totally agree with you.

Sam Wells · November 12, 2004

Since there's lots of great cinematography that's been done with existing light, it might be more accurate to say it's always "light" not neccesarily "lighting".

Perhaps it's vanity but I like to think the available light work I've been doing lately has been informed somehow by what knowledge of lighting I have; more interestingly, I'm wondering how I'll approach lighting in the future because of this. I think it won't be the same.

Here's a Chinese film I saw recently that had I would say a very specific relationship between the psychology so to speak of its principle character and the cinematography: "Suzhou River" A great looking film, too.

-Sam

Woodson · November 18, 2004

Just watched Persona, great and powerful film.

John Sprung · November 19, 2004

There's a whole lot more to cinematography than just lighting. Lighting is a tool you use to make the compositions you want.

-- J.S.

Woodson · November 22, 2004

Any of you know more films like this... damn... I love em so much.

Any recommendations?

Ed Nyankori · November 23, 2004

Woody,

Its sounds like you might be in my same boat or at least sea as that I dont have the money or experience to always get what I want but I do have some vision and like to take chances. I'd like to point you in the direction of the "Shaky cam" devised by Sam Rami for "Evil Dead". Its a 2x4 that has the camera mounted in the center and an operator at each end. Using this technique you can pass over foreground elements and really sell a POV on the cheap...Forgive me great masters of cinematography for budding in but Im suffering from post shoot - Ive got nothing on the horizon but slupping cable blues...

ed nyankori