Theory Behind Reverse Lead Room

[Robin R Probyn]

The flip side to this coin are people that live by hard and fast rules without a specific reason other than this is the way they like it. Years ago I worked on a commercial for a DP that insisted on only edge lighting from the key side... no matter what. Didn't matter if it was motivated, unmotivated, or the other. Edge light equals key light side... period. I remember thinking how strange it was that he didn't care to look at any other possibilities. As if there were nothing better in the world of lighting than edge lighting from the key light side.

 

Okay fine.

 

 

.. AFAIK any edge light "by the book" would be opposite of the Key light.. that dp was actually going against the rules .. more the problem of why did he want to edge light ever single shot.. even if from the "wrong side".. :)

Yes this thread does seem to be going in circles.. I dont want myself or Macks to be seen as Ludites .. who only shoot from a 1967 BBC manual.. and are against being innovative or trying new things .. neither of us would have got this far if we shot like that.. my one and only question.. again.. would be.. if there is no apparent reason for a reverse lead shot.. why do it.. ?

2/3 rule etc does have inherent aesthetic appeal, to humans anyway.. and yes to purposely frame in an "awkward" way has the purpose to make the viewer feel this.. wether they know anything about golden section .. or a cramped head room.. and Im all for it.. but only when there is a reason to do it..in serving the purpose of the mood/story of a film.. should the pharaohs have built there pyramids with one wonky side .. just to be different.. should Rembrandt have built a south facing window in his studio to stand out in the crowded 17th century art market.. there is such a word as pretentious.. because sometimes it applies ..

[Satsuki Murashige]

Macks, there is no single reason for framing short-sided. Framing is an art, not an exact science - the meaning is created by both interpretation and context, both from within the frame and from the surrounding shots in the sequence. There are generic conventions of composition in narrative cinematography which we are all familiar with (symmetry, balance, leading lines, rule of thirds, etc.) - however, even these familiar conventions have different meanings depending on the syntax and grammar established by the director for the particular film.

 

When it comes to justifications for short-siding and negative space in general, David has already mentioned some possibilities. But if you look at a director like Wong Kar Wai who uses the technique frequently and I suspect in an instinctive way, short-siding specifically supports the feeling that the actor is trapped in his or her situation, usually unrequited love. These films are about lonely people falling in and out of love in an alienating urban metropolis. Often the person is alone, lost in memory, eating in their apartment, on the telephone in an empty hallway, walking down stairs, smoking on the stoop, looking out of the window - a lonely figure set against their environment. Here are some frames from just two of his films, as an example:

 

Chungking Express (1994)

 

[Satsuki Murashige]

Continued...

 

2046 (2004)

 

 

[Satsuki Murashige]

Negative space may also suggest the absence of a person, as if the emptiness of the frame is waiting for them to fill it.

 

One of the great examples of this is in Scorsese's 'Taxi Driver' where Travis Bickle calls Betsy from a pay phone to find out what went wrong on their date.

 

 

With Travis's back to the audience, the camera dollies off him in an unmotivated move -

 

 

- and frames an empty hallway over Travis struggling to hold onto his dignity as Betsy shoots him down - negative space as metaphor.

[Robin R Probyn]

all those frames have a clear reason to framed that way.. actually most are very balanced.. in a very "normal" 2/3 way.. but what about when there is no reason at all.. no added information .. no mood setting .. no style reason.. ?... thats my beef .. not when its done for a reason .. let alone when its done really well by Chris Doyle.. :)

[Satsuki Murashige]

I really don't understand your point Robin. If something is done without thought or is just done badly, then it's just bad. Regardless of whether you framed it oddly or not. It's not like the film will suddenly become more watchable because you framed a balanced two shot...

[Robin R Probyn]

I really don't understand your point Robin. If something is done without thought or is just done badly, then it's just bad. Regardless of whether you framed it oddly or not. It's not like the film will suddenly become more watchable because you framed a balanced two shot...

 

 

Sorry I guess Im not putting it succinctly.. in a nut shell..specifically to reverse lead.. if .. there is nothing that is added to the story/mood/style.. then why would you do it.. e.g. re the OP.. the negative space is just totally out of focus blob.. it is not a stylistic thread of the film.. or seem to serve any purpose what so ever.. .. totally agree though.. yes a crap film i.e. bad script/acting/directing all which tend to go together.. will not become more watchable if framed "normally" or not.. and to my point .. throwing in a few random reverse leads shots wont save it either..

Thats all.. nothing really deep or philosophical about it... ifs there's no purpose .. in a narrative film.. why do it.. it can be great and fine.. just like jump cutting or huge head room or anything else.. if there is a reason to frame/cut/ have a full orchestra blasting on the sound track.. for it.. then I'm for it.. if no reason what so ever ,except a dir might think its a trendy thing to do.. or jazz up really bad dialogue .. then personally I would class it as pretentious ..

[Satsuki Murashige]

Maybe they tried to go for something and failed? Are we punishing people for trying new things now?

 

I don't know why some people are so afraid of being labeled 'pretentious'. We're all artists, so to someone, somewhere, we are all pretentious ponces who should get real jobs. The thing is, you and I have no control over what other people think of us. So why even worry about it?

 

[Justin Hayward]

At a certain point it's like yelling at someone because they like donuts. I don't like donuts, but I understand that some people do. I really like medium rare cheeseburgers, but my in-laws hate them... along with my taste in pretty much anything film related.

[Max Field]

The thing is, you and I have no control over what other people think of us.

I mean... we kinda do. Show up to a job interview naked and ensure certain results.

[Satsuki Murashige]

I mean... we kinda do. Show up to a job interview naked and ensure certain results.

Now you tell me. I didn't have any clean clothes, ok?

[Satsuki Murashige]

I don't like donuts,

 

[Robin R Probyn]

Of course its only my personal opinion .. weighty though it is.. unfortunately there will always be those pretentious film makers who dont listen to me.. cultural pigmies that blight and besmirch the silver screen...

 

But one thing we must all agree on though.. never wear red trousers in any situation..

 

What did the Romans ever do for us..