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Framing question


Justin Oakley

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I know there are certain fundamentals and rules in filmmaking. And I do understand that they can be broken from time to time…as long as they are understood. 

Look room is one example of a basic “rule” of framing and composition. 

But I’m wondering what this would be called (if there’s even a name for it) and in which circumstances it could be used. I’m watching this documentary on Netflix and I noticed a few of these shots. To be honest, they were a little bit annoying to look at. In each example here, there was nothing of significance in the background. And to my knowledge the story/sequence didn’t really have an air of suspense or claustrophobia or anything. 

I want to say I’ve seen stuff like this in the past but I’m sure the story actually called for it and I didn’t feel compelled to post on cinematography forums like “wtf is this about?!”

I wonder if they made this framing choice like “whatever, we’re on Netflix. Let’s have a good time with it just because we can”.

 

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It's often called "short-siding" -- it's useful in a story where paranoia is a theme, you see this sort of framing in "The Insider" for example as the main character thinks he is being watched or followed. It's useful when the background is ironic in some way, for example in "Manhattan" an outdoor cafe conversion is framed this way to show the happy couples in the background while the main characters are breaking off their relationship. I've also done it when the background is simply more interesting that way, like in a restaurant scene with a two people talking at a table against a wall, short-siding the close-ups keeps the busy, crowded restaurant in the background rather than a wall.

 

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8 hours ago, David Mullen ASC said:

It's often called "short-siding" -- it's useful in a story where paranoia is a theme, you see this sort of framing in "The Insider" for example as the main character thinks he is being watched or followed. It's useful when the background is ironic in some way, for example in "Manhattan" an outdoor cafe conversion is framed this way to show the happy couples in the background while the main characters are breaking off their relationship. I've also done it when the background is simply more interesting that way, like in a restaurant scene with a two people talking at a table against a wall, short-siding the close-ups keeps the busy, crowded restaurant in the background rather than a wall.

 

Ahh, I see. Thanks. 
it totally makes sense. I do know that it serves a purpose. I would imagine it’s more effective for narrative stuff?

along with this particular documentary, I recently saw some of the same short-siding in a documentary series on 9/11. It seemed arbitrary. People are telling these incredibly sad stories about that day, and it looked…kind of weird. 

 


 

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