Extras crossing in the foreground

Gohanto

Gohanto

Veteran
Started breaking down a couple film scenes I really liked (inspired from JR's analysis) and one thing that I started really noticing from the stills I grabbed is how often big films utilize extras crossing inbetween the main actors and the camera in certain scenes.

Obviously that's something that's always planned before each take, but also something I notice is incredibly rare in low budget films.

Certainly continuity errors or shooting in public with "unknowing" extras make it more difficult (the latter virtually impossible), but I was just curious if anyone here tries to make busy scenes more interesting or help subtly motivate camera moves by trying this.
 
You can also do this with a dolly shot to follow characters through what looks like a crowd. Used with longer focal lengths and a fixed camera to flatten the depth will help make a character look confused or freightened as the extras move in front and behind them.
 
jpbankesmercer said:
Have extras cross diagonally to add more visual depth.
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Wisdom contained in a single short sentence. In "Cold Calls" we had an audio nightmare because Jack wanted Blanchard Ryan to pace in the room diagonally, and there was a ceiling fan that kept getting in the way of the boom. We experimented with having her pace left/right, and it just ruined the shot; the extra depth from the diagonal movement was too scrumptious. We eventually solved it with some clever lavaliere placement so that Jack could get the shot he wanted and that the film needed.

Depth is one thing that's so overlooked in beginner/guerilla films. Shots always look so flat. Adding depth (through focus control, light control, framing, and character motion) can bring your scenes alive.
 
All of these techniques are in the hollywood camera work dvd set which a lot of people seem to be reluctant to buy. Yet they'll spend thousands on everything else. Go figure.
 
timing is important - you usually don't want those extras crossing just as your actors start speaking

And watch depth of field - the extras should be at least a bit out of focus (compared to the actors the audience should be watching) so they give atmosphere without being distracting. Out of fucus also avoids your audience realising that you're re-using the same few extras over and over again. :) And if you're a crazy guerilla film maker, you may even be able to use genuine passers-by - you can't be sued by someone so out of focus that they can't be recognised
 
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