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J

Jacques_Meov

Carbonite Member
Have a framing question.
I understand that amatuers use way too much headroom. I've done it myself once or twice ;)
However, I have begun to notice a somewhat desturbing trend as of late. I call it decapitation firaming. Whole tops of heads are removed, heck, sometimes the eyebrows are half gone. Have DPs begun to go to the French Guillotine School of Filming, or is the headless look in these days?
I can understand how you do this at time to frame an entire subject, but I began to notice it a bit TOO much in shows like X-Files, NBC News, Point Pleasant, and even Desperate Houswives. (Are they that desperate for head on that show???:)
WHAT AM I MISSING...
 
Re: Newbie Newbie Newwww!

I hardly ever watch tv, but the first time I noticed it was when I went to see The Matrix Reloaded. There was a whole bunch of footage that had the tops of heads cut off, like you say. So I saw it at another theater thinking it could be a projection issue at the first cinema, but it was the same. I dont know, but I dont like it. And I prob just did it a whole bunch today.
 
Re: Newbie Newbie Newwww!

I think it has to do with the rule of thirds, with the target being the eyes.  Hopefully someone more experienced then me will respond.  I personally like it sometimes (although not as severe as you just described).
 
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Don't get me wrong...10-20% "blue sky" above the heads is SOOOO Home Movie/America's Funniest Video, but even on Sideways there were a couple of scenes where the head keep bobbing outside the "safe" and "action" zones. Is this a new technique?
I understand the rule of thirds, but aesthetically can it be broken to prevent decapitation filming?
 
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It's a feel thing. I don't think anybody can justify how much head room there should be. I never think about head room when I shoot. When I frame a subject, if he or she or it looks good in the eye piece I go with it. I don't think somebody can teach you to frame a head. I've had to tell my stedicam guy to tilt down, a lot of times. Go with your instinct, if it looks good, roll.....
 
Re: Newbie Newbie Newwww!

Hair does not act. Necks are sexy! Begginers shoot as if the frame were a gun sight, linning up the cross hairs right on the nose. As you mature as an operator, you start to realise that what's going on below the hair line is a lot more important than above. Keeping this type of framing (tight hairline) is much more difficult too. If the actor suddenly rises you have to be ready to tilt up so you don't clip their eyes. That's why begginers have more head room so they have a larger buffer zone for sudden actor movement.

Below the hair line- skin, facial expressions, body expressions, jewelry, wardrobe, movement.......

Above the hair line- hair and air.

The exceptions to this framing are hats and period hair pieces.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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thartley, you went to the Matrix Reloaded twice? Were you forced against your will?
 
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i think it has to do with intimacy. we only see people that close we're intimate with. this can be abused, as a way to force intimacy with a character as well. and like any stylistic choice, it can become a pose rather than the truth.
 
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