Cameras and Lighting

Cameras and Lighting

Before I dive into the animation sequence of my Star Wars production, Ill start by having a look at some professional techniques used to create a good looking animation sequence.

Cameras

Camera movement, frame and angle size play a considerable role in how your scene will be portrayed. Effective use of cameras is a good way to add character and feeling to your final cut. 

Camera techniques vary in aspects of camera movement in space, angle of shot and size of frame. 

The range of camera techniques in terms of movement include: 
- Panning Moving left, right freely
- Tilting Pivoting up and down 
- Dollying Moving of camera towards or from an object (not zooming) 
- Tracking Moving left or right but attached on a specific track 
- Cranning Camera free from the ground; attached to a crane or helicopter. Good shots for beginning and end of film. 

The size of frame (size of shot) influences the meaning which an audience will interpret Depends on the distance the camera from the subject and the focal length of the camera lens. In terms of frame size, basic camera techniques are: 

- Close-up - Medium-shot 
- Long shot 
- Point-of-View shot 

In terms of angles the following camera angles are widely used in cinematography: 
- Bird’s eye angle 
- High angle 
- Eye-level angle
- Low angle Each of the above angles is used to give a different feeling to the viewer depending on the scene and scenario. 

Just to give a little more detail about my storyboard, I intend to start off with a Cranning camera effect viewing the X-wing, dollying the camera back and forth to show off certain details of the ship, Following that I will have an eye level angle from the back showing the ships thrusters in action, revealing multiple Interceptors approaching from the distance, Camera then zooms to a close up shot of the impending danger.

I will experiment with different camera angles, sizes etc. whilst the X-wing dog fights with the Dark Side, and try to get the best look. I will blog that as I do it.

Athough I will make use of some close up shots of the Millenium falcon as it appears to help out the X-wing in the fight.

Lighting

The most common technique in lighting is arguably the 3-Point lighting. It consists of three sources (Points) of light which are referred to as: 

- Key light This light is the primary light source of the scene and is the most influential and strongest in terms of intensity. It is placed 0 o and 50 o to the side of the camera & above the camera. 

- Fill Light This is a secondary key that is placed on the opposite side of the subject from the key light. It opens up the shadows of the key light and provides subtle illumination of the subject. It also acts as the indirect illumination. It is placed between 10 o and 60 o to the side of the camera, and up to 15o above the camera.

- Back Light (or Rim light) This light separates the subject from the edge. It is placed between 50 o and 10 o below the camera. Note: As you may have noticed the positioning of the light sources is relative to the camera. Thus, it is the camera that comes first into the scene and then  the lights.

Key Lighting

I intend to model some planets and a sun, so the fill light will always be directed from that angle. I will use the fill and back lights at different intensities during different scenes, its hard to say right now before I do it but I will be sure to blog it along the way.