Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition
Gustavo Mercado's beautiful book reveals the inner workings of the basic shots that create the cinematic experience. He reveals how visuals communicate to an audience. If you're a novice filmmaker or a seasoned professional, this book will broaden your visual horizons. - Bruce Block, film producer, author of The Visual Story, and visual consultant whose credits include The Holiday, Something's Gotta Give, Stuart Little, and Pretty in Pink
Gustavo Mercado (Mercado is an independent filmmaker with over 10 years of experience producing, writing, editing, directing, and shooting films on film and high-definition video. His films have been featured in national and international film festivals.
acknowledgments xi
introdution xiii
finding the frame 1
principles of composition and technique concepts 6
image system 21
extreme close up 29
close up 35
medium close up 41
medium shot 47
medium long shot 53
long shot 59
extreme long shot 65
over the shoulder shot 71
establshing shot 77
subjective shot 83
two shot 89
group shot 95
canted shot 101
emblematic shot 107
abstract shot 113
macro shot 119
zoom shot 125
pan shot 131
tilt shot 137
dolly shot 143
dolly zoom shot 149
tracking shot 155
Steadicam shot 161
crane shot 167
sequence shot 173
filmography 179
index 183