Cinematography can mean a lot of things, but its ultimately about capturing your desired images. Communicating the various techniques used to capture these images is what separates a working professional and a student.
We’ll provide a list of professional cinematography terms and techniques used in the entertainment industry to help you move forward with your creative vision.
Let’s jump in!
1. OPENING SHOTS
GETTING STARTED AS A DP: WHAT IS CINEMATOGRAPHY?
Cinematography definition
Technically, cinematography is the art and the science of recording light either electronically onto an image sensor or chemically onto film stock.
Functionally, cinematography is understood to encapsulate everything having to do with the camera — its movement, the images, the light it receives, etc.
What does a cinematographer do?
A cinematographer or director of photography (shortened to DP or DoP) is the crew chief that presides over the camera and light crews on a film or video production. They usually get involved throughout the entire production lifecycle and liaise closely with the director to create the images you see onscreen.
So what exactly does a cinematographer do?
- Dissect the screenplay
- Research film techniques and cinematic techniques that relate to the subject matter and elicit the intended emotional responses from an audience.
- Creates shot lists, floor plans, and lighting diagrams
- Manages the camera and light crews
- Make decisions about cinematic elements such as lenses, filters, lights, and other camera/lighting requirements.
- Responsible for making decisions about aspect ratio, digital effects, image contrast, and frame rates.
- Make decisions about camera movements and film lighting techniques to prompt a specific emotional responses from an audience.
- Often liaises with the director and colorist during the color-grading phase on a project
That’s the job of the cinematographer in a nutshell. As we move forward through these 30 best cinematography techniques and tips, let’s keep in mind what the real aim of the job always is: telling a story visually.
NEXT: PROFESSIONAL ADVICE →