The Scene In Cinema is not what I expected it to be, and that’s a good thing.
Upon reading the description of The Scene In Cinema, I thought:
“Oh, sick. They’ll teach me how to be a cinematographer.”
My idea of the class before our first lesson was that it would be a matter of learning the formula to effective, evocative cinematography. I was not entirely wrong; The Scene illuminated me to a world of beautiful coverage and thoughtful decoupage (the aesthetic interrelationships between shots), while telling me the opposite of what I perhaps wanted to hear.
There are no ‘correct’ ways to cover a scene, unbreakable rules about shot composition or guidelines about cinematography that make or break a film – there is no formula.
Now, that’s not to say that there are not ways to potentially enhance your work – paying attention to exposure, focus, depth of field and continuity are good examples – however if I have learned anything from The Scene In Cinema, it is that the main thing one must consider when deciding how to cover a scene is motivation. In this, I mean one must consider why they are choosing to frame a shot a certain way, why a shot lingers or is only shown briefly, why they are eschewing a master shot and are instead repositioning the camera on the fly. The Scene encourages experimentation, but asks you to consider exactly why you want to break the rules.
It’s about a thoughtful approach to cinematography; there are no rules or restrictions other than those you set for yourself.
While yes, I have certainly become far better at framing a shot, structuring decoupage and gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of cameras, I have gained something I find far more valuable in my pursuit for a career in film – an awareness. I have found myself analysing films as I watch them without trying to, being able to appreciate or criticise the cinematography dependent on factors outside the realm of technical proficiency. This is undoubtedly due to this awareness of the importance of motivation and elements of decoupage that I would have never thought to consider if the studio had turned out the way I had expected.
I’m glad I was wrong about what I thought The Scene In Cinema would be; rather than pigeonholing me into a mindset that encouraged tunnel vision and had me producing the same work over and over again with slightly improving technical prowess, I was encouraged to think for myself as long as I did just that – think. My time in this studio has been invaluable, and our tutor Robin has been one of the most supportive, passionate teachers that I have ever had the honour of being taught by; it has been evident since day one that he genuinely cares about the education of his students the quality of the content he delivers. I cannot imagine having a better introduction to the studio system than The Scene In Cinema.