Blow up – Michaelangelo Antonioni

Michelangelo Antonioni’s ‘Blow Up’ (1966) features a scene, which illuminates the importance of elements discussed in the week 9 Film- TV lecture regarding choreography of actors as working in unison with the camera. When directing actors David Hemming and Vanessa Redgrave, specifically in the more extended scene inside the upstairs studio, Antonioni would have had to guide them through an extensive blocking plan that compliments the camera. For instance, when conversing, Redgrave and Hemming remain approximately 6 feet from each other so as to reveal the set around them. This would have been a conscious decision as it is clear that these characters fit within this studio setting. Furthermore, Antonioni would have needed to block the movement so that at no point, another from within the frame blocks one actor.  This choreography is supplemented by Antonioni’s utilisation of mid/long shots that reveal the depth of field within this scene. As the camera technique employs continuous usage of pans, the director would have needed to guide the flow of the actors’ movements, for instance, when Hemming dives to answer the ringing phone. Furthermore, the choreography of the actors’ movements needed to supplement the framing of the characters.

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