Ryan Coogler’s 2015 sports drama ‘Creed’ follows on from where the iconic Rocky films left off, and carries over the same comeback driven plot of its predecessors. More importantly in the context of ‘the scene in cinema’, it experiments with some of the most impressive and mind-boggling camera coverage i have ever seen in motion picture, and hence why it is one of my favourite films of all time. It should first be noted that although there are most certainly longer single takes in films, I have never seen one in so much constant action and movement both in and outside the frame, and for that reason, it’s a triumph of camera coverage (link below). 13 shots were taken, with the 11th take being chosen in the film, spanning approximately 00:04:33 of running time.

The scene starts with the camera facing the referee as he converges towards the middle of the ring, gesturing both boxers into shot as they emerge from the left and right in unison for the briefing. The steady cam (operated by Ben Semanoff) follows Johnson and Balboa back to their corner where Balboa gives his final advice ‘it’s all about today’. At this point the camera pans up to Johnson, emitting Balboa and the rest of Johnson’s crew from the shot and isolating him in darkness. Cinematographer Maryse Alberti identifies loneliness as one of the key motives behind this long take camera coverage, stating ‘once you’re in the ring, you don’t have teammates. You are alone. There’s no one to lean on.’ In this sense the long take emphasises such as it conveys the brutal realism of a true boxing match, feeling real, raw, and exciting. As the camera dances around the ring much so like the two fighters, the viewer feels they are in the ring with them, giving us the same sense of isolation and adrenaline. During the first round, Johnson takes multiple hard hits to the upper part of the left eye (most notably at timecode 00:01:46), which causes him to start bleeding from below his eye lash. Until timecode 00:02:02, visual effects are used to demonstrate that the cut has opened up. At this point, the two fighters come together and the ref tells them to break. Sporino pushes Johnson out of shot to the left and the camera remains on Sporino for multiple seconds as he composes himself. This is a clever and deliberate use of camera coverage as it allowed make-up artists to apply fake blood above Johnson’s eye, which is swabbed off by the trainer after round 1. The single shot adds emotional power to the boxing match where editing would struggle do its brutality and realism justice. Given that the ring is quite well lit, this shot was most likely taken using a high aperture (f2 potentially) evident through the shallow depth of field and the speed at which the camera can focus given the fast paced movement into and out of the frame. This makes it particularly ideal for action cinematography such as this. Considering the clear distinction between the light in the ring and that of the crowd, it is also fair to assume  an ND filter has been applied to maintain exposure. The focus is set to whatever is closest in the foreground, and considering the pacing of the tracking movement, I doubt there would have been an independent focus puller present, hence the high aperture. This depth of field serves to compliment the cinematographers creative vision in this scene of isolation within the ring that defines the brutality of boxing. Most noticeably, there is a clear disobedience for the 180 degree rule, which in this case works to great effect. This is because its one single take and occurs within a symmetrical square space with clear visual boundaries (ring rope) that guide our sense of depth and position within the space.

Creed (Johnson vs Sporino Fight) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onY5Daq6jD0

This weeks classes encouraged us to begin understanding how a director asserts his creative vision on a shot through the physical manipulation of camera elements. In particular, how focus and depth of field can be altered simply through the interchanging of lenses, the adjustment of lighting via both the mechanical (aperture/exposure), and electrical (gain) features of a motion picture camera. I found this theory aspect, whilst I thoroughly enjoy the practical side of things, particularly interesting and valuable. As I began to understand deeper ways of using camera I had never considered. Moreover, we engaged in conversation over the arrangement of setting and how this can compliment the camera coverage of a particular scene. In doing so we analysed scenes in which the camera both complies with and breaks the 180 degree rule to understand the different effect they may have. This was one of the first works of film I had seen in which the line between the subjects had been crossed, and I immediately picked up on it as being slightly awkward and confronting initially as I lost my sense of space within the bar setting. As the scene carried out it became more apparent where the camera was positioned in the shot, as numerous shots we repeated, contributing to my understanding of space. Despite my initial reservations in breaking the 180 degree rule, it became apparent that it allows the viewer to construct a three dimensional plan of the space the camera occupies, assuming we are given sufficient time to interpret it. This is where I feel crossing the line can compromise a films integrity, as if the director chooses to do this and the average shot length (ASL) is too rapid, it results in a disconnection that draws the audience out and looks messy. Then again, this might be the directors intended effect. In this instance, the weeks classes taught me a great deal about how simple camera adjustments, whether that technical or to do with placement, can convey meaning.

Scene in Cinema | Analytical Writing – There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson)

Scene in Cinema | Week 1 Reflection

Paul Thomas Andersons 2008 drama ‘There Will Be Blood’ starring Daniel Day-Lewis is perhaps the most intriguing film I watched last year, due to it’s unparalleled depth and cinematography signature of P.T Anderson’s style. The way in which Anderson uses camera coverage to give a heightened sense of realism and dynamics to a highly resinating scene in the film demonstrates how coverage can make a shot flow. Simply put, it allows the shot to shot rhythm to be seamless and not draw the audience out of the film world. This is how I understand coverage to be different to camera as a production element. The scene in question is the oil rig explosion scene (linked below), specifically between timecode 00:02:10 and 00:04:42. At 00:2:10, the camera is positioned to keep subjects Daniel Plain-view and H.W (Daniel’s son) framed centrally from a long shot. The camera pans to maintain this framing as they run across the right of screen. This camera positioning is deliberate as the actors, over a period of 14 seconds, eventually meet the cameras starting position, which has been stationary. When they meet in front of the camera, it tracks back on a stabiliser to keep them in the middle of frame. For a further 20 seconds, the camera runs long side them as Daniel rushes H.W back to safety. By choosing a long tracking shot (Signature of P.T Anderson), the moment is more emotive and maintains engagement where a cut would draw us out. At 00:03:55, Daniel leaves H.W and runs back into the field. The camera starts behind the office and follows Daniel as he emerges, this character movement within the frame to the right of screen acts as an emotive for the camera to pan right, resulting in the reveal of the oil well on fire. This is the effect of camera coverage, movement within the frame triggers camera movement that results in the reveal of something else. As the camera continues to track Daniel up the hill, workers race across the frame from both left and right, adding to the manic nature of the scene. More importantly, it gives the audience the sense that there is action happening 360 degrees around the camera due to the dynamic movement within the frame, creating a sense of realism. An example of this is as Daniel approaches the first cable stabilising the well, he turns to the left of screen instructing a worker off camera to bring him something. A driller then runs into the frame from the left, handing him a sledge hammer, before Daniel runs off, taking the camera with him and taking the driller out of frame. Once Daniel breaks the cable, he runs off camera, suggesting he has also broken the connection with the camera as well. This is an example of camera coverage in ‘There Will Be Blood’ and how movement within the frame dictates camera setup and movement.

There Will Be Blood (Oil Rig Explosion Scene): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jheLo-JAnfR78