The Scene in Cinema | Reflection 12 | Noah Hodgson

I can’t really say that the studio prompt means something different or more to me now. I knew what coverage was and what it meant going in – that much hasn’t changed, as it is after all why I chose this class to begin with. What has changed is my appreciation for the topic of camera coverage and decoupage. I must admit that while I understood what the subject of this studio was, I had expected it to take a far more practical approach. I thought we’d be doing shot lists and storyboards and going over what shots to use and where. Of course I should have known better, given that this is my third studio with Robin now – and that’s not to say the approach we did end up taking was not my preference, but it is worth acknowledging it wasn’t what I expected. What I did come out of this studio with was not some kind of rigid set of filmmaking skills, per se – but rather an increased appreciation for the intricate art form that is scene construction. While I was certainly aware of decoupage in spirit, if not in specificity, before undertaking this studio, the way in which I appreciate it and even notice and think about it quite a lot more in the films I’ve watched this year is really a night and day difference. I think prior to doing this studio I had a real habit to fixate on the lighting and the more flashy elements of cinematography – even the lenses or equipment that was used and that kind of thing. After this studio I almost feel as though I’ve begun to appreciate film more in its totality, in the way they are constructed on a larger and broader scale than I was really thinking about before. To the point that I’d almost consider making an attempt at dipping my toes in actually directing some projects in the future, should the opportunity arise. If nothing else, I think having completed this studio will help me have an increased understanding of how the minute details of the decisions I make as a cinematographer can affect the overall shape of a film and the way in which it must be covered. Things as practical as choosing what focal length, aperture or camera mount to work with can have such a distinct impact on the construction of a film and the scenes therein – and that is certainly something I was far less aware of, or at least thinking about at the start of this studio.