A Master in the Making

Summary

This week’s module helped me better understand how visual composition and camera techniques work together to tell a story. I learned how important it is to plan out shots ahead of time and think intentionally about framing, focus, and movement. These elements all affect how the audience feels and what they pay attention to in a scene. I also gained a stronger sense of how camera work can shape emotion and pacing, whether it is through simple still shots or more complex camera movements.

The articles about pre-production and storyboarding showed me how much creative work happens before filming even starts. The checklist emphasized how planning leads to smoother projects, and the storyboard guide helped me see the value of visualizing each shot in advance.

Additionally, looking at examples from movies and shows also made me notice how often these techniques guide the viewer’s eye or set the mood. Overall, this week showed me how much preparation goes into visuals that seem effortless.

Reading & Writing

The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video (Chapters 1-2, 5-6)

Chapter One- “Basics”

In The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video by Tom Schroeppel, Chapter One, titled “Basics,” explains the core ideas behind how cameras work and how to use them to create strong visuals. He begins by explaining this process in detail, comparing it to how the human eye sees.

Personally, I find the concept a little hard to understand, but to be fair, I am not the best at visualizing how things like this work (which is exactly why I stay away from anything in the science realm). In simple terms, using wording similar to Schroeppel’s, the camera lens gathers light reflected from objects and directs it onto a surface to create visual patterns. These patterns are then turned into an image, which is basically how a camera captures what we see.

For most neurotypical people, thinking of it this way makes it easier to see that a camera works kind of like the human eye, taking in light and forming a picture of whatever is in front of it. My brain still does not fully grasp all of this, but I think that’s fine because the camera handles it without any trouble. The same idea applies to video, except instead of one image, it captures many frames and projects them so quickly that our eyes see them as continuous movement.

The chapter then focuses on the most important settings to understand when working with a camera. For example, exposure controls the amount of light that comes through the lens, which affects how bright or dark the image appears. Color temperature determines the overall tone of the image, making it feel warmer or cooler depending on the lighting.

Schroeppel also explains how different lenses can change what and how much of a scene is captured, while focus ensures the subject is sharp and clear. Depth of field controls how much of the image appears in focus at once, allowing filmmakers to highlight a subject while softly blurring the background. Together, these settings give the filmmaker control over how the scene looks and how viewers experience it.

Chapter Two- “Composition”

In The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video by Tom Schroeppel, Chapter Two, titled “Composition,” focuses on how to arrange visual elements within the frame to create engaging and balanced images. The chapter covers concepts such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing, showing how these techniques guide the viewer’s attention and make visuals more engaging.

Schroeppel emphasizes that composition is not just about technical skill. He goes deeper into how the placement of objects, the use of negative space, and the direction of lines can guide the viewer’s eye and create meaning in a shot. The chapter also explores balancing elements within the frame, using symmetry or asymmetry for effect, and choosing perspectives that enhance storytelling. These choices help the filmmaker control what the audience notices first, how they feel about the scene, and how the story unfolds visually.

Chapter Five- “Camera Moves”

In The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video by Tom Schroeppel, Chapter Five, titled “Camera Movements,” focuses on how moving the camera can change the way a scene feels and how the audience experiences it. The chapter explains the different types of movements, such as pans, tilts, zooms, and tracking shots, and what each one can communicate visually.

Schroeppel emphasizes that camera movements are not just technical choices, but storytelling tools. For example, a slow pan can create suspense, while a quick tracking shot can make a scene feel energetic or chaotic. Understanding when and how to use these movements gives filmmakers greater control over the mood, pacing, and perspective of their scenes. Even though this chapter was short, it still offered a lot of important information that can have a big impact on the overall quality of a film.

Chapter Six- “Montages”

In The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video by Tom Schroeppel, Chapter Six, titled “Montages,” explains what a video montage is and explores the key elements that go into creating one. Schroeppel describes how a montage is a sequence of shots edited together to convey a larger idea, emotion, or passage of time. He also covers how to choose shots that work together visually and thematically, ensuring that each piece contributes to the overall story.

The chapter also discusses pacing and timing, showing how the speed of the edits and the transitions between shots can guide the viewer’s attention and shape their interpretation of the scene. Schroeppel emphasizes that montages are not just random collections of images, but carefully constructed sequences that communicate meaning and mood in ways a single shot often cannot. Understanding these elements gives filmmakers a powerful tool to tell stories more effectively and creatively.

Video Production Planning Checklist: 15 Keys to Success

The article “Video Production Planning Checklist: 15 Keys to Success” by Jacob Trussell explains how proper planning is essential for creating successful video content. Trussell emphasizes that a production checklist helps teams stay organized, control budgets, and focus on meaningful creative goals. Skipping or underestimating planning can lead to delays, higher costs, or weaker storytelling, so having a clear process from the start is crucial.

Trussell then outlines key stages in video production, from defining goals and understanding the target audience to storyboarding, scripting, scouting locations, and selecting equipment and talent. He also covers scheduling, shooting, editing, and distribution, showing how each step contributes to a polished final product. Overall, the article presents planning as a way to ensure videos are both high quality and effective in reaching their intended audience.

This will be helpful for me to follow as I continue making projects for class. It is easy to accidentally skip essential steps, so I hope this checklist will help me stay more organized and on track.

Learn What is a Storyboard and How to Use it to Make Better Videos

The article “Learn What is a Storyboard and How to Use it to Make Better Videos” by Amanda Athuraliya explains what a storyboard is and why it is an essential tool for planning video projects. A storyboard is like a visual roadmap that shows key scenes, characters or props, dialogue, and suggested camera movements. Athuraliya emphasizes that creating a storyboard helps filmmakers visualize the sequence of shots, identify potential issues early, and plan their story more effectively before shooting begins.

The article walks through the process of making a storyboard, including clarifying the video’s purpose and audience, sketching each shot with details about characters, props, settings, and timing, and adding notes for dialogue or camera angles. Athuraliya also highlights the benefits of storyboarding, such as improved communication among the team, fewer mistakes during production, and more efficient use of time and resources. She warns against common mistakes, like creating vague frames, overcomplicating shots, or ignoring pacing and audience perspective.

Reading this made me realize how much easier my projects could be if I planned visually first. I think using a storyboard will help me stay organized and make sure each shot contributes to the story I want to tell. My only concern is whether I will stick to it while actually producing the video, since I can see myself going off track or changing the content from what I originally planned.

Research to Inform

I tried to think about some of my favorite movies and shows and looked through them to point out specific examples of visual composition. After watching a bunch of scenes, I found a few clips that do a really good job of demonstrating principles like lead room, depth, and framing, and I wanted to highlight how these techniques work in real moments.

1. Bring It On (2000) – Opening Cheer Scene
   • I have to admit, this is probably my favorite movie ever, so I wanted to include this one. I chose the opening cheer montage from Bring It On, starting around 0:45 when the team runs into the gym and the camera pans across them, because it perfectly demonstrates the composition guidelines of lead room and movement through the frame. In this scene, the camera gives the cheerleaders space in front of them as they move, directing their motion into open space rather than toward the edge of the frame. This makes the movement feel clean, intentional, and dynamic, while helping viewers anticipate the action. I also chose this clip because it is a montage and a great example of an opening moment, which is especially relevant to this week’s module focused on montage creation. The high-energy composition supports the rhythm and excitement of the cheer team, showing how proper framing can enhance both motion and storytelling.
2. Frozen (2013) – Anna at Elsa’s Snow Palace Scene 
   • I chose this clip because it shows strong use of depth and framing. In the scene, Elsa is shown in her ice palace, and the shot uses foreground, midground, and background elements. The icy architecture in front, Elsa in the middle, and the space behind her all work together to give a sense of scale and emotional context. The symmetry of the palace walls frames her centrally, yet there is still negative space around her that highlights her isolation. This scene is a great example of how visual composition can enhance storytelling. The placement of elements and the use of space guide the viewer’s eye, emphasize the character’s emotions, and make the scene more visually engaging, demonstrating how thoughtful composition can add depth and meaning to a moment on screen.
3. “YOU’RE EATING MY FACE!” Kelly and Abby’s LAST FIGHT! (Season 4 Flashback)- Dance Moms
   • Sorry, I just had to include a petty Dance Moms fight in here; it just had to happen. I chose this clip because it demonstrates a composition guideline around framing and subject isolation. The hallway walls compress the space, keeping the figures close together and forcing the viewer to focus on their faces and gestures. The camera often stays in medium close-ups, isolating the two subjects from the background and emphasizing the emotional exchange. The scene’s tension is intensified by how the camera keeps the subjects central yet tightly surrounded, making it feel claustrophobic and emotionally charged.

Create

Scavenger Hunt: Learning Visual Composition

This assignment was so much fun and gave me a chance to explore with a purpose. I think I picked the perfect spot since there were so many interesting statues and other subjects to work with for my photos. I’m really looking forward to going back to the farm this week to create the montage.

Here is my Montage Pre-Production Planning Document:

Now that I have completed all the steps in the pre-production process, I feel much better prepared heading into production week. I was a little nervous to start envisioning different shots in my head and trying to list it all out beforehand, but it ended up being really helpful. I feel super organized and confident in what I need to capture when I head back to the location this week to film.

Creating the storyboards also helped me see how everything will come together visually, especially with the unique details at Beaumont Farms like the statues, greenhouses, and the cozy barn shop. Overall, the planning process made me more confident in my creative direction, and I’m ready to start filming. Make sure to check out my blog next week for the completed project!