Kabali: Exploring the Dramatic Structure



Disclaimer: This work is based on my understanding and my viewpoints. It does not stand in no way as an official document or proof. The definitions are translated according to my understanding. All mistakes are mine.

Section 2 - Visual Story Telling

Keywords: shot, scene, frame, camera angle, camera movement, focalisation

Section 2.1 - Frames & Shots (part 1/2)

The Moving Picture

A film is a multimedia narrative form based on a physical record of sounds and moving pictures. The smallest unit on a film's visual plane is a frame or cell showing a single picture. Projection of Twenty-Four frames per second on a screen makes the human eye into seeing a moving image. A shot is a sequence of frames filmed in a continuous and uninterrupted take of a camera. A sequence of shots makes up a scene, which is the continuous action segments taking place at the same time and in the same place. A sequence of acts make up a film.

The conventional system of shot types is based on two distinguishing features: One, the camera's distance from the object; Two, the size of the object. There are three different techniques involved with shots. The primary is the shot which is a picture captured by the cinematographer with a camera. Followed by Camera Angle, the science behind the capture of the shot which makes the picture interesting (Ref. Section 2.9 - Camera). Finally, the camera movement indicating the way the subject is captured inside a picture that shall deliver the respective communication (Ref. Section 2.9 - Camera).

Shots are composed with the camera's focal length :

1/ Extreme Close-Up / Detail Shot (XCU / DS): A small object is magnified or enlarged under the camera. Often plot-relevant objects are detailed in such shot shows.



2/ Close-up / Close Shot (CU / CS): Full view of a human face/subject. Also, a wider shot showing the upper third of a subject's body.



3/ Medium Shot (MS): Capturing the upper half of a subject's body.



4/ Full shot (FS): A full view of a person, head to toe.



5/ Long Shot (LS): A view from a distance, of a large object or a collection of objects Semi-long shot indicates a slightly closer view.



6/ Extreme Long Shot (XLS): A view from a considerable distance capturing the subject along with the vast bacgkground where the objects/characters are mere dots.