The Beauty of Movement
Every film director has a signature style that evolves from their inner spirit, unique creativity, preferred aesthetic, storytelling methodology, and life experiences. As a filmmaker, I love the color, lighting, composition, music, pacing, writing, innovative techniques, personal “painting” of a story, and movement-actually all of the elements that create the art of film. Each are blogworthy as they relate to one’s signature style.
However, why do I find movement so intriguing? Camera movements can change the audience’s perspective without cutting. Camera movements may also be calculated and strategically determined to enhance the psychological, emotional, or storytelling aspects in a film. The movements immerse the viewer into the screen and include a presence of being there, overlooking, or being at a distance. With the continually evolving technology, smaller size, and portability of camera equipment, innovative and creative movement has become easier and more imaginative than ever. In the field, underwater cameras mounted by scientists on the backs of a migrating turtles, as one simple example which I was involved in during a film production, expose a world and perspective to the viewers like no other. Cameras attached to a helmet, or on the hood of a race car propel the spectator into the first-hand action as another use.
Movement is emotional, sensual, and transportive. Either through the actual or artfully designed movements, the story of a film is expanded and layer intensive. That includes the movement in the directed action, the capture of nature’s spontaneous happenings, or the scripted and intentional.
Movement takes the audience on the journey inside the film. With visualized and captured movements, the audience “feels” the wind. They “hear” the stillness or subtle rustle even if without audio. They join in the “visual mechanics” of the subject, the actors, and the editing, literally, moving the story forward. They read the body language of motion for the signs and reactions of emotions. Movement is the key that turns a still into life.
Take a look at the old silent movies or watch a mime and you will appreciate the art of movement and its role in storytelling. It would be understandable, otherwise, to take it for granted, have it go unnoticed, or conclude it’s something that just happens during the filmmaking process. But for the seasoned cinematographer, there’s mastery in movement.
As a dancer and athlete, one is also very aware of movement that is translatable to film. The expression of the art and sport is translated through the language and performance of movement. Likewise in film, that movement is intentionally created with camera movements and shots and/or seized upon in the opportunity of an unanticipated or anticipated-but-patient-wait for those fortuitous moments of motion.
The ability to capture the movements, nevertheless, further comes with a responsibility, as well as ethical and aesthetic considerations. Manipulated or an unschooled lack of knowledge of the movements of a horse at a reigning competition can be made to look like tortured cruelty or the gait of a AKC champion look abnormal if the cameras do not reflect the art of the presentation. Research, expertise, and experience related to the particular movements-beyond storytelling aspects and basic video documentation-of whatever is being filmed is imperative…for while you’re filming one part of the horse and rider or the dog and the handler, you’re missing the beauty, the industry standard, and the complex mystique of the critical and knowledgeable eye—or diminishing, mocking, or negating the true story. and in some cases, the legacy I recall at one film shoot wherein four camera crews were working on a horse related film production. Until told, they had no idea that the magic was actually in the hands holding the reins and that finite movement was not to be missed!
A filmmaker learns to dance with their camera shots with every scene and shot of the story. For even if silent, that movement engages the senses beyond visual, and you “hear” it and “feel it”, as a result. In the post-production and editing phase, the movement also prompts and is considered in the selection of the music. The synchronized swimming of a large school of fish synced to the perfect music dramatically magnifies the viewer’s recognition of nature’s own innate music. Such was the case in my film, Red Tide Refrain in which the beautiful movements of each featured wildlife and habitat subject lent themselves to a true orchestral performance. Aptly stated, add music to the movement, when appropriate, and you are ready to tango!
Watch the movement in films and you’re, in essence, viewing an entirely separate layer of the story’s strategically designed immersion.
Buck Brannaman and his bridle horse during the film production of The Gathering, directed and produced by Susan Sember
