The Fundamentals: Revisiting The Techniques of Movie Making

Los Angeles -- The information presented thus far covered mostly theory and personality.  We looked at mainly the Russian auteurs and their theories of montage and opened the series with the great French master filmmaker Abel Gance and his tour de force magnum opus "Napolean".  What we did and didn't do thus far is examine practical applications in more detail of the conventions that evolved over time that became the grammatical structure of the cinema.  Primarily the Director of Photography and the Editor, both known as the silent director, more so with the Editor,  on a feature or a short depending on the size of the budget.  

Before we continue down the roster of who does what and why.  We want to take a moment and review the techniques employed by Editors and Cinematographers/Videographers both from yesterday and today.  

These are practical applications that are true and tried with the results needed to successfully execute a production with the look and feel of a professionally polished movie.  The type that will successfully earn one a pay check and the notoriety that will land one the next assignment and quite probably a future steady career in theatrical movies, episodic TV, new media, etc.

The real name of the game folks is not becoming rich and famous.  That is a forgone conclusion if your are competent at your craft.  The real end game is to be steadily working creating a visual story of impeccable content and memorable characters that will leave and endearing  legacy of ones capabilities and as such find the value and meaning we all seek tirelessly to attain and achieve.

Let's take a look now at both the DP's and the Editor's techniques necessary to put the visual elements together in a coherent yet blended level of continuity.