#sequence shot

For my next movie I will shoot the entire short film in one sequence shot. However what is a sequence shot? For you I will give you three levels of comprehension : the dumb one, the smart one and the genius one.

First: the dumb one. 

When you're going to talk about sequence shot, analyze the mental level of your interlocutor. If the guy hasn't invented the warm water, use the basic approach of the sequence shot. The sequence shot is an entire scene or sequence in a single shot : the sequence begins you roll on the camera and the sound and you'll shut it at the end of the sequence.

When the guy is smarter (only if he really is, you could provoke several mental troubles if he thinks too high for his capacities).

You can discuss about sensation provided by this kind of thing. In Cuaron's films it gives you a privilege, a proximity with the characters : there is no filter between the audience and the fiction. In De Palma's, the camera gives you the sensation to create a new character. Many of his sequence shot adopts subjective point of view and makes you feel to embody a fictional character. All the director uses this directing process in their way : feel free to see their bests.

Last approach : genius one. Can be used with intellectual persons or simply to impress girls (the both situations work, but I prefer the second one).

 This approach of the sequence shot is more theoretical and implies notions of aesthetic. If you think about the sequence shot two big deals appear. The first one, the refusal of editing. In deed using the sequence shot implies a big commitment by avoiding editing. Godard used to say there are three films in one, the one from the script, the other from the shooting, and the last from the editing. The second one is about directing. Normally you choose the shot  and you change to another shot to create your movie. Here in only one shot you have all kind of scale of shot. As you have understood, the sequence shot is a big deal not a random film technique.

I fucking love you!

Smith #25

Dynamic Shot

“Atonement” Cinematographer: Seamus McGarvey