Filmmaking & Design: A Comprehensive Guide

Filmmaking

Key Concepts

• Frame: A single image of a movie.
• Film Editing: The process by which an editor compiles shots into scenes and a film.
• Montage: Combining shots into a rapid sequence to portray a single event through multiple views (e.g., Rocky).
• Shot: An uninterrupted run of a film camera; shots are compiled into scenes, then into movies.
• Cinematography: The art of photography and camerawork in filmmaking.

Technical Details

• Movies are primarily shot at 24 frames per second (24fps).

Influential Figures

• Walt Disney: Filmmaker who built an animation legacy, starting in Kansas City. His first and last animated movies before his death in 1966 were Snow White and The Jungle Book.
• Orson Welles: Director of Citizen Kane.

Animation

• Traditional (2D) Animation: Each frame is drawn by hand (e.g., Snow White).
• Stop Motion Animation: Makes static objects appear as if they were moving, commonly used in Claymation and puppet-based animation (e.g., The Nightmare Before Christmas).
• Computer-Generated Animation (CG): Uses computer graphics to create moving images (e.g., Toy Story).

Production

• Pros: Cost, schedule, open access to the public, media distribution.
• Cons: Image quality, preservation, legacy.

Design

Typography and Graphic Design

• Font: The name given to a style of type.
• Logo: A sign, name, or trademark of an institution, firm, or publication, consisting of letterforms or pictorial elements.
• Title Sequence: The roll of credits at the beginning of a motion picture.
• Typography: The art and technique of composing printed materials from type.
• Graphic Design: The art of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books (includes typography, logos, posters).

Motion Graphics and Interactive Design

• Motion Graphics: Uses visual effects, live action, and animation to create 2D projects that move (e.g., news graphics and sporting events title sequences).
• Interactive Design: Commonly used in apps and video games.

Product Design

• Product Design: The process of creating a new product to be sold by a business. (e.g., smartphones and cars).