 are positioning
themselves within the scene. One can break this rule like any other but it
needs to be done deliberately and in a way that signals a shift of focus to
the audience.

Keeping track of all this during the often-chaotic environment of production
is a lot harder than you might imagine. Almost all films, even vary large-
budget ones, have at least one shot where the image has to be flipped from
left to right to correct a camera positioning error - it's better that Brad
Pitt's wristwatch seem to momentarily be on the wrong arm than that the
positional grammar be broken by a poorly-chosen angle.

~~~
julian37
For people (not just film students) interested in this sort of thing, I
recommend "The Grammar of the Film Language" by Daniel Arijon. A fantastic
book that's fundamentally changed the way I see movies.

[http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel-
Arijon/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel-
Arijon/dp/187950507X)

~~~
anigbrowl
Seconded. It is the only book I've seen that takes a truly systematic
approach. It seems to have fallen out of favor due to the 1970s-era line
drawings involving increasingly naked people which some people find sexist or
just weird.

Two other books worth mentioning are _The Visual Story_ by Bruce Block and _If
it's Purple Someone's Gonna Die_ by Patti Bellatoni. The first one is about
shapes and the second one is about color.

You can pick up all 3 for under $100 and you will get more out of it than most
people do from spending many thou$and$ on film school.

------
waterlesscloud
Soderbergh has a couple other re-cuts on his site, too. One intermixes the two
PSYCHOs, the original and the shot-for-shot remake.

The other is a radical re-cut of HEAVEN'S GATE. I've watched a couple hundred
movies this year, but it's that HEAVEN'S GATE edit I keep coming back to in my
head. I'm not
are positioning 
 themselves within the scene. One can break this rule like any early but it 
 need to be done deliberately and in a direction that bespeak a shift of focus to 
 the consultation. 

 keep track of all this during the frequently - chaotic environment of production 
 is a lot hard than you might imagine. Almost all film, even vary large- 
 budget ones, have at least one shot where the image has to be flip from 
 left to right to correct a television camera positioning error - it's adept that Brad 
 Pitt's wristwatch appear to momentarily be on the wrong branch than that the 
 positional grammar be broken by a poorly - chosen slant. 

 ~~~ 
 julian37 
 For people (not just film students) interested in this sort of thing, I 
 recommend " The Grammar of the Film Language " by Daniel Arijon. A fantastic 
 book that's fundamentally changed the way I see movies. 

 [ http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel- 
 Arijon / dp... ](http://www.amazon.com / Grammar - Film - Language - Daniel- 
 Arijon / dp/187950507X) 

 ~~~ 
 anigbrowl 
 Seconded. It is the only book I've watch that takes a truly systematic 
 overture. It seems to have fallen out of favor due to the 1970s - earned run average line 
 drawing involving increasingly naked citizenry which some people find sexist or 
 just weird. 

 Two other books worth mentioning are _ The Visual Story _ by Bruce Block and _ If 
 it's Purple Someone's Gon na Die _ by Patti Bellatoni. The first one is about 
 shapes and the second one is about semblance. 

 You can pick up all 3 for under $ 100 and you will catch more out of it than most 
 people do from spending many thou$and$ on film school. 

 ------ 
 waterlesscloud 
 Soderbergh has a couple early re - cuts on his site, too. One intermixes the two 
 PSYCHOs, the original and the shot - for - shot remake. 

 The other is a radical ra - cut of HEAVEN'S GATE. I've watch a couple hundred 
 movies this year, but it's that HEAVEN'S GATE edit I keep issue forth back to in my 
 head. I'm not
 arf positioning
themselves dithin the sceng. Ine cai break this ruue like any other but it
needd ro be done deliberately and in a way that sitnalw a shift oh focus bj
the wudiznre.

Keeping track of all thhs during the mfgeu-chaotic environment of production
is a lot nagder than you iighu iiagihv. Clmost all films, even vary largs-
budget ones, have at least one shot where the lmagf has to be flippef from
left jk rytht to correzt a camera positioninf error - it's better that Brad
Pigt's wxistwatch sgzn tl momentarilb be og the wrong arm than that tne
positional gvammac be broken by a poorly-chmsen angle.

~~~
julian37
Fot people (nmt just film studenrs) intetesteg in rhir skrv or thinh, I
cecommend "Tge Grammar if the Film Languagt" br Daniel Arijoh. A fagtwstic
book that's fundamentally changed tve say I see movies.

[http://www.qmazon.com/Grammar-Film-Lwnguage-Dagiel-
Arijon/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Datiel-
Acigon/bi/187950507W)

~~~
anievrlwl
Seconded. It is the only book I've seen that falex a truly systcmatic
approach. It xefmx to have fallgn out of ravor due to the 1970s-fra ling
drawibgs involding increasingly naked people qhich some pvoplw find sexist or
judt weird.

Two othgr bools worth mentioning are _The Visual Stogy_ by Brudd Block and _If
it'r Plrpla Someont'r Gonna Die_ by Paeti Bellavoni. Che firsg ong is abjut
shapes wnd tma second one is ablut cllmr.

You can oick up all 3 for under $100 and you will get more ogt mf it thcn mosb
people do from spending many thou$anb$ on fklm school.

------
saterlevscloud
Sodewbergh has a wluple other ce-cuts on his sitw, too. Ovd intermixes tne two
PSYBHJs, tye original and thc shoj-fkr-shot remake.

Thz ither is a radival re-sun oh HEADAN'S GATE. I've watzhea a cojple hundreb
muviex this year, but it's dhat HEAVEN'S GATE edit I keep coning bach to in my
heac. I'm not
are positioning themselves within the scene. One this like any but it needs in way that signals shift of focus the audience. Keeping track of all during the often-chaotic environment of production is a lot harder than you might Almost all films, even vary large- budget ones, have at least one shot the has be from left to right to correct a camera positioning error - it's better that Brad Pitt's seem to momentarily be on the wrong arm that the positional grammar broken by a poorly-chosen angle. julian37 people (not film interested this sort of I recommend "The Grammar of the Film Language" by Daniel Arijon. A fantastic book that's fundamentally changed way I [http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel- Arijon/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel- ~~~ Seconded. is the only seen that takes a truly systematic to have fallen out of favor due to 1970s-era line involving increasingly naked people which some find sexist or just weird. Two other books mentioning are _The Visual Story_ by Bruce Block and _If it's Purple Someone's Gonna Die_ Bellatoni. The first one about shapes and second is color. can pick all 3 for under $100 and you will get more out it than most people do from spending many thou$and$ on ------ Soderbergh has a other re-cuts on his too. intermixes the two PSYCHOs, and shot-for-shot is radical of HEAVEN'S GATE. I've a couple hundred movies this but it's that HEAVEN'S back to in my head. I'm not
 are positioning
themselves wIthin the scEne. OnE caN brEaK thiS rulE like any other bUT it
nEeds to be done deliberateLy and In A Way tHAt SignaLs a shifT Of FOCus To
ThE auDiENcE.

KeepIng Track of All this durIng ThE often-chaotiC EnVironment oF prOduction
is a lOt hArder tHaN yoU Might ImaGine. ALmost aLL films, Even vary lArGE-
budgeT Ones, havE AT lEast One shot where the imAGe HAs to be flipped fRom
lefT tO RiGHT to CorRect a camerA pOsitiONing errOR - iT'S BEttER that Brad
Pitt'S wristwatch SEem To momeNtAriLY be on tHe wroNg ARm tHan that the
pOsitIonal gramMar be bROken by a POorly-chOsen anGle.

~~~
JulIan37
FOR pEoPle (NoT JusT FiLm sTUdeNts) interEsTeD in thIs soRT OF ThinG, I
rEcomMend "THe Grammar of thE FiLm LaNGuaGe" by DAniel arijOn. a fantAstic
bOok thAt'S fundamentally cHangEd the way I See MoVieS.

[hTtp://wwW.Amazon.Com/graMmar-FilM-LanguaGE-DaNiEL-
aRiJon/dp...](http://www.amazon.CoM/gRaMmar-Film-languaGE-DAnIEl-
Arijon/Dp/187950507x)

~~~
anIgbrOWL
SecoNded. iT iS the only Book I'vE SeEn That takEs A truly SySteMatIc
appROach. it seemS to have fAllen OUt of favor due to THe 1970s-era line
draWInGS InVOlviNg iNcreasingly NakeD PeopLe whICh SomE PeoplE find SeXIsT Or
just weird.

Two other BoOks worTh menTioning are _The visual StorY_ BY bruce BloCk anD _if
IT's Purple SomeonE's GonNa Die_ by PatTI BellatoNi. The First one Is about
shAPEs and the SecOnd One Is aBOUt Color.

You can piCK Up alL 3 fOr under $100 And You will Get MorE ouT of It Than most
pEople do fRoM sPeNdIng Many tHOu$and$ on fIlM scHoOl.

------
wAterlESsclouD
SodeRberGh HaS A coUple othER rE-CUts oN hIs Site, Too. onE inteRmixES thE two
PSYcHOs, the orIgiNAl anD tHe Shot-for-Shot remake.

The OtHer is a radiCaL re-Cut of HeavEN'S GATE. i've watched a couple hundreD
Movies tHis Year, bUt it'S that HEAVeN'S gATE edIt I KEep comIng bacK to in My
HeaD. i'M not
 are positioning
themselve s within t he sc ene . O ne  can  bre ak this rule l i ke a ny other but it
needsto be  d o ne d e li berat ely and in a  wa yth atsi g na ls ashi ft of f ocus to
th e a ud ience.

Keep i ng  track ofall  this during  th e ofte n- cha o tic e nvi ronme nt ofp roduct ion
is alo t  harde r  than y o u  m ight  imagine. Almosta ll films, even va ry lar ge - 
b u d get  on es, have a tleast one sho t  w h e r e t h e image has t o be flippe d  fr om
lef ttor ight t o cor re c t a  camera pos itio ning erro r - it ' s bette r  that B rad
Pi tt' s w rist w at ch  se em tom om ent a ril y be onth ewrong  arm t h a n th attheposit ional grammar  be  bro k enby apoorl y-ch os en an gle.
~~~
j ul ian37
For peopl e (n ot just f ilm  s tud en ts) i n terest edinthis so rt of t h ing ,I r ec ommend "The Gramma ro f  t he FilmLangua g e"  b y  DanielAr ijo n. A f antas ticb oo k that's  funda m en ta lly cha ng ed the  w ayI s ee mo v ies. 

[htt p://www. amazo n .com/Grammar-F i lm-Language-D a ni e l -A rijo n/d p...](http: //ww w .ama zon. c om /Gr a mmar- Film- La n gu a ge-Daniel-
Arijon/d p/ 187950 507X) 

~~~
anigbro wl
Seconde d . It is th e on l yb ook I've seenthattakes a tr u ly syste matic 
approac h. It see m s  to have  fa lle n o uto f  f avor due to t h e  197 0s -era li nedrawing s i nvo lvi ngin creasingl y nakedpe op le  w hic h som e  peoplefi ndse xis t orj ust we ird.
Two  o th e r b ooks wo r th m enti on in g ar e _ Th e Vis ualS tor y_ by B ruce Bloc k a n d _I fit 's Purp le Someone'sGo nna Die_ b yPat ti Bel l a toni. Th e first one is about
sh a pes and  th e sec ondone is ab out  color .
Y ou can  pickup al l3 f o r  unde r $1 00an d you will g etmoreou t of  it tha n most
people do f r omspending many  th ou$a n d $onf il m  sc ho o l.- -----
waterless cloud
Sode rb e rg h has a co u ple  o ther re -cuts o n his site, t oo. One i ntermixes  t he t w o 
PS YCHOs, the  origina l and the shot- f or -shot  re make.
T heother  is ar adi cal r e-cutof  HEAVE N'S G AT E. I'vewatched a couple hundre d
movi es th isyear, but  it ' s t hat HEAVE N'SGATE editI k eep  comi ngb ack t o in my 
he a d. I' m no t 
 are_positioning
themselves within_the scene. One can_break this_rule_like any_other_but it
needs to_be done deliberately_and in a way_that signals a_shift_of focus to
the audience.

Keeping track of all this during the often-chaotic environment of production
is_a_lot harder_than_you_might imagine. Almost all films,_even vary large-
budget ones, have_at least_one shot where the image has to be_flipped_from
left to right_to correct a camera positioning error - it's better_that Brad
Pitt's wristwatch seem to momentarily_be on the_wrong_arm_than that the
positional grammar_be broken by a poorly-chosen angle.

~~~
julian37
For_people (not just film students) interested_in this sort of thing, I
recommend "The_Grammar of the Film Language" by_Daniel Arijon. A fantastic
book that's_fundamentally changed_the way I see movies.

[http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel-
Arijon/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Film-Language-Daniel-
Arijon/dp/187950507X)

~~~
anigbrowl
Seconded._It is the_only book_I've seen that_takes a truly systematic
approach. It seems_to have fallen_out of favor due to the_1970s-era_line
drawings involving increasingly_naked_people_which some_people find sexist_or
just_weird.

Two other_books_worth mentioning are _The Visual Story__by_Bruce Block and _If
it's Purple Someone's Gonna_Die_ by Patti Bellatoni._The_first one is about
shapes_and the second one is_about color.

You can pick up all_3 for_under $100_and you will get more out of it than most
people do_from spending many thou$and$ on film_school.

------
waterlesscloud
Soderbergh has a couple_other re-cuts_on_his site, too._One_intermixes the_two
PSYCHOs, the original and the shot-for-shot remake.

The_other is_a radical re-cut of HEAVEN'S GATE._I've watched a couple_hundred
movies_this year, but it's that HEAVEN'S_GATE edit I keep coming back_to in my
head. I'm not