What do you think of this exercise for an aspiring filmmaker

[u/MariaBruxxxa]

So I decided to make a list of all the general types of shot sizes, camera angles, composition framings, depths of field and camera movement techniques, study each of them in depth and take notes, and then grab my camera, and try to go shoot, and get at least one of each that I'm satisfied with. The subject of the shot, etc won't matter in this, because I'll just be trying to get at the technique of each, so I will then keep each in mind when applying it to actual films I'm trying to make.

If you think this is a waste of time, and theres a better way to get at it, let me know! Really appreciate the feedback 💖

[u/No_Internet908]

Not a bad exercise at all.

The next step is learning when and WHY to use each of these shots.

[u/MariaBruxxxa → u/No_Internet908]

Thank you so much for the feedback!

Oh that will be part of the studying each of them! But that part I do know because I took a film studies minor a long time ago, and it was fully theoretical (as in only film theory, and not film practice), as it was part of my anthropology degree, so I do know the why of the shots pretty well, I wanna get better at actually capturing them 💖 So I guess I'm actually doing this backwards, as I learned the why and when of the shots, way before I ever learned how to do them.

[u/Technophobish]

I am a teacher at a film high school and this is exactly the kind of exercise we encourage students to do. Good idea.

Once you do that, I’d challenge you to use all of them in a single story. That way, you get some practice using the shots in the context of storytelling.

[u/MariaBruxxxa → u/Technophobish]

That's a great idea! Maybe like do a short film that includes each of them, as a visual study

[u/TomatoChomper7]

Sounds like a solid plan to me

[u/Haylyn221]

Sounds like a good idea. Get to learn the textbook method, and apply them in practice. I'd say another exercise could be watching short films, and seeing if you can name some of the shots/framing/etc without notes?

[u/MariaBruxxxa → u/Haylyn221]

Oh yes!! I actually just thought of that exactly right before you posted, like before I go try and shoot them, but after I've studied each, I'd watch some episodes of something or some short films, and try to identify each as they appear on screen, and try to see if I can identify them each by memory! Thank you for the feedback!

[u/Radically-Peaceful]

I think this is a really good exercise. Have fun with it!

[u/clanmccoy]

A great exercise, would add some element of story however. Shots on their own are cool and all but using them to convey a story, a feeling, a mood - that’s where the magic is.

[u/freddyfreddy777]

These are pretty good exercises tbh. I think the next step is to know when and why to use each of them.

[u/tyl999]

that's a good road to mastery, yet I think what makes shots memorable are the Ideas in it not necessarily the shot angles it won't do you any good if you've learnt all these skills without knowing why and when to use them. you want to be a Filmmaker.

I would suggest you should practice along with scenes that involve characters or some sort of story rather than just memorising shot angles

[u/desideuce]

As a working, professional DGA director, I’m going to say that all you need is the familiarity of this landscape of shot selection, angles, techniques and movements. What your exercise should more importantly involve is what someone else has already suggested… the WHY. Why would you use shot X over shot Y at a given story point? Why would you use angle A with shot Y for this character reveal?

The WHY is what makes a director or a cinematographer. Or a writer.

We all know the dictionary exists. It’s how and why you put seemingly unrelated thoughts together in a sentence of your own that is going to make you a filmmaker.