How To Critique A Movie Based On Cinematography

As we already discussed, movie cinematographers play an integral part in creating cinematic stories through their use of light and space. They also manage all of the camera settings such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO!

When it comes to critiquing their work, there are several ways to go about it. You can ask if they experimented with certain styles or techniques during filming, whether it was needed for the story, etc.

Alternatively, you can talk about the overall look of the film - how much emphasis there was put into establishing specific worlds and environments, whether or not the scenes were well-lit, and so on.

The final way is to discuss how well the dialogue was conveyed via setting and lighting, as well as the degree to which the characters displayed some sort of emotion.

Look for natural lighting

When looking at cinematographic shots, one of the first things you should look for is how the light was put onto the subject. Natural light is usually the best way to use light as it does not require any additional sources or camera tricks.

When filming outside, try to get some time before sunset to capture golden hour (sunset-to-night) lights. For interior scenes, use available daylight or create your own by using neutral toned blankets or curtains to block off areas.

Watch for blurry shots

One of the biggest things that hurt the quality of a movie’s cinematography is when the director or producer has to quickly pull out the camera. A lot of times, this happens due to timing or because something was running late and they don’t have time to get it ready.

When this happens, the crew will put away their gear and leave it at the studio or house where they were filming. Sometimes, however, they will take some small pieces with them and keep using those products.

By having to rush to shoot another scene, they won’t be able to go back and edit out the ones they left behind. This can sometimes result in very expensive wasted goods as well as poor quality footage.

Another reason why there may be a delay in shooting is if the cameraman needs to practice ahead of time. Many artists do, though not all are paid for their efforts.

Look for good editing

As we discussed before, great cinematographers will always put effort into creating an immersive environment that lends itself to their story. They will spend time developing strong compositions, engaging with interesting camera moves, and enhancing the overall look of the movie through use of lighting and color schemes.

However, what few people realize is that all of these things also contribute to the quality of the editor’s work! The effectiveness of any given cut depends heavily upon how well the director edited the scene being filmed.

The best way to evaluate the quality of someone’s editing is by looking at their use of silence. More importantly, you should be able to tell when something is being artificially inserted or removed during the filming process and then re-inserted in post production.

A really effective editor will leave out as much unsaid information as possible while keeping the audience waiting for something to happen. This effect can be seen clearly in movies like Good Will Hunting where there are lengthy pauses between scenes which create a sense of anticipation. Or think about those dramatic music breaks after every major event in a film.

If you have ever noticed that your favorite films seem to drag out conflict or action even slightly longer than necessary, this may indicate a lack of editorial finesse.

Is there anything that looks unrealistic?

The number one critique of movie cinematographers is that their styles look very polished and professional, which makes everything feel overly staged. They say their style is natural or documentary, but this could not be more wrong!

A good DP will know how to use camera angles, light sources, and other tools to make scenes seem authentic and true to life. A great deal of beautiful looking images are actually made up of repeated patterns and/or silhouettes of things. This article will talk about some examples.

However, before we get into those, let’s discuss what it means when something looks unnatural. An example of this would be if the person filming was walking quickly across a bridge while holding an umbrella in hand and rain drips down onto his face. It may look cool and artistic, but it is definitely not realistic.

Another common way to see this is with long takes. If you have ever seen a television show or movie where someone does a short interview and then cuts away before getting the whole sentence out, this is also considered fake. More often than not, people do not speak like that so it seems odd to cut off the conversation.

Something that has become increasingly popular is the jump-cut technique. A lot of media these days uses this to create a fast paced feeling. For instance, if the scene just ended with the protagonist crying, the editor might quickly cut to them jumping for joy because they just realized something important.

Is there anything you would change?

One of the most important things to do as an audience member is critique the movie’s visuals. Beyond just whether or not you like the look, you can also comment on what made you like or dislike it.

This includes if something looked good, bad, or could have used some help from the professionals. No one but the director knows why everything was done so well or how much control he or she had over certain parts of the film, but chances are very strong that someone did!

If there’s something you didn’t like, try to pinpoint exactly why so that next time somebody is filming a similar scene, you’re more prepared. You know what needed to be improved and maybe even some tips and tricks for how to achieve that in your own work.

Interpreting tone, atmosphere, and overall feel of the movie will also play a big part in giving feedback, especially since many people may disagree on those points depending on their personal feelings towards the camera.

Is there anything the audience should know?

As with any form of art, your opinion matters! If you do not like a movie’s cinematography, then you must say so.

Your opinions matter! If you don’t like what they are doing with their camera, tell them. Tell them why their shots look bad or why their shot does not make sense.

If you really hate one specific shot, write about it and include examples as to how it could have been done better.

Does this mean that if you don’t like a certain shot, then you shouldn’t watch the movie? No, but you should still give your honest opinion.

As mentioned before, every artist is trying to achieve his or her own personal style. A good director will learn from your critiques and apply those lessons in his next project.

Give reassurance to those who get anxious about criticism

As mentioned earlier, your opinion matters - very much! And while some people are nervous about sharing their opinions with others, it is important to feel comfortable doing so.

If you’re ever feeling uncomfortable giving feedback or even starting conversations, try talking to media that focus more on criticising products than individuals. The media will always be there for you, and you can count on them to have well-informed opinions. They will also usually agree with each other, which helps reduce anxiety.

The cinema industry is relatively small compared to bigger industries like technology or cars, which makes it less likely to hear general praise or negative comments unless you're actively looking for them. This naturally creates an environment where most people are either overly optimistic about how good their own work is, or pessimistic about what critics may say.

Bias in perception becomes a self-perpetuating cycle, making it harder for people with different skills to connect over how great things look. This is especially true if they aren't in the same area as the person whose work they are critiquing.

Be honest but positive

As we have discussed before, cinematographers are very detail oriented people. They pay close attention to every aspect of their craft to make sure everything is just right. This includes their own personal style, how they organize the space they work in, and how they apply advanced filming techniques like those mentioned in this article!

If you feel that something was not done well, try your best to be as honest and direct with the person about it as possible while still being supportive and encouraging. Sometimes, even if someone does not agree with your opinions, you can learn more from them than thinking you already know everything.

Also remember that most cinematographers start out doing other things such as shooting documentaries or advertising before moving onto cinematic production.