Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Split Screen, Collage, and Superimposition
In order to clarify simultaneous events or images, fi lmmakers have tried a number of ways
to show two or more pictures on the screen at the same time. These devices can be very
effective if used correctly. The problem is that they tend to draw a lot of attention to them-
selves and may seem artifi cial or contrived. A split screen is often used when two characters
are talking on the phone. The two shots of the two characters are simply shown, each in
his or her own location, on a divided screen.
Split screen
A similar effect is sometimes created when we see a side view of a character outside of a
door and another character on the other side of the door or wall. The cross-section of the
wall serves as a natural device to split the screen. A collage technique may show two or
more images on the screen together or in quick succession, perhaps with cross dissolves as
in a montage. Superimposition, another technique, usually refers to a semitransparent image
overlying a primary image. Superimposition is often used to show a memory. A picture-in-
picture may have a new rectangle appear on the screen revealing a second image. There
are a myriad of variations and rare types of shots used in fi lms that I will not cover in this
chapter. Topics such as
Setting Up Your Shots
by Jeremy Vineyard and
From Word to Image
by Marcie Begleiter cover types of shots and terminology in greater depth.
Transitions
Beyond the types of shots, storyboarding also involves transitions between cuts. When I refer
to transitions, I am speaking of two kinds. One kind is technical and refers to the mechanical
process of fi lm or digital editing, the resulting visual effect, and its meaning for the viewer.
The other kind is pictorial and refers to the types of pictures you are putting next to one
another and how they move the ideas along. These transitions can expand time, compress
time, and enhance the mood and energy of a sequence. Although this is more apparent in
the animatic or fi nal editing stage, the planning and anticipation of transitions are part of
the blueprint of any fi lm. As Nathan Greno, Disney Story Artist and Story Supervisor for
