Role of Long Lens in Films - Free Essay Sample

Introduction

Cinematography is one of the significant forms of entertainment that can be used to convey specific information, topic, or as a source of income; for example, the movie industry has today become a significant source of income in both the developing and the developed countries. Many films in the modern world have thrived because of excellent editing, directing and acting, and others entertainments through the use of raunchy comedies (Baltruschat and Erickson, 2015). For years now, cinematography has proved to be a significant contributor in the film industry due to its artistic movement and value. In the modern world, cinematography has continually evolved due to advancements and the increased changes in technology. In the beginning, when the cinematography was still a developing type of technology, many filmmakers did not consider the expression of artistic ideas until the 1890s when Auguste Marie and Jean Lumiere first used the creative expression in their film.

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Various Methods

Brown (2016) defines cinematography as the art or form of photography in which pictures are in motion. Cinematography incorporates various methods and approaches, including camera selection, lenses, movements, and camera angles, scenes of the composition, takes, and lighting, among others. At the beginning of the 20th century, more advanced cameras were used to capture close-ups and incorporate lighting effects significantly (Baltruschat and Erickson, 2015). In the film industry and cinematography, long lenses and long takes significantly impact the quality of the photos or pictures being observed by the audience. Therefore the choice of lenses and shots taken substantially affects both art and commercial films. It should be understood that these are two distinctly different forms of films. Various meanings have been given to the two types of films. In modern society, people can retrace different historical patterns by using film, art, literature, the internet, and television. The creation of moving pictures and cinematic films in the 19th and 20th centuries has proven to be an essential tool for engaging and influencing a large audience. Therefore motion pictures serve as an entry to allowing people to enter into a world filled with different features and realistic scenes.

However, Kim et al. (2010) defined art film as that which demonstrates the real aspects of life in a more elaborate manner. Therefore, the promotion of art films depend on; the publicity generated from bloggers, commentators, film critics and reviews, and word of mouth promotion. Some of the forerunners of art film include the Italian silent film L'Inferno the works of Sergei Eisenstein, among others. On the contrary, commercial films are made for commercial purposes meaning their main focus is to appeal a broad audience to generate a massive chunk of profits. Examples of commercial films include comedy, dances, and grand settings. Popular actresses and actors play the leading roles in commercial films; this means that commercial films are produced with a considerable amount of money. In many instances, it takes a long duration for one commercial film to be completed because it also requires a bigger crew like singers, voice couches, musicians' choreographers, among others. For promotions, these films need extreme advertisements, massive campaigns, and star promotions for publicity.

Long Lenses

Long lenses have a significant influence on the quality of the picture. During the production of any given film, the choice of lenses is very critical. A director may opt to use a zoom lens, shots, medium, or long lens. Lenses are essential features or components in cinematography because they are used in focusing the reflected light from objects to real image that are then transmitted to image sensors inside the movie camera. Long lenses are critical because they are used in distant magnifying objects, thus essential in art and commercial films. Long focus lenses are not only used to magnify distant objects but also, its focal length completely transforms how one perceives objects in frames. Telephotos are the commonly used types of long-focus lenses; they are like eyes because they help individuals "view or see" the entire narration in a more understandable and elaborative manner. Thus the choice of lenses directly influences what happens in a given film.

In film making, long takes are also referred to as continuous takes in a motion picture. Generally, a long take is much longer compared to the shot takes. Thus for cinematographers to accommodate the moving actors in a given scene, the camera is often placed on a studio crane; this means that long take involves camera movement and elaborate blocking (Cheney, 2017). Traditionally the length of a given take in cinematic was limited to how much the film of the magazine could hold a motion picture of the camera. Koepnick (2017) argues that many film directors do not use long takes because they are considered expensive and require highly trained personnel to operate the cameras. However, it is critical to note that, when done well; a long take is always an object of beauty that provides cinematic craftsmanship in cinematography. One of the main advantages of a long take is that it enhances the topic because long take can become part of the narration of a given film and can be used to capture realism. On many occasions, a long take is referred to as long cut and long shot; a long shot is referred to as a place where a camera is placed to cover a large area during filming while long cut means the most prolonged sort of motion picture contains the minimal cuts (Koepnick, 2017). Some of the elements of long takes include; setting, character, and plot. Organizing a long take in filming is generally arduous and challenging; thus, cinematographers must plan shots more perfectly. One of the best examples of a motion picture with long takes is the Touch of Evil (1958), directed by Orson Wells.

Significance of the Study

The study seeks to determine whether the role of a long lens in art films is more diverse that the purpose of a long lens in commercial films. In this regard, the study will be critical in that it will help in identifying the effects of a long lens in cinematography. Long lenses are significant and have a diverse impact on the quality of the photo; thus, this study will help determine the importance of a long lens concerning the condition of a picture of a given shot. Therefore, it will be necessary for the cinematographers to understand how long lenses and long takes influence art and commercial films by focusing on this study. Keeping in mind that art films are primarily used to provide a deep understanding of a given movie, commercial films are only crucial in generating money through the entertainment of a given audience.

The study will also help cinematographers determine the best angle of view of different cameras while filming. The study will also help the cinematography understand the benefits of using both the unedited and the edited long takes. The choice of lens in a given film can vastly change many and different aspects of a movie. For example, the use of a long lens provides the cinematography to magnify objects from a distance; thus, the study will elaborate further and emphasize why directors or filmmakers should be encouraged to use a long lens in their films.

Conclusion

Even though the long lens and takes have diverse roles in the commercial and art films, it should be known that choice of lens in cinematography has more effects on the quality of the picture. Therefore the advancement of technology has prompted cinematographers and photographers to begin examining and assessing different and various methods in which that can use to promote the film industry, such as using more advanced cameras with varying angles of viewing of objects.