Exercise 59. Choose the correct letter

1) It is difficult to describe what a cinematographer does because

  1. the word comes from Greek.
  2. the word covers a number of different jobs.
  3. because it is a very sophisticated job.

2) The general purpose of cinematography is

  1. to show a story in colors.
  2. to make it popular.
  3. to give a visual side to the story.

3) During the preparation stage the director of photography

  1. reads the script to determine how much money the crew will need.
  2. discusses every bit of the film with the film director.
  3. gets engaged in discussing the special effects.

4) For each scene during the shooting the director of photography

  1. chooses the equipment and its position.
  2. decides who will play in each scene.
  3. may sometimes perform the director’s functions.

5) After the shooting the director of photography

  1. changes the shots if the director wants him to do it.
  2. ensures the proper color and feelings.
  3. tries to apply criticism to everything he has done.

 

VOCABULARY

Exercise 60. Fill in the gaps using the words from the article.

The director of photography should be good at _______________________, which means the ability to ____________ shots and point out which shots are actually ___________. He should also know the fundamentals of ____________________ in order to be able to use _____________ and ____________. As from time to time director of photography sets up and works with such things as _____________, _______________ , ___________________ and ___________________, he should have some specific knowledge of the _____________________ he works with. The director of photography works closely with the ___________________, trying to visually embody the whole conception of the film. Not the least professional requirement is ___________________ skills, as things suddenly can go wrong and the director of photography has to ______________ various problems in this case. Finally, he should always be informed about new technology and be ready to ________ to it when it is needed and not to forget about the _________________ that he needs to remember while solving creative problems.

Exercise 61. Translate into English.

  1. Этот оператор очень хорошо умеет работать с цифровым оборудованием.
  2. Наш оператор никогда не снимает чёрно-белые фильмы.
  3. Само собой разумеется, что мы должны выполнить все наши планы.
  4. Наш оператор не понимает, почему режиссёр не просматривает материал, отснятый за день.
  5. Трудно оставаться спокойным, когда работа не идёт так, как запланировано, правда?
  6. Наш оператор рекомендует нам использовать стедикам для съёмки некоторых эпизодов.
  7. Он обладает великолепными техническими навыками. Кроме этого, он человек гибкий и умеет сотрудничать с людьми.
  8. Сколько нам нужно нанять технических работников?
  9. Сосредоточьтесь на том, что действительно имеет значение.
  10. Широкоэкранный формат сейчас не очень популярен.
  11. Над каким проектом Вы сейчас работаете? – Мы сейчас не снимаем. У нас подготовительный период. Оператор изучает новую технику съёмки, а сценаристы дорабатывают сценарий.
  12. Когда Вы планируете начать съёмку? – Пока никто не знает: наш оператор-постановщик ищет натуру, а режиссёр делает раскадровку.

READING, VOCABULARY

AND COMMUNICATION

Exercise 62. a) Discuss the following questions:

  • Are silent films really silent?
  • How is sound important to you?
  • Do you love any film soundtracks? Do you listen to them?

B) Read the article and make sure you know all the highlighted words.

Film Sound Designer

Sound designer is the person who is responsible forthe art of the sound.He is a creative technician and an artist. Sound designers work with dialogue, sound effects, foley, and their job is very important for a movie or any other multimedia project. In filmmaking, a sound designer is a filmcrew member, and he is responsible for all the aspects of the movie soundtrack. The industry both inside and outside Hollywood demands more and more sophisticated soundtracks. So sound designers work with a team in order to make a complete sound job. Needless to say, sound designers should be very creative.

Depending on the size and type of production, a sound designer may have many different jobs, including communicating with the creative team, recording or finding sound effects, creating a soundtrack, or looking for new projects. In film, sound designers may work throughout the pre-production period, during the production schedule and in post-production.

One of the most important jobs of a sound designer is to communicate with directors or producers about the soundtrack. In film, TV, or commercial production, the designer may come on after shooting is completed in order to determine where and when sound effects are needed, based on the on-set recordings and the director’s vision. Working with the creative team allows the designer to create a finished product that reflects the atmosphere of the production and helps the film communicate ideas through sound.

After an initial period of meetings, the designer may begin to hunt for the right effects for each episode. He can look through sound libraries for appropriate effects, or even record effects to match a particularsound. Depending on the size of the project, the sound designer may do this task alone, or may have assistants and technicians that can manage some of the work.

When the sound track is ready, the sound designer may be responsible for the final sound mix for the finished product. For film or TV productions, this may mean using advanced computer software to create a blended soundtrack that incorporates dialogue, effects, and music. Then the designer works almost like an orchestra conductor to ensure that the mix of sound is balanced and nuanced correctly. On large productions, the process of creating the final mix may actually be the work of several sound professionals, including mixers, editors, and supervisors.

Most sound designers are freelance professionals, which means that a large part of their day-to-day work may involve searching for new projects. Freelance designers need to have basic advertising skills, as well as good communication skills, in order to attract new clients and find new jobs.