Proxemic Patterns
Anthropologist Edward Hall discovered that Proxemic patterns (the relationships between objects) can be influenced by external considerations. Filmmakers use space in 4 major Proxemic patterns:
1. The Intimate: (skin contact to about 18 inches)- love comfort and tenderness(ECU, CU)
2. The Personal: (18 inches to 4 ft.)- arm’s length away, reserved for friends rather than lovers (MCU, WS)
3. The Social: (4ft.-12ft.)- impersonal business and casual relationships; displays of emotion are bad taste. (FS)
4. The public: (12-25ft.)- formal and rather detached- (VLS, ELS)
Long shots for Comedies, close-ups for Tragedies
Long shots for Comedies, close-ups for Tragedies
A Filmmaker's choice of shots is determined by the emotional impact of each proxemic pattern.
The greater the distance between the camera and the character, and between characters themselves, the more neutral we remain.
Examples:
Extreme close up: shows an item being used,(the helmet) which increases its power/importance. Note also the intimate proxemic pattern between the character and the item, which only enhances the power of the shot.
(note also how our eye is drawn from left to right)
Close up: Most of the character's face, so the audience 'feels' with the character. The intimate proxemic pattern is between the character and the audience. Note also the warm light overwhelming the cold green light which gives us a sense of both transition and hope. Also the character's eyes look up, which indicates to us that the source of the light is more powerful than the character.
Medium Close up: This shot falls within the personal proxemic pattern, in that the audience is at an arm's length away from the subject. The position of the character and lighting have an effect on our response to the character's plight, but it is not as intimate as a close up or extreme close up.
Medium shot (mid shot/waist shot) :our sense of the character and his plight is made more sympathetic by the shot which is in the personal proxemic pattern. This is enhanced by the intimate proxemic pattern between the character and the helmet. Note also how the framing and mis-en-scene make the shot even more intimate.
The location and hue of the lighting also serve to bind the character and helmet and portray the weakness and danger for both. the character's position in the middle of the screen as well as body language reinforce the sense of weakness. This is possible because of the distance away and thus the shot type providing greater context than tighter shots allow.
Close up: Most of the character's face, so the audience 'feels' with the character. The intimate proxemic pattern is between the character and the audience. Note also the warm light overwhelming the cold green light which gives us a sense of both transition and hope. Also the character's eyes look up, which indicates to us that the source of the light is more powerful than the character.
Medium Close up: This shot falls within the personal proxemic pattern, in that the audience is at an arm's length away from the subject. The position of the character and lighting have an effect on our response to the character's plight, but it is not as intimate as a close up or extreme close up.
Medium shot (mid shot/waist shot) :our sense of the character and his plight is made more sympathetic by the shot which is in the personal proxemic pattern. This is enhanced by the intimate proxemic pattern between the character and the helmet. Note also how the framing and mis-en-scene make the shot even more intimate.
The location and hue of the lighting also serve to bind the character and helmet and portray the weakness and danger for both. the character's position in the middle of the screen as well as body language reinforce the sense of weakness. This is possible because of the distance away and thus the shot type providing greater context than tighter shots allow.
Long shot: This particular shot puts the audience at a greater distance than the characters
are from each other, yet both groups are clearly in the social proxemic pattern as they are at a distance of over four feet from one another yet interacting (sort of).
Very Long shot: This use of the public proxemic pattern allows the audience the opportunity to understand a situation at a dispassionate but intuitive distance. The darkness of the setting and the darkness of the vessel, with only cold green lighting say everything the audience needs to know.
Extreme Long shot: This public proxemic pattern allows the audience to rationalise a situation from a distance, either through decision or questioning. But no emotional response is possible at such a distance. The juxtaposition of the black vessel against the brightest quadrant in the frame catches our eye. Its location in the middle of the frame indicates weakness.
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