Attention please: understanding directing attention in video

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1628625 (Table of Contents)

Film and video audiences do not always pay attention to the storytelling elements that the director deems to be important. This paper examines a group of filmmaking techniques that can be used to guide the attention of the video audience. The paper specifically focuses on cinematography techniques and the way they are supported by editing. The subject was approached from a theoretical standpoint, where the techniques were critically examined, and from a practical perspective that tested their application through the production of three short films. The research granted a deeper understanding of how the biological characteristics of the eye affect where the viewer is looking at any given moment, which was then used to re-examine a selection of cinematography techniques. The paper also examines and tests ways editing can support or overpower cinematography. The results show cinematography can indeed be used to direct audience attention and list a collection of good practices in using the techniques. In addition to this, editing proved to be instrumental in working together with cinematography, while it was also able to take the lead in constructing the main thematic point of a scene. The paper concludes that, while the results were educational, the area examined is too limited and further research into these and other areas of filmmaking is advised.