Shoot Like Spielberg Sample PDF

8/20/2019 Shoot Like Spielberg Sample PDF

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2/23

SHO T LIKE

SPIELBERGThe Visual Secrets of Action, Wonder, and Emotional Adventure

C H R I S T O P H E R K E N W O R T H Y

M I C H A E L W I E S E P R O D U C T I O N S


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V

CONTENTS

I N T R O D U C T I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

H O W T O U S E T H I S B O O K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

C H A P T E R 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

DESPERATE CHASE: Raiders of the Lost Ark

C H A P T E R 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

GUIDING THE EYE:

E.T the Extra-Terrestrial

C H A P T E R 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

REVEALING IDEAS: Jurassic Park

C H A P T E R 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

VISUAL REVEALS: Empire of the Sun

C H A P T E R 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

DYNAMIC DIALOGUE: Jaws

C H A P T E R 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

WAVES OF SUSPENSE: Catch Me If You Can

C H A P T E R 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

DEPTH STAGING: Schindler’s List

C H A P T E R 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

SYMBOLIC HEIGHTS: Amistad

C H A P T E R 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

RAPID STORYTELLING: Amistad

C H A P T E R 1 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

VISUAL STORYTELLING: Empire of the Sun

C O N C L U S I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133


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VII

INTRODUCTION

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few directors who can tell stories so eficiently, revealing informaH

2%13 &1 N0(-%&($+ L'%$( -0(.2%3O %320%-.2( &-(3(& 1X S1+? &"&N(3&(?

.3) '10010;

This book shows you why the best moments in his ilms work so

L($$? .3) '1L +1" -.3 2.R( 2'.2 R31L$()O( 21 K.R( +1"0 1L3

ilms work more effectively.

You don’t want to copy Spielberg, but you will ind that using

some of his core techniques makes you a much better ilmmaker.

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core techniques to tie his ilms together, and they are all explainedin this book. When I set out to watch his ilms, I was astonished

.2 '1L 1X2(3 '( L1"$) "&( 2'( &.K( 2(-'3%^"(&? L%2' . &$%O'2

variation, to get the right result. This is why the older ilms, such

.& P.L& , remain relevant. This is also why ilms such as _%3-1$3

.0( 312 %3-$")() %3 2'%& #11R; @$2'1"O' _%3-1$3 L.& &"--(&&X"$

13 K.3+ $(:($&? %2 )%) 312 %3201)"-( .3+ &'12& 10 2(-'3%^"(& 2'.2

=N%($#(0O '.)3d2 "&() #(X10(;


6/23

VIII I N T R O D U C T I O N

Spielberg has shot a lot of ilms, so choosing the right ones for

this book was extremely dificult, but I tried to stick to scenes

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21 2($$ . &210+;

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.#$( 21 -13:(+ 2'( %KN102.32 N.02& 1X +1"0 &210+ %3 .3 %3&2.32;

There is no danger that your ilms will look like Spielberg ilms

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3%^"(& .3) .NN$+ 2'(K 21 +1"0 &210%(&? .3) +1" L%$$ #(-1K( .

better ilmmaker. An understanding of how Spielberg works will

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,1&2 %KN102.32$+? +1" L%$$ $(.03 2'.2 &1K( 1X 2'( #(&2 -.K(0.

K1:(& )13d2 0(^"%0( 2'( -.K(0. 21 K1:( .2 .$$; =N%($#(0O K1:(&

the actors around within a scene with such inesse that it looks

(XX102$(&&; W(22%3O .-210& 21 L10R .--"0.2($+? '%22%3O &"-' (].-2

K.0R&? -.3 2.R( 2%K( g #"2 2'( 0(&"$2& .0( "3)(3%.#$+ #0%$$%.32;

=N%($#(0O %& 1X2(3 0(O.0)() .& 1:(0$+ &(32%K(32.$ .3) -'%$)%&'? #"2while it is true that many of his ilms fail in some ways, everything

'( '.& &'12 &'1L& .3 (]20.10)%3.0+ "3)(0&2.3)%3O 1X -%3(K.2%-

$.3O".O(; f( K.R(& X0(^"(32 "&( 1X :%&".$ -1320.&2 .3) &"#2$(

&+K#1$%- %K.O(0+? O%:%3O '%K X.0 K10( 0.3O( 2'.3 2'.2 X10 L'%-'

'( %& 1X2(3 -0()%2(); f%& .#%$%2+ 21 -13:(+ 2'( '10010& 1X L.0? X10

(].KN$(? K.R(& 2'( (XX102& 1X K.3+ 12'(0 )%0(-210& $11R X((#$(

%3 -1KN.0%&13;


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IXI N T R O D U C T I O N

I hope this book will show you that you can improve your ilms by

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1X &%KN$( -.K(0. K1:(& .3) -.0(X"$ #$1-R%3O; /'(3 +1" R31L

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When you have inished this book, you will understand how

=N%($#(0O .NN01.-'(& . &-(3(? .3) L'.2 '(d& 20+%3O 21 .-'%(:(; e1"

will understand the most eficient ways to get information across,

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ilms look better and conveying deeper emotions.


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X

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Watch every Spielberg ilm you can before you read this book, and

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21 L.2-' 2'(&( &-(3(& C.3) 12'(0&E 21 )(-1)( 2'( 2(-'3%^"(&; c'(

chapters are illed with spoilers, so make sure you watch the ilms

irst. Most of the scenes are from relatively early on in the ilms to

avoid giving too much away, but you should still watch each ilm

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e1" -.3 L10R 2'01"O' 2'( #11R %3 10)(0? N%-R . -'.N2(0 2'.2 %32(0H

ests you, or work through according to your favorite ilms.

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. &-(3( 2'.2 3(()& T.N%) =210+2($$%3O? 2'(0(d& . -'.N2(0 )()%-.2()

21 &"-'? .3) +1" -.3 O1 &20.%O'2 2'(0(; QX +1" L.32 `+3.K%-

Dialogue, you can similarly ind the chapter you need.

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-.3? .3) 20+ 21 &(( '1L .3) L'+ %2 L10R&; c'(3? 13-( +1"d:( 0(.)

2'( -'.N2(0? L.2-' 2'( &-(3( .O.%3? N(0'.N& L%2' 2'( &1"3) )1L3

&1 2'.2 +1" -.3 X1-"& 13 2'( -.K(0. K1:(& .3) &(( '1L 2'( &-(3(

'.& #((3 -0.X2();


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1R A I D E R S O F T H E L O S T A R K

C H A P T E R 1

DESPERATECHASE:

Raiders of the Lost Ark


10/23


11/23

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moment, but the perfect setup for a dificult chase.

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1'3" ,2" ');+"/


12/23

C H A P T E R 1 : D E S P E R A T E C H A S E4

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=2',"9"% 5$)% 2"%$ +*


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14/23


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8$


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camera, combined with his struggle, emphasizes his ight against

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18/23


This shot is an example of how eficiently Spielberg can make

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F"9"'4 5$)% 2"%$


19/23



20/23


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dificult trick to pull off. The actor needs to hit an exact mark on the

ground, and the focus needs to be accurate. Even in this classic ilm2'(+ )13d2 O(2 %2 ^"%2( 0%O'2? .3) %2 2.R(& . K1K(32 X10 2'( &'12 21 #(

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=2"/ 5$) :'/, ,$ *"" '/ '


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Shoot Like Spielberg Sample PDF