The Visual Story
To tell the visual story is to visually deliver a full story of a place, person or people, or characters and their relation to the space, the relationship between the characters, the inner world of the characters thoughts, emotions, their point of view about the world around them and how they see themselves in it at any given moment. Showing this internal world in some sort of external visual way is at the heart of composing shots and scenes in film. Sometimes the character is in complete harmony with their internal world but more often there is some conflict or contrast between what’s happening on the outside with what is felt on the inside. Sometimes the acting at its best will convey this unseen world of inner thoughts. Sometimes the actors have to telegraph thoughts and feelings with just a glance or look. Christain Bale, in an interview said that if he has shot where he has no dialog, he will write the dialog so he has it in his head during the shot so his expression will be true and convey what needs to be said. So much can be told through the pose or expression of a character and how the camera is positioned.
As story artists, and designers we look for ways to create a visual context and continuity that will become the baseline of the story or “the normal world”. From there we build visual contrast, conflict, harmony, or tension through the choices and the relationships we establish within our compositions.
Two goals for anyone striving to create clear visual communication for film or painting are image clarity and image message. Is your application clear and accessible? And is your image message expressed in a way that leaves no doubt to the viewer. This doesn't mean that you cannot lead or misdirect the audience. On the contrary, if your purpose is to do so you need to be in control of it.
Establishing the Context
In the world where... may be the announcer's lead in and yet this is exactly what we need to visually establish. This is what I mean by context. What is the prevailing conditions of the world and characters, their emotional state, their code, how they see the world and how the world sees them. This is the exposition of the story. This is where we set the visual rules. Let me be clear, previously I stated there are no rules, and it's like Peter O'Tools statement in Lawrence of Arabia about destiny, "Nothing is written until you write it!" Establish a visual context for a film or a painting is defining the parameters of you visual elements to work within. From there the success of your visual communication relies on maintaining consistency and continuity, and the build and release of visual dynamics.
Image Clarity is not about achieving technical proficiency, or excellent craftsmanship, or achieve popular tropes of 'appeal'. Rather it is the ability of the visual artist to create visual statements that deliver the expression, message, story in the clearest manner. It is popular in some areas of fine art for artists to be cryptic with their visual message in order create a contradiction or paradox by which the viewer is asked to complete the artists statement. In animation, film, as well as advertising, comics, and illustration achieving clarity of image is extremely important. Even if your goal is to misdirect or set up your audience, you don’t want to confuse them, or lose them. It is helpful to be sensitive to how you want the viewer to enter you image, or be held back from entering your image. Here are a couple examples from The Godfather.
During the first few minutes of the Godfather we are introduced first to the Godfathers mafia family on the day of his daughters wedding. In the top two images we see the interior of his office and an exterior with another mafia boss. Overall dark with some high contrast, and what we cannot see here is that though we are close to these characters (the Godfather on screen left in the first image) and the group in the right image, we cannot hear their murmuring, WE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS.
As we cut to the exterior of the wedding reception we have the master on the left which has a ridiculous amount of wires crisscrossing the frame, then all the shots at the reception have something or someone blocking the foreground, clearly again WE ARE NOT ALLOWED INTO THEIR SPACE.
Once visual rules are established it is important to maintain consistency and continuity. The rules may change, or we may establish other visual conditions to reflect conflict, however we carryout consistency and continuity within the context of the show visual changes need to be motivated. Likewise if we are to symbolize, or give meaning to something, some one, or some color we have to adhere to consistency and continuity (which often means restraint in areas where not appropriate).
Image Message begins with your intent and a clear idea of that which needs to be visually stated. All your compositional choices should be based on creative ways to make that image message as clear as possible. It's said; “a picture is worth 1,000 words”. If your picture is to be worth 1,000 words, you have to present relationships within your composition that are capable of communicating every last one of them clearly. All your compositional choices should help to clarify, and support the image message. Without depth of story or a clear image message the decisions you make will only satisfy a subjective abstract idea that may become confusing or hold no meaning to the viewer.
Our visual components, their application through the orchestration of their relationships are the tools of our visual language through which we communicate. If we do not consider the text and subtext of the image clearly it is impossible to define a clear plan to achieve it. When the artist is unsure, vague, or just not thinking through the intent of their image they tend to look for cliché ideas of composition.
“There are no general or standardized rules for Composition”
Visual language is just that, the ability to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings, through the relationships of visual elements established within their compositions. It is not related to technical rigor and or rendering techniques. The fact that we can visually communicate with great discretion might imply that there is a common visual language but rules lead to predictable outcomes which will severely limit the artists range of expression and ability to visually communicate through their own voice.
Single Image Story
Checkers by Norman Rockwell
The Story
The story in the Rockwell painting above appears as follows, The clown, usually considered as a fool, is beating the circus owner in a game of checkers. The other two performers watch the game intently and only add to the boss' embarrassment at being beaten by the clown.
The Clown outsmarts the ring master, manager, and dancing girl
Performance
The clown displays an intellectual advantage with confidence while the others are stumped.
Composition
Composition
If you can narrow the moment into a few concise words it is the best place to start. That is principally the plot. We find character in the actions, and interactions of the characters. From here we build the scene.
In the design or blocking of this composition the clown is isolated and prominent by his uninterrupted silhouette cut out against the tent and table. Separated from the other figures he balances the grouping of other characters (When objects or characters overlap severely they tend to read as a single compositional element), and their individuality is downplayed so that they retain their secondary place in the picture's hierarchy. The eye lines of the three people on the left are all trained on the board, while the clowns eye line is directly at the circus manager. The position of the clowns head is as tall as the tallest character on the left which in his singularity makes him appear taller. Helping this is the visual force created by the strong narrow vertical shape that the clowns body makes. The base he is sitting on adds to the vertical height. A spiral rhythm of shapes move our eye around this image including edges of shapes, to shadow shapes, to implied interior axis lines. In contrast to these curved forces, the shadow lines in the background behind the clown are straight.
The Visual Story
"In this intimate and moody interior, Sargent depicts French artist Albert Besnard (1849–1934) and his wife, sculptor Charlotte Dubray (1855–1931), celebrating the birthday of their eldest child, Robert (1881/2–1914). The overhanging light and the glow of the birthday candles illuminate the face of the young boy, but the mother is the dominant figure in the foreground, while the father, relegated to the background, is virtually faceless. In his own work, Besnard espoused what he called the "environmental" portrait, using his sitters’ surroundings to represent character and "express their relationship with the world in which they live." Here, the crimson walls, decorative wall coverings, and Asian-inspired lampshade suggest the family’s refinement and aesthetic impulses." Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sargent was a brilliant painter and the most sought after portrait artist on both sides of the Atlantic during his career. It has been documented that he grew tired of painting portraits of the social elite. But he did have many conversations with his artist friends like Albert Besnard on capturing more in a painting than a likeness. In few of his commissioned portraits but mostly in the portraits and paintings he did of his friends and families he was capturing more personal aspects than likeness alone.
The Daughters of Edward Darling Boit
This was a very different composition than any of his other group portraits and the question still remains, was Sargent attempting to capture more of the personalities of the young girls than just their likenesses. Rather than grouped at play they seem isolated and the two older girls clearly are uncomfortable in the scene. If it is true, his instincts and observation skills were keen. In later years, all the girls remained single, and the two older girls suffered emotional issues later in adulthood.
Dr Pozzi
Sargent clearly revered Dr Pozzi painting him in the rich red robes much like Catholic clergy, elegant shoes and pose. Dr Pozzi was a well established doctor of gynecology and Sargent didn't miss the fact while painting exceptionally long hands and fingers. This painting was done in 1881 but held from exhibition until 1884 around the time of his Madam X scandal. Dr Pozzi was rumored to have been one of Madam Gautreau's lovers.
Madam X
Madam Gautreau
The image on the left is a photo of the original painting considered a scandal, and the image on the right is the changed painting we know today. The backlash of the scandal drove Sargent to relocate to England. Sargent did numerous sketches of Grauteau prior to this portrait for exhibition.
Portrait of I. N. Phelps Stokes and her surrogate dog
Rather than a formal gown Sargent chose to portray her in day ware. Originally she was to be painted with her great dane. When that didn't work her husband stood in for the dog, and Sargent made sure it wasn't going to be interpreted as a double portrait.
Madame Paul Escudier (Louise Lefevre)
Unlike so many other portraits by Sargent, this one was clearly different. Notice how she is a half step into the shadows and illuminated in her mid area and arms. The emphasis in this painting seems to center around the lighting in the room where she is but occupying space.
President Theodore Roosevelt
In this commission of President Roosevelt he chose to capture a scowling ham fisted Roosevelt after the president offended him. As the story goes, Roosevelt was walking Sargent through the white house looking for the best light. After a while Roosevelt exclaimed "The problem with you Sargent, you don't know what you want!" Sargents reply was "and you don't know what a portrait is!" At that he turned with a scowl, and placed his hand firmly on the newell post, Sargent said, that's it.
This conversation piece epitomizes the cultured expatriate world of Venetian society. In the lower right corner is Boston-born Daniel Sargent Curtis (1825–1908) and his wife, Ariana (1833–1922), the owners of the seventeenth-century Palazzo Barbaro on the Grand Canal. Behind the older couple is their son Ralph Curtis (1854–1922) and his wife, Lisa (1871–1933). The palazzo was a popular gathering spot for the artistic community: Sargent was a frequent guest as were Claude Monet and poet Robert Browning. Henry James wrote The Wings of the Dove (1902) in the library.
Sargent conveys the dazzling effect of Venetian light shimmering off the canal as it defines the elaborate gilt decor and carvings, the ornate furnishings, and the sparkle of the glass chandelier. When Sargent completed the painting, he presented it to Ariana as a gift. She declined the unconventional portrait, citing her son’s casual pose and her own flushed cheeks as an affront to decorum.
Sargent conveys the dazzling effect of Venetian light shimmering off the canal as it defines the elaborate gilt decor and carvings, the ornate furnishings, and the sparkle of the glass chandelier. When Sargent completed the painting, he presented it to Ariana as a gift. She declined the unconventional portrait, citing her son’s casual pose and her own flushed cheeks as an affront to decorum.
Phil Hale artist
In this portrait look how the direction of his face and eye line is heading off screen right while his head is also on the right of the screen. The viewer’s eyes will travel faster following the subject’s eye line that is why we might give them more distance between their eyes and the edge of the frame. This situation creates a lot of negative space behind this head. Also his left arm being so close and parallel to the frame creates a tension along the right side of the image and our eye will travel faster along the right side of the image and seem to float across the lost edges of the left side of the image. The higher eye level of the artist makes the subject more submissive even if his head occupies the upper right area of the image.
The staging and positioning of figures and elements composed has everything to do with the way in which we read an image. Phil Hale has broken many rules to achieve the image message he desires. For the vast number of shots in a film, or the various ways any artist will choose to communicate their story what we may consider as rules cannot apply. Adhering to such rules would only limit our range of visual expression.
From Jaws: Sargent Brodie is caught between the business owners and the city council members who wants to keep the beaches and possibly take their chances with the shark attacks. Brodie is way to the right of the screen creating great visual tension in this image below.
And again we see Brodie pressured by the council in the foreground right. Speilberg chose to keep the tension on him so he short sided Brodie.
Compare the upper two images from the beginning of the film to these images below at the end of the film. They have transformed through their experiences in the film to become the same desperate women on the run from the police.
From Revolutionary Road
The skewed eye lines and Cathy Bates being off to the left creates more tension. At the same time the parallels at the left and right sides of the frame and the light in the center creates a static environment that enhances the dynamic eyeliner and position of the actress.
The chair facing inward and it's shadow in the foreground closes the frame along the bottom and the door frames on the right and left creates a frame within the frame making the space closed.
The choice to include the door jam close to the edge of the frame on the right is not a casual choice. It frames her in and she becomes less important in the image message. This could be the result of the film maker trying to deliver some subtext of how she is feeling at the time, possibly boxed in.
When we consider the eye line, the bit of perspective of the sink and the shape of the shadows dynamically framing Kate Winnslett we realize that there is a lot more in the composition to move our eye around the frame than just block the right side of the frame.
I have cropped the image below to exclude the door jam framing her in and closing the composition. Notice how she appears more important or their conversation seems to appear more intimate within this image below. This is not only because along with the shadows and sink that I mentioned above, but here she anchors the eye line and the space to the right feels open forcing her to appear less framed in.
Casablanca
Consider this image from Casablanca as Elsa and Rick discuss their complicated and emotional situation.
On the outside they are composed but their emotions are complicated. Michael Curtiz made sure the stripes on their costumes revealed the inner complexity and the back ground delivers more complexity. This is a case where the film maker wants to stress the subtext in the background.
In these shots Rick is cynical and sarcastic carefully guarding his conflicted feelings as Claude Rains is delivering a straightforward internal assessment of Ricks’ private loyalties to the underdog throughout his past. This was set up in the first shots of Rick in the movie. As others were shot against simple backdrops or in crowds of people, in contrast Rick was shot in front of shadow walls and palm fronds shadowed blinds etc. Again offering complexity in the Background to visually deliver the complicated private subtext.
In this shot Claude Rains steps forward, into the complicated background of shadows and blinds behind Rick as he says his life in Casablanca is simple and he alone is the master of his domain. This shot ends with a voice overlap to the next shot of a Nazi soldier urging him to come to meet the arriving German officer and Rains responds obediently. His dialogue is in direct conflict with his situation and his body movement and background arrangement explains the internal complexity of his situation.
Wizard of OZ
In this scene from Wizard of OZ Dorothy is singing ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ which stands today as the most memorable tune from the movie known for its’ lavish use technicolor and fanciful design. Here is a beautiful contrast, and the perfect counterpoint between her real world and her imaginary world within. In this case Dorothy is singing what she is dreaming of (her inner world) so the environment was designed to illustrate the baron and bleak world, almost surrealist with its’ flattened desolation. With her colored fantastic journey yet to come it is critical that the real world be as foreboding as it does.
To Catch a Thief directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock said the biggest thing in the frame is the most important thing.
This is a prop used in Dial M for Murder in a scene to create an in-camera effect of an extremely wide angle, with a deeper depth of field.
He did the same in the film Notorious, with two chairs (a smaller one and a larger one), and various sizes of teacups. This is a very oversized cup and Ingred Bergman is sitting in the larger chair. The larger chair was used to make her look smaller, sinking into the chair and the cups got larger. In the story Claud Rains (right) was slowly poisoning her and we feel her health and consciousness slipping away.
Here are a few versions using just black, white, and gray with shapes and lines.
