This #LisaFrankenstein cut from colour to black and white does a few things at once: nods to Lisa’s namesake; visually reminds us Lisa uses classic old films as escapism; insinuates (with makeup / hair / etc changes) we’re in a dream sequence; transitions to a whole new scene.

Evil’s shots can be homages and horrifying (subscribe to our Substack for more of those), but they can also be playful! Episode 2.03 “F is for Fire” has fun using lighting fixtures and children’s paper decorations to create horns and halos over four of its main characters. 1/3

We wrote a love letter (with a lot of pictures) to one of our favourite, very specific, shots in all cinema! shotzero.substack.com/p/stairs-as-...

This wonderful scene opener from Cat People (1942) is framed so the shadow of a canary bounces between the paws and mouth of a painted panther, before showing us the canary in the room along with Irena, who is (unbeknownst to her so far) at the beginning of her transformation.

Cat People’s edit is all about creating a feeling instead of mimicking reality. This iconic jumpscare codified an entire editing technique: The Lewton Bus is named after Cat People writer/producer Val Lewton, who would go on to use the same concept in many of his future works.

This impressively staged #RosemarysBaby scene (it's only 2 setups!) features one of cinema's most simple yet iconic shots. When 'Satanic mastermind' Minnie (Ruth Gordon) learns that Rosemary (Mia Farrow) is pregnant, she makes a phone call to her friends/coven. 1/2

How do you get from this . . . to that? We take a look at how Irma Vep transitions between two different scenes with similar movements.

#Evil 2.02 “A is for Angel” makes great use of production design by setting up shots which frame drawings of demonic angels (or angelic demons, depending how you read the episode . . .) to look like they’re part of the team (shot 1), or sitting over David’s shoulder (shot 2).

The Babadook’s opening sequence uses surrealism to give us an uneasy feeling and 'bridge' from Amelia's dream to reality, then immediately follows by using Amelia's body and the two mismatched bedside lamps to create a picture of the Babadook. What an all-timer way to start a film.

This use of mirror in Betty Blue (1986) is lovely. As the scene opens, Zorg is already in motion, bringing our eyes to the mirror. When Zorg comes into frame, his ‘real’ self’s motion motivates the camera to move; by the time we can’t see his reflection any more we’re in the flow of the scene. 1/2

badass film imagery is babadook

Among other things, #AbbottElementary doing the will they / won't they / they did / they are! better than anyone else in the game rn shotzero.substack.com/p/setting-up...

#AgathaAllAlong first framed Teen in this painting in Ep2 "Circle Sewn With Fate" where it looks like a sun or halo from religious iconography. Then in Ep7 "Death's Hand in Mine" the painting creates the High Priestess tarot card with Jen, complete with twin lamps as torches.

Happy Spooky Season! Why not start off with a light miniseries on Opening Kills in Horror Movies? shotzero.substack.com/p/perp-and-v...

In this wordless sequence from Saving Face (2004), white flashes serve to demonstrate how grief comes in waves and leaves behind strange gaps in your memory during those first days reckoning with new and painful loss.

Fish Tank isn’t shy about using imagery which evokes its name; several frames place Mia (Katie Jarvis) within frames and/or around screens and windows which evoke being trapped inside a square, glass tank.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) Director: Jack Arnold

In honour of #AbbottElementary's upcoming Season 5 premiere five of our favourite shots from its first four seasons!

The opening sequence of Raw (2016) effectively uses contrast. A wide, quiet shot; a tiny figure runs on the side of an empty road. A wide, quiet shot; a small car drives towards camera. A return to the first shot, then suddenly! almost simultaneously! 1/3

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Blake Edward’s 1961

Taskmaster Series 15 Ep 8 “100% Bosco” gives us this nice little establisher of Jenny folding up her task, before cutting to a delightful inside-the-barrel shot just in time for her to drop it down upon us.

Today we look at the colour theory of #TokyoPop, and how it depicts character journeys as they meet, fall in love, and have to decide what to do about their respective futures. shotzero.substack.com/p/colour-the...

Speaking of perfect frames! This shot from #Dickinson 2.01 "Before I got my eye put out" doesn’t just position Sue (Ella Hunt) within a gilded mirror frame-within-a-frame, it reflects two candles to make four, and lines up those candle’s flames to draw our eyes to Sue’s eyes.

Where do you look in this photo? What draws your eye? Much of shot composition is directing the audience to look in a particular place or at a particular person, but in this #12AngryMen photo, part of the point is that there is no ONE place to look; there are a dozen places. 1/3

If you missed our post about Malcom X’s strong use of color theory yesterday, you can catch up to it now on the Substack. But sometimes you just want to appreciate a beautiful, perfect shot of Delroy Lindo and a smoke ring.

Today we take a look at how Spike Lee uses color differently in the different sections of Malcom X to visually guise us through the many phases of Malcom's life. 1/2

We've got a lot of Spike Lee coming up - subscribe or follow on the social channel of your choice to see how Lee uses shots to pass time, uses blocking to create a Catholic confessional in a suburban street, or paints the colours of the American flag as commentary.

Spike Lee could have staged this final moment between Troy (Zelda Harris) and her father (Delroy Lindo) anywhere in the house Crooklyn (1994) has spent so much time in. But staging it in the outhouse enables two things . . . 1/2

Speaking of mirrors and doing a LOT with a small budget, this dreamlike ‘flashback’ shot as Ponyboi looks into his past is set up so it can be filmed practically, with the mirror tilted so the two arguing actors (Ponyboi’s dad and Young Ponyboy) can be seen by us while . . . 1/2

Today is about five [more] of our favourite, ridiculously beautiful shots from Canadian indie WHEN NIGHT IS FALLING

#Mood #FilmSky 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨 (𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟑)

#Film89ShotOfTheDay No.2869 Goodfellas (1990) Director: Martin Scorsese Cinematographer: Michael Ballhaus

These two images from 2004's #SavingFace perfectly convey how Hwei-Lan (a superb Joan Chen) is conflicted, but ultimately accepts, her marriage. 1/3

This is a FOOL PROOF movie for to show first timers. Everyone has a total blast. Always.

This transition From Giri / Haji 1.01 makes it clear not much time has passed, but a monumental event has occurred. When a flash of white shows a second whiskey glass exactly where it was left, now with a crime scene marker next to it, it’s a clear, simple way of signalling . . . 1/2

Hello #FilmSky and also (#TVsky?) We post a shot daily, longer breakdowns weekly on Substack and YouTube. Last week we looked at Bob’s Burgers, Tokyo Pop, Succession, and Do the Right Thing. if any of that is your thing, drop us a follow (and your recs!) shotzero.substack.com/p/week-2536-...

In the Heat of the Night (1967) Director: Norman Jewison

This transition from #Blindspotting (2018) makes immediately clear via visuals that a lot of time has passed. It’s the same character in the same pose, but *everything else* changes: lighting, colour, hair, wardrobe, background, audio. 1/2

Today we look at how hands, chandeliers, windows, and more can be used to create frames with frames.

This shot from #Dollhouse 1.06 “Man on the Street” is a nice use of red and green ‘opposite on the wheel’ colours. The porthole window also shows us something important; as Paul (Tahmoh Penikett) searches the restaurant, he’s unable to see who may be hiding in the kitchen . . .

Name a film that's so beautifully shot it feels like a painting. Sorry to be basic but Blood and Black Lace (and, less obviously, Autumn Sonata)

Name a film that's so beautifully shot it feels like a painting. THE DUELLISTS (1977)

Name a film that's so beautifully shot it feels like a painting. All that Heaven Allows (1955)

Yesterday we took a deep dive into how Tea and Sympathy uses frames-within-frames to very meaningful ends . . . but not every use of a frame-within-a-frame needs to be A Big Significant Thing! Sometimes it simply looks pretty and/or draws our attention to a character or item.

Today we look at how 1956 melodrama Tea and Sympathy creates beautiful frames within its larger frames to show us what characters know, or tell us what the characters are feeling, or demonstrate how isolated someone can be even while in the place as other people.

Most of our #frameswithinframes shots this week are quite widescreen, but you can easily use this technique within a more square frame as well, as Time Without Pity (1957) does again and again — for example using literal frames of windows, pictures, mirrors, and windshields within set dressing.

This frame of Vel (Faye Marsay) and Cinta (Varada Sethu) from Andor 2.06 "What a Festive Evening" isn’t just stunning, it encapsulates much of their dynamic of Season 1 — the last time we actually saw them share a frame (they saw each other in 2.01, but never shared a frame). 1/5

If you'd like to see our daily short shot analysis in one place, we've got you covered! Subscribe to our free Substack, where we round them all up once a week For example these five fun shots from Out of the Fog, #TheBear, #PValley; and #Taskmaster

More on Tea and Sympathy coming up on Friday's substack; not merely a gorgeous movie, but one which uses its shots with such specificity and intention.

A creative and unusual frame-within-a-frame shot from the first ever Technicolor comedy film "Nothing Sacred"! When a furious and prudish woman confronts Hazel (Carole Lombard), we see her rather elaborate black hat from Hazel’s POV. Then when the shot flips around . . . 1/2