#GravityFalls pulls a fun visual trick using the frame: when Bill Cipher tips his hat to Dipper, the whole frame flips around them; at first it may feel like only the camera flips, but when Dipper skids down the roof, we realize Bill has actually flipped reality around himself!

all our posts this week are about 'meta ways to use the frame' and this may be amongst the most meta of them all

The way #Andor arranges Vel (Faye Marsay) and Cinta (Varada Sethu) here is entirely for us the audience, using an unusual window frame to create a meta moment of commentary about the characters and where they have been emotionally.

As three characters dance around truth and each other, the changing patterns of the room show the audience whether they're in the clear . . . or in the spider's web. Check out our photo-heavy look at 1947's CROSSFIRE shotzero.substack.com/p/patterns-i...

This moment in Fight Club involves a ‘cigarette burn’ in the frame we’re watching. That the narrator refers to it as Tyler (Brat Pitt) points to it is a meta way to signal the narrator has full knowledge of the movie we are watching . . . 1/2

This live-action #LegendsofTomorrow scene pulls the same trick with the frame as yesterday's animated scene from Kiki's Delivery Service. When Nate [Nick Zano] punches the bad guy, the whole frame SHAKES to make us feel the impact! Slowed down for clarity, and also pure enjoyment.

Afraid she may be losing her ability to fly, Kiki tests her broom . . . When she lands with a THUD! the screen shakes as though the camera is jarred by her hitting the floor. More than a sight gag, the jarring motion makes us *feel* how Kiki’s world is shaken when she hits the ground.

every. single. time. Lake George has three people in a scene, it gets a little funky with the framing. Step inside, and we'll show you how . . . open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...

When Paul Thomas Anderson wanted to get closer to a picture without cutting, he swung a magnifying glass in front of the frame. You may notice the edge ‘wipe’ across the frame, or it may feel like an extreme focus pull, but the EFFECT of jumping to "but it did happen . . . “ for sure grabs you.

All our other examples of 'wipes' this week have changed everything in the frame, and either skipped time, or 'jumped' closer to a character. This use from 1997's Insomnia is completely different - we break it down in depth next week on our (free!) Substack.

Our long-read today is quite short: just a bunch of film characters forming hearts with their bodies. shotzero.substack.com/p/shapes-of-...

Johnny and Baby doing what they do best: dancing, yes, but also making the shape of a heart. Happy Valentine's Day!

As this #TheLifeofChuck voiceover introduces us to the titular Chuck (Tom Hiddleston), multiple passerby ‘wipe’ the frame in combination a jump cut; the first moving him from sidewalk to bench, the rest getting us closer to him. 1/2

#MyLifeisMurder “Another Bloody Podcast” introduces Alexa playing video games, then brings it back for this final scene with a 'wipe' transition. This wipe also ellipses time, demonstrated by the change in lighting (from warm yellow to blue TV glow), and Alexa now in pyjamas and drinking wine.

New this year are our Weekly Themes, where all our shots share something in common. shotzero.substack.com/p/week-2606-... 1/2

During #OnlyMurdersintheBuilding episode 5.03 “Rigor”, as Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin) narrates the history of Arconia’s Secret Gambling Room, the camera uses ‘wipes’ behind first a large column , then a character, to change color and costumes, and thus jump time several years.

In this scene from Dead Presidents, Curtis (Larenz Tate) runs through neighborhood yards. After he jumps a couple fences, a tree foreground-wipe-transitions directly to Curtis running through the jungles of Vietnam; a heartbreakingly quick transition from childhood to horrors of war.

Similar to how John Carpenter makes Roddy Piper's Nada really truly LOOK at the real world, he makes us stare at so, so many types of eyes in THEY LIVE. We've got all of them, right here. shotzero.substack.com/p/the-eyes-h...

We’re doing Theme Weeks this year, which ranges from Texas Switches to ‘shots of animals.’ Here’s our Insta grid from two weeks ago, when the theme was Sex and Breakfast Food yes, fries (or 'hot chips') w/ sriracha is absolutely breakfast food . . . though in this case, it's also a double entendre

Not one but two #splitdiopter shots, a J-cut, and some stomach-level cameras . . . today's longread looks at five of our favourite shots from The Wasp

The wild heist / action / comedy / thriller / fantasy caper film "Black Lizard" centres a battle of wits and love between Detective Akechi (Isao Kimura, here in the suit) and ‘Black Lizard’ aka Mrs. Midorikawa (Akihiro Maruyama, here in the dress). 1/2

This scene from Willow (2022) uses high and low angles to show shifting dynamics as Kit argues with her knight Jade. Not only their positioning, but how the angles perceive them, changes through the scene. For the full breakdown next week, subscribe (free!) to our Substack.

We look at a few of the many, many ways #Succession directors cross the line, in two very different scenes. open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...

It’s fairly typical to highlight a child feeling small by emphasizing size and height discrepancies to their parent . . . but it’s made more difficult when the child, David, is played by a big guy (Jonathan Majors) So in addition to standard “look down at kid / up at parent” technique . . . 1/2

The Vanishing (1988) Director: George Sluizer #filmsky 🎬 #movies 🎬 #cinema 🎬📽🎥🎞

There’s a beautiful high / low Juliet / Romeo vibe to this scene from Eat Drink Man Woman . . . assuming Romeo had lofted a volleyball onto Juliet’s balcony. (more Height Analysis of this scene on our Substack! shotzero.substack.com/p/eat-drink-... )

There’s marvelous intercutting in this scene from #Notorious as Alex (Claude Rains) walks down the stairs with Alicia and Devlin (Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant). 1/2

In honour of #GroundhogDay, we returned once again (and not for the last time) to one of our favourite films of the genre: #PalmSprings! Check out our favourite shots here: open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...

[Can't put this one on socials - it'll be on Substack next week!] Sex has been going for a while in this scene from #Vida before SMASH CUT TO hands reaming an orange with a juicer, suggesting a closeup the scene can't actually show. Also note arrangement of Lyn and Rudy in the wide. Delicious.

#HeatedRivalry 1.03 "Hunter" involves hockey player Scott Hunter flirting with smoothie guy Kip, everything from the banana, to the way the carrots and citrus are arranged, to the beer pull in the sports bar where Kip goes to watch the game, suggests what they're both thinking and flirting about.

Today on our substack, we look at how this 90 second sequence from #LoveLife ties together theme and character, while distinguishing scenes . . . and taking a little time for this transitional sex joke.

Everything about Shoplifter (Isaiah Washington) in the produce scenes from #SpikeLee's "Girl 6" is suggestive, from how he thunksthose melons and twiddles those stems, to how he holds them apples. (next scene in our Sex and Breakfast Foods roundup, coming next week on Substack)

The first of two entries from Spike Lee in this week's category "sex and breakfast food" - this from Mo' Better Blues. When you hear "sunny side up" you can probably guess exactly what you’re in for . . . but it’s still a lot of fun to see how the transition gets there!

perfeito

#HeatedRivalry 1.03 "Hunter" involves a lot of suggestion with breakfast food. The banana is obvious, but also peep the way those carrots and citrus are arranged. See our substack next week for more 'dick shots' from this episode!

Violet knows exactly what she’s doing using coffee to seduce Corky . . . and this one-two-one shot is the film confirming it’s working, showing Corky give the sort of lascivious ‘up down’ shot given to a woman’s body before cutting to . . . two hot, steaming cups of coffee. #Bound 1/2

How did Eve's Bayou pull off this tricky technical scene with a mirror . . . and more importantly, WHY did they go through so much work, what does it all mean? We break it down on today's longread. open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...

Many longer scenes and blocking sequences of Kurosawa's #HighandLow establish two characters as an angel and devil trying to convince the main character of what to do . . . but certain shots make the whole ‘shoulder conscience and tempter” impeccably clear.

Of all the shoulder angels & devils we've covered this week, My Name is Bruce goes the most difficult route: compositing three different live action Bruce Campbells. It's difficult to keep this up for any length of time, so angel / devil closeups make things much easier (and cheaper).

More Mirrors! We take a peek at how The Apartment uses mirrors to further the plot . . . and fakes some reflections, too! shotzero.substack.com/p/cracked-re...

During #HowIMetYourMother's iconic episode “The Slutty Pumpkin,” Ted tells of several Halloween costumes past. There's more blocking setup (full scene on Substack next week!), all in service of the punchline where some dude wanders over and creates this classic "shoulder angel and devil' tableau.

Instead of blocking in the devil and angel, or cutting to them already in position, or using SFX, in animation such as this scene from #TheEmperorsNewGroove, you can simply make them POOF! appear!

The Children's Hour intentionally frames Mary with Martha (Shirley MacLaine) and Karen (Audrey Hepburn) on either shoulder to insinuate angel and devil; in this case, depicting what other characters imagine Martha and Karen as, not what we the audience are meant to see them as.

Why might you use two split diopter shots, more than an hour apart? THE CHILDREN'S HOUR is saying something very specific with it! open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...

#GiriHaji Ep 5 uses bathroom mirrors in three scenes quite close together to show three characters attempting to make decisions . . . or trying to avoid the ramifications of their choices. (see our Substack 'Roundup' next Wednesday for the full breakdown)

this scene from Hell Drivers shifts camera and characters to use the mirror to show Tom and Gino (Stanley Baker and Herbert Lom) in different configurations as they try to figure out what they think of each other, and decide whether they will be enemies or friends.

GREAT cover art

This week has been all about mirror shots, and we have a real doozy on the long-read today! Check our Substack for the four ways this scene uses a three way mirror. shotzero.substack.com/p/two-way-bl...

This short, tense exchange between Mags Bennet (Character Actress Margo Martindale) and Loretta McCready (Kaitlyn Dever) in #Justified 2.13 “Bloody Harlan” uses the thin bar mirror a few different ways. Subscribe (free!) to our Substack to see the whole breakdown next week.

#TenPoundPoms uses a lot of rearview mirrors and three-way mirrors, as well as prism’d glass to reveal a dream [we've looked at all those shots; check our site for closer looks!) 1/2