How to Set a Scene

Filming a movie scene.

The first few frames of camera shots communicate a significant amount of information to the viewers of movies, television shows or documentaries. When the setup of a scene is done correctly the audience should be able to understand where the scene is supposed to be taking place. There is a specific process to achieve this interaction between producer and those watching. Once you understand the process of setting up a scene you will be able to recognize the steps when watching programs and movies.

Things You'll Need

• Camera

Instructions

1. Begin the scene with a wide shot. This shot should be of the general location of the story. Some suggestions are shooting the city skyline or mountain ridge. The shot will show more details if taken from a higher level like a skyscraper or a helicopter. Including landmarks that are well known by most audiences will help to identify the place. An example of this would be the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, the Golden Gate Bridge or the White House.

2. Set up the second frame of the scene as a medium wide shot to reveal details of the location. For example, by coming in closer the audience will be able to see specifics like the front of a building, the front door of a house, a football stadium field or the sign in front of a college. Doing this will also allow the audience to place these buildings and structures in a particular city, state or country because of the wide shot preceding this one.

3. Shoot the third frame to set up the scene with a close up shot of the actors or animals performing their roles. To bring the viewers into the story even more, you can shoot an extra close shot of the props that are part of the scene like books, a plate of food or a clock to symbolize the time of the events in the scene.

Tips & Warnings

• When shooting a fictional piece of work and one location does not provide all the characteristics for the storyline, you can improvise by mixing medium and close up shots from different places. This will create an illusion of the entire scene being shot in one place. For example, if the building you use in the scene is in a isolated area and you need it to appear to be in a busy downtown area, shots of busy streets can be mixed in with shots inside the building and shots outside of the building looking up toward the sky (not showing the ground).

References

• The Wild Classroom: How to Set a Scene Filmmaking Guide