disseny

Design dĭ-zīn′ verb 1. To conceive or create in the mind; to invent. 2.To formulate a plan for; to make something for a purpose.

VISUAL WEIGHT The “protagonism” of an element in a composition. Affected by:  Size  Color  Position  Shape

PROPORTION :The size relationship between the elements of the image. Usually mathematical. 

THE GOLDEN RATIO: A proportion based upon the Fibonacci Sequence, where the relationship between numbers is φ (phi): Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21… What’s the next number? φ = (1+√n) / 2 Where “n” is any number. 

VISUAL CONTRAST DIFFERENCE based either on color, luminosity, texture, size or shape.

COMPOSITION Combining elements in space:  Balance  Symmetry  Rule of thirds

READING DIRECTION In western countries: Left to right Up to down Relative to visual weight. This is important for the hierarchy of information and must be taken into account when designing communication materials. Reading Order (refference point) acoording to visual weight called “THE PUNCTUM”

SCRIPTS Three types of script are used in the industry: Literary script Technical script Storyboard Each script has strengths and weaknesses and is used for specific purposes.

SCRIPTS – LITERARY Centered on the story and dialog of the piece. The fastest to produce. Allows easy changes. Doesn’t give any graphical information or very little. Usually developed before other scripts. A document where the action onscreen is described, along with dialogue and character actions.  It SHOWS, NOT TELLS what happens onscreen  No interior monologues, no long explanations, no camera indications 

SCRIPTS – TECHNICAL Usually made by the director after the literary script is approved. Incorporates technical details of the scene, usually made as a table. Can vary format but this is the minimum: Secuence Shot Description Shot type/ Angle Sound Shot Length Total Length 

SCRIPTS – STORYBOARD Literally, a board of images where a series of images show key moments in a scene, along with a small description. May include short texts and camera indications. Very similar to a comic-book

CINEMATIC LANGUAGE: WIDE SHOT Subject appears small in its environment. Used to show lack of familiarity with environment, or an individual overpowered by its environment. Can be used without a subject to establish where action happens. 

FULL SHOT The Martian ■ Similar to the wide shot, but closer. If the subject is a person, their whole body appears in the frame, encompassed by the environment. ■ Used to express relation of the subject and its location.

CLOSE FULL SHOT Intermediate shot between Full and Medium shots: the subject is shown in its environment, but takes up the majority of the frame. Shows the subject in its environment, but the emphasis is in the subject, not the environment.

COWBOY SHOT (AMERICAN SHOT) Shows the subject from the knees up. Gets its name from its origin in western cinema: it shows the guns/hands at the side of the body. Used to emphasize the subject’s capability of action / its weapons.

MEDIUM SHOT One of the most used types of shot. The subject appears from the waist up or from the stomach up. Emphasizes the subject – usually we care more about the face and upper body than we do about the legs. Often used as “bridge” to transition between a full shot and a closeup in a smooth way.

CLOSEUP Shows the face of the subject, emphasizing reaction and emotion. May show the full face, or focus on a particular detail: eyes, mouth… then it’s an Extreme Closeup. If used on an object, becomes a Detail Shot or Insert.

CAMERA ANGLES EYE LEVEL Parallel to the ground and focused in the eyes of the subject: this angle is the most common and natural. Mimics the way you see life every day. Used to generate connection between subject and spectator 

LOW ANGLE Shot from below – focusing on the subject above the spectator and the camera. Expresses the power of the subject over someone else or the spectator / camera.

HIGH ANGLE Focused on the subject from above. Contrary to the low angle, expresses vulnerability of the subject below the camera.

ABERRANT / “DUTCH” ANGLE The camera isn’t parallel to the floor: the angle is unnatural. Expresses alteration of reality: something isn’t ok, something is altered. Commonly used in sci-fi/fantasy/horror to express altered consciousness or reality, or dream states.

CAMERA MOVEMENT. MOVEMENT TYPES Static: absence of movement Rotation/Panoramic: camera rotates on a vertical or horizontal axis. Traveling: camera moves through space. Optic: alterations in the focal distance and zoom of the camera.

TRAVELLING Physical movement of the camera following a subject. Follows action and focuses attention. Can be filmed in hand, with a dolly, with cranes, drones, helicopters

PANORAMIC / ROTATION Camera rotates on an axis. Emphasis on the camera as spectator.

OPTIC The movement of camera elements used to get close to the subject, even though neither subject or camera physically move. Expresses a change of focus or tension in a scene.

TRANSFOCUS Changes depth of view to achieve a change in focus of the scene

ACTION AXIS An imaginary line between the subjects of a scene. The camera cannot go over this imaginary line without breaking the visual naturality of the scene and cinematic “theater” KULESHOV EFFECT The juxtaposition of two shots has a different, richer meaning than those two shots separately 

BASIC CREATIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES Central conflict Three acts structure Character writing

CENTRAL CONFLICT Careful: conflict does not necessarily mean violence, or confrontation. A central conflict is something in the story that the protagonists wish was different. What central conflicts do you remember from movies that you like? The engine of the story, without conflict there is no drama. Needs to be introduced early in the story. A story has the magnitude of the conflict it presents 

THREE-ACT STRUCTURE The most basic narrative structure: If it worked for the ancient Greeks, it will work for you. Opening – Turning point – Rising action – Turning point – Resolution

CHARACTER WRITING An effective way to create characters is to set their INTENT, OBSTACLE AND TACTICS: Intent: What a character wants to achieve  Obstacle: what prevents him from achieving it – A HERO IS AS GREAT AS HIS OBSTACLE  It is not necessary for the character to OVERCOME the obstacle, but at least to try and this effort will make him evolve.  Tactics: How you will face this obstacle Character Arc:  One of these three aspects changes due to the events of the story, causing the character to change as a person. Intent: To eat a Margarita pizza, with extra cheese on it. Obstacle: There’s no pizza in the fridge. Tactic: Call JustEat. Make a song about it. Wear a ridiculous dress. 

PERSUASIVE WRITING According to Aristotle, there’s three parts of persuasion: Ethos (credibilidad) Logos (lógica) Pathos (emoción)

ETHOS Values: beliefs shared with the reader. Why is the reader important to us? Why should the reader trust us?

LOGOS Logic: an argument should make sense. Use facts and data. Argue your points. Reason, demonstrate.

PATHOS Emotion: evoked by images, channeled through stories. Empathize with the reader.

JOURNALISTIC WRITING The inverted pyramid News-worthiness criteria Parts of a news article Exercise

JOURNALISTIC WRITING: THE INVERTED PYRAMID Archetypal structure of a news article: Organizes information in a straightforward, intuitive and attractive fashion. Answers the “SIX W”: What / Who / When / Where / Why / How………………Headline, sub-headline, lead What / Who / When / Where / Why / How Data in DECREASING order of importance Additional details and minutia 

JOURNALISTIC WRITING: NEWS-WORTHINESS Elements which determine whether a story is worth being news or not. Classic criteria (in order):  Impact  Recency  Proximity (not just geographical)  Rarity / Spectacle  Emotion / intrigue

JOURNALISTIC WRITING: NEWS-WORTHINESS Modern criteria (in order): Novelty or disruption of day-to-day life Originality, unpredictability Possible future evolutions of the story Social impact and severity of the event Geographic proximity Number of people impacted Fame of people and places implied

JOURNALISTIC WRITING: PARTS OF AN ARTICLE Title: brief and impactful Lead: brief summary in one or two sentences of the whole news item Body: rest of the text Highlights: excerpts of the body in a larger font, used to achieve greater visual appeal in long pieces. Graphic elements: photographs, infographics, videos… And the descriptive texts or captions that accompany them.