07.02 Crop and Thirds Shot Framing Exercise Assignment

Assignment Deliverables

1. Minimum 4 screenshots from a film, television program, animation, or video game cutscene, each with a visible rule-of-thirds overlay
   • Label files YYYY-MM-DD Lastname Firstname Rule of Thirds Composition (.png, .jpg)
2. Brief shot analysis document identifying shot composition, camera changes, and editing rhythm
   • Label file YYYY-MM-DD Lastname Firstname Shot Analysis (.pdf, .docx)

Assignment Overview

Analyze how filmmakers use camera framing, composition, and editing to direct the audience’s attention and tell a story. You will capture frames from a short video sequence, examine their compositions using the rule of thirds, and measure the timing of camera cuts.

This exercise will help prepare you to plan shots, storyboards, and camera movements for upcoming virtual production projects.

1. Select Video Content and Take Screenshots

1. Choose a film, television program, animation, trailer, or video game cutscene.
2. Find a continuous 20-45 second sequence containing at least 4 camera shots. Look for different shot types, such as wide shots, medium shots, close-ups, or reaction shots.
3. Watch the sequence and capture at least 4 screenshots, preferably from consecutive shots.
   • Mac
     • Shift + Command + 3 Captures entires screen and autosaves a PNG
     • Shift + Command + 4 Captures selected portion of the screen and autosaves a PNG
   • Windows
     • Windows Key + PrtScn Captures the entire screen and auto-saves a PNG file to Pictures\Screenshots
     • Windows Key + Shift + S Opens the Snipping Tool overlay to select a rectangle, free-form shape, or single window. Will also auto-save it if you turn on Automatically save original screenshots inside the Snipping Tool’s settings menu
4. Record the title, director or creator, source link, and timestamps of the sequence.

2. Add Rule-of-Thirds Overlays in Photoshop

1. Open each screenshot in Photoshop.
2. Crop out the video player interface and any unnecessary borders while preserving the original composition and aspect ratio.
3. Select View > Guides > New Guide Layout*
4. Set 3 columns and 3 rows, with no gutters or margins, to divide the image into thirds.
5. On a new layer, use the Line Tool to draw 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines following the guides. Hold the Shift key to make the lines straight.Choose a color that is easy to see.
6. Export each image as a JPG or PNG with the lines visible. (Note: Photoshop guides alone do not appear in exports. You need to draw Lines) You may reuse your overlay layer for each image or create a Photoshop Action to speed up the process.

Do not crop or change the original framing to force the subject onto the thirds. Use the full original aspect ratio for the screenshots. Centered compositions, symmetry, and negative space are also intentional compositional choices.

3. Analyze Shot Composition and Editing Rhythm

Watch your sequence again and record the approximate start time, end time, and duration of at least 4 consecutive shots. For each shot, identify its shot type, subject placement, and purpose. Consider the camera angle, foreground/background relationships, and what the viewer is encouraged to notice. Use the actual timing and composition of your selected footage.

In your analysis document, create a table like this:

After completing your table, write 2-4 sentences addressing:

• How frequently does the camera cut? Does the pacing change?
• Why are the cuts placed where they are? What information or emotion does each new shot communicate?
• How does the framing or timing affect the audience’s understanding of the scene?

Think about how you could use similar framing and editing choices when planning your own virtual production shots.

Grading Rubric