I have had a little experience with acting and movie making. A very little experience, but it has broadened my way of thinking, and my way of writing. I learned several things from movie-making, such as the strange slang used on set, how to use the boom and mic, how to act, and a little bit of how to use the camera. There are many, many roles that go behind making movies, and since for us it was a family endeavor, we all had to play several of those roles, unlike on a typical movie set. One of the most important roles was the cinematographer. The cinematographer is the one who is in charge of how the scene is shot. This includes how it is lit, how the camera is angled, where it is best for the actors to stand, et cetera. We all had to play different roles, and sometimes we had to play all different roles. This required us to study cinematography.

Cinematography vs. Writing

Looking deeper into cinematography was fascinating for several reasons. It is a skill, and therefore it takes a great deal of study and practice. But it also opened the doors for a new look at writing. As writers, all our ideas are portrayed through words. There may be pictures in our finished book, but nevertheless, our story should be understandable through words alone. This makes it more difficult, or exciting, depending on your way of thinking, to write certain things, since you cannot show the reader what is in your mind. You need to use thoughts and feelings to portray the right idea, since you cannot see the expression on the character’s face. But it is easy to get carried away by this way of thinking. In the struggle to correctly portray our ideas through words, we have lost most if not all subtlety and description. Characters do not have expressions anymore. Their surroundings become a vaguely-described blur, solely up to the reader’s imagination, rather than an important part of the story itself. Where a character stands, what they are doing, what is around them, is all given up for a tunneled view of their thoughts. In cinematography, on the other hand, all of this is very important. The actor’s expression and carriage and surroundings all relate to their thoughts and feelings. When you shoot a scene, you cannot show what is in the actor’s head. You cannot describe how they are feeling. You cannot give the audience their innermost desires and thoughts and struggles. It all has to be done through what the audience sees and hears.

Drawbacks

Cinematography

The actor has to say what is in their mind, or they have to really show it through their expressions. If you have a less-than-stellar actor, this makes it difficult. Even if you have an excellent actor, if you do not properly light up the actor’s face, do not put them into a position where the audience can see what they are doing, do not have the proper sound to hear what they are saying, do not get them in the camera’s focus, or do not keep them from being overwhelmed by their surroundings, the audience has no idea what is going on and cannot fully appreciate the story and the character.

Writing

The drawback to the common way of writing, showing everything through thoughts and feelings, is that one, you have to have many points of view (POVs) to properly show the reader how the characters feel. This makes almost every character in your story a main character, and makes it confusing for the reader, and difficult to relate to. Two, every character has to either think or say what they are experiencing. This only works if every character has the same personality. They are either pensive, or very expressive. It does not leave room for anything in between. When do you actually think ‘I am angry’ or say that? A third difficulty with this way of writing is that it leaves little room for reactions. When do you describe in your mind what another character is doing and what you ought to be/feel like doing? Do you ever really think or say anything like ‘Oh no!’ or ‘He is coming toward me!’? All these things really end up being ridiculous and unrelatable to the audience.

Two In One

We have seen the difficulties of both writing and cinematography. But what if a writer could use them both to their advantage in their story? Is that possible? The simple answer is, yes. When a writer sees through the eyes of both the writer and the cinematographer, their world is opened up to a myriad of wonderful possibilities. It does make it more complex and takes time and practice, but the end result is a grand story that the reader can both see and feel.

Some Ways To Think Like A Cinematographer

Where Do The Actors Stand?

The position of the actors is important on screen and on stage. Cinematographers, and painters, use the golden spiral and the rule of thirds to draw the audience’s eye to what they want them to see. The writer should do the same. Now, the golden spiral and rule of thirds relate to visual forms of art, but you can use where your characters are standing to affect what the reader sees in their mind, and show how the character thinks. If a character is distressed or wants to hide, they will most likely be in a corner, or sitting against a wall. You do not have to say they are distressed, you simply have to say where they are to show the reader how they feel. Think about how your character feels. Think about it as a movie. Where would a cinematographer put the actor to show they were happy? Or sad? Or upset? Or, think of it this way. If you were watching a movie, where is the best place for the actor to be to show you how they feel?

What Are Their Surroundings?

This and lighting are very closely linked. Some of the most affective movies use the actors’ surroundings to show what they want the audience to know. Stormy nights, unlit halls, large rooms with flickering lights about to go out. Still days, corn fields. A flannel blanket. A small, unkempt room with clothes strewn about the floor. All of these, and more, show the character and thoughts and emotions of the people portrayed on the screen. As a writer, do the same! You do not have to say who your character is, you can show it through what they do and what they surround themselves with. You do not have to say how your character thinks or feels. Show it through their surroundings.

Where Is The Light Coming From?

Writers do not often think of lighting as being very important. After all, you only have to light up the character in the reader’s mind, which is easier than lighting it up on stage or on set. But lighting is very important. When a cinematographer uses lights, he does not only have to think about whether or not the actor is lit up, he also has to think about how much of the actor is lit up, and what kind of light it is. The type and color of light will affect the feel of the shot. Daylight is very different from things like fluorescent light and moonlight. An actor standing in daylight can seem happy, or overheated. Fluorescent lights, and the feel is mindlessness, weariness. Moonlight, it is romance, or vampires and werewolves. In your story, the light will affect the character, and through the character affect the reader. So use it to your advantage!

Can I Show It Through One Expression?

This is not exclusive to facial expressions. Body language is also important. How is this character standing? How can I show his thoughts and feelings through one action? How can it have more impact this way? How can I better portray him through what he does? These are all thoughts that go through a cinematographer’s head. And they should go through a writer’s head, as well. Your character gives an extensive rant. Will slamming the table do? Your character thinks ‘it could not get any worse than this.’ If they bury their face in their hands, or groan, will that do the trick? Explore with your characters. If they are the type to give a rant rather than actually slam the table, give them a rant. Do not take them out of character. But if expressions will help better convey what you want to your reader, use it!

Conclusion

Thinking like a cinematographer can be an excellent way for a writer to show their reader what is going on in the story. There are beauties of cinematography, and beauties of writing. Why not mix the two? Explore, experiment, try things out. If it does not work, try something else. There are many other things that go into thinking like a cinematographer, such as using weather and sound and color to your advantage. But the simplest, easiest tip is this: Think of your story as a movie. Think of how you can get your idea across in the clearest way. Think like a cinematographer.