Composing Shots and Panels
Takeaway 4 in our 18 takeaways from our Year Long Program
** Composing Shots and Panels
TAKEAWAY 4
Where you place characters in the panel helps tell the story.
Where we put our characters, and to some degree how, we LIGHT THEM, matters to the story. Here's are some snapshots about fitting your characters in the panel to serve the psychology of the moment.
Here we see three characters and a car. Wonderfully drawn characters (and great gestures!) and scene, but a bit of a tangle trying to sort out the story. What is going on?
We reorganize, the same characters, same scene, and things begin to come into focus. She’s heading to the car, the younger man is making his case…
Same characters, different staging, different lighting. The young couple are concerned, but also trying to get out of here. The dad, lit in high contrast is clearly something WE’RE worried about too. Where’s he going to wander off to?
These are some simple examples of the same materials being reorganized for narrative intent.
In the SAW Year Long Program as an exercise, we try taking one or two of your panels from the previous few exercises and we rearrange the "shot". What else can it mean? How can it mean what we want, even BETTER?
TAKEAWAY 4
Where you place characters in the panel helps tell the story.
Enjoy, and check out the full program at https://learn.sawcomics.org/bundles/online-certificate-program
Want to learn more? We’re doing live trainings of all 18 takeaways weekly in summer 2024.
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