New Year's Review

As 2011 is coming to a close everyone takes stock of the trials and tribulations, the victories and validations of the year and what all of these have meant to each of us. At the start of this year I was editing my manuscript and looking to get my series published. Through the conversations of the amazing writing community, I decided it was time to build my 'author platform' starting with a blog. I had never 'blogged' before other than a few contributed articles. I was nervous about finding material, even having a topic others would be interested...

That Holiday Feeling

Ferias Ex Machina…. As Christmas is only a few days away now traditional Holiday themes are inundating all narratives on all mediums but why? In a traditional narrative whether it is still, sculpted, cinemagraphic or literary a composition is orchestrated in such a way as to draw the viewers into the piece. There is a level of intrigue as the thrill of uncertainty keeps the rapt attention of the audience. This is not the case for many 'Holiday' narratives. Photo Credit The majority of 'Holiday' narratives are composed with layers of positive...

Storyboarding Timelines

In any visual composition it's necessary to have a plan of action, a concept that needs to be visualized. Taking that concept to a realized piece requires that certain elements are available for production and the primary means are creating a timeline and storyboards. It's not possible to produce the conceptualized piece if the material, the shots that are needed to realize the piece are not available. Recently, I was reviewing my series outline that I had conjured making notes as time passed and I found that the series while conceptualized was...

Abstracting Layers

Depth, Dimension, Layers… As a narrative piece is composed, one of the difficulties of framing a specific point as the subject of the narrative is establishing the sense of depth in the composition. Often a visual composition will rely on layering to add a sense of depth and even time to the piece. A narrative composition can quite frequently utilize similar techniques to bring that composition into greater focus, bring it to life. Adding depth to a narrative is achieved through layering interaction dynamics and narrative history. Photo Credit Interaction...

Leading Lines

In a composition there are a variety of techniques that can be utilized to explore the piece. One of the most dynamic means of guiding the audience through a piece is through the use of leading lines. Leading lines are one of the top rules of visual composition and are used to great effect to guide the viewer's perspective through the piece, drawing attention to focal points and creating narrative rhythm. These lines are also can be used singularly or with additional supporting lines. Photo Credit A narrative composition is led by leading...

Filtered Perspectives

Perceptions, Tones, Filters… A writer's challenge in crafting a narrative is conveying the piece they envision to an audience that has no concept of the piece. The creator has to balance the elements of the piece, the settings, characters, thrills and the visual elements that can affect the perceptions of the piece. Even as a piece is painstakingly balanced between the elements, it still may not convey the vision that the creator desires. It may not have the appropriate tone or saturation. Conveying the appropriate tone for a piece can often...

A Sound Design

Any narrative composition is an assemblage of elements from the relationships between characters and their interactions, to subtle details like lighting, depth of field and narrative angles that are all designed to control the audience's perceptions of the piece. In cinematography, a primary element that is necessary to unify a composition is sound. Whether it's the audio levels for a given scene, the subtle use of background noise or even music, audio creates the gestalt composition. Controlling the audio levels in cinematography, while challenging,...

Juxtaposition of Relationships

Every narrative composition is about the dynamics of relationships, the interactions between characters that drive the piece forward. There are however, more elements to conveying those relationships than just the interactions between the sculpted characters. As with any visual composition, the elements of a piece can be juxtaposed in a manner that can convey the specific dynamics of relationships. Through a manipulation of perspective and the details of a scene it is possible to emphasize ties or relationship dynamics, convey emotions and shared...

Analyzing the Angle

Composition, Framing, Angles…. In any composition there are a variety of facets that can impact the composition as a whole. Elements such as lighting, perspective and depth of field for the piece can adjust the overall tone, perspective and even objective for the entire composition. As with any composition in the visual arts, one of the most significant facets of to keep in mind is the angle of the 'shot.' Photo Credit While there are many conceivable angles to approach a scene from the two most important framing angles are the 'low shot'...

Establishing Perspective

In any composition there are a core set of elements needed to create the composition and each element can be adjusted to reflect the desired effect on the entirety of the piece. The composition can be adjusted through the subtle shifts to subjects, lighting, settings and especially focal points. A shift in perspective can change the entire composition. In most narratives perspective is long-regarded as first person, second and third person in reference to the narrative perspective. The narrative perspective is actually the 'narrators perspective'...

Abstracting Exposure

Exposure, Bracketing, Compensation…. In the visual arts, particularly photography, the exposure of a composition determines the amount of detail and contrast in that composition. Traditionally, the longer the exposure the more detail and darker the overall composition. The concept of exposure is not limited to the visual arts, a narrative composition is subject to the same rules of exposure as any medium. The longer the reader is exposed to a composition the more details are clear to them but if they are exposed to the same scene for too long...

Lighting the Narrative

In any composition, details can control the tone and atmosphere of the piece more than any overt elements. The strongest of these elements is also most often overlooked due to it's rather commonplace nature, lighting. While settings and even weather can influence the atmosphere and tone of a piece, these are direct elements that an audience can perceive as cliche and can become a detriment to the overall composition. Using the lighting of each scene, each setting can be a subtle means of controlling the audience's preconceptions and perceptions...

Macro-Composition

Every composition has a set of defined elements from depth of field to subjects to the very contrast of the details in a piece. There is however, no set scale for any piece. The challenge of any creative piece is utilizing all of the elements to form a connection with the audience, to give that emotional bond that keeps their attention, makes them want to understand. In a narrative this can mean perspective in the piece or scale of the subject matter (Will it affect the world? or Just a few lives?) or this can mean the very length of a piece. Building...

High Dynamic Composition

In any composition there are a variety of factors that can either detract or enhance the piece. While the depth of field and the subjects of the composition are considered 'fixed' or 'unchangeable,' many elements ranging from contrast to saturation to detail can be altered to enhance the piece. One of the most important elements of a composition is establishing the appropriate contrast in the piece, contrast of light and shadow, contrast of subjects and contrast of elemental details. Often, those in the visual arts use a technique called...

Composing Composition

Focal Points, setting, details, composition… In the visual arts there are a variety of simplistic guides that can help an artist create a strong composition and with enough fore-thought it is actually possible to push the limits of a piece to something that the masses will regard highly. One of the basic guides for crafting a strong composition in the visual arts that can also be reflected in a compelling narrative is the Rule of Thirds. In the 1783 Sir Joshua Reynolds describes this in unquantified terms as 'the balance of dark and light. This...

Assigning Depth of Field

As the artist conceptualizes their work, they designate a specific subject or focus for that work. There is a particular message that they wish to convey with their subject and as a result, a given selection of details that must be emphasized in their work. In a particular work, the artist will need to select the appropriate 'focus' for the piece. This focus will reveal a subject in greater detail while de-emphasizing the surrounding subjects to provide a greater contrast that allows the subject to stand out. This technique of emphasizing a particular...

Narrative Arcology

Sustained, Structure, Sub-plots… As a narrative is crafted its' creator strives to develop a self-contained world that feels believable and welcoming for an audience. Most often the piece is not a singular narrative but a comprehensive arrangement of narratives that are all self-contained yet influential and integral to forming the narrative. Every narrative has a core element or theme that drives the story but each of these elements is also self-contained and complete. The primary components of this narrative arcology are the primary plot, each...

Inexhaustible Aspirations

Regardless of the medium, everyone has long-term aspirations, dreams that they either consciously or subconsciously desire to attain. Aspirations are as varied as the individuals that have them. An artist may dream of having their work in a gallery exhibit, a writer may dream of publication and certainly there are those who dream of a stable home or the 'Epic Love.' Photo Credit Every aspiration can be very telling about the individual but these are more than simple aspirations to individual, these demonstrate motivations. When an artist is...

Cliched Contrivances

Gimmicks, Machinations, Contrivances... While every narrative, every work requires a series of contrived events to propagate a story and develop the plot into a designated direction, there are certain contrivances that have not only fallen into cliche but can also serve to sever the connection between the audience and the work. These contrivances are prominently a single element on which the entire subject of a piece can hinge. While these elements have been overused to the point of absurdity by popular media, they still find their way into narratives...

Abstracting Trauma

Almost every narrative's central theme is overcoming a significant trauma that has led to significant adversity and hardship. In many instances this trauma is either the crux of the narrative or the creators' primary means of drawing emotion from their audience. A traumatic event involves an experience or recurring experience that completely overwhelms an individual's ability to cope. Photo Credit Frequently the theme of overcoming the trauma and 'moving on' or confronting the repercussions of that trauma are the core foundation of any narrative...

Saturated Settings

In any piece, a setting can infuse a narrative with a distinct tone, a mood that flows throughout or even permits the characters to demonstrate traits that would otherwise remain hidden from the piece. Unfortunately many settings have been utilized to the point of exhaustion from decrepit abandoned buildings to the city coffee shop. Photo Credit Each distinct setting in a narrative can infuse a particular tone into the piece because of the preconceptions that every individual has regarding those settings. Most settings are not chosen based...

Scaling Syndication

In every narrative work the suspense, tension and excitement work together to craft the perfect thriller, an amazing ride that keeps the audience entranced. Seldom does the creator view their work complete in one ride, almost every writer views the work as but a piece of a larger story. While motivations for expanding a piece can range from the monetary to an intentional overarching theme or an overarching theme. There are also a multitude of ways to craft a series from the components of their first ride. Less common is developing additional stories...

Drawing the Thrills

Fear, Thrills, Excitement… As with any ride that is artfully crafted, participants are intrigued by the anxiety of not knowing what will happen next. The steady pressure of this anxiety, this fear creates a tension and through it a suspense that drives the narrative forward. "Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." - Stephen King The suspense may drive the piece forward but without a release the characters and audience will be too fatigued by the end of the piece to enjoy the ride. Many seek...