{"id":349456,"date":"2024-08-06T15:02:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-06T13:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cined.com\/?p=349456"},"modified":"2024-08-13T02:28:46","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T00:28:46","slug":"extreme-close-ups-and-their-place-in-the-visual-story-with-film-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.cined.dev\/jp\/extreme-close-ups-and-their-place-in-the-visual-story-with-film-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"\u6975\u7aef\u306a\u30af\u30ed\u30fc\u30ba\u30a2\u30c3\u30d7\u3068\u6620\u50cf\u30b9\u30c8\u30fc\u30ea\u30fc\u306b\u304a\u3051\u308b\u4f4d\u7f6e\u3065\u3051"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How close is too close? Well, it depends. In real life, there are limits to how closely we can approach and perceive an object (unless we use a microscope or similar equipment). In film, however, there are no such boundaries. We can observe on a large screen how the pupils of the character\u2019s eyes shrink in horror or how a mosquito inserts its long proboscis into human skin. As you surely know, there is a term for this particular shot size: extreme close-ups (or ECU). In this article, we\u2019re going to discuss how and when to use them and also witness how their profound power unravels in famous film examples.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Fifteen years ago, when I was studying to become a TV journalist, one of our professors told us that close-ups and ECUs are perfect inserts for an interview or a reportage. He suggested using them only as B-roll elements when you need something to cut to. All these years later (alongside a dedicated film education and gathered practical experience), I know for sure: this is not true. Extreme close-ups exert an extreme impact on viewers (pun intended). Therefore, if we choose to use them, we must do so with care and a clear understanding of their role and function in visual storytelling. Let\u2019s dig in!<\/p>\n\n

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A film still from “Man with a Movie Camera” by Dziga Vertov, 1929 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

An extreme close-up and its variations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

As the name suggests, an extreme close-up frames something extremely close, whether it\u2019s a detail of a face, a specific object, or an element of something bigger. In our MZed-course \u201cFundamentals of Directing,”<\/a> filmmaker and educator Kyle Wilamowski<\/a> offers a subsequent definition:<\/p>\n\n

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Image source: MZed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

In traditional film terminology, an extreme close-up is the tightest shot where the contents within the frame are still recognizable. The difference between a normal close-up and an extreme one lies in the focus on details. For example, while the former shows the character\u2019s face, the latter pushes even further, framing only the eyes or the lips and making them larger-than-life.<\/p><349456-mzed-course\/>\n\n

Of course, we can achieve this kind of composition in a variety of ways. You can take any lens \u2013 wide, normal, telephoto \u2013 and use it for an extreme close-up. Each of them will provide the shot with different optical characteristics and, yes, a different feeling. Take a look at the two subsequent film stills and compare them:<\/p>\n\n

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A film still from “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” by Terry Gilliam, 1998<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A film still from “Se7en” by David Fincher, 1995<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

The example from \u201cFear and Loathing in Las Vegas<\/a>\u201d is an ECU made on a wide lens, visibly warping the face of Johnny Depp\u2019s character to support the overall notion of an altered state of consciousness. (As you probably remember, they had \u201ctwo bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid,\u2026\u201d) Whereas the extreme close-up from Fincher\u2019s \u201cSe7en\u201d<\/a> uses a long lens to focus solely on William Sommerset\u2019s eyes and the reflection of the important clue in his glasses. It drives our attention only towards this detail, blending out the rest.<\/p>\n\n

Narrative use of extreme close-ups<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

And that\u2019s the thing with extreme close-ups. Like other elements of visual storytelling language, they can create various feelings and follow different goals, but they are never \u201cjust B-roll inserts.\u201d Or at least, they shouldn\u2019t be.<\/p>\n\n

To unleash their full power, consider two important things before using them. First, when and how often do you place an extreme close-up in your cinematic story? It can be a rare punch, catching us off guard. In that case, your ECU will punctuate a particular moment, dramatically amplifying its impact. The opposite would be placing several extreme close-ups one after the other or even making a whole scene out of them, evoking a disorienting and oftentimes uncomfortable feeling in the viewers. Or you can build up to your ECU, gradually raising the tension. Classic Westerns were fond of this technique. Here is a prominent example from \u201cThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly<\/a>\u201d \u2013 the final duel, where the scene starts with a super wide shot and gradually moves closer until only the eyes are visible, right before the first gunshot (starting at 04:51):<\/p>\n\n

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