Blog # 5-Storyboard Imitation

                                                                             



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMKI5r12JKo&feature=relate

In this scene from Inception, Christopher Nolan does abide the 180-degree rule. At the beginning when Ariadne is in the elevator, and glimpses the train passing by (which we see as a cut scene) see is looking straight at it, thus setting up a new 180 line. When she exits the elevator and into the hotel suite, the camera pans around the wrecked room until it comes across Mal who hears Ariadne, and stares at her. Ariadne the makes eye contact with Mal reestablishing the line.  With the rule of thirds it’s a mixed bag. The train that Ariadne glimpses passes left from right on the screen, near the top of the shot, while the elevator wall is below the train and is the last thing our eyes notice. However he does not follow this rule in the hotel suite.  When we cut to Mal, the first thing our eyes should is Mal, but since it's a wide shot what we notice first is the lamp next to her, then we notice Mal, then the back of the couch she is sitting on. All of this distracts our attention from Mal, which should be the main focus of that particular shot. But since it's a very brief shot our mind is inclined to overlook it.  However, Nolan does follow the 30 percent rule. When Ariadne enters the hotel suite, the camera is not stationary it's always slightly panning over the wrecked room until it lands on Mal then it becomes stationary again. This also explains why we are introduced to Mal in a wide shot. If we had seen her in a close up it would’ve been a jaunting jump cut. But by instead of having a close up like on Ariadne, Nolan merely reduces the image by 30 percent, allowing for a smooth transition if at the expense, of the rule of thirds.