When you hear choreography, you then to think of dance sequences and grand productions, but it is important to remember the relationship between the camera and the actors. They need to work together in order to create the best visual, and more specifically it requires the coordination of the cast, the director, the boom mic operator, the cinematographer etc. Pretty much everyone on the set.
Musicals are a great example of this as they often have large dance numbers that are filled with a large number of actors. In this scene from "The Muppets" you have a moment at 2:03 that has at least over ten people in the shot and the camera panning diagonally. For this to work, the camera has to move but the actors have to move with the shot so they stay in the centre. This requires timing on the part of everyone involved. Usually this where the director steps in to help organise what everyone should be doing in the shot. This may also be the responsibility of the choreographer who is mostly responsible for dance sequences in cinema or theatre.
Now we had the chance to test this out for ourselves in an exercise during class. We were taken up to the green screen room where we were given space to improvise a scene and then decide the positioning of the cameras. While I was acting and didn't get to use the cameras, it was a very interesting exercise as you had to rely on space and repetition. When we got our pattern down, the cameramen repositioned the camera to get the best image. I guess that is what I took away from this when it came with working with people: healthy communication with the whole crew leads to a well made film.
Biblography:
- The Muppets. (2011). Film. Directed by James Bobin. [DVD] UK: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
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