New Wave Cinema - Some Techniques

New Wave Cinema

New Wave Cinema is a movement that came after the 2nd world war and challenged the rules and perceptions of film. French New wave in particular is said to have got it started, or at least had the first collection of film critics turned directors (Francois Truffaut) who created this new form of cinema in the late 1950s. What is notable in the beginning of this form of cinema was that the people creating it were independent, ran on very small budgets and many elements that were created were due to restraints put on them or through improvisation. The subject matter now came from the peoples, then modern, lives and was created by a group who helped in more than one distinct role.

Playing with what you'd expect was a goal in cinematography for New Wave. The camera would be able to used more interestingly by the fact the creators used places from there own lives to frequently record. Places such as apartments and streets that they frequented were ideal and the scenes frequently changed to different ones. The camera would be used in much longer shots than usual and filming sometimes improvised dialogue and the actual world going on in the back ground. These longer shots also led to new cuts in editing where the length of the film may have been a problem. Directors started cutting out non necessary parts half way through scenes and giving just enough establishment for the brain to make the leap in their mind too, the jump cut was born. Not only there being long extended shots, they would be play over the traditional 180 degree rule showing more than would usually be seen.

To sum up in New wave and Hong Kong New Wave would have:

• Non Actors (in the background from filming in a public place or because there would be little need or budget for professional actors.)
• Improvised scenes (One off takes of events happening in front of them, a focus on atmosphere and the natural path scenes could develop)
• Hand Held Camera (Used as new technology portable to get on location as a posed to designed sets, and to get footage from new angle and situations such as in a real car)
• Long shots (Tracking shots could take minutes and each would be used as they created a natural pace or because they felt the strain that we feel when a shot goes on too long is informative)
• Disjointed Cuts (From one long take to a series of jump cuts missing out information, the New Waves sought to bend the rules of what can and could be shown through film.)
• Less editing on diegetic sound and non-diegetic being more personal (Film makers would be less concerned about the ambient noise or sought it out to give the feeling of being immersed in that space. The sound of a crowded street at night would speak volumes to the locally aimed audience and to the creators. Non-diegetic sound would use familiar songs to the age group or location.)
• Mistakes were kept (Things that would typically be edited out were kept in new wave be it from a lack of budget to reshoot or mistakes that were effective such as lens flare from a setting sun.)