top of page

LECTURES

Project Guidelines:
– There are no grades and no right or wrong answers.
– You choose what you share.
– You do not have to explain personal things.
– Respect other students' work and privacy.

Lecture 1: Tell a Story in 10 Pictures

​How to tell a story using only photos!

​

1. Every story needs a beginning and an end

  • Your story should start clearly (who? where? what is happening?)

  • Your story should also have an ending (what changed? how did it finish?)

 Think of it like a mini-movie with a start and a finish.

2. Show emotions in your photos

  • Use faces, body language, and actions

  • Show feelings like:

    • happiness 

    • sadness 

    • surprise 

    • fear 

 We should understand how the characters feel without words.

3. Make the story clear

  • Each photo should connect to the next one

  • Avoid confusion — the viewer should understand the story easily

  • Ask yourself: “If someone sees only the pictures, will they understand?”

Task:

Create a story using exactly 10 pictures.

​

Example: Children’s Hospital – Belgrade, 1987.
by Mehrdad Khameneh

Lecture 2: Framing

How to use framing in film!

1. What is framing?
Framing is choosing what we see in the shot and what we don’t see

It helps guide the viewer’s attention

It shows the information we want to communicate

Think of it as deciding what is important in the image

2. Types of shots
We learned different shot sizes:

  • extreme long shot – shows the environment

  • long shot – shows the whole body

  • medium close-up – shows from chest up

  • close-up – focuses on the face

  • extreme close-up – shows small details

Each shot creates a different feeling and meaning

3. Practice (Filming exercises)

We did several filming exercises:

Filmed 30 seconds of an actor in silence

close-up

looking directly into the camera

Filmed 30 seconds of an actor speaking about themselves

medium close-up

looking into the camera

Filmed an interview (one question & short answer)

actor looking off-camera

medium close-up

At the end, a student recorded a summary

close-up

looking into the camera

Task:
Create a new exercise using different types of shots

Apply what you learned about framing

Lecture 2 – FRAMING
Date: April 1, 2026
FIS – Library in Sali

Lecture 3: The 180-Degree Rule

How to keep direction clear in film!

1. What is the 180-degree rule?
The 180-degree rule means the camera stays on one side of an imaginary line

This line is called the axis

It connects two characters or the direction of movement

It helps keep positions and movement consistent

Think of it as an invisible boundary the camera should not cross

2. Why is it important?

  • It keeps the scene clear and easy to understand

  • It helps the viewer know where characters are

  • It keeps screen direction consistent

If the rule is broken, the scene can feel confusing

3. Example (Conversation and movement)

In a conversation:

  • one character stays on the left the other stays on the right

In movement:

  • a character moves in one direction (left → right) and continues in the same direction

If the camera crosses the line:

  • characters switch sides

  • movement direction changes

  • This breaks continuity

4. Practice (Filming exercises):

Film a conversation between two actors

keep the camera on one side of the axis

shot–reverse shot (A → B → A)

Film a character walking in one direction

keep the same screen direction in all shots

4. Task:

  • Create a short scene with two characters

  • Use the 180-degree rule correctly

  • Keep positions and movement clear

​

Lecture 3 – The 180-degree rule
How to keep direction clear in film!
Date: April 8 2026
FIS – Library in Sali

Lecture 4: Documentary Film (Interview)

Learning how to film a documentary interview!


1. What are we doing?

  • We are filming a short documentary interview with people on the street

  • We use actors as journalists

  • Each actor asks one question

2. What are we applying?

  • We use knowledge from the previous lecture

the 180-degree rule

  • conversation between two characters

  • maintaining clear direction and positions

3. How to film?

  • Start with an establishing shot (wide shot)

→ shows the location (street, square, environment)

  • The journalist (actor) asks a question

  • The interviewee answers

  • The gaze is slightly off-camera

  • Use a medium shot or close-up

  • Keep the camera on one side of the axis

4. Important

  • The sound must be clear

  • Questions should be short and clear

  • Answers should be natural

  • Do not break continuity

​

PITANJE:

TOMA

LUKA

ŠANTO

MATEO

ELLA

PETRA

JONA

TEUTA

I GRAĐANI SALI

FIS - 15.04. 2026

Lecture 5: Acting for Camera

How to act in front of the camera!


1. What is acting for camera?

  • Acting for camera must be natural

  • Small reactions are more important than big movements

  • The camera sees everything

  • Think: less is more

2. Eye-line

  • Look at the other character (not at the camera, unless needed)

  • Keep the same direction of your gaze

  • Eye contact shows emotion

3. Body and movement

  • Do not exaggerate movements

  • Use small, controlled movements

  • Stop, listen and react

4. Reaction (most important!)

  • The sound must be clear

  • Questions should be short and clear

  • Answers should be natural

  • Do not break continuity

5. Practice (acting exercises)

  • Exercise 1: Eye contact

Two characters look at each other without speaking (10–15 seconds)

  • Exercise 2: Reaction

One character speaks, the other only reacts

  • Exercise 3: Emotion without words

Show emotion without speaking: happiness / fear / surprise

Gluma pred kamerom:

TOMA

LUKA

ŠANTO

MATEO

ELLA

PETRA

JONA

TEUTA

TONI

FIS - 22. 04. 2026

Lecture 6: The Fourth Wall

How to use the camera as a wall!


1. What is the fourth wall?

  • The camera is an invisible wall

  • Actors move toward it but cannot pass through

  • The audience is on the other side

  • Think: the camera is part of the space

2. Camera position

  • Keep the camera in one place

  • All actors face the camera

  • Do not change sides

  • The camera is always the same wall

3. Movement

  • Actors move toward the camera

  • They stop at the same point 

  • Do not pass the camera

  • One actor can move around (not forward)

4. Looking at the camera

  • Usually, do not look at the camera

  • But here — you CAN

  • Looking at the camera breaks the fourth wall

  • Use it with intention

5. Shot types

  • Wide shot – shows all actors and space

  • Medium shot – shows action

  • Close-up – shows face and emotion

  • Use all three

  • Exercise 2: Reaction

6. Practice (filming exercise)

  • Exercise 1: Walk to the wall
    One actor walks toward the camera and stops

  • Exercise 2: Repeat action
    Different actors try and stop at the same point

  • Exercise 3: Discovery
    One actor looks into the camera and touches it

Task:

Film a short scene using the camera as a wall

Use:

  • wide shot

  • medium shot

  • close-up

Keep movement clear and simple

bottom of page