The Basic Forms of Cinematography - Form, Rhythm, Colour and Relativity

By Leonard Hacker

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Sep 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781473358355

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FORM

WHAT is a design? A design is a combination of various motifs harmonized to form a rhythmic pattern. Motifs are designs in themselves composed of curves, horizontals, verticals, and diagonals, which when applied in their simplest forms become circles, ellipses, squares, rectangles, triangles, etc. Each of these lines has its own aesthetic significance. Curves suggest graceful movement; horizontals, peace and calm; verticals, idealism; diagonals, force and vividness. Thus a predominance of any one of them gives a desired effect.

All of these forms have their origin in the cosmos, the harmony of all things of which we are a part. Geometry, a study of lines, is an example of cosmic unity in an abstract form. Nature, man and material things are cosmic unity in concrete form. Every design is a manifestation of something greater than itself. As the universe was created so man creates. He fashions pottery, weaves cloth, constructs machinery, builds skyscrapers, all of which is a designing process, growth or evolution. Since the earliest times man has manifested design in everything he uses, unconsciously deriving the principles from nature. Throughout the ages these designs became conventionalized and their origins hidden due to the influence of different superstitions.

The psychology of a nation can be analyzed through its artistic expression. For example, the designs in a Chinese rug are unintelligible to one who has not traced their origin and evolution. The grotesque expression in Gothic art is evidence of the type of people living in the middle ages. The art of the futurist which is considered new and is much misunderstood is nothing but the expression of a new era of intelligence in which superstitions have been cast to the four winds and a return to nature has been manifested. The refreshing spirit exuded by modern art proves that true art is simplicity of line obtained through conscious application of the principles of cosmic unity by contact with nature.

Modernistic art is a perfect geometric permanency. All art through the ages has been a striving through various forms both simple and complex, grotesque and beautiful, to attain this ideal permanency. It is obvious that there can be no improvement upon the straight line and curve, the square, triangle and circle, and other elementary geometric forms. Because of this ultimate it is impossible to advance further in the technique of art. This means that any future step would be a revert to the past and this is expressed in the craze for antiques and old fashions. This geometric permanency has resulted in a self-conscious culture because everything has been analyzed to create it. Previous cultures have been unconscious and it is no longer possible to return to this state. Thus, we may infer that no new art form is possible except through the variation of geometric forms. Modernism, then, must become not only a mirror reflecting present-day tempo, but a sieve that shall filter, evaluate and preserve those aspects in life and in art that have proved themselves to be the most beautiful in the lives of men since the beginning.

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