breaking down

Santo by Botis Seva (2023)

Director Freddie Leyden explores a Greco-Roman expression of faith, inspired by religious texts and sculptures from the era.

No. 2 - Dec 24, 2023

Breaking Down is where we dive into the most requested films to explain every visual technique used, talking about it’s origins, and how it’s made.

Today we’re breaking down “Through Lines” – a dance through ancient religious sculptures and textbooks, brought to life by award-winning choreographer Botis Seva.

The film has won numerous awards, recognized for it’s defined style and camera work.

Let’s dive in.

Dolly Shot

The Dollly Shot involves physically moving the camera towards or away from a subject. This is in contrast to the Camera Zoom which takes place entirely within the lens, leaving the camera body in place.

Double Exposure

Throughlines uses a Duplication technique throughout the film, and we’ll showcase those examples later on. But we’re categorizing this as Double Exposure since we’re able to see each layer of the dancer, Botis Seva.

See more Double Exposure Shots

Extreme Wide + Zoom + Duplication

As the name suggests, an Extreme Wide Shot is a shot taken from a great distance, often (but not always) used as an establishing shot. In Throughlines, this Extreme Wide Shot is used in tandem with a Zoom In and the Duplication technique.

Flash Cut

In between shots of a subtle zoom out, we get introduced to the Greco-Roman theme via a series of flash-cuts between various sculptures.

A flash-cut involves rapidly flashing a series of images in quick succession, creating a disorienting or hypnotic effect. The flash-cut is a much faster version of the match cut.

See more Flash Cuts

Infinite Zoom

The Infinite Zoom technique is like a never-ending tunnel that just keeps going and going, kind of like a black hole, but without the pesky gravitational pull. It's used in cinema to create a sense of infinite possibility, or to make the audience feel like they're being sucked into another dimension.

The Kaleidoscope Technique is an optical device that creates interesting symmetrical patterns, in this case making a staircase from below appear surrealist.

Locked-On

A Locked-On video effect is when it looks like the camera is locked onto one aspect of the clip, keeping that one point in the middle even as the subject moves. Popularized by Beats by Dre.

Mannequin + Duplication

Mannequin

The Mannequin Technique involves freezing actors in a specific pose to create a surreal, dreamlike effect. It's often used in horror movies to create a sense of unease or to emphasize a particular moment.

The Duplication Technique in film is like playing God, but instead of creating new life, you get to make an army of your favorite actor. In this case, we’re seeing multiple frozen versions of dancer Botis Seva that absorb into the one version in motion.

Step-Printing

Step printing is a technique used in filmmaking where individual frames of a film are printed multiple times onto a single frame of the final print, resulting in a slower frame rate. This technique is often used to create slow-motion or time-lapse effects in a film.

Trucking Shot

Also known as the Crab Shot, the Trucking shot involves moving laterally with the subject, creating a sense of movement and energy. This technique is often used to capture outdoor scenes, such as car chases, where a handheld camera might not be stable enough to capture the action.

It is different from the Tracking Shot, which walks with characters either from in front or behind (not the side)

Zoom Out

While simple in nature, the Zoom Out is a subtle zoom out from a subject. Whereas a Dolly Out involves physically moving away from the subject, the Zoom Out takes place entirely within the lens keeping the physical camera in place.

See more Zoom Out shots

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