Analysing Cinematography with Embedded Constrained Patterns

Abstract

Cinematography carries messages on the plot, emotion, or more general feeling of the film. Yet cinematographic devices are often overlooked in existing approaches to film analysis. In this paper, we present Embedded Constrained Patterns (ECPs), a dedicated query language to search annotated film clips for sequences that fulfill complex stylistic constraints. ECPs are groups of framing and sequencing constraints defined using vocabulary in film textbooks. Using a set algorithm, all occurrences of the ECPs can be found in annotated film sequences. We use a film clip from the Lord of the Rings to demonstrate a range of ECPs that can be detected, and analyse them in relation to story and emotions in the film.