Blog assignment 6

Storyboard

In this scene, from The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the action takes place at a market on the street, where the camera follows the action of Don Corleone getting shot.  It does not strictly follow the 180 Degree Rule, as the camera is on the side facing the gunmen at some shots, while in others it is facing Fredo, who is opposite the gunmen.  It also uses overhead shots that show the whole scene, which is not following the rule, as the camera moves more that 180 degrees around the action.  The scene does not follow the rule of thirds either, as the camera often puts the gunmen, or Don Corleone himself, right in the middle of the frame.  He is seen running from them, and he is right in the middle of the frame, and also in the overhead shot of the shooting, the gunmen who doing the shooting, therefore the principle part of the action, are right in the middle of the frame.  The 30 Rule is followed for the most part in the scene, except for when it cuts to the overhead shot, as this is obviously more than a 30 degree change.  In most of the scene however it is followed and their are no choppy jump cuts, despite the 180 degree Rule being broken at times.
    I think the director chose to break these rules so that all of the action could be seen in this scene.  He wanted the audience to see how the shooting took place, as well as the reactions of Don Corleone and his son Fredo, and breaking the 180 Degree Rule and the Rule of Thirds made this easier to present.  The scene still looks smoothly shot and there are jump cuts that ruin the fluidity of the scene, so breaking these rules slightly does not stop it from being a great scene.