Blocking: Spielberg Study Part 1

I like to study Spielberg every now and then because I always end up learning more about composition and blocking. While there are good video essays out there on this topic, I thought I’d try to break down a concept I haven’t learned before and add to the conversation.

This study will go over the use of hiding and revealing the focal point while it grows or shrinks in Z space. The function of this concept is to add momentary mystery followed by surprise in the blocking while using dynamic size change. This can be found in the scene below: The herd hides behind a plane in the BG, grows larger out of view and re-emerges closer to camera.

In Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, James’ midground movement is hidden when he’s thrown into the back of the truck and moves towards the camera. This screen travel is made even more dynamic when he reappears for a closeup.

The same concept can be applied to hiding the travel out of frame. Like the tripod arm in Spielberg’s War of the Worlds

Looney Tunes:

Another example:

A shot from The Raid 2 where an assailant’s head grows dramatically in size off screen to make its appearance snappy and cartoon-like

A similar example from the Kizumonogatari trilogy:

An example of the subject moving away from camera: