http://z.about.com/d/classicfilm/1/0/D/7/-/-/The_General.jpg
When The General was shot, the camera was held at many different distances. When the director films something in a certain way, the director has a reason for it. “Although film images may sometimes seem like transparencies or open windows on the world, they are carefully constructed and filmed” (Corrigan, Timothy 96). Camera distance is so important because it shows the viewer what in on the screen, and what the director, Buster Keaton, wants you to pay attention to. “A significant aspect of framing is the distance of the camera from its subjects, which determines the scale of the shot, signals point of view, and contributes a great deal to how we understand or feel about what is being shown” ( Corrigan, Timothy 109). Camera distance is extremely important because it helps us experience the movie in the way the director would want us to. There are many close-ups in The General. Keaton uses close-ups when he wants the viewer to focus their attention on a character. He also uses long shots when he wants the viewers to focus on the surrounding settings. Buster Keaton also uses lots of medium long shots when focusing on Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack) and Johnnie Gray (Buster Keaton).
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2BYuvlHMkL.jpgWhen Buster Keaton uses close-ups, its usually to focus on Johnnie Gray. “The close-up is designed to focus attention on an actor's expression, to give significance to a certain object, or to direct the audience to some other important element of the film” "Cinema -- Directing". When he is under the table listening to the generals talk about their plans, you can see the look on his face. The reasons directors use close-ups is so you can tell what the character is feeling, or experiencing. “Close-ups are used in many ways, for many reasons. Close-ups are often used as cutaways from a more distant shot to show detail, such as characters' emotions, or some intricate activity with their hands.” "Close-up -". When Buster Keaton wants the audience to get a better feeling of what the character is feeling he makes sure the character gets a close-up. (The General).
http://drx.typepad.com/psychotherapyblog/images/2007/11/26/buster_keaton_and_marion_mack_the_2.jpgAnother camera distance that Buster Keaton has used is a camera distance called long shots. A long shot is “places considerable distance between the camera and the scene, object, or person filmed” (Corrigan, Timothy 110). Many sequences in The General are filmed in long shot. When Johnnie Gray and the soldiers from the north are chasing after each other, the scenes are filmed in long shot. These scenes are filmed in long shot for many reasons. One of those reasons being is so the audience can see the whole scene, and the what is happening within that scenery. A long shot is a “shot that shows a scene from a distance (but not as great a distance as the establishing shot). A long shot is used to stress the environment or setting of a scene” "Cinema -- Directing". When he used long shots you were able to see the action sequences within the movie. Also what was happening with the other characters in the movie. If there was not a long shot, you would have never seen the way Buster Keaton was able to pull off his action scenes. (The General).
http://www.filmsquish.com/guts/files/images/The_General2.JPGMedium shots are also shown in The General. Medium shots are “a shot that frames actors, normally from the waist up. The medium shot can be used to focus attention on an interaction between two actors, such as a struggle, debate, or embrace” "Cinema -- Directing". Johnnie Gray and Annabelle Lee are usually shown in this shooting technique. The director wanted the audience to see their embrace throughout the movie. Their first medium shot is when they are sitting on the couch and the focus is right on them. Another time in which they have a medium shot is at the end of the movie, when they embrace in a kiss. Medium shot in The General is mostly used to show the relationship between Annabelle and Johnnie. (The General).
http://images.themoviedb.org/backdrops/19874/General__The_-_backdrop_poster.jpgCamera distance is very important to a movie, especially The General. With the use of the close-up the audience was able to see the feeling of Johnnie Gray, because he could not express them through words. Long shots were used to not only capture the characters, but also the scenery. Medium shots were often used to show the viewer the relationship between Johnnie and Annabelle. Even though The General did not have words, the directors were able to get their message across through camera distancing.
Works Cited
"Cinema -- Directing." Teacher Professional Development and Teacher Resources by Annenberg Media. Web. 01 Apr. 2010.
"Close-up -." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 01 Apr. 2010.
Corrigan, Timothy, and Patricia Barry. The Film Experience: an Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. Print.
The General. Dir. Buster Keaton. Perf. Buster Keaton, Marion Mack. United Artist, 1927. DVD.
