#MediaMonday: What is Negative Space?
Good morning everyone,
The 2022 STN 60 Second Horror Festival is now live and ready for submissions!
All of the details can be found here for the contest.
Since the very first 60 second horror film festival, I have always tried to add lesson plans to STN so you can create a learning experience around this contest. This year, we are starting with one of the prompts from the contest and will be focusing on negative space.
For this lesson, I have created an STN crash course video that breaks down how the 1959 horror film The Bat uses negative space.
You can film my video here and watch The Bat in its entirety here.
Negative Space simply refers to the space around an object or a person in frame. A wonderful description of negative spaces in film can be found here with this short video from No Film School.
The basic function of negative space is to:
Simplify
lead your eye
show scale
These all have the ability to:
Create loneliness
add mystery
establish scale
establish unease
As your students create films optimizing negative space, I encourage you to point out ways that many directors and cinematographers use this technique to create mood, characterization, and to build a narrative.
Good luck with your films and I will talk to you soon,
JOSH CANTRELL
EDUCATION COORDINATOR