Before you do anything else, it’s extremely important to plan out your scene. First, make sure you’re happy with the overall composition. This will give you a better idea of the scene and will keep you on track toward your goal. It will also make it easier to flesh things out later on. For this closing shot, we were as specific as we could be— we sketched out the landscape and environment all the way down to the placement of the flowers and where each would land. In addition to composition, keep your camera moves in mind; they will effect how the matte is made. For example, if you want a shot that pans horizontally, your matte needs to be wider than normal to accommodate for the panning camera move. The most important thing to consider is the focal point and how it will affect the main elements in the scene. Your focal point is the place in the image where the viewer’s eye goes first. Especially in a short piece, your focal points should be fixed on the main action in the scene.
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