Blog Assignment 6

There are three basic rules when directing a scene, the 180 degree rule, the 30 degree rules, and the rule of thirds. In this scene from Step Brothers the director, Adam McKay, successfully used all of them in one way or another. The scene is of Brennan Huff and Dale Doback doing karate in their garage. McKay does well to follow the 180 degree rule by constantly changing the shot and thus moving the line. It allows him to get any shot he wants without violating the rule and maintains a consistent look across the entirety of the scene. He does this by using the 30 degree rules. His camera movements all stay within the thirty degree range and this gives us a good idea of the space and atmosphere in the setting. He does however violate the 30 percent rule by doing jump cuts. For example, when it cuts to a close-up of the boards and Dale’s fist breaking them. Then, later he does the same with a close up of Dale and a board again. These shots are good because they give the idea that the action is fast-paced and fun rather than showing them actually setting up each of their stunts. Finally there is the rule of thirds which McKay uses in a few of the shots: the shot of Brennan and the Doritos as well as the breaking multiple boards’ scene. Brennan is placed on the far left third and the Doritos on the far right, this allows us to see both images and recognize a relationship between them. Same with the boards’ scene and Dale, his fist comes in the far right third while the boards rest in the rest of the screen, implying a relationship. All in all McKay mostly follows the rules but when he broke them he did so to develop continuity and humor in the scene, which is important, as it is a comedy.