How to Direct Audience Attention

There are certain dictums in shot organization. Every shot should have a purpose, however broad. It usually has a particular center of interest. It will normally continue a foregoing theme or argument, until we want to change to a new one. If we wish to convey specific ideas, we must discourage random thought-wandering. In an advertisement for floor polish, we do not want people distracted by costume, decor, and similar side issues. How do we achieve this?

Methods of directing attention

Fundamentally, we can cause the subject to attract the eye, or ensure that other aspects do not – i.e. form a neutral accompaniment.

We can direct attention to particular features in various ways.

Exclusion. Take close shots. ...

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