Film director and cinematographer (a combo that makes her a rare breed), Elena Rossini, appreciates Thi's work, putting the spotlight on frame composition. "Whenever people discuss the work of great directors, they often fail to mention the art of cinematography," she told Bored Panda. "But for me, it is truly essential and is what separates good from masterful directors. After all, film is a visual art."
Rossini's favorite filmmakers are also those who put a lot of effort into composition. "Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, and Céline Sciamma [are probably at the top of this list]. 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' was a masterpiece in my opinion, with every shot carefully composed as if it were a painting.
For her, the most successful compositions are those that help the storytelling, creating a sense of awe and wonder (Sciamma, Kubrick) or make you relate to a character (Anderson).
"My favorite composition technique is the one-point perspective," Rossini said. "It's Stanley Kubrick's signature shot (I talked about it in my blog), where all the lines in the composition harmoniously converge to a point in the distance. It is no coincidence that Kubrick's shots are so beautifully crafted, as he started working as a photographer and then made the transition to cinema."
Since the filmmaker also admires Wes Anderson, Rossini loves his high-angle POV shots "as they put you in the shoes of the characters, creating an added sense of intimacy."
If you would like to try these composition techniques for yourself, Thi has created an app that applies these lines to your iOS device.
