Simple Shot Composition Techniques: Achieving Special Effects-Level Impact with Basic Methods

Transitioning Scenes with Creativity

When creating a scene, many people assume, like in stage theater, that you need to build the physical “set” for every location. This straightforward belief often makes scenes difficult to achieve.

But unlike expensive stage productions, filmmaking offers the freedom to embrace clever “cheats”—and have fun with them!

A Café Scene Example: Thinking Creatively

Let’s say you visit an elegant café overlooking a garden and think, “I want to shoot a conversation scene here.”

The literal approach would involve negotiating with the café owner, renting out the space for an entire day, and compensating them for the day’s lost revenue.

For “film purists,” this method is self-evident. They’d argue, “That’s why filmmaking is expensive.” But I see this as a major misconception—especially for low-budget filmmakers like us, who must question what is considered “normal.”

Even if you rent the café and pay a hefty fee, what happens if it rains or the wind is too strong that day? The sunny, serene atmosphere you envisioned can’t be achieved despite the cost.

Instead, what if you took a more creative “cheat”?

Breaking the Scene into Separate Shoots

First, film the café as a “background” on an ideal day with great weather and few customers. (This, of course, assumes the footage is usable.)

Then, shoot the actors’ dialogue on a different day and location, ensuring the following conditions match the café footage:

• Similar lighting
• Similar wind conditions
• Similar background elements

It’s easy to assume “similar background” means finding a comparable garden, but that’s still overly literal.

Think about your storyboards. If you’re alternating close-ups of two characters talking over tea, the background in each shot is minimal. If the garden in the café is bordered by hedges, all you need is “blurred green foliage” in the background. This opens up options, like using a corner of a neighborhood yard or even a small park.

You can forego a wide establishing shot of the café altogether. As long as viewers infer that “one of these garden tables” is where the characters are seated, you’ve achieved your goal.

The key is masking the fact that the scene was shot in separate locations.

For example:

• A character hears someone laughing and glances toward the sound.
• Insert a cut of café customers laughing (faces don’t need to be visible).

Adding small details, like dark silhouettes crossing the frame (implying waitstaff), reinforces the illusion that the characters are at the café.

All you need are props like a tea set and a table. A plastic outdoor table borrowed from a friend could suffice—or you may not even need a visible table, just a stand for cups.

Embracing “Cheats” as Creativity

Such “cheats” represent the essence of creativity. Where straightforward methods might cost tens of thousands of yen just for location fees, this approach reduces costs to near zero.

With careful planning, these creative solutions can produce even better atmosphere than renting the location would.

Contrary to belief, “shooting at a beautiful location doesn’t automatically create beautiful scenes.” In fact, renting a café might leave you wondering, “Was it worth the effort, given how little of the location actually appears in the background?”

A Lesson from Cave Scenes in Adventure Films

In my past adventure films, I often shot scenes in mountain caves—including close-ups of characters talking.

Transporting heavy equipment into caves was exhausting, leaving little energy or time for perfecting performances. At best, it was “good enough if the lines matched the script.”

Later, I realized that for half the footage, the only requirement was “a dark background.” Much of it could’ve been filmed in a local park at night.

Now, I routinely shoot dialogue scenes for “caves” in convenient locations, integrating them seamlessly with actual cave footage during editing. This reduces trips to remote caves, saves energy, and allows more focus on performance quality—improving the final scene overall.

The Value of Resourceful Filmmaking

While some dismiss these techniques as “soulless” or “inauthentic,” such criticism assumes every other condition has been flawlessly met. But pursuing perfection often derails key aspects of filmmaking.

For me, the true charm of low-budget films lies not in purist ideals, but in the joy of creative problem-solving.