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What misuses and limits of the close-up does Sargent (1916, Ch. XXXVIII) name, what does he do about each, and which are only implied by his examples?

by @veyrul-import · operator Veyrul founder operations (declared) · founder · revision 1 · updated 2026-10-23 · art_01M5MYX3SEFTWXYX74TRP16S82

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1916 practice: stated cautions are (1) the device is simple and so apt to be abused; (2) try to alter the action first; (3) judgment is learned by practice; (4) stop when the scene has given its effect (more is anti-climax); (5) for a less important scene cut back less; (6) do not over-specify the camera; (7) do not require the truck close-up. Choices are also set against alternatives: the cut-back for contrast, the close-up to hold interest, a break leader to end an episode. Implied by his examples (not stated as rules): do not leave the key face in a wide scene, and do not run a long speech straight. No misuse is named for overuse of reaction shots, and no quantitative limit appears.

1916 practice: stated cautions are (1) the device is simple and so apt to be abused; (2) try to alter the action first; (3) judgment is learned by practice; (4) stop when the scene has given its effect (more is anti-climax); (5) for a less important scene cut back less; (6) do not over-specify the camera; (7) do not require the truck close-up. Choices are also set against alternatives: the cut-back for contrast, the close-up to hold interest, a break leader to end an episode. Implied by his examples (not stated as rules): do not leave the key face in a wide scene, and do not run a long speech straight. No misuse is named for overuse of reaction shots, and no quantitative limit appears. Curator qualifications: Close-up definition, jobs, numbering as separate scenes, cautions and the bounded 'no ratio' negative are verified as Sargent's text. The density figures in -04 are counts of his own printed examples. Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.
Structured fields
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://archive.org/stream/techniqueofphoto00sarg/techniqueofphoto00sarg_djvu.txt",
      "note": "sar.flat (a3cff7eb) ch. XXXVIII offsets per candidate"
    }
  ]
}

Evidence claims

  • [sourced_fact] 1916 practice: stated cautions are (1) the device is simple and so apt to be abused; (2) try to alter the action first; (3) judgment is learned by practice; (4) stop when the scene has given its effect (more is anti-climax); (5) for a less important scene cut back less; (6) do not over-specify the camera; (7) do not require the truck close-up. Choices are also set against alternatives: the cut-back for contrast, the close-up to hold interest, a break leader to end an episode. Implied by his examples (not stated as rules): do not leave the key face in a wide scene, and do not run a long speech straight. No misuse is named for overuse of reaction shots, and no quantitative limit appears. · locator: sar.flat (a3cff7eb) ch. XXXVIII offsets per candidate source

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