As its name indicates, there is no movement to speak of here, but the lack of movement can and should be considered as a movement in itself by any director. The immobility of the camera, as any movement was set up sensations of its own and it is therefore essential to master.
Definition of the plan fixed
The fixed plane is shot using a camera is usually fixed to a tripod to stay still. The scenery does not change, only the movement of characters within the frame to create movement and determine the dynamics of the image. If the fixed plane is used for a long sequence, the camera does not move, the viewer feels that they are not necessarily integrated with the action. A distance settled between him and the characters.
The juxtaposition of multiple still shots also allows to express clearly a change. The viewer will see easily if something is different between two still shots that follow.
Plan fixed The point of view of Eric Rohmer, the French director of the nouvelle vague
“The systematic employment that filmmakers such as Orson Welles, Wyler or Hitchcock have made of the plan fixed just recently to remind us that the art of cinema cannot be reduced to the single technology change framework and that, even today, the expressive value of the reports of the dimensions or the movement of the lines to the inside of the surface of the screen may be the subject of a care rigorous.”
Source : Eric Rohmer, The taste for beauty
Go a step further, The zoom
In fact, contrary to what is said above, the plan sets does not necessarily mean that there is no movement on the screen. All cameras have a zoom function. Of course, the camera won’t move, but the zoom allows you to approach or move away gradually from an object or a character.
In the case of a zoom, the visible field on the screen is reduced gradually. The decor is less visible and the viewer’s attention will focus to the object or the character who is gaining importance in the framework.
On the contrary, the zoom out will gradually expand the frame around an object or a character. The decor will then be gradually revealed to the viewer.