What is composition?

Composition refers to the way elements of a scene are arranged in a camera frame.  Shot composition refers to the arrangement of visual elements to convey an intended message.

The first assessment should always be, “what am I trying to visualize?” What feeling, thematic message, or experience do I need to create to make my point clear and effectual.

Once we have this essential context, we can use shot composition to arrange all of our scene elements in the best possible way to drive our intention home.

Knowing how to arrange specific shots for specific reasons, will have a greater impact on the audience, keeping them engaged for longer. And engaging your audience is a requirement of filmmaking.

Take a look at this video on basic shot composition

Here is another video that explains the rules of composition as well: