Hime Year 2 Q2+Film Techniques

mise-en-scene

(n.) from the French “placing on the stage” -- the arrangement of everything in the frame; the placement of each thing in its exact place

auteur

(n.) a filmmaker whose personal influence and artistic control over a movie are so great that the filmmaker is regarded as the “author” of the movie

dominant

(n.) the first thing, image, or color the viewer is drawn to in the shot

lighting key

(n.) level of lighting used in a shot. Examples include high key (bright), low key (dark), high contrast (use of spotlight)

proxemics

(of a shot, the camera, a character) the distance between the camera and the subject/action

angle

(n.) the relative height of the camera to the subject -- is it level (neutral, eye-level), high (looking down on the characters), low (looking up at them)?

color values

(n.) the dominant and secondary colors in the shot. Consider what effects these colors have on the shot, what symbolism might be expressed.

lens

(n.) Different focusing glass covers for the camera that distort or change the shot (e.g. closer, farther away, wider, thinner, blurred foreground, blurred background, etc).

filter

(n.) When placed over the lens (or added later in editing), distorts or changes the way the images are recorded (grainier, different colors, changes sound, etc -- think TikToks and Reels!).

stock media

(n.) images, sound, and text that add content or information to the shot. Stock can build detail (such as background filler or diagetic music), be essential to conveying the message of the shot (such as in a documentary when primary documents are provided), etc.

density

(n.) the amount of visual information in a shot. Is it highly detailed? Bare and stark? Crowded and cramped? Wide and clear?

composition

(n.) the organization or design of the shot, as we might describe a piece of traditional art. How are the pieces laid out in relation to one another? Is the space segmented or arranged in a particular way?

form

(n.) In film, a matter of a spectrum from open to closed. Is each thing happening in the shot planned (closed)? Or was the camera rolling, people living without direction (open)? Or some balance of the two?

framing

(n.) In film, a matter of tight versus loose. How much space do figures or characters have to move around the shot? Can they move freely or are they cramped in the shot?

depth

Thinking three-dimensionally, how many planes can the image be divided into moving from front to back? What is the relationship between those planes (or the visual information within them)?

character placement

(n.) Where in the frame is the character? Center, top, bottom, edge?

staging positions

(n.) In relation to the camera, which way are characters facing? What direction are their bodies turned? Be wary not to confuse this with character placement! Five staging placements -- full front, quarter turn (toward), profile, three-quarter turn (away!), back to camera

secular

(adj.) Relating to the physical world and not the spiritual world

secular concerns and not overtly or specifically religious

non-secular

(adj.) The opposite of secular. Anything related to, influenced by, or centered around religion, the sacred, or the supernatural

equality

(n.) The state or principle where all individuals receive the same rights, treatment, and access to opportunities regardless of their background, race, gender, or social position.

equity

(n.) Equity refers to the principle of fairness, justice, and impartiality. Unlike equality, which emphasises treating everyone the same, equity recognises that people have different needs and challenges.

stratification

(n.) The hierarchical division of a society into classes, ranks, or castes based on wealth, power, occupation, and education.

hegemony

(n.)Where a dominant class or group maintains power not just through physical force or laws, but by shaping cultural norms, values, and beliefs. This makes the ruling group's worldview appear natural, inevitable, or as "common sense" to the rest of society.

authoritarian

(n.)Describing a government or leader that enforces strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom, rejecting political plurality and democratic processes.

autocracy

(n.)A system of government in which supreme, absolute power over a state is concentrated in the hands of a single individual.

galvanize

(v.) To shock, excite, or spur a person or group into sudden, decisive action.

despondent

(adj.) In a state of profound discouragement, dejection, or loss of hope.

dirge

(n.) A somber song, poem, or musical piece expressing grief or mourning, typically composed for or performed at a funeral.

wretch

(n.) An unfortunate, miserable, or deeply distressed person; historically also used to describe a despicable or outcast individual.

venerable

(adj.) Accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, high character, or long-standing historical standing.

bourgeoisie

(n.) In Marxist theory, the social class that owns the means of production (factories, land, capital) and derives wealth from commercial and industrial business rather than manual labor.

proletariat

(n.) In Marxist theory, the industrial working class who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor power for wages to survive.

proliferation

(n.) A rapid increase in numbers or a fast, widespread dissemination of something (such as weapons, ideas, technologies, or goods).

xenophobia

(n.) Dislike of, prejudice against, or irrational fear of people from other countries or cultures.

zeitgeist

(n.) The defining spirit, mood, or dominant set of cultural and intellectual beliefs characteristic of a particular period in history (literally translated from German as "spirit of the time").