Language of Cinema-100

Form

Patterning of a film; how all of its parts work together to create effects (what)

Style

How films uses… cinematic techniques (m-e-s, cinematography, editing, sound) (how)

Shot

basic building blocks of every film; continuos action in screen from single run of camera

Scene

unified action that carries the plot forward; may consist of single shot or series of shots

Production

Stage at which film is planned, shot, and edited (can also refer to managing of financing and planning by producer)

Storyboard

series of comic-strip like sketches of shots in each scene, with notes about costume, lighting, and camera work

Distribution

Marketing of a film and organization of delivery to theaters and other outlets (DVD, Blu-ray, TV, & stream)

Meaning

Form produces multiple meanings:
Referential - Film refers to the real world that we recognize (ex dilapidated Kansas farm in depression era)
Explicit - Film explains significance of events, usually in dialogue/language (Ex. "There's no place like home")
Implicit - Film suggests rather than explains; leaves the viewer to discover upon reflection (Ex. The Wizard of Oz suggests people want to return to childhood as they grow older)
Symptomatic - Film produces a meaning (often without trying to) by virtue of historical context, revealing its ideology

Motif

Repeated images, sound/music, action, Dialogue, object, characteristic, trait, ect. that draws attention to characteristics, personalities, expectations, ect.

Ideology

System of values, beliefs, ideas shared by a social group and taken for granted as natural / inherently true

Unity

All relationships we perceive are clear and interwoven (tight); or disunity (loose ends / continuity errors)… intentional or unintentional

Narrative Form

type of filmic organization in which parts relate to one another through a series of related events

Story

Chain of events in chronological order; distinguished form

Plot

all events that are presented to us (casual relations, order, duration, frequency and location

Narration

The plots way of distributing story information to achieve specific effects

Point-of-view shot

shot taken with a camera placed approx. where character’s eyes would be, shows what character sees

Classic Hollywood Cinema

Hollywood films, 1920s-1960s (goal driven, clear casual links, chronological, continuous, focused on narrative and closure

Form

pattern that shapes our emotional response (delayed fulfillment = suspension)

Referential- real world, we recognize

explicit- significance of events

implicit- Reflection

Symptomatic- historical context and ideology

Mise-en-scene

all elements placed in front of camera to be photographed (settings, props, lighting, costumes, make-up, and staging)

Setting

Carefully chosen location (existing place) or a carefully constructed set; helps understand location in time and space

Frontal Lighting

light directed into scene from a position near the camera

Sidelight

Light coming from one side of a person or object

Backlighting

Light cast into scene from the side opposite the camera

underlighting

light coming fro below figure / object

Toplighting

light coming from above figure / object

Key light

brightest light coming into the scene

Fill light

less bright source of light to balance the key light, “fills in” shadows created by key light

three-point lighting

arrangement using 3 directions of light on a scene (keylight, fill light, and backlight)

High-key lighting

use of fill light and backlight to create low contrast between light and dark

low-key lighting

lesser (or no) use of fill light to create high contrast between light and dark

Staging lighting

where/how people and objects are placed; includes acting and movement of an actors movements and overall preformance style -what they do with their faces and bodies

Cinematography

The manipulations made to the film strip by the camera during shooting and by the laboratory in the developing phase; includes 1) total range 2) speed of motion 3) Perspective 4) Fra,omg

Contrast

Camparative differance between the darkest and lightest areas of the frame (High v. Low)

Exposure

How much light passes through the camera lens (over/under)

Filters

Slices of glass or gelatin placed in front of the camera lens or printer to reduce certain color frequencies

Rate

Frames per second (fps); the standard rate is 24fps

Ramping

Changing the speed of photographed motion within a single shot

Focal Length

Distance from center of lens to the point at which the light rays meet in sharp focus. Determines perspective relations

Zoom Lens

lens with focal length that can be changed during the shot; resizes and changes perspective

Focus

Degree of light rays coming from the same point of an object through different parts of the lens. Sharp outlines and distinct texture

Depth of feild

a range of distances within which objects can be photographed, to give certain exposure

Deep Focus

Use of the camera lens and lighting that keeps objects in both close and distant

Racking Focus

Shifting area of sharp focus from one-plane-to-another

Superimpostition

special affect in which images are laid over one another, multiple perspectives

Rear Projection

Combines foreground action with background action filmed earlier

Matte Work

Type of process shot in which different areas of the image (actors/setting) are photographed separately and combined in laboratory work

Framing

The use of edges of the film frame to select and to compose what will be visible onscreen

Aspect Ratio

Ration of frame width to height

Masking

at production stage, placing opaque screen in camera or printer to block part of the frame and change the shape of the image. (Black Bar)

Anamorphic Lens

Lens for making widescreen films using regular academy ratio frame size

Canted Framing

View in which the frame is not level; either right or left side causing upright position

Extreme Long Shot

Framing in which scale of object shown very small, building, crowds, ect.

Long Shot

Framing in which the scale of object shown is small; human figure riding bike away

Medium Long Shot

Framing at a distance that makes an object about 4-5ft high appear to fill screen virtically

Medium Shot

Framing in which the scale of object is shown is of moderate size; shoulders up

Medium Close Up

Framing in which the scale of object shown is fairly large; chest up

Close Up

Framing in which scale of an object relatively large; Neck up

Extreme Close Up

Framing in which scale of object is very large; Body part or small object

Mobile Framing

Changing Camera angle, level, height, or distance during shot

Pan

Camera movement with the camera body turning left or right

Tilit

Camera movement with the camera body swiveling upward or downward

Tracking/ Dolly Shot

Mobile framing that travels through space forward, backward, or laterally

Crane Shot

A shot with a change in framing accomplished by placing the camera above subject and moving in air

Handheld Camera

Use of the camera operator’s body as camera support, either by hand or harness