AICE Media Unit II Review

Media language

How a media text uses technical elements, forms, and conventions to convey meaning to an audience

Semiotic analysis

The study of signs, where anything in a media text can be a sign

Technical elements

The micro elements of media creation, including sound, cinematography, editing, and mise-en-scène

Streaming service

An online entertainment provider, such as Netflix, Apple TV, or Prime Video

Rule of thirds

A way of composing visual images using a specific grid format

Soundscape

Different sound recordings mixed together to create a multi-layered soundtrack

Diegesis

The fictional or story world that the characters inhabit

Diegetic sound

Sound within the fictional world that the characters can hear

Non-diegetic sound

Sound placed outside the fictional world to enhance audience response, which characters cannot hear

Synchronous sound

Sounds that match the visible on-screen action

Asynchronous sound

Sounds that lack a visible source or don't match on-screen action

Continuity systems

Editing systems where time and space remain chronological

Non-continuity systems

Editing systems where time and space are disrupted

Roland Barthes

Theorist who focused on semiology, structuralism, and culturally dependent signs

Stuart Hall

Theorist who developed the encoding and decoding model

Denotation

The literal, surface-level description of a sign

Connotation

The signified; the deeper meanings and cultural associations we make from a sign

Establishing shot

A shot that sets the scene

Master shot

A shot that shows the wider context of a scene, often overlapping with an establishing shot

Aerial shot

A shot taken from a high altitude to show a wide area

Long shot

A shot that shows the entire subject or character and their surroundings

Wide shot

A shot that shows a broad view of the setting and subjects

Mid shot

A shot that frames a character from the waist up

Two shot

A shot that specifically frames a pair of subjects

Close-up

A shot that emphasizes emotion or detail of a subject's face or an object

Point of View (POV)

A shot that places the audience in the character's perspective

Over the shoulder shot

A shot that links two subjects, often used during dialogue

High-angle

A camera angle that looks down on a subject, often to diminish them

Low-angle

A camera angle that looks up at a subject, often to empower them

Canted/Dutch angle

A tilted camera angle used to create disorientation

Pan

A camera movement that sweeps horizontally across a scene

Whip pan

A rapid horizontal camera movement that creates a motion blur

Tilt

A camera movement that sweeps vertically

Zoom

Changing the focal length to make the subject appear closer

Reverse zoom

Changing the focal length to make the subject appear further away

Steadicam

A stabilizing mount for a motion picture camera to create smooth movement

Dolly

A wheeled cart used to create smooth horizontal camera movements

Tracking

Moving the camera alongside the subject, often on rails

Crane/Helicopter/Drone

Equipment used to achieve high-altitude or sweeping camera movements

Handheld

Shooting with the camera in hand, often creating a shaky, raw effect

Open frame

A composition where action exists off-screen

Closed frame

A composition where all relevant action is contained within the frame

Depth of field

The distance between the nearest and furthest elements in a scene that appear sharp

Shallow focus

A focus technique that blurs the background to isolate the subject

Standard focus

A typical focus range keeping the main subjects clear

Deep focus

A focus technique that keeps everything in the foreground and background sharp

Focus pull

A dynamic shift in attention from one subject to another by changing focus

Sound effects

Artificially created or enhanced sounds used in media

Sound motif

Specific audio associated with a character, idea, or theme

Sound bridge

Audio that links two scenes together by carrying over from one to the next

Dialogue

Spoken conversation between characters

Homodiegetic voiceover

Narration by a character within the story world

Autodiegetic voiceover

Narration specifically by the protagonist of the story

Sound mixing

The process of balancing audio levels to create a realistic sound perspective

Sound perspective

The apparent distance of a sound source

Score

Original music written specifically to accompany a film

Incidental music

Background music used to create mood or atmosphere

Themes

Recurring musical pieces associated with specific elements of the text

Stings

Short, dramatic musical cues used for punctuation or emphasis

Ambient sound

Background noise present in a location

Melodic music

Music that is pleasant-sounding and harmonious

Discordant music

Music that is harsh and lacks harmony

Contrapuntal sound

Sound or music that deliberately contrasts with the visual mood

Production design

Encompasses location/setting, costume/make-up, and set design/props

Location/setting

Where the scene takes place

Costume/make-up

Clothing and cosmetics used to define characters

Set design/properties (props)

Objects and scenery used to establish the visual world

Culturally dependent color

Using specific colors that carry cultural significance for thematic impact

Body language

Non-verbal communication through physical behavior

Proxemics

The spatial distance between characters

Blocking

The calculated movement of actors within the frame

High-key lighting

Bright, even illumination with few shadows

Low-key lighting

Illumination that creates heavy shadows and contrast

Chiaroscuro

A lighting technique utilizing strong contrasts between light and dark

Key lighting

The main source of illumination highlighting the subject

Natural lighting

Relying entirely on available environmental light

Straight cut

An instantaneous transition from one shot to another

Shot/reverse shot

An editing technique often used for dialogue, switching back and forth between subjects

180-degree rule

A guideline keeping the camera on one side of an imaginary axis to maintain spatial consistency

Eyeline match

An editing cut that shows what a character is looking at

Graphic match

A cut that links two shots via matching visual shapes or compositions

Action match

Cutting from one shot to another on continuous movement

Jump cut

A jarring cut that disrupts the flow of time or space

Crosscutting/Parallel editing

Cutting between two or more simultaneous events in different locations

Cutaway

A shot of a secondary action happening in the same scene

Insert

A close-up detail shot of an object or action

Short take

A shot of short duration, often used to create a fast pace

Long take

A shot of long duration, often used to build tension or immersion

Dissolve

A transition fading one image into another

Fade-in/fade-out

A transition from or to a solid color (usually black or white)

Wipe

A transition where one shot replaces another by sliding across the screen

Superimposition

Layering two or more images over each other simultaneously

Ellipsis

An editing technique used to compress time or skip unnecessary events

Slow motion

Playing footage slower than real-time to emphasize action or emotion

Visual Effects (VFX)

Special effects added in post-production

CGI

Computer-Generated Imagery

Compositing

Combining visual elements from separate sources (e.g., using blue/green screens)

Performance motion capture

Recording the movement of actors to animate digital character models