Film Terms

Film Terms 1

Allusion

A brA direct or indirect reference - through an image or through dialogue - to the bible, a person, a place, an external and / or real-life event, another film, or a wel-know cultural idea.

Camera Angle

The point of view (POV) or perspective (Including relative height or direction) chosen from which to photograph a subject. Various camera angles, compositions, or positions include front, behind, side, top, high (looking down), low (Looking up_, straight-on o eye level (standard or neutral angle) Tilted (canted or oblique), subjective, etc.

Foil

ab acting role that is used for personality comparison or contrast, usually with the protagonist or main character, as a means to show and highlight a character trait.

Juxtaposition

In a film, the contiguous positioning of two images, characters, objects, or scenes in sequence to compare and contrast them or establish a relationship between them; see also sequence, symmetry, and composition.

Mise-en-Scene

A french term for staging, or “Putting into the scene or shot”; in film theory, it refers to all the elements placed (by the director) before the camera and within the frame of the film — including their visual arrangement and composition; elements include settings, decor, props, actors, costumes, makeup, lighting, performances, and character movements and positioning; length, un-cut, unedited and uninterrupted sequences shot in real-time are often cited as examples of mise-en-scene.

Montage

A French word literally meaning “editing”, “Putting together” or “Assembling shots”; refers to a filming technique, editing style, or form of movie collage consisting of a series of short shots or images that are rapidly put together into a coherent sequence to create a composite picture, or to suggest meaning or a larger idea; in simple terms, the structure of editing within a film; a montage is usually not accompanied with dialogue; dissolves, cuts, fades, super-impositions, and wipes are often used to link the images in a montage sequence; an accelerated montage is composed of shots in increasingly shorter lengths.

Non-diegetic Score

Non-Diegetic sound, also called commentary or no literal sound, is any sound that does not originate from within the film’s world. The film’s characters are not able to hear a non-diegetic sound. All non-diegetic sound is added by sound editors in a post-production (Examples include the film’s musical score, the sound effects, and narration / voice over

Stock Character

A minor character whose actions are completely predictable, stereotypical, or standard for his/her job or profession; similarly, a stock situation is a basic, recognizable plot situation. (e.g, a lover hiding in the closet, twins mistaken for each other, etc.)