TV Drama Terms

Diegetic Sound

A sound that the characters within the film can hear, e.g. dialogue, singing, etc.

Non-Diegetic sound

A sound the characters cannot hear, e.g. voice over's, background music used for suspense, etc

Sound FX

Sounds that are not necessarily music or dialogue but more single notes to create a mood, or added natural noises such as birds, etc

Sound Bridge

When one scene is playing one sound and that sound blends into the next scene.

Dialogue

When someone is talking within the film, analyse what is said (content) and how it's said (delivery)

Voice over

When a character within the film or not involved at all will talk over the film, this sound the characters in the film don't normally hear, it is purely for the audience to hear. E.g. in a play someone would talk from the wing narrating the play.

Mode of Address

When the way one character addresses the other character is defined in order to communicate

Direct Address

When a character directly addresses another character and often uses their name.

Sound Mixing

The process during the post-production stage of a film or a television program in which the collection of recorded sounds are combined into one.

Ambient Sound

Can be both diegetic and non diegetic but helps create atmosphere and set the scene

Contrapuntal

Sound that is at odds with the action i.e. a nursery rhyme playing during an execution scene.

Accent

Inflection of speech that identifies where someone comes from in regional terms

Dialect

Specific words that originate from specific regions and identify where someone comes from i.e. using bathers, pushang implies you are from Guernsey

Tone/Mode of Address

How speech is delivered i.e. slow, low and deliberate could infer seriousness - does depend on the narrative context

Volume

The volume of how speech or sound FX are relayed to the viewer can help represent a character, mood, atmosphere but does depend on narrative context

Instrumentation

Instruments used in a soundtrack to evoke a response - strings, brass, electronic etc

CLAMPS

Stands for Costume, Lighting, Acting, Make Up, Props and Setting

COSTUME

The clothes that are worn by the characters that will represent something about their characters status, role, gender etc. Depends on the context.

LIGHTING - Low Key

A state of lighting that is shadowy, dull or obscured and could represent the idea of claustrophobia, tension, safety - depends on the context.

LIGHTING - High Key

A state of lighting that is bright, light, open and natural and could represent the idea of freedom, space, positivity - depends on the context.

ACTING

The overall term used for more precise elements of acting that include body language, facial expression, posture and gesture that all help represent a character and their personality, status and purpose.

MAKE UP/HAIR

How a character is styled in terms of their make up or hair. Will help represent their status, job, gender, wealth etc. Depends on the context.

PROPS

Short for properties. Any article that is present in the scene either adorning the set, location or carried by a character. Will help represent the setting, characters and events.

SETTING

The location, landscape, country, building, site of a clip. Will help represent the context of the drama.

SIGNIFY

DE SAUSSURE

SIGNIFIED

DE SAUSSURE

SEMIC CODE

BARTHES - a technical use of media language to make meaning i.e. a low angle, body language, facial expression.

SYMBOLIC CODE

BARTHES - an object/inclusion in the text that has a connotation i.e. red rose for love, white dove for peace.

ENIGMA CODE

BARTHES - an inclusion in the text that provides mystery - an unanswered question for the audience that raises questions

CULTURAL CODE

BARTHES - an inclusion in the text that is recognisable only by audiences with a cultural understanding of its meaning i.e. Big Ben infers London, Guernsey Donky infers stubborness

ACTION CODE

BARTHES - an action, event in the text that moves the narrative forward i.e. someone leaving, a letter being opened etc

ENCODE

HALL - the term whereby producers will lace their texts with signs and symbols to be decoded by the audience

DECODE

HALL - the term whereby audiences will read, deconstruct and understand the signs and symbols that a producer has encoded in the text to represent narratives etc.

PREFERRED READING

HALL - if the producer has encoded a text proficiently, the audience will decode it and depending on their cultural situation, will get a preferred reading of it. They will get it.

BINARY OPPOSITION

LEVI STRAUSS - all drama has conflicts. All dramas have opposing forces at play i.e. love v hate, freedom v entrapment, criminality v justice etc

DENOTATION

THE OBJECT/SUBJECT - the thing, the costume, the low angle, etc.

CONNOTATION

THE MEANING represented by the sign/symbol encoded in the text.

FRAMING

How the camera is positioned in relation to the distance from the subject or the composition of the subjects/objects in the frame.

MOVEMENT

A camera will move in a certain way to help underline a part of the narrative.

HIGH ANGLE

Taken from ABOVE the subject/object and used to help represent an element of vulnerability, weakness of the subject in the frame but also the possible power of whose POV it might be filmed from.

LOW ANGLE

Taken from BELOW the subject/object and used to help represent an element of power, domination of the subject in the frame but also the possible subservient nature of whose POV it might be filmed from.

POV

Point of View - the audience see the action through the eyes of a character. Used to create a sense of responsiblity in the audience which can at times be uncomfortable.

CANTED ANGLE

A frame that is slightly slanted - this can help represent a discombobulated and uneasy atmosphere.

FRAME WITHIN A FRAME

A frame that is used to bring attention to the object/subject that adds emphasis to its presence i.e. a character filmed through a window frame draws the eye to its presence.

CLOSE UP

Camera distance that include head and shoulders to enable the audience to see relevant facial expressions that will represent and reinfoce the character's role and personality in the narrative.

LONG SHOT/WIDE ANGLE

Camera distance used to ensure that audience can place a subject/object in context of its surroundings. Could be used to show the vastness of a landscape.

MASTER/ESTABLISHING SHOTS

Set shots that are used to remind the audience of particular locations and help hook the narrative to key settings.

CRANE/AERIAL/DRONE

A high shot taken from the sky looking down or across a wide area. Helps to create a sense of time and place.

TRACKING/DOLLY

The camera will move around either on parallel tracks or a more loose dancing fashion. Helps to represent a sense of journey, travelling and also might help reveal location, setting, characters and events as they appear in the frame.

TILT

Camera moves in one plane either from top to bottom or bottom to top of an object/subject to help reveal its form and function. Traditionally used for regressive representation of the female form to objectify and sexualise them.

PAN/WHIP PAN

The camera will move across a location, subject, object. Helps to reveal key characters, events etc. If done quickly, it can create an energy, power and sense of confusion.

PED

Unlike the Tilt, a ped will move in one plane vertically at the same distance. Used to help represent a sense of reveal or links two places together i.e. different floors in a house.

TWO SHOT

Usually used to introduce two characters and show how their relationship. Combined with proxemics i.e. where the characters are in the frame in relation to each other - this can help represent how characters feel about each other.

MID SHOT

The distance required to frame a subject from their stomach up to and including their face. Helps convey the character's facial expressoin along with some of their body language and costume. Often used on the front of magazines.

DEPTH OF FIELD/FOCUS

A portion of the frame is blurred out whilst other elements are clearly defined. Designed to help draw attention to an important feature in the frame.

RULE OF THIRDS

Where the subject/object are placed within the frame to draw the eye to particular important elements - the 3 columns and 3 rows = 9 squares and encourage the human eye to focus on particular elements.

PROXEMICS

How objects and subjects are placed in relation to each other in the frame to help represent relationships.