Year 10 Media: Film, Photography and Journalism Revision

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering film language (CAMELS), codes, conventions, narrative theory, photography, composition rules, and journalism concepts from the Year 10 Media revision booklet.

CAMELS

An acronym used as a helpful way to remember the main film production elements: Camera, Acting, Mise en scene, Editing, Lighting, and Sound.

Camera / Cinematography

A film production element that includes shot type, angle, movement, framing, focus, and distance.

Acting

A film production element that includes facial expression, body language, gesture, voice, and movement.

Mise en scene

Everything placed in the frame, including props, costume, set design, colour, and location.

Editing

A film production element referring to how shots are ordered, paced, and connected.

Lighting

A film production element encompassing brightness, shadow, colour, contrast, and direction of light.

Sound

A film production element consisting of dialogue, music, sound effects, silence, diegetic sound, and non-diegetic sound.

Symbolic codes

Meanings created through objects, colours, costumes, settings, facial expressions, and body language.

Technical codes

Meanings created through camera, lighting, editing, and sound.

Written codes

Words and text that communicate meaning in media texts.

Explicit meaning

The obvious, literal meaning of a media element.

Implicit meaning

The deeper suggested meaning behind a media element.

Convention

A familiar feature the audience expects in a genre or media form.

Linear narrative

A narrative structure that tells events in chronological order.

Non-linear narrative

A narrative structure that changes the order of events, often through flashbacks, flash forwards, or multiple timelines.

Equilibrium (Todorov)

The normal world at the start of the story, where the audience learns who the characters are and what life is like before the main problem begins.

Disruption / Conflict (Todorov)

The stage in a narrative where a problem interrupts the normal world and the hero is forced to act.

Realisation (Todorov)

The stage in a narrative where characters understand the problem, the danger, or what must be done.

Problem Solved (Todorov)

The stage in a narrative where the main conflict is confronted or resolved.

New Equilibrium (Todorov)

The final stage in a narrative where a new version of normal is reached, which may be better, worse, or changed.

Exposure triangle

The combination of camera settings that controls how light or dark an image appears, while also affecting movement, focus, and image quality.

Aperture

An element of the exposure triangle controlling how wide the lens opening is; lower f-numbers allow more light and produce blurrier backgrounds, while higher f-numbers keep more in focus.

Shutter speed

An element of the exposure triangle controlling how long the camera sensor is exposed to light; fast shutter speeds freeze motion, while slow shutter speeds can create motion blur.

ISO

An element of the exposure triangle controlling how sensitive the camera is to light; higher ISO settings brighten the image but can introduce grain or noise.

Rule of thirds

A composition rule that involves placing important subjects along imaginary thirds or grid lines to create balance and visual interest.

Leading lines

A composition rule that uses lines in the image—such as roads, fences, or paths—to guide the viewer's eye toward the subject.

Symmetry

A composition rule that creates balance by making both sides of the image mirror or closely match each other.

Framing

A composition rule that uses objects around the edge of the shot, such as windows, doors, or trees, to draw attention to the subject.

Negative space

A composition rule that leaves empty space around the subject to create isolation, calm, or focus, making the subject stand out.

Depth of field

A camera and composition element that controls how much of the image is sharp and in focus versus blurred.

Foreground, middle ground, background

A composition technique using layers of depth to make an image feel more three-dimensional.

Mainstream journalism

News produced by established organisations like television networks, newspapers, and major websites; characterised by professional standards and resources, but potentially subject to bias, ownership, or commercial influences.

Independent journalism

News produced outside major organisations by smaller outlets or individual journalists, capable of presenting alternative views but often working with fewer resources and weaker fact-checking systems.

Citizen journalism

News or evidence documented and shared by everyday people, usually via phones and social media; fast and direct, but prone to being unverified, emotional, incomplete, or misleading.

Bias

When a media text favours one side, perspective, group, or interpretation, often conveyed through word choice, image selection, headline framing, omission of facts, source selection, and tone.