FILM 101 MIDTERM

the four sides of film

technological, business, entertainment/art, cultural product

three Phases of film production

production, distribution, exhibition

Eadweard Muybridge

motion picture studies, the horse in motion (1878)

Etienne-Jules Marey

chronophotography (1882)

Thomas Edison and W.K.L. Dickson

the kinetograph, kinetoscope, and vitascope inventors (1889)

Auguste and Louis Lumiere

Cinematographe (1895)

production phase

scriptwriting/funding, preparation for filming, shooting, assembly

form

the overall set of relationships among a film's parts

subject

what the film is about on the surface

theme

the film's take on the subject, the idea behind or attitude towards the subject that we glean from our interpretation of form and content

motif

meaningful repetition of a formal element that contributes to the patterns of a film, used to emphasize and connect

symbol

an object or person that stands for itself and something more than itself, invites implied linkages and comparisons

narrative

a chain of events linked by cause and effect and occurring in time and space

story

chain of events in chronological order

plot

the cinematic presentation of the story, which includes selection, omission, perspective, and stylization

diegesis

everything within film world including unseen things/events

non-diegetic information

material that is not part of the film world

linear plot structure

a plot that follows a straight-moving, cause and effect, chronological order

episodic plot structure

plot structure that consists of a series of related events rather than a story with a traditional beginning, middle, and end

thematic/contextual plot structure

loosest of all, no connection with space/time/characters, but thematic connections over spatial/temporal links

deadline structure

a narrative structured around a central event or action that must be accomplished by a certain time

omniscient/unrestricted narration

the audience knows more than any of the characters onscreen, we have access to more diegetic information

first person inside

the film is seen literally through the eyes of the character

first person outside

the film is in one character's head, but we are not seeing through their eyes, access to their voiceover/narration

third person restricted

the film sticks to one character, but we are not in their head

mise-en-scene

everything on the movie set that is visible onscreen, elements of a movie scene that are put in position before the filming actually begins

setting, costumes and makeup, lighting, and staging

elements of mise en scene

general setting

the space in which a scene is taking place

set dressing

specific details within the general setting

props

an object in the setting that has a function within ongoing action

blocking

the arrangement and movement of actors in relation to each other within the physical space of the frame

acting styles

Pantomine/presentational/exaggerated

Realist/naturalistic

Method Acting

three-point lighting

key light, fill light, back light

key light

the lighting instrument that provides the main source of illumination on the person or object in a shot

back light

illumination from behind the subject and opposite the camera

fill light

supplemental lighting that fills in or accentuates the key lighting on a filmed subject

low key lighting

illumination that creates strong contrast between light and dark areas of the shot, created by decreasing/turning off the fill light

high key lighting

illumination that creates little contrast between the light and dark areas of the shot. created by increasing/having a high fill light

diffused light

light that illuminates a relatively large area and creates soft shadows

cinematography

the capturing and framing of what's onscreen

the shot

basic unit of cinematography

shot

uninterrupted view that runs continuously across a series of film frames

framing, depth of field, color/contrast, camera movement

elements of cinematography and the shot

aspect ratio

the relationship of width to height of the film frame as it appears on a movie screen or monitor

classical/academy

1.33:1

widescreen

1.88:1

Cinemascope/anamorphic

2.35:1

masking

adjustments to camera aperture that cut off portions of the frame so that part of the image is black

camera distance

determines the scale of the shot, signals point of view, and contributes greatly to how we understand or feel about what is being shown

extreme long shot

shot of body + lots of distance

long shot

shot of body head to toe + a little more

medium long shot

shot of body from the ankles/knees

medium shot

shot of midsection area of the body

close up

shot of just the head/face

extreme close up

detailed shot

the long shot will appear to play faster than the close-up

if a long shot and a close up shot of the same length play

low angle

camera films the subject from below, has the effect of making the subject look strong/powerful/intimidating

high angle

camera films the subject from above, making them look powerless/helpless/small

Canted Angle (Dutch Angle)

when the camera is tilted, usually to suggest imbalance, transition, or instability.

right, left, above, below, in front (behind the camera), behind the set

six zones of offscreen space

depth of field

different areas of focus within the film frame that create different perspectives and meanings

telephoto lens

a camera lens that produces a narrow slice of focus, flattened space, compressed perspective, less depth

normal lens

a camera lens that produces little distortion, reproduces depth relationships seen by human eye

wide lens

camera lens that produces a deep focus and field of vision, exaggerated perspective, more depth

pan

camera is stationery and turns on a horizontal axis

tilt

a stationary camera moves up or down along a vertical axis

handheld camera

a camera that is held by a person and not supported by any type of camera mount.

steadicam

camera with a belt that you wear which braces the camera and keeps it steady, balanced with weights

track shot

camera is set up on a track to allow it to move around

dolly shot

a type of tracking shot taken from a moving platform on a set of wheels

crane shot

camera is affixed to a crane (operated manually or remotely)

aerial shot

shots from the air (ex. planes, helicopter, drones)

zoom

a stationary camera with variable focal lengths

shot/scene/sequence, cut/transitions, continuity style rules

elements of editing

scene

one or more shots that together depict a continuous space, time, and action

sequence

a series of scenes that constitute a particular movement of a film, unified as a coherent action

cut

an instantaneous change from one shot to another

transitions

take place between shots

180 degree rule/axis of action

maintains the illusion of spatial reality by shooting from one side of an imaginary line

30 degree rule

the camera should move at least 30 degrees any time there is a cut within a scene

jump cut

created when the 30 degree rule is broken,

a cut that interrupts a particular action and, intentionally or unintentionally, creates discontinuities in the spatial and temporal development of shots

match on action

carrying a single movement across a cut

establishing shot

a shot, usually involving a distant framing, that shows the spatial relations among the important figures, objects, and setting in a scene.

shot/reverse shot

two or more shots edited together that alternate characters, typically in a conversation situation

eyeline match

when a character looks offscreen and the next shot appears to show at what or whom he or she is looking

POV shot

shot that assumes first person inside perspective

inserts

any cut in extreme detail - also assumes first person inside

reestablishing shot

when there are shots of each individual speaking in a dialogue but in between there is another establishing shot of the scene

graphic match

two successive shots joined so as to create a strong similarity of a compositional element(s)

reaction shots

depicts a character's response to something that viewers have just been shown or will soon see

crosscutting/parallel editing

the alternation between two or more strands of simultaneous action

same place, same time

same place, different time

different space, same time

different space, different time

plot time

what is actually shown

story time

the sequence of events inferred

screen time

the time of watching the film

duration

length of time used to present an event or action

pace

a result of the length of individual shots

rhythm

organization and pace of editing according to different tempos determined by how quickly cuts are made

Soviet Montage

juxtaposition of shots, creates psychological effect, invokes a concept that is not present in the shots themselves, the implied association or connection between two images is more important than what the shot shows by itself

montage sequence/hollywood montage

elapse of time through a sequence of events, usually set to music

disjunctive editing

visible and often confrontational editing