Film Analysis Terminology Study Guide

Auteur

A filmmaker, typically a director, whose personal influence and artistic control over a movie are so significant that they are regarded as the author of the film.

Diegesis

The narrative or plot of a film, including the events that occur within the story world.

Flashback / Flashforward

A narrative technique that allows the story to move back in time or forward in time from the current point in the narrative.

Mise-en-scène

The arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play or film, encompassing everything that appears in the frame.

Story and Plot (fabula and syuzhet)

___ refers to the chronological sequence of events in a story, while ____refers to the way those events are organized and presented in the film.

Three-point lighting

A standard method for illuminating a subject in a scene using three lights: key light, fill light, and back light.

High-key lighting

A lighting style that reduces the lighting ratio in the scene, resulting in a bright and even illumination.

Low-key lighting

A lighting style that creates a high contrast between light and dark areas, often used to create a dramatic effect.

Deep space

A composition technique where significant elements of the scene are placed at various distances from the camera, creating a sense of depth.

Shallow space

A composition technique where the elements of the scene are arranged close to the camera, minimizing depth.

Color (how it can be used in different ways)

The use of color in film to convey mood, symbolize themes, or influence audience perception.

Contrast

The difference in luminance or color that makes an object distinguishable from others within the same field of view.

Deep focus

A cinematographic technique that keeps all elements in the frame, from foreground to background, in sharp focus.

Shallow focus

A technique that keeps only a small part of the image in focus, while the rest is blurred.

Depth of field

The distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image.

Racking focus

A technique where the focus is shifted from one subject to another within the same shot.

Zoom shot

A shot that changes the focal length of the camera lens to magnify or reduce the size of the subject in the frame.

Framing

The way in which subjects are composed within the boundaries of the frame.

Angle of framing

The position of the camera in relation to the subject, influencing how the subject is perceived.

Level of framing

The height of the camera in relation to the subject, affecting the viewer's perspective.

Canted (or Dutch) framing

A framing technique where the camera is tilted to one side, creating a sense of unease or disorientation.

Following shot

A shot that follows a subject as it moves through the scene.

Reframing

The adjustment of the frame during a shot to maintain the focus on the subject as it moves.

Point-of-view shot

A shot that shows what a character is looking at, effectively putting the audience in the character's perspective.

Scale: Extreme long shot, long shot, medium long shot, medium close-up, close-up, extreme close-up

Different types of shots that vary in the distance from the subject, affecting the viewer's perception of the subject's importance.

Length of take

The duration of a single shot before it cuts to another shot.

Crane shot

A shot taken from a crane, allowing for sweeping movements and high angles.

Hand-held camera, steady cam

Techniques for filming that allow for more dynamic and mobile shots, with the hand-held camera providing a raw feel and the steady cam providing smooth motion.

Pan

A horizontal movement of the camera from one side to another.

Tracking shot

A shot where the camera moves along with the subject, often on a track or dolly.

Transitions: fade, dissolve, wipe

Techniques used to move from one shot to another, with fades gradually changing the image, dissolves blending two images, and wipes replacing one image with another.

Cross-cutting (or parallel editing)

A technique that alternates between two or more scenes happening simultaneously in different locations.

Cut-in and Cut-away

____ refers to a shot that focuses on a part of the subject, while ___ refers to a shot that cuts away from the main action to show something else.

Jump cut

An abrupt transition between shots that disrupts the continuity of time.

Establishing shots/ reestablishing shot

Shots that set up the context for a scene, often showing the location or environment.

Shot/reverse shot

A technique used in conversations where the camera alternates between two characters, showing their reactions.

Eyeline Match

A technique that ensures the direction of a character's gaze matches the position of what they are looking at.

Graphic match

A cut between two shots that emphasizes a similarity between the two images.

Match on action

A technique where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action.

Continuity editing / discontinuity editing

____ editing refers to techniques that maintain a seamless flow of action, while ____ editing disrupts the narrative flow for effect.

Montage (Hollywood, Soviet)

A film editing technique that juxtaposes a series of shots to condense space, time, and information.

Sound bridge

A sound that carries over a transition from one scene to another, linking them together.

Diegetic/non-diegetic sound

____ sound originates from the film's world, while ___ sound comes from outside the film's world, such as background music.

Direct sound

Sound that is recorded during the filming of a scene, as opposed to being added in post-production.

Offscreen sound

Sound that originates from a source that is not visible on screen.

Voice over

A production technique where a voice that is not part of the narrative is used to convey information or thoughts.