Media Aesthetics Weeks 2-7

signifier

the physical part of a sign (such as letters or words and images)

signified

the mental part of a sign, what one thinks of when seeing the signifier

sign

an object that conveys a particular meaning that is both loosely defined by what it does not convey and widely agreed upon

icon

a sign that is based on a physical attribute of what is being conveyed

symbol

a sign that has a given, arbitrary relationship to what is being conveyed

index

a sign that has a causal link to what is being conveyed

denotation

the literal, physical meaning of a sign

connotation

the mental, implied meaning of a sign

myth

a set of signs being used together to tell a specific form of reality

paradigm

set of signs that have something in common

syntagm

combination of signs that from a range of paradigms used to convey an overall meaning

linear narrative

a story that unfolds in chronological order from beginning to end, often using the hero’s journey and causal links

non-linear narrative

a story that does not follow a straight order and jumps around in time

fragmented narrative

a story that is told through disjointed parts that an audience has to piece together

three-act structure

a classic narrative structure where a story is split into a setup, confrontation, and resolution

unities of time and space

a classic narrative structure where a story’s setting is within a single place and a short, continuous time frame

narrative

sequence of events that happen because of a character’s actions

plot

sequence of events that construct a narrative that can be nonchronological

narration

art of telling a story or recounting using intermittent releases of info

disparity of knowledge

the difference between what the viewer knows and what characters know; is the basis of narration

hierarchies of knowledge

varying levels of information that different characters and viewers have at varying points in a narrative

diegetic elements

elements that are part of a story and experienced by characters

non-diegetic levels

elements existing outside the story and are not experienced by characters

omniscient perspective

viewer sees more than characters know, creating tension, irony, or an overview of narration by a specific point

limited perspective

information is limited to one or a few characters’ knowledge, creating suspense

first-person perspective

information is conveyed directly from a character’s point of view with point of view shots and voiceovers, making a sense of intimacy and subjectiveness

diegesis

narrative world of film, encompassing everything existing in the film’s universe

diegetic levels

different layers of storytelling and perception

objective perspective

events are shown without access to inner thoughts, creating a sense of detachment

stream of consciousness

events are presented in a way that mimics a character’s train of thought, creating immersion with disorientation; done with montage, jump cuts, sound bridges, and voice overs

sound bridge

audio from a subsequent scene is played before the image changes

Brechtian staging

way of staging that intentionally reminds a viewer of their consumption of a narrative, distancing from emotional involvement

authentic setting

scenery that more accurately reflect the characters’ actual space

stylized setting

scenery that more abstractly reflects the characters’ actual space

motif

repeated narrative element that supports a theme of a story

chiaroscuro

extreme low-key lighting where extremes of light and dark take up the image

staging

the arrangements of actors and objects in a space

composition

the visual organization and framing of elements of a shot

rule of thirds

guideline of a 3×3 grid that important elements align to through lines or corners

mise-en-scène

the arrangement of actors, props, scenery, lighting, and compositon

role of costume and make-up

used to show causation, particularly self-expression, graphic qualities, and setting

role of color and décor

relates a character or setting to emotional qualities and symbolism

framing

technique of drawing focus to a subject in a shot by blocking other parts of it with other objects

high-key lighting

less contrast between a shot’s light and dark tones

low-key lighting

more contrast between a shot’s light and dark tones

three-point lighting

the use of three light sources (camera, front, and back) with the purposes of attention to actor and aesthetics

dolly shot

camera follows subject, giving dynamic movement and immersion

truck shot

dolly shot that moves on a horizontal axis parallel to subject

full shot

wide shot with emphasis on a character

medium close-up shot

subject fills from chest-up

cowboy shot

medium close-up from the hips up

pan

camera moves horizontally without physical movement, often used to follow a subject or reveal information

tilt

camera moves vertically

zoom

lens moves in or out, simulating change in distance

handheld shot

camera is shaky, evoking tension and importance

eve-level shot

camera is placed at the same level as subject’s eyes

low angle shot

camera is pointed up at subject

high angle shot

camera is pointed down at subject

exposure

how much light is allowed through the lens

focal length

distance between lens and image sensor, influencing what and how one sees

short focal length

objects are stretched inward and made smaller

long focal length

objects are stretch outward and made larger

depth of field

range of distance between what is blurred and what is in focus

shallow depth of field

subject is the only or principal entity in focus with the background blurred

deep depth of field

no or little blur across subject and background

rack focus

rapidly switching from focusing on one subject to another

extended long shot

shot that shows a subject and the full range of their environment

long shot

shot that shows a character’s full body in relation to their environment

medium long shot

shot that shows a character from the knees up, often indicating dialogue

close-up

subject is fully in frame, is often used to convey emotion and deep reactions

extreme close-up

a subject’s details are in frame, often indicating intense focus and highlighting what is being done to it

establishing shot

extreme long shot that has the purpose of introducing a setting

bird’s eye view shot

camera is above portrayed object or action

Dutch angle

tilted camera, often used to portray suspense or a conflict

leading lines

the path our eyes follow when looking at a shot

adaptation

a replicated version of a narrative across a different medium or with a new approach

fidelity discourse and its alternative

discussion over whether an adaptation is “loyal” to the original and therefore “better”; alternative is to consider how the medium shapes narrative

implied author

agent made up by the viewer that is in complete control of a narrative and always knows what is going on and what it’s interpretation should be

autobiography

genre of narrative that poses one’s retelling of their life as fact and the lead as the writer, narrator, and protagonist

visual narrator

entity responsible for visual elements, including mise-en-scène and cinematography

auditive narrator

entity responsible for auditory elements, including music, dialogue, and background noise

filmic narrator

entity that organizes the relationship and interactions between the visual and auditive narrators with no involvement with textual intention

frame narrative

narrative within a narrative

first person narrator

narrator that presents events through their perception

second person narrator

narrator that presents events through the viewer’s perspective

third person narrator

narrator that presents events through the outside perspective of all characters

unreliable narrator

narrator that presents events with little to no credibility

intrusive narrator

narrator that presents events that interrupt a pre-existing flow of narrative

subjective narrator

narrator that presents events through a specific opinion or worldview

seriality

the idea of dividing a narrative into different installments that have their own beginnings, middle, and end

series

divisions of narrative that include multiple protagonists, open with an exposition, have a central problem, and have a fuller ending

serial

divisions of narrative that include a large number of protagonists, open in medias res, continue an existing flow of narrative, and do not have a proper ending

vast serial

type of serial that extends plot with worldbuilding, often with introducing new characters and an omniscient perspective

dense serial

type of serial that extends plot with developing details, often with expanding on character actions and motives

transmedia storytelling

the systematic dissemination of core narrative elements across different mediums to make a whole, unified experience

genre

an agreed-upon set of expectations that define a certain category of media

textual intent

interpretation of the implied author

narrator

a character or entity that relays information about plot

worldbuilding

the construction of a fictitious reality