American Short Story and Film

Four Elements of Film

Mise en scene

cinematography

sound

editing

A type of shot that is an important introductory component to any scene which introduces crucial details about the world (movie setting) and helps shape transitions between scenes

Establishing Shot

A type of shot that confirms the location and geography of a scene and establishes which characters are in the scene and where they are

Master Shot

A type of shot that establishes the special relationships of the subjects using distance, depth, and size

Wide Shot

A type of shot that captures the subject’s entire body (head-to-toe) from top to bottom of the screen and introduces a character’s physicality and shows them in all their glory

Full shot

A type of shot that presents subjects as confident, dangerous, or confrontational

Medium-Full Shot

The most popular shot size in all of cinema which captures the subject in a size similar to how we interact with people- above the waist but below the chest and ends just above the head

Medium Shot

type of shot that shows characters from head to chest, reduces distraction, and is used for capturing reactions

Medium-Close up

a type of shot that shows characters at eye level (to see into the windows of the soul) and is empathetic and enhances the drama of a decision. This shot gives us insight into a character’s thoughts and feelings

Close Up

A type of shot that focuses on one body part or a portion of a prop, captures intimate details, and isolates things crucial to the narrative

Extreme Close Up

everything that the audience can see in the frame

Mise-en-scene

precise staging of actors in a performance. Space, Shapes, and Lines

blocking

proximity to the camera, framing, who is center of focus

Space

circles, squares, and triangles creates limited spaces and gives depth

Shapes

creates visual tension with cutting and defines the power of a situation

lines

a recurrent theme throughout a film associated with a particular person, idea, or situation (ex: jaws music)

leitmotif

story structure that includes an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution

classic

Story structure which is a five-point dramatic structure, including an introduction, rising action, climax, return, and ends in catastrophe

Freytag’s pyramid

story structure that uses terminology that lends itself well to epic tales of bravery and triumph

The Hero’s Journey

Story structure which follows three acts and has 2 plot points

Three Act Structure

story structure which includes a catalyst, midpoint, and an “all is lost” moment

Save the cat

Story structure that is a slightly less detailed adaptation of the Hero’s Journey and focuses specifically on the highs and lows of a narrative arc

Seven-Point