Film Terms to Know - Film Apprechiation

Allusion

a reference to another work, event, or figure, often used to enhance meaning or symbolism in film.

Camera Angle

The point of view or perspective from which a scene is shot, affecting how the audience interprets the action and emotional tone.

Costume

refers to the garments or attire worn by characters in a film, which help to establish their identity, period, and social status.

Dialogue

any spoken line by characters in a film that reveals their thoughts, emotions, and relationships.

Epiphany

a moment of sudden realization or insight that changes a character's understanding or perspective (usually from the protagonist)

Flashback

a film technique that alters the chronological order of events to show past occurrences, providing context or background to the current narrative.

Flash forward

the opposite of a flashback, where the narrative jumps ahead to show events that will occur in the future, often revealing potential outcomes or consequences.

Foil

an acting role that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, to highlight particular qualities or traits.

Juxtaposition

in a film, the contiguous positioning of two images, characters, objects, or scenes in a sequence to compare and contrast them or establish a relationship between them.

Mise en Scene

A French term for “staging” or “putting into the scene or shot” in film theory, it refers to all the elements placed (by the director) before the camera and within the frame of the film.

Montage

A french word meaning “editing” or “putting together” or “assembling shots”

Non-Diegetic Score

any sound that does not originate from the world of the film (commentary, non-literal sound)

Opening Credits/Title (Sequence)

Letters to show who helped make the film and what they did for it

Stock Character

a minor character whose actions are completely predictable, stereotypical, or standard for what they do.

Subtext

Deeper meaning of a characters actions or spoken lines. encourages the audience to read between the lines.