Film Studies Final Exam

Generic Conventions

features that identify a genre

character types, settings, props, events

Generic Formulas

plot patterns/narrative structures for developing stories in a particular genre

Generic Expectations

audiences’ preconceived understanding about a film based on prior experience

Semantics

meaning of props, setting, and costume and how they contribute to the genre

Syntax

narrative conventions of a genre like plot structures, character archetypes, and tropes

Documentary

situations and events involving real people who present themselves within a framework decided on by the director to show a historical world

Representation of Reality

a certain perspective or interpretation of reality

Reproduction of Reality

a direct replication of reality

Verification Principle

used to analyze whether film statements are meaningful

Institutional Framework

where documentaries are produced and how that affects their image

Community of Practitioners

filmmakers and other creators of documentaries changing their ideas of what they want to make

Corpus of Texts

all of the many types of documentaries

Constituency of Viewers

how audiences expectations of documentaries influence their experience

Evidentiary Editing

uses images to illustrate what the narrator is saying

Poetic

emphasizes mood, tone, and emotional impact over a traditional narrative structure

uses abstract imagery, sound, and editing to create a sensory experience

Expository

a clear, direct voiceover narration that explains a topic often using a specific point of view

it aims to educate and persuade the audience

Observational

aims to capture a "fly on the wall" perspective, with minimal intervention or narration

it focuses on observing and portraying the truth without dramatic editing or influencing the viewer

Participatory

emphasizes the interaction between the filmmaker and the subjects of the documentary

it often involves interviews or other forms of direct involvement

Reflexive

focuses on the relationship between the filmmaker, the audience, and the subject of the documentary

it often raises questions about the nature of truth and the documentary filmmaking process itself

Peformative

emphasizes the role of the filmmaker as a performer or activist within the documentary

it often involves the filmmaker directly interacting with the subjects, or even participating in the events being documented

Animating on the Ones

drawing a new image for every frame

highest labor time and cost

Animating on the Twos

drawing a new image for every two frames

Animation on the 8’s

drawing one key frame every 8 frames of animation, so it is slower and smoother

usually for when a character is running

Cel Animation

drawings are made on transparent sheets called cels which are then layered on painted backgrounds to create the illusion of movements

Xerox Animation

used a photocopy to directly transfer the animator’s work so you don’t have to trace and ink by hand

saves time and money

CGI

creates images digitally through computer software

Photographic/Analog Cinema

captures images using light and film

Digital Cinema

uses digital camera to capture images

Motion Capture Performance

recording an actors movements and expressions and transferring them to a digital character

High Frame Rate

faster than 24 frames per second

can be seen as smoother except if it is too fast