Film History - Midterm Review Sheet

Vocabulary flashcards covering film form, cinematography, sound, narrative structure, historical movements, directors, and core films for the Film History midterm exam.

Audiovisual Language

The formal system of camera and sound techniques utilized in film to communicate meaning and theme.

Shot Types (CU, MS, WS)

The standard framing conventions of cinematography: Close-Up (CU), Medium Shot (MS), and Wide Shot (WS).

Camera Movement

Cinematographic methods for moving the camera within a shot, including Tilt, Pan, Dolly, Track, and Zoom.

Decoupage

The designated shot pattern or breakdown used to construct a cinematic scene.

Shot / Reverse Shot

A film editing pattern that alternates between two perspectives, typically used to film conversations between characters.

180 Degree Rule

A cinematography principle establishing an imaginary axis between characters that the camera must not cross, maintaining consistent screen direction.

30 Degree Rule

A cinematography guideline stating that the camera must change its angle by at least 30 degrees between consecutive shots of the same subject to prevent jump cuts.

Four Main Types of Sound

The primary categories of cinematic sound: Dialogue, Ambience, SFX (Sound Effects), and Score.

Sound Bridge

An audio transition where sound from one scene carries over into or begins before the transition to the next scene.

J/L Cuts

Sound editing transitions where the audio precedes the corresponding video cut (J-cut) or the video precedes the audio cut (L-cut).

Narrative Form Components

The structural building blocks of storytelling in cinema, comprising Scene, Sequence, and Act.

Vignette vs. 3 Act Structure

A comparison between an episodic, snapshot-like narrative format (vignette) and a conventional dramatic plot driven by cause and effect across three acts.

Silent Film Era Conventions

A historical era of filmmaking characterized formally by the absence of synchronized recorded sound and the use of bold physical acting styles.

Race Films

Films produced independently during the early twentieth century featuring all-Black casts and made primarily for African American audiences.

Body and Soul

A 1925 American silent race film directed by Oscar Micheaux and starring Paul Robeson, known for bold social commentary and facing censorship.

Oscar Micheaux

Pioneering African American independent director who made the 1925 silent race film Body and Soul.

Paul Robeson

The prominent actor and performer who starred in Oscar Micheaux's 1925 film Body and Soul.

L.A. Rebellion

A film movement marked by realism and independent production outside the studio model, prioritizing authenticity in contrast to Hollywood or Blaxploitation films.

Killer of Sheep

A 1978 American film directed by Charles Burnett associated with the L.A. Rebellion movement.

Compensation

A 1999 American film directed by Zeinabu Irene Davis associated with the L.A. Rebellion movement.

The Battle of Algiers

A 1966 Italy/Algeria film directed by Gillo Pontecorvo depicting the Algerian revolution against French colonial occupation through documentary-style shooting and non-actors.

Third Cinema

A revolutionary film movement that rejects traditional commercial Hollywood (First Cinema) and European auteurist cinema (Second Cinema), focusing on anti-colonialism and social change as seen in The Battle of Algiers.

Italian Neorealism

A cinematic movement characterized by realistic aesthetics, on-location shooting, and the use of non-professional actors, which influenced political films like The Battle of Algiers.

Do the Right Thing

A 1989 American independent film set in Brooklyn, NY, directed by Spike Lee, known for exploring racial tension and featuring distinctive formal techniques.

Spike Lee's Directorial Style

A formal aesthetic highlighted in Do the Right Thing featuring moving camera work, bold colors, on-camera address, and Dutch angles.

Dutch Angles

A stylized camera angle tilted off the horizontal axis, used prominently in Spike Lee's directorial style in Do the Right Thing.

Moonlight

A 2016 American film directed by Barry Jenkins examining identity, masculinity, the repressed self versus socialized self, the motif of water, and evocative color palettes.

Triptych Structure (Moonlight)

A three-part narrative structure corresponding to the three stages of the protagonist's life: Little, Chiron, and Black.

Auditory Channel

In film form, the audio dimension categorized by Kind (Noise, Voice, Music) and Point of Origin (On-screen, Off-screen, Earshot, Commentative).

Visual Channel

In film form, the visual dimension comprising the Nature of the Image (Prop, Location, Actor) and Treatment of the Image (Cinematography and Editing).