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| a segment of film composed of a number of related shots. A scene typically consists of a dramatic action that takes place in a single location. |
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| cutting back and forth between two or more scenes |
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utting back and forth between two or more scenes to give the illusion of simultaneous action. This is a type of cross-cutting but
is not synonymous with it |
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| refers to the rhythm of editing |
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basic Hollywood editing that fosters the illusion of continuous action, because one shot picks up where the other left off; details are matched from shot to shot so that they appear to be a single, continuous event. In actuality, continuity editing
breaks up space and action in order to focuse the viewer’s attention to specific details in the
scene, though viewers are not aware of this. Also called classical editing or invisible editing. |
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| eveloped by Russian filmmakers of the 1920s to intensify audience reaction to a scene or sequence. A noticeable style of editing in which shots are abruptly or rapidly edited together to jar or jolt the viewer. (Not to be confused with Hollywood montage). |
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| illusion that from shot to shot, one character is looking directly at another character, often into his/her eyes |
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| one shot picks up the motion where the previous shot left off to create a smooth, invisible linkage between shots |
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| purpose is to stabilize the space so viewer is not disoriented or confused. The setting is dissected by an imaginary line down the middle, and all shots are photographed from one side of that line |
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| also called an edit; signifies time is passing rapidly |
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| a slow fading out of one shot and the gradual fading in of the next shot; at one point, both images are superimposed for a split second; signifies a passage of time |
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| image moves diagonally across the screen as though pushing the previous image off the screen; it also signifies a long passage of time |
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| Fade to black/fade from black |
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| image fades to an all black screen before the next image slowly fades up; this signifies that the most time has passed |
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| a transitional device that is out of date; used mostly during the silent era. An iris occurs when the image closes in a circular fashion. An iris is a transitional device when the image closes in until the screen is black. |
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| refers to all the events in the story world, both the ones explicitly presented and those the viewer infers |
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| refers to the events presented and information actually presented in the film in the order they are presented. |
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| leading character in a story, who is typically the agent of action. He is our surrogate in the story; we make sense of the story through him. This is called “identification.” The protagonist is often a hero but not always. |
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| defined by AIM formula (attractive, insightful, moral center). Successful at achieving goal, or solving central problem of narrative. Has a flaw but either lives with it, or overcomes it. Makes a sacrifice for the greater good, or to solve the problem. |
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| the foil or foe of the protagonist, often a villain but not always. The relationship between the protagonist and antagonist is often the source of the conflict that drives the story. |
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| general message or point of the story, which is explicit |
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| The way a narrative is ordered or organized into a unity of time, place, and character within a specific film. |
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| plot unfolds in chronological order; that is, the beginning, middle, and end unfold in that order. |
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| plot unfolds out of chronological order, through the use of flashbacks or flashforwards |
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| is a general term that refers to the five stages of storytelling as codified by Aristotle in his Poetics: exposition, conflict, complications, climax, and resolution. |
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| the setup that identifies the characters, time, and place of the action, and the relationships of the characters as well as their goals and desires. |
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| the counter-setup, an event that forces the protagonist to change his or her behavior. Creates narrative momentum. |
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| he rising action, a series of obstacles and new developments that prevent the protagonist from achieving his or her goals and resolving the central conflict. |
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| the major crisis, the highest point of tension, the decisive point of confrontation. The character must solve the problem and make a final decision. |
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| Conflict that set plot in motion is resolved. Closure. |
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| any element that is repeated because it has meaning or significance. It has meaning beyond its surface; a motif can be part of the storytelling (an action; a line of dialogue); or part of the visual side of the film (a color; costume; prop, etc.) |
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| practical planning phase of filmmaking in which the script is written and initially prepared; the director does any research, location spotting, or blocking that is required; actors are hired and rehearsed; the director and the cinematographer work out an initial storyboard and/or shot list and begin to select techniques to interpret the written word. |
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| also called the shooting phase or principal photography, in which the raw footage is produced; the action is shot; sound recorded; the entire crew is put to full use. The director and cinematographer adjust the storyboard/shot list and settle on the techniques needed to interpret the written words of the script. |
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phase in which the film is edited; special effects are added; sound
is assembled in its final form. The editor really has another chance to tell the story by controlling what happens when, how long an action is on the screen, and what emotions the audience feels. The director is often involved in the editing. |
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An exterior shot taken from a great distance. Its function is to establish setting and to depict the space the action will unfold in, and sometimes to impress the
audience with its vastness. |
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An exterior or interior that offers a wide, expansive view. Its function is
to establish the setting and depict the space that the action will unfold in. Long shots and extreme long shots are used as establishing shots. A long shot that shows characters from the feet up to establish their spatial relationship to one another is called a full shot. |
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| The most common shot in a film. It generally depicts characters from the knees, waist, or shoulders up. More importantly, its function is to show the relationship between characters or the interaction between a character and an inanimate object. |
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| The camera is placed close to the subject so the field of view is very narrow, often just a character’s face. A close-up magnifies the subject, lending it more significance. There are two functions to close-ups. They are used to elicit an emotional response in the viewer; or, to convey information the viewer needs to know in order to understand the story. |
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| An exaggerated close-up, in which the field of view is even more narrow. Same function as the close-up, though perhaps with a more sensationalized effect. |
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| The style of lighting is geared closely to the theme and mood of the film, not fidelity to reality. |
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| Lighting the set so that it is bright and even, with very few dark or medium shadows; comedies and musicals are usually lit in a high-key style. High-key lighting suggests a light mood, or that everything is normal, okay |
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| Lighting the set so that there are extreme contrasts between the lights and darks; tragedies and dramas sometimes use scenes shot in high-contrast lighting. High-contrast light amplifies the dominant emotion of a scene; melodramas seem more tragic; horror films more frightening. High-contrast is dynamic. Sometimes called one-source lighting in photography or design. |
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| Lighting the set so that it is dimly lit, with rich diffused shadows dominating the set, with an occasional highlight; horror films and mysteries are usually lit in a low-key style. It suggests that something is hidden or concealed, generally something that is negative, pessimistic, evil, or harmful. Low-key is haunting, moody. Makes use of the gray scale, unlike high-contrast. |
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| Camera is placed above subject being filmed, so that the viewer seems to be looking down on the subject. It suggests the subject is weak, vulnerable, unimportant, or in danger. |
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| Camera is placed below subject being filmed, so that the viewer seems to be looking up at the subject. This is the empowerment angle and makes the subject seem strong, powerful, or in control. |
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| Eye-level shot, or normal angle |
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| Camera is looking directly toward or at the subject. It is the typical angle, and it suggests everything is normal |
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| An extreme high angle, which is usually but not always directly overhead. It is also known as a God’s eye view. It suggests that fate, luck, or God is looking down on the subject, which always spells misfortune. |
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| Camera head is tilted when filming the subject so that image looks like it is tilted, or on a diagonal slant. The text refers to it as an oblique angle, but I have never known a working cameraman to say “oblique angle.” A dutch angle is a visual warning to suggest that the subject is unstable, dangerous, abnormal, threatening. It creates anxiety in the viewer. |
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| the way a scene has been designed and staged for the camera; that is, the arrangement of all of the elements that compose a scene during production, including lighting, set design, props, the arrangement of the actors in the composition, makeup, and costumes. Mise-en-scene does not include editing, music, or acting. |
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| the arrangement of shapes, colors, lines, and textures. In film, this arrangement is often balanced; balanced suggests the norm. |
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the most conspicuous part of the image; it’s where our eye wants to
go first. Usually because it is an obvious contrast to everything else – contrasting color, lighting, movement or shape. After seeing the dominant, the eye goes to the second most obvious place,
then the third….. These are called subsidiaries. We are being led around the composition by the
arrangement of things. This is call the eye path. |
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| relationship of figures within a given space, includes the intimate, the personal, the social, and the public |
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| to pivot the camera horizontally, from side to side |
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| to pivot the camera upward and downward; that is, a vertical movement of the camera |
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| camera is turned 360 degrees (in a circular fashion); sometimes 180 degrees (half circle) |
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| shot created when camera is moved forward and backward in space on a dolly, which is a camera platform whose wheels ride on a small track with rails, resulting in a very smooth movement; also called a dolly shot; also includes crane shots |
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| cameraman holds camera while shooting instead of putting it on a mount or dolly; results in shaky or unsteady images |
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shot with a Steadicam (invented during 1970s), which is
physically attached to the cameraman; footage looks smooth and fluid because the camera’s
built-in stabilizing device helps maintain a constant balance |
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| shot in which the camera adopts the vantage point of a character's physical eye or literal gaze so the viewer sees what the character sees from his angle of vision. The camera is still and the shot is generally on screen only briefly. |
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| Subjective camera movement |
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| a shot in which the camera stands in for a specific character, so that the camera moves around the set as though it is that character. The viewer sees what that character sees from his angle of vision. |
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| asic unit in film construction; a shot is a single piece of film without any breaks in the action; an unedited, uncut strip of film. The book definition is more complicated but accurate: A shot is a continuously exposed series of film frames beginning and ending with a cut or other transitional device. |
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