film techniques

Question 1

define shot

Answer 1

a single piece of film uninterrupted by cuts

Question 2

define and give the function of an establishing shot

Answer 2

often a ling shot or a series of shots that sets the scene.

it is used to establish setting and to show transitions between locations

Question 3

define and give the function of a long shot

Answer 3

a shot from some distances. if filming a person, the full body is shown.

it may show the isolation or vulnerability of the character

Question 4

define and give the function of a medium shot

Answer 4

the most common shot. the camera seems to be a medium distance from the object being filmed.

a medium shot shows the person from the waist up. this affect is to ground the story

Question 5

define and give the function of a medium close up shot

Answer 5

a shot between a medium and a close up

the characters’ head and shoulders appear in the frame. it is usually used in an interview situation so that facial expression and body language may be seen.

Question 6

define close up

Answer 6

the image takes up at least 80% of the frame

Question 7

define choker close up

Answer 7

the image is shot from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead

Question 8

define extreme close up

Answer 8

the image being shot is a part of a whole, such as a eye or a hand

Question 9

define and give the function for a two shot

Answer 9

a scene between two people shot exclusively from an angle that includes both characters more or less equally.

it is used in love scenes where interaction between the two characters is important

Question 10

define and give the function of an over-the-shoulder shot

Answer 10

the camera is positioned behind a character and looks over their shoulder at the action/other character

it establishes a specific subject’s physical point of view of the action.

Question 11

define and give the function of a cut away

Answer 11

a shot inserted into a scene that shows action taking place somewhere else

it is used to add extra information and undercut expectations

Question 12

define and give the function of an extreme long shot

Answer 12

the camera is very far away from the object being filmed

the camera is so far away that often the object being filmed cannot be clearly seen. they are used for landscapes or to establish setting

Question 13

define and give the function of a point of view shot

Answer 13

the camera takes the place of the character.

the camera become the eyes of the character and we ‘see’ what the character sees. this is usually proceeded by a character looking at an object or in a particular direction

Question 14

define and give the function of a closed frame

Answer 14

the character is positioned within closed borders

the character will be in the borders of a door or window or some other object restricting the character

Question 15

define and give the function of an open frame

Answer 15

no objects are impending the progress of the character

it is used to indicate wide open spaces. they give a sense of freedom and liberation

Question 16

define and give the function of a center frame

Answer 16

the person or object is in the centre of the frame

the person or object in the frame has domination, confidence or is central to the plot

Question 17

define camera angle

Answer 17

the vertical position/angle of the camera in relation to the object being filmed

Question 18

define and give the function of a medium angle

Answer 18

a shot taken from a normal height; that is, the character’s eye level…

it is the most natural angle

Question 19

define and give the function of the high angle

Answer 19

the camera is positioned above the subject

this usually has the effect of making the subject look smaller than normal, giving him or her the appearance of being weak, powerless and trapped

Question 20

define and give the function of a low angle

Answer 20

the camera films the subject from below

this usually has the effect of making the subject look larger than normal, and therefore strong, powerful, and threatening

Question 21

define and give the function of an aerial angle

Answer 21

the camera is positioned directly and usually very far above the object

allows the viewer to gain and aerial perspective on the object or setting

Question 22

define and give the function of a tilted angle

Answer 22

the camera is tilted or on its side

the object appears unbalanced. it is usually used in action sequences

Question 23

define and give the function of deep focus

Answer 23

both the background and foreground of the shot are in focus

it is usually used in an establishing shot to create a sense of the setting

Question 24

define and give the function of shallow focus

Answer 24

only the foreground is in focus. the background is burred.

it focuses the audiences attention on the most important part of the shot

Question 25

define pan

Answer 25

a stationary camera moves from side to sid on a horizontal axis

Question 26

What is the function of a pan

Answer 26

creates a sense of surveying the scene

Question 27

define tilt

Answer 27

a stationary camera moves up or down along a vertical axis

Question 28

define zoom

Answer 28

a stationary camera where the lens moves to make an object seem to move closer to or move further away from the camera

Question 29

what is the function of the zoom

Answer 29

moving into a character is often a personal or revealing movement, while moving away distances or separates the audiences from the character

Question 30

define dolly/tracking

Answer 30

a set of wheels and a platform upon which the camera can be mounted to give it mobility. the camera is on a track that allows it to move with the action. the term also refers to any camera mounted on a car, truck or helicopter

Question 31

what is the function of dollying/ tracking

Answer 31

adds to the sense or reality and allows the viewer to feel a part of the action

Question 32

define notan lighting

Answer 32

the foreground and background are equally lit

Question 33

what is the function of notan lighting

Answer 33

it is used to convey a message of neutrality and objectivity

Question 34

define chiaroscuro lighting

Answer 34

the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition certain areas are selected to be well or dimly lit or not at all

Question 35

what are the three types of chiaroscuro lighting

Answer 35

1 Rembrandt lighting 2 cameo lighting 3 silhouette lighting

Question 36

define cameo lighting

Answer 36

the foreground is well lit while the background is dark

Question 37

what is the function of cameo lighting

Answer 37

it focuses our attention on a particular part of the frame

Question 38

define Rembrandt lighting

Answer 38

certain areas in the frame are lit while others are partially or completely dark

Question 39

what is the function of Rembrandt's lighting

Answer 39

it focuses our attention on a particular part of the frame

Question 40

define silhouette lighting

Answer 40

the foreground is dark while the background is well-lit

Question 41

what is the function of silhouette lighting

Answer 41

helps the audience focus on themes and/ or emotions the director wishes to reveal in the frame

Question 42

define low-key lighting

Answer 42

the scene is flooded with shadows and darkness

Question 43

what is the function of low-key lighting

Answer 43

it creates suspense or suspicion

Question 44

define bottom or side lighting

Answer 44

direct lighting from below or the side

Question 45

what is the function of bottom or side lighting

Answer 45

often makes the subject appear dangerous or evil

Question 46

define front and backlighting

Answer 46

soft lighting on the actor's face or from behind

Question 47

what is the function of front and backlighting

Answer 47

gives the appearance of innocence or goodness, or a halo effect

Question 48

define cut

Answer 48

most common editing technique. two pieces of film are spliced together to "cut" to another image

Question 49

define fade

Answer 49

can be to or from black or white. a fade can begin in darkness and gradually assume full brightness or the image may gradually get darker

Question 50

what is the function of a fade

Answer 50

often implies that time has passed or may signify the end of a scene

Question 51

define dissolve

Answer 51

a kind of fade in which one image is slowly replaced by another

Question 52

what is the function of dissolve

Answer 52

it can create a connection between images

Question 53

define wipe

Answer 53

a new image wipes off the previous image

Question 54

what is the function of the wipe

Answer 54

more fluid than the cut and quicker than a dissolve

Question 55

define flashback

Answer 55

cut or dissolve to action that happened in the past

Question 56

go through sound and colour and iconography in films

Question 57

define composition

Answer 57

refers to the frame of the image and how the elements of the mise-en-scene appear in it

Question 58

define editing

Answer 58

the art, technique, and practice of assembling shots into a coherent sequence. selecting the scenes that will be shown and putting them together to create a film.

Question 59

define frame

Answer 59

refers to a single image, the smallest compositional unit of a film's structure, captured by the camera on a strip of motion picture film