Midterm Terms Flashcards
Who directed Die Hard?
John McTiernan
When was Die Hard released?
1988
Who directed Battle of Algiers?
Gillo Pontecorvo
When was Battle of Algiers released?
1966
Who directed Sunrise?
F.W. Murnau
When was Sunrise relased?
1927
Who directed Casablanca?
Michael Curtiz
When was Casablanca released?
1942
Who directed Singin’ in the Rain?
Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly
When was Singin’ in the Rain released?
1952
Who directed Psycho?
Alfred Hitchcock
When was Psycho released?
1960
The subject of an artwork
content
the particular or characteristic use of formal elements
style
the visual and aural shape of a film. form embraces all aspects of a film’s construction that can be isolated and discussed: the elements of narrative, mise-en-scene (the look of the scene), camera work, sound and editing
form
the role or effect of an element within the film’s form. for example, an element might be important to advancing the plot, establishing a character trait, reinforcing a theme, etc.
function
- Repeated images, lines of dialogue, or musical themes that are significant to a film’s meaning” (Lewis).
- An element in a film that is repeated in a significant way (from B&T):
o Musical themes (music cues)
o Props (physical objects used in a film, such as a gun, a necklace, etc.
o A line of dialogue
o Visual elements (the “look” of a shot, etc.)
motif
the presentation of narrative information that provides context for the story and plot, including character development and the establishment of setting and/or location
exposition
a shared, public idea, such as a metaphor, an adage, a myth, or a familiar conflict or personality type
theme
the justification give in the film for the presence of an element. this may be an appeal to the viewer’s knowledge of a) the real world, b) genre conventions, c) narrative causality, or d) stylistic patterns with the particular film, etc
motivation
this usage overlaps with our everyday use of the term and focuses on the reason given for a character’s action
character motivation
this is a specialized usage of the term that - unlike our everyday usage - does not involve individuals
motivation of an element
an essential element of film narrative; many of the beings who play functional roles within the plot, either acting or being acted on
character
a taking unawares that is potentially shocking; generally a surprise occurs when both the audience and a character in the movie learn something at the same time
surprise
the anxiety brought on by partial uncertainty; generally suspense occurs when the audience is aware of a danger of which one or more characters are ignorant
suspense
a category of film based on its narrative pattern and/or emotional effect
film genre
the film’s hero; the protagonist is the main character of the film, but does not have to be an idealized figure; protagonist does not carry a moral implication
protagonist
the so-called studio era roughly from the advent of sound through world war ii; distinguished by an approach to filmmaking that strove for an invisible style that allowed viewers to become absorbed by the world of the film
classical hollywood overview
- specific historical period: lewis limits it to the 1930s and 1940s, but, in this class, where we are emphasizing the aesthetics of the films rather than economics of the industry, we also include the 1950s
- a particular type of filmmaking: associated with very specific narrative and stylistic traits
classical hollywood refers to two things:
- narratives are character-centered and characters are goal-oriented
- there is a chain of cause and effect
- highly motivated
- high degree of resolution and closure (not necessarily a happy ending)
four features of classical hollywood narrative
or the tendency to see the world in terms of opposing concepts: raw/cooked, nature/culture, man/woman, and darkness/light. “These binary oppositions are so much a part of the worldview of all cultures that they can be seen in their language, myths, and art. Binary thinking is a universal human condition, yet expressed differently in each culture and individual. In addition, each binary opposition reveals an underlying tension, a potential conflict that myth or art tries to reconcile”
binary opposition/dualism
Also called crosscutting and intercutting. [NOTE: although these three terms have slightly different meanings we will use them interchangeably]. Cutting back and forth between two or more lines of action, generally—but not necessarily—suggesting that they are occurring simultaneously. This is a very familiar convention in chase or rescue sequences.
parallel editing
using various cinematic devices to encourage the viewer to closely compare and contrast two elements. Example 1: If you cut from one woman looking in the mirror and putting on make-up to another one doing the same thing, the viewer would likely compare them, especially if the women were framed in very similar ways. Parallel editing can be used to set up a parallelism. Example 2: The comic film A Fish Called Wanda cuts back and forth between an enthusiastic young couple getting ready to have sex and a middle-aged couple preparing to sleep in separate beds, inviting a comical comparison
parallelism
Who directed the Teddy Bears?
Edwin S. Porter
When was Teddy Bears released?
1907
Who was the master of parallel editing?
D.W. Griffith
- blocking
- business
- vocality
- physicality/body awareness
acting four elements
those movements of the actor that are set by the director
blocking
Pantomimed action with or without props, the smaller movements not involving full crosses.
business
The application of vocal awareness, that is, quality, rhythm and tempo, articulation, pronunciation, pitch, volume, word choice, nonverbals, and influences (habits).
vocality
That is, the habits, adaptations, and cultural bindings that the actor takes on to represent a specific character.
physicality/body awareness
- acting (the actor’s physical aspect)
- clothing
- props
- lighting
non-verbal cues
-Frame: a single image (like one photograph) captured on the film strip
-Sprocket Holes: along the side of the film strip allow it to move systematically through the camera or projector
basic elements of celluloid film strips
- The claw advances the film strip using the sprocket holes
- The register pin holds each frame in place
- The shutter blocks the image while the film strip is being moved
how a motion picture camera works
A method of animation in which three-dimensional objects are moved and photographed for each frame
stop motion animation
A framing in which the scale of the object shown is very small; a crowd of people or a building landscape would fill the screen
extreme long shot
A framing in which the scale of the object shown is small; a standing human figure—shown head to toe—would appear nearly the height of the screen
long shot
(Also called “the American shot”) A framing in which the figure is relatively large but much of the background is still visible. The human figure would be shown from the knees up; This was a common framing in American films of the silent era
medium long shot