terminology Flashcards
active viewing
you are paying your full attention and also interacting
aesthetics
the look and feel of a film
age representation
how a particular age group is presented to the audience
alignment
we are given spatio-temporal proximity
we gaze at them closer and for longer
allegiance
the spectator is ultimately required to make a choice
archetype
a typical example of a person
asynchronus sounds
sounds that don’t match up with the images
auteur
the author of the film - a signature style
background
when the depth of field is altered to give more information
bias
concentrating only on one viewpoint
binary opposites
opposites used to create conflict
canted angle
a shot where the camera is tilted to the side
character
the subject of the film
cinematography
refers to the overall camera technique
close-up
a shot close up to the subject
colour palette (grading)
the use and manipulation of colours to convey ideas/themes
context
the circumstances the film is set in
conventions
the way in which things are normally done
costume
what a character wears
cut
how one scene transitions to another
deep focus
where everything is visible, sharp and clear in the shot
demographic
a section of the population that the film is targeted towards
diegetic sound
sounds that the characters are able to hear
director
the maker of the film
editing
how the film is put together
establishing shot
a shot that shows the setting/context
ethnicity representation
how people of a certain race are depicted
fade
when the scene gradually turns to a single colour
typically black or white
flashback
a narrative technique that jumps back in time
formalism
look at the film’s structure and recognises the difference between the story and how it is told
framing
how the subject is shot in the sequence
gender representation
how males and females are represented through characterisation
genre
the type of film
e.g. horror, action, romance
hays code
set of guidelines for all motion pictures released from 1934 to 1968
high angle shot
when the subject is shot from above
high key lighting
a lighting style that results in a brightly lit frame with soft lighting and minimal shadows
homage
when a film pays tribute to another
iconography
the visual imagery of a film
ideology
a set of beliefs
particularly the political beliefs on which people, parties, or countries base their actions
intertextuality
when a film makes a direct reference to another film or media product
J cut
a split edit technique in which audio overlaps the picture from the preceding scene
juxtaposition
positioning of two shots or characters for comparison
L cut
editing technique
audio from the preceding scene overlaps that of the following scene
leitmotif
a recurring piece of music throughout the film
low angle shot
the subject is shot from below
low key lighting
style of lighting that has an emphasis on shadows
mid shot
a shot that includes the subject from the torso up
mise-en-scene
the arrangement of the scenery (set the stage)
motif
an idea/image that recurrs throughout the film
narrative
the story
non-diegetic sound
sounds that only the audience can hear
oppositional reading
when the audience rejects the ideas in the way the media producer wants them to
over the shoulder shot
a shot where the camera is facing one character from a position that is behind another character
pan (panning)
camera movement
passive viewing
you are only paying a small amount of attention to what is being shown
performance
how the actor performs
pov (point of view)
a shot taken from a character’s perspective
preferred reading
when the audience responds to the ideas in the way the media producer wants them to
props
items used to decorate the scene
proxemics
the distance in which the characters stand
recognition
how we identify with the protagonist
representation
portrayal of someone/something in a particular way
e.g. age, gender, ethnicity
score
the music of the film
sequence/scene
a series of camera shots
setting
where a scene takes place
shallow focus
where only the subject is in focus and the background is blurred
spectator
the viewer watching the film
stereotype
a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image/idea of a group of people/thing
studio system
the production and distribution of films is dominated by a small number of larger movie studios
symbolism
the use of symbols to present ideas or qualities
synchronus sounds
sounds that match up with the images
create realism
tracking shot (dolly)
the camera moves with the subject
trope
recurring/significant themes across a genre
two shot
when two characters are filmed together
versimilitude
the appearance of being real or true
wide angle
a shot that includes the subject and the background
zoom
the camera moves in towards the subject
