vocabulary Flashcards
What is film form?
the pattern of elements in a narrative film by which it is organized
what are the two dimensions of film form?
- the film itself (cues that trigger emotions) 2. the viewer’s engagement (emotion that is triggered)
What are narrative elements?
the elements of a film that constitute a film’s story: plot, setting, characters, goal and subjective states of the character
what are stylistic elements?
elements through which the story is told: music, sets, costumes
What are the two viewer components? (what the viewer brings to the film)
- Knowledge about the world (nature, history, social customs, behaviour) 2. knowledge about films (story conventions, types or characters, genres)
Principle of form films: Motivation
what is narratively significant, what pushes the story along
Principle of film form: motif
any significant element that is repeating, thematic and significant
Principle of film form: variation
any significant element that is repeated in a film but that repetition entails variation (cinematic parallels)
Principle of film form: development
progression from beginning, middle and end, plot structure
Principle of film form: Unity and Disunity
the degree to which all elements of a film should fit together
What is Mise en Scene?
the staging of events before the camera
What are the four elements of Mise-en-scene?
setting
costume and makeup
lighting
staging
What are the dimensions of setting?
The places within the film’s story where the action occurs, real or imaginary
What does genre have to do with dimensions of setting?
elements of iconography in setting that are associated with certain genres
What is Verisimilitude?
How realistic something is meant to look, even if it’s in a made up world
What is Artifice?
When the setting is not at all realistic or mimicking the real world
What is Compositing?
using different elements to create a set, ie. painted background or CGI greenscreen
What are the functions of costumes?
Express the traits of the character or assist in social categorization, props or historical accuracy
What are the functions of makeup?
Can age the actor or enhance certain facial features for the character
Functions of character placement and movements
direct attention to narratively salient characters, character dynamics or subjective states
What is planimetric staging?
the staging of action and placement of characters along planes in the shot
What is the first function of lighting?
registering the image, showing the scene and character even in darkness
What is the importance of shadows?
assists the compositions, emphasizes facial features
What are cast shadows?
when a shadow is cast through an object or window
what are attached shadows?
light directly shining on an actor (usually face)
What is the second function of light?
directing the attention to a person, object or silhouette
What are the four features of light?
Quality, Direction, Source, Colour
What is light quality?
Hard vs Soft lighting
What is hard lighting?
Intense light that creates hard shadows and sharp edges
What is soft lighting?
diffuse with soft shadows and more flattering
What does front lighting do?
Well lit with emphasis on the front
What does backlighting do?
create silhouettes and emphasis on the back of the shot
What does top lighting do?
Emphasizes cheekbones and forehead, creating a glamourous and flattering image
What does bottom lighting do?
Highlights features we aren’t used to seeing, creates a distorted and unsettling image
What is three-point lighting?
Three lights to create even light distribution
What is High Key Lighting?
use of light to reduce the degree of contrast between darker and lighter parts of the image (three-point lighting)
What is low key lighting?
the use of lighting to increase the degree of contrast between dark and light, fill light often not used
What is the light source?
the origin of the light used to illuminate a shot, sometimes diegetic and sometimes non-diegetic
What is Diegetic?
something that is occurring for the audience but also for the characters (movie music, also in their earbuds)
What is non-diegetic?
When something is happening of the audience but not the characters (music that the characters don’t hear)
Colour in lighting
realistic or unrealistically motivated: using gels to make the light a certain colour
what is an example of realistic coloured lighting?
blue lighting pretending to be moonlight streaming through a window
