Micro Analysis Terminology Essay
AS Film Studies
FM1 Micro-Analysis Terminology
MISE-EN-SCENE (everything in the frame)
Location: The place where the scene is shot, e.g Paris or the countryside.
Décor / Set design: The way the set has been decorated in order to express particular characteristics.
Props: Items that are used by characters in a particular scene
Costume: The clothing of a character speaks volumes about their personality
Make-Up: As does their make-up
Figure/facial Expression: The characters physical movements and what that says about them. * Proxemics—Refers to the physical distance between characters
* Physicality: The physical presence of an actor and what that brings to a role.
Lighting:
* High Key Lighting: Lighting …show more content…
which appears to be natural (but very rarely is). A three point lighting system is used to reduce shadows and be flattering to the character.
* Low Key Lighting: Using a lighting system which intensifies shadows and gives a moody (sometimes romantic) or scary effect.
* Back lighting: When a character is lit from behind, thus silhouetting them.
Colour design: A scene’s colours are very carefully selected in order to give off certain connotations.
Iconography: The visual style of a piece of film OR the meaning that using a famous actor brings to a film or show.
CINEMATOGRAPHY DEFINITIONS - CAMERA SHOTS:
Establishing Shot : A shot that establishes a scene, often giving the viewer information about where the scene is set.
Can be a close up shot (of a sign etc) but is often a wide/long shot and usually appears at the beginning of a scene.
Aerial Shot : A camera shot taken from an overhead position. Often used as an establishing shot.
Wide shot: The subject takes up the full frame, with a little ‘safety room’ above and below it.
This shot is often used to illustrate spatial distance between actors / subjects
Extreme / very wide shots are often used as establishers
Long Shot: A long shot is similar to a wide shot as the subject is shown fully in the frame. It is often used to show the subject and its surroundings
The subject is at a distance from the camera
Two Shot: A shot of two characters, possible engaging in conversation. Usually to signify/establish some sort of relationship
Medium Shot: the subject and surroundings take up roughly equal parts of the frame.
The framing of a subject from waist up (or down).
Medium Close Up: the framing of a subject from the chest up.
Close Up: A head and shoulders shot often used to show expressions/emotions of a character.
Also can be a shot of an object, filmed from close to the object or zoomed in to it, that reveals detail.
Extreme Close Up: A shot where a part of a face or body of a character fills the whole frame/dominates the frame.
Also can be a shot of an object where only a small part of it dominates the frame.
Point-Of-View Shot (POV): Shows a view from the subject’s perspective. This shot is usually edited so that the viewer is aware who’s point of view it is.
Associated POV (or Over the Shoulder Shot): looking from behind a character’s shoulder, at a subject.
The character facing the subject usually occupies 1/3 of the frame but it depends on what meaning the director wants to create (for example, if the subject is an inferior character, the character facing them may take up more of the frame to emphasise this).
Overhead Shot: a type of camera shot in which the camera is positioned above the character, action or object being filmed.
Reaction Shot: a shot that shows the reaction of a character either to another character or an event within the sequence.
CAMERA ANGLES
Camera Angle: the position of the camera in relation to the subject of a shot. The camera might be at a high angle, a low angle or at eye level with what is being filmed.
High Angle: A camera angle that looks down upon a subject or object.
Often used to make the subject or object appear small or vulnerable.
Low Angle: A camera angle that looks up at a subject or object. Often used to make the subject/object appear powerful/dominant.
Canted angle (or oblique): camera angle that makes what is shot appear to be skewed or tilted.
CAMERA MOVEMENT
Pan: is a horizontal camera movement, where the camera moves left to right on an axis/tripod.
This can be used to give the viewer a panoramic view. Sometimes used to establish a scene.
Tilt: is a move up and down on an axis/tripod.
A tracking shot is a movement parallel to the action - the camera follows or tracks alongside the action.
This can be done using a track / dolly or handheld / using a steadicam.
A dolly shot is where the camera is on a track (or dolly) and moves in or out.
Crane: A crane shot is sometimes used to signify the end of a scene/ programme /film. The effect is achieved by the camera being put onto a crane that can move upward.
Stedicam: A steadicam is a stabilising mount for a camera which mechanically isolates the operator's movement from the camera, allowing a very smooth shot even when the operator is moving quickly over an uneven
surface.
Zoom: Using a zoom lens to appear to be moving closer to (zoom in) or further away from (zoom out) a subject/object when in fact the camera may not move (so, strictly not camera movement). Can be used for dramatic effect.
Hand-held: When something is shot hand-held it creates a shaky effect.
EDITING
Editing: the stage in the film-making process in which sound and images are organised into an overall narrative.
Continuity Editing: Continuity Editing (or invisible editing) is editing that is seamless and unobtrusive; you barely notice it as a viewer.
Almost all films use continuity editing – this allows the audience to ‘suspend disbelief’ and become fully absorbed in the action.
Match on Action: When the ‘cut’ is made on an action (eg. The hero jumps from the window; the next shot, taken from the bottom shows him landing on the ground).
Graphic Match: Where there is a familiar relationship between the shots to make the change seem smooth (the match could be continuity of direction, similar centre of attention, similar actions / subject etc.)
Graphic Contrast: When the next shot is in obvious contrast to the last to create an impact (the contrast could be in direction, subject, camera angle etc.).
Eye-line Match: The character reacts to something on/off screen. This motivates a cut and the next shot shows what the character saw.
Shot Reverse-Shot: Edits which switch back and forth between two characters interacting with each other (eg: conversation).
Parallel Editing / Cross Cutting: a type of editing in which events in two locations are cut together, in order to simply a connection between the two sets of events.
Often used to dramatically build tension and/or suspense in chase scenes or to compare two different scenes.
Cutaways: A brief shot that momentarily interrupts continuous action by briefly inserting another related action. Object, or person (sometimes not part of the principle scene or main action), followed by a cutback to the original shot.
Jump Cut: An abrupt, disorientating transitional device in the middle of a continuous shot in which the action is noticeably advanced in time and/or cut between two similar shots, usually done to create discontinuity for artistic effect.
Freeze Frame: the effect of seemingly stopping a film in order to focus in on one event or element.
Flashback: a scene or moment in a film in which the audience is shown an event that happened earlier in the film’s narrative.
Juxtaposition: the placement of two (often opposed) images on either side of an edit to create an effect.
Linear Narrative: a style of storytelling in which events happen chronologically.
Montage Editing: the juxtaposition of seemingly unconnected images in order to create meaning.
Other terminology: Slow Motion, cut, take, wipe, Dissolve……
SOUND
Diegetic Sound: sound that can be heard by the characters within a scene/ sound part of the imaginary world.
Dialogue: Words spoken by the characters
Ambient sound: the (diegetic) background sounds which are present in a scene or location.
Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc.
Non-diegetic Sound: sound that the characters cannot hear and is not part of the imaginary world of the story.
This includes a musical soundtrack or a voiceover (however this excludes a narration by a character within the story – referred to as an internal monologue and is diegetic).
Score: The musical component of a programme’s soundtrack, usually composed specifically for the scene.
Incidental music: non-diegetic sounds which add atmosphere to an action or revelation.
Voiceover: When a voice, often that of a character in the film, is heard while we see an image of a space and time in which that character is not actually speaking.
The voice over is often used to give a sense of a character's subjectivity or to narrate an event told in flashback.
Sound Effects: sounds that are added to a film during the post-production stage.
Sound Motif: A sound effect or combination of sound effects that are associated with a particular character, setting, situation or idea.
Sound Bridge: Can lead in or out of a scene. They can occur at the beginning of one scene when the sound from the previous scene carries over briefly before the sound from the new scene begins.
Sound Perspectives: The sense of a sound's position in space, yielded by volume and pitch. Used to create a more realistic sense of space, with events happening (that is, coming from) closer or further away.
Pleonastic sound: is sound (often non-diegetic) that imitates / reinforces the screen action.
Contrapuntal sound: is in opposition to what we see on screen – contradicts the action to create disharmony.
FM1 Micro-Analysis Terminology
MISE-EN-SCENE (everything in the frame)
Location: The place where the scene is shot, e.g Paris or the countryside.
Décor / Set design: The way the set has been decorated in order to express particular characteristics.
Props: Items that are used by characters in a particular scene
Costume: The clothing of a character speaks volumes about their personality
Make-Up: As does their make-up
Figure/facial Expression: The characters physical movements and what that says about them. * Proxemics—Refers to the physical distance between characters
* Physicality: The physical presence of an actor and what that brings to a role.
Lighting:
* High Key Lighting: Lighting …show more content…
which appears to be natural (but very rarely is). A three point lighting system is used to reduce shadows and be flattering to the character.
* Low Key Lighting: Using a lighting system which intensifies shadows and gives a moody (sometimes romantic) or scary effect.
* Back lighting: When a character is lit from behind, thus silhouetting them.
Colour design: A scene’s colours are very carefully selected in order to give off certain connotations.
Iconography: The visual style of a piece of film OR the meaning that using a famous actor brings to a film or show.
CINEMATOGRAPHY DEFINITIONS - CAMERA SHOTS:
Establishing Shot : A shot that establishes a scene, often giving the viewer information about where the scene is set.
Can be a close up shot (of a sign etc) but is often a wide/long shot and usually appears at the beginning of a scene.
Aerial Shot : A camera shot taken from an overhead position. Often used as an establishing shot.
Wide shot: The subject takes up the full frame, with a little ‘safety room’ above and below it.
This shot is often used to illustrate spatial distance between actors / subjects
Extreme / very wide shots are often used as establishers
Long Shot: A long shot is similar to a wide shot as the subject is shown fully in the frame. It is often used to show the subject and its surroundings
The subject is at a distance from the camera
Two Shot: A shot of two characters, possible engaging in conversation. Usually to signify/establish some sort of relationship
Medium Shot: the subject and surroundings take up roughly equal parts of the frame.
The framing of a subject from waist up (or down).
Medium Close Up: the framing of a subject from the chest up.
Close Up: A head and shoulders shot often used to show expressions/emotions of a character.
Also can be a shot of an object, filmed from close to the object or zoomed in to it, that reveals detail.
Extreme Close Up: A shot where a part of a face or body of a character fills the whole frame/dominates the frame.
Also can be a shot of an object where only a small part of it dominates the frame.
Point-Of-View Shot (POV): Shows a view from the subject’s perspective. This shot is usually edited so that the viewer is aware who’s point of view it is.
Associated POV (or Over the Shoulder Shot): looking from behind a character’s shoulder, at a subject.
The character facing the subject usually occupies 1/3 of the frame but it depends on what meaning the director wants to create (for example, if the subject is an inferior character, the character facing them may take up more of the frame to emphasise this).
Overhead Shot: a type of camera shot in which the camera is positioned above the character, action or object being filmed.
Reaction Shot: a shot that shows the reaction of a character either to another character or an event within the sequence.
CAMERA ANGLES
Camera Angle: the position of the camera in relation to the subject of a shot. The camera might be at a high angle, a low angle or at eye level with what is being filmed.
High Angle: A camera angle that looks down upon a subject or object.
Often used to make the subject or object appear small or vulnerable.
Low Angle: A camera angle that looks up at a subject or object. Often used to make the subject/object appear powerful/dominant.
Canted angle (or oblique): camera angle that makes what is shot appear to be skewed or tilted.
CAMERA MOVEMENT
Pan: is a horizontal camera movement, where the camera moves left to right on an axis/tripod.
This can be used to give the viewer a panoramic view. Sometimes used to establish a scene.
Tilt: is a move up and down on an axis/tripod.
A tracking shot is a movement parallel to the action - the camera follows or tracks alongside the action.
This can be done using a track / dolly or handheld / using a steadicam.
A dolly shot is where the camera is on a track (or dolly) and moves in or out.
Crane: A crane shot is sometimes used to signify the end of a scene/ programme /film. The effect is achieved by the camera being put onto a crane that can move upward.
Stedicam: A steadicam is a stabilising mount for a camera which mechanically isolates the operator's movement from the camera, allowing a very smooth shot even when the operator is moving quickly over an uneven
surface.
Zoom: Using a zoom lens to appear to be moving closer to (zoom in) or further away from (zoom out) a subject/object when in fact the camera may not move (so, strictly not camera movement). Can be used for dramatic effect.
Hand-held: When something is shot hand-held it creates a shaky effect.
EDITING
Editing: the stage in the film-making process in which sound and images are organised into an overall narrative.
Continuity Editing: Continuity Editing (or invisible editing) is editing that is seamless and unobtrusive; you barely notice it as a viewer.
Almost all films use continuity editing – this allows the audience to ‘suspend disbelief’ and become fully absorbed in the action.
Match on Action: When the ‘cut’ is made on an action (eg. The hero jumps from the window; the next shot, taken from the bottom shows him landing on the ground).
Graphic Match: Where there is a familiar relationship between the shots to make the change seem smooth (the match could be continuity of direction, similar centre of attention, similar actions / subject etc.)
Graphic Contrast: When the next shot is in obvious contrast to the last to create an impact (the contrast could be in direction, subject, camera angle etc.).
Eye-line Match: The character reacts to something on/off screen. This motivates a cut and the next shot shows what the character saw.
Shot Reverse-Shot: Edits which switch back and forth between two characters interacting with each other (eg: conversation).
Parallel Editing / Cross Cutting: a type of editing in which events in two locations are cut together, in order to simply a connection between the two sets of events.
Often used to dramatically build tension and/or suspense in chase scenes or to compare two different scenes.
Cutaways: A brief shot that momentarily interrupts continuous action by briefly inserting another related action. Object, or person (sometimes not part of the principle scene or main action), followed by a cutback to the original shot.
Jump Cut: An abrupt, disorientating transitional device in the middle of a continuous shot in which the action is noticeably advanced in time and/or cut between two similar shots, usually done to create discontinuity for artistic effect.
Freeze Frame: the effect of seemingly stopping a film in order to focus in on one event or element.
Flashback: a scene or moment in a film in which the audience is shown an event that happened earlier in the film’s narrative.
Juxtaposition: the placement of two (often opposed) images on either side of an edit to create an effect.
Linear Narrative: a style of storytelling in which events happen chronologically.
Montage Editing: the juxtaposition of seemingly unconnected images in order to create meaning.
Other terminology: Slow Motion, cut, take, wipe, Dissolve……
SOUND
Diegetic Sound: sound that can be heard by the characters within a scene/ sound part of the imaginary world.
Dialogue: Words spoken by the characters
Ambient sound: the (diegetic) background sounds which are present in a scene or location.
Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc.
Non-diegetic Sound: sound that the characters cannot hear and is not part of the imaginary world of the story.
This includes a musical soundtrack or a voiceover (however this excludes a narration by a character within the story – referred to as an internal monologue and is diegetic).
Score: The musical component of a programme’s soundtrack, usually composed specifically for the scene.
Incidental music: non-diegetic sounds which add atmosphere to an action or revelation.
Voiceover: When a voice, often that of a character in the film, is heard while we see an image of a space and time in which that character is not actually speaking.
The voice over is often used to give a sense of a character's subjectivity or to narrate an event told in flashback.
Sound Effects: sounds that are added to a film during the post-production stage.
Sound Motif: A sound effect or combination of sound effects that are associated with a particular character, setting, situation or idea.
Sound Bridge: Can lead in or out of a scene. They can occur at the beginning of one scene when the sound from the previous scene carries over briefly before the sound from the new scene begins.
Sound Perspectives: The sense of a sound's position in space, yielded by volume and pitch. Used to create a more realistic sense of space, with events happening (that is, coming from) closer or further away.
Pleonastic sound: is sound (often non-diegetic) that imitates / reinforces the screen action.
Contrapuntal sound: is in opposition to what we see on screen – contradicts the action to create disharmony.