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4 Dimensions to Film

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The connections between the movies and other artistic traditions, such as literature and painting. The theatrical dimension of the film image, or of its mise-en scène. The composition of the movie, achieved through camera positions and editing. The use of sound in the film.

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Story

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All the events that are presented to us or that we infer have happened

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Plot

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The arrangement or construction of those events in a certain order or structure.

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Narration

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The perspective that organizes the plot according to a certain emotional, physical, or intellectual point of view.

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Elements of a Classical Narrative

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A plot development in which there is a logical relation between one event and another. A sense of closure at the end (happy or tragic). Stories that are focused on characters. A narrative style that attempts to be more or less objective.

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Alternative Narrative

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A narrative does not follow the chronological order of a classical narrative.

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Nonnarrative Films

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Films that do not tell stories through narration, but with other organizational structures.

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Experimental Films

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Films that avoid stories and instead investigate questions unrelated to the narrative.

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Documentary Cinema

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A nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality.

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Point of View

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Refers to the position from which something is seen, and, by implication, the way that point of view determines what you see.

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Objective Point of View

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In this point of view, the reader has access to nobody's thoughts, just the facts.

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Subjective Point of View

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In this point of view, the reader has access to the character's thoughts and opinion, upon which reasonable people could disagree.

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Mise-en-scène

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This is what is put before the scene or before the camera, including lighting, costumes, sets, the quality of the acting, and other shapes and characters in the scene.

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Set

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These refer to the location of the construction of a location where a scene is filmed

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Costumes

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The clothes the characters wear provide a writer with the key to a characters identity.

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Lighting

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Used to illuminate an object or a character using either natural sunlight or artificial sources like lamps. This can create a feeling of clarity and optimism or a feeling of oppression and gloom.

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Realism

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The quality or fact of representing a person, thing, or situation accurately or in a way that is true to life.

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Shot

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This is the single image you see on the screen before the film cuts to a different image.

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Photographic Properties

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These are the qualities of the film image that are found in any photograph. This can include tone, film speed, and perspective.

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Tone

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This refers to the range and texture of the colors in a film image

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Film Speed

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This is the rate at which the film is shot, which can be slow motion or faster motion.

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Perspective

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This refers to the spatial relationship an image establishes between different objects being photographed. This can be done by deep focus, shallow focus, or rack focus.

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Deep Focus

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This focus shows characters in the background as sharply as characters in the foreground.

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Shallow Focus

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This focus shows only one plane clearly, another one blurry.

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Rack Focus

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This focus switches the focus quickly from one plane to another.

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Frame

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This refers to how the camera represents the action. This can be achieved through high angle, low angle, or canted frame.

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High Angle

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This is tilting the camera down at the object of representation. This can give an an impression of superiority of the viewer.

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Low Angle

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This is tilting the camera up at the object of representation. This can give an an impression of inferiority of the viewer.

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Canted Frame

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A framing that is unbalanced in relation to the space and action.

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Close-Ups

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This shot just shows the character's face

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Medium Shots

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This shot shows most of the character's body.

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Long Shots

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This shot shows all of the character's body.

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Reframing

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This frame is filmed within one scene, but includes more than one shot. For example, a romantic close-up of two lovers whispering may suddenly change its meaning if the camera frame moves backward and makes them part of a long shot full of spectators.

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Crane Shot

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A shot that looks down on the action.

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Dolly Shot

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A shot that follows a character.

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Hand-Held Shot

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A shot that follows a character, but is given an unprofessional look to make the shot seem more realistic.

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Pan Shot

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A shot that follows the action by tilting the camera in its direction, without moving the camera itself

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Editing

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This is linking two different pieces, or shots, of film.

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Cut

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This is the break between two edited shots.

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Editing Pace

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A shot that is held on screen for any length of time.

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Long Takes

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Shots that remain on a scene or object for an unusually long time.

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Scene

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A series of edited shots, that are joined together. This is usually confined to one place or time.

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Sequence

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Interwoven shots that describe significantly more action, more time, and more than one location.

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Continuity (Invisible Editing)

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This is when editing is done in such a way, that the viewer does not notice the editing process. This is done because the filmmaker does not want the editing to distract the viewer from the story.

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Establishing Shots

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Shots that begin a scene or sequence.

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Shot/Reverse-Shot or Shot/Countershot

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An invisible editing tactic commonly used between a conversation between two people. Switching from shot to shot as the conversation unravels.

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Fade-In or Fade-Out

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An image is darkened or lightened so that the image appears or disappears. This invisibility editing tactic is commonly used in older films.

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Iris-In or Iris-Out

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The new image appears as an expanding circle in the middle of the old image, or the old image becomes a contracting circle that disappears into the new image.

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Wipe

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A line moves across an image to gradually clear one shot and introduce another.

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Dissolve

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A new shot is briefly superimposed on the fading old shot.

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Jump Cut

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A continuous shot is suddenly broken and the image jumps to new figures.

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Match-On-Action

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Two images being edited together as parallel actions or motions.

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Direct Sound

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Sound that is recorded when the image is being shot

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Postdubbed Sound

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Sound and dialogue that are added later in the studio.

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Sound Continuity

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Sounds that describe the scoring and mixing of sound to create a unified atmosphere or tone in a scene or sequence.

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Sound Montage

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Sounds that compose different pieces of sound to create disjunctions and unexpected relations between those sounds.

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Ambient Sound

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Sound describes the background noises or music that surround the main action and dialogue.

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Overlapping Dialogue

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Dialogue that is a simultaneous mixing and overlapping of characters' speech.

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Voice-Off

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This originates in a speaker who was or will be onscreen but is not at the time the voice heard.

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Voice-Over

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This is the voice of a narrator who typically is not art of the story and cannot be heard by the characters.

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Narrative Cueing

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This is the use of a sound or piece of music to support a moment in the story.

Study Guide for a Short Guide to Writing About Film (Chapter 3) – Flashcards

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