Cinematic Terms Assignment Please Look Up The Film
Huffmanhum130cinematic Terms Assignmentplease Look Up The Following Te
Huffman HUM130 Cinematic terms assignment Please look up the following terms, either on the internet or in a book, and provide concise definitions. Aerial view shot A shot taken from an airborne device, generally while moving. Backlighting (lighting design) The main source of light is behind the subject, silhouetting it, and directed toward the camera. Ambient sound Ambient sound (AKA ambient audio, ambience , atmosphere, atmos or background noise ) means the background sounds which are present in a scene or location. Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc.
Ambient sound is very important in video and film work. Asynchronous sound are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen. Such sounds are included so as to provide an appropriate emotional nuance, and they may also add to the realism of the film. Axis of action also commonly referred to as the "180° line," is an imaginary line which defines the spatial relations of all the elements of a scene, correlating them to the right or left. The camera is not supposed to cross the axis at a cut, as that would reverse those specific spatial relations.
Backlight Illumination from behind Bird’s eye view shot A bird's - eye view is an elevated view of an object from above, with a perspective as though the observer were a bird , often used in the making of blueprints, floor plans, and maps. It can be an aerial photograph, but also a drawing. Closed frame " Closed frames refer to shots that do not acknowledge or require the existence of off-screen space to convey their narrative meaning , since all the information necessary for this purpose is contained within the edges of the frame Cover shot a wide-angle photographic shot including a whole scene. Crane shot In filmmaking and video production, a crane shot is a shot taken by a camera on a moving crane or jib.
Crosscutting Alternating (one sequence) with another when editing a movie. Cut In the post-production process of film editing and video editing, a cut is an abrupt, but usually trivial film transition from one sequence to another. It is synonymous with the term edit, though "edit" can imply any number of transitions or effects. The cut , dissolve and wipe serve as the three primary transitions. Deep-focus cinematography Deep focus is a photographic and cinematographic technique using a large depth of field.
Depth of field is the front-to-back range of focus in an image — that is, how much of it appears sharp and clear. In deep focus the foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus . Deep-space composition a significant distance seems to separate planes Depth of field In optics, particularly as it relates to film and photography, depth of field (DOF), also called focus range or effective focus range, is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image. Diegesis a narrative or plot, typically in a movie. Diegetic element An element of the plot or narrative Discontinuity editing Discontinuous editing is a unique editing style in film that is antithetical to that of normal cinema, or continuous editing.
In a discontinuous sequence, the filmmaker will deliberately use an arrangement of shots that seem out of place or confusing relative to a traditional narrative. Dissolve In the post-production process of film editing and video editing, a dissolve is a gradual transition from one image to another. Dolly in A dolly in moves the shot in using a camera dolly Dolly out A dolly out moves the shot out using a camera dolly Dolly shot A camera dolly is a wheeled cart or similar device used in filmmaking and television production to create smooth horizontal camera movements. The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller or camera assistant usually ride on the dolly to push the dolly back and forth.
Down shot Locked- Down Shot . A shot where the camera is fixed in one position while the action continues off-screen Dutch-angle shot The Dutch angle, also known as Dutch tilt, canted angle, or oblique angle, is a type of camera shot where the camera is set at an angle on its roll axis so that the shot is composed with vertical lines at an angle to the side of the frame, or so that the horizon line of the shot is not parallel with the bottom Establishing shot In film, a camera shot that establishes a scene, often as a long shot. This is a common maneuver at the beginning of Hollywood films, especially if the setting plays a significant role Extreme close up Extreme Close Up (ECU, XCU) The ECU (also known as XCU) gets right in and shows extreme detail.
You would normally need a specific reason to get this close. It is too close to show general reactions or emotion except in very dramatic scenes. A variation of this shot is the choker. Extreme long shot In film, a view of a scene that is shot from a considerable distance, so that people appear as indistinct shapes. An extreme long shot is a view from an even greater distance, in which people appear as small dots in the landscape if at all (eg. a shot of New York's skyline).
Eye level shot An eyelevel angle is the one in which the camera is placed at the subject's height, so if the actor is looking at the lens, he wouldn't have to look up or down. Eyelevel shots are incredibly common because they are neutral. Eye-line match cut An eyeline match is a film editing technique associated with the continuity editing system. It is based on the premise that an audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing. Fade in/out The terms fade-out (also called fade to black) and fade-in are used to describe a transition to and from a blank image.
This is in contrast to a cut where there is no such transition. Fill light In television, film, stage, or photographic lighting, a fill light (often simply fill) may be used to reduce the contrast of a scene to match the dynamic range of the recording media and record the same amount of detail typically seen by eye in average lighting and considered normal. First person narration First Person Narrator: Definition. First person narrative is a point of view (who is telling a story) where the story is narrated by one character at a time. This character may be speaking about him or herself or sharing events that he or she is experiencing.
Focal length Without getting too technical, focal length can be defined as the distance between the optical center of the lens and the image plane (the sensor or film) when the lens is focused at infinity. Focal length is typically measured in millimeters, and is the primary defining trait of a lens. Frame In filmmaking, video production, animation, and related fields, a frame is one of the many still images which compose the complete moving picture. ... The term may also be used more generally as a noun or verb to refer to the edges of the image as seen in a camera viewfinder or projected on a screen. Full body shot A type of long shot which includes the human body in full, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom.
High angle shot. A shot in which the subject is photographed from above. Group point of view The point of view of multiple characters or people High angle shot A high-angle shot is a cinematic technique where the camera looks down on the subject from a high angle and the point of focus often gets "swallowed up." High-angle shots can make the subject seem vulnerable or powerless when applied with the correct mood, setting, and effects. High key lighting High-key lighting is a style of lighting for film, television, or photography that aims to reduce the lighting ratio present in the scene. This was originally done partly for technological reasons, since early film and television did not deal well with high contrast ratios, but now is used to suggest an upbeat mood.
Intercutting alternate (scenes or shots) with contrasting scenes or shots to make one composite scene in a film. Iris shot An iris shot is a technique frequently used in silent film in which a black circle closes to end a scene. ... Some non-silent era slapstick comedy, such as that of Red Skelton, Benny Hill, and Warner Bros.' Road Runner cartoons, employ the iris shot as an homage to the silent film era. Jump cut an abrupt transition from one scene to another. Key light the main source of light in a photograph or film.
Lap dissolve a fade-out of a scene in a movie that overlaps with a fade-in of a new scene, so that one appears to dissolve into the other. Lighting ration Lighting ratio in photography refers to the comparison of key light (the main source of light from which shadows fall) to the fill light (the light that fills in the shadow areas). Long focal length lends The focal length of the lens is the distance between the lens and the image sensor when the subject is in focus, usually stated in millimeters (e.g., 28 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm). In the case of zoom lenses, both the minimum and maximum focal lengths are stated, for example 18–55 mm. Long shot a venture or guess that has only the slightest chance of succeeding or being accurate.
Long take In filmmaking, a long take is a shot lasting much longer than the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general. Significant camera movement and elaborate blocking are often elements in long takes, but not necessarily so. Low angle shot In cinematography, a low-angle shot, is a shot from a camera angle positioned low on the vertical axis, anywhere below the eye line, looking up. Sometimes, it is even directly below the subject's feet. Psychologically, the effect of the low-angle shot is that it makes the subject look strong and powerful.
Master shot A master shot is a film recording of an entire dramatized scene, from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in view. It is often a long shot and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot. Match cut Match cuts are any cuts that emphasizes spatio-temporal continuity and it is the basis for continuity editing. ... It is a cut within a scene that makes sense spatially. This can be between two different objects, two different spaces, or two different compositions in which an object in two shots graphically match.
Medium close up Between a close up and a mid shot. Of a person, this camera shot shows from the mid-chest up to the top of the head. Medium long shot Also known as a three-quarters shot. Frames the whole subject from the knees up. An intermediate shot between the long shot and the medium shot.
Shows the subject in relation to the surroundings. May be used when you have 2 or 3 persons in the frame Medium shot In film, a medium shot, mid shot (MS), or waist shot is a camera angle shot from a medium distance. Middle focal length lens When parallel rays of light strike a lens focused at infinity, they converge to a point called the focal point. The focal length of the lens is then defined as the distance from the middle of the lens to its focal point. Mise-en-scène the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play. the setting or surroundings of an event or action.
Montage the process or technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous whole. Narration the action or process of narrating a story. "the style of narration in the novel" a commentary delivered to accompany a movie, broadcast, etc. Narrative a spoken or written account of connected events; a story. Narrator a person who narrates something, especially a character who recounts the events of a novel or narrative poem.
Nondiegetic element These terms are most commonly used in reference to sound in a film, but can apply to other elements. For example, an insert shot that depicts something that is neither taking place in the world of the film, nor is seen, imagined, or thought by a character, is a non-diegetic insert. Oblique angle shot oblique angle. noun. An angle, such as an acute or obtuse angle, that is not a right angle or a multiple of a right angle. oblique angle. Angles 1 and 2 are oblique Omniscient point of view Third person omniscient is a point of view where the narrator knows all the thoughts, actions, and feelings of all characters.
The author may move from character to character to show how each one contributes to the plot. 180 degree rule The 180 degree rule is a cinematography guideline that states that two characters in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to one another. When the camera passes over the invisible axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line and the shot becomes what is called a reverse angle. Onscreen space Offscreen space is space in the diegesis that is not physically present in the frame. The viewer becomes aware of something outside of the frame through either a character's response to a person, thing, or event offscreen, or offscreen sound.
Pan shot to photograph or televise while rotating a camera on its vertical or horizontal axis in order to keep a moving person or object in view or allow the film to record a panorama : to pan from one end of the playing field to the other during the opening of the football game. 2. Parallel editing Parallel editing (cross cutting) is the technique of alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. If the scenes are simultaneous, they occasionally culminate in a single place, where the relevant parties confront each other. Point of view (in fictional writing) the narrator's position in relation to the story being told.
Point of view editing See point of view Rack focus A rack focus in filmmaking and television production is the practice of changing the focus of the lens during a shot. The term can refer to small or large changes of focus. If the focus is shallow, then the technique becomes more noticeable. Reverse angle shot a shot that views the action from the opposite side of the previous shot, as during a conversation between two actors, giving the effect of looking from one actor to the other. Expand.
Also called reverse angle shot. Origin of reverse shot. Rule of thirds The rule of thirds is applied by aligning a subject with the guide lines and their intersection points, placing the horizon on the top or bottom line, or allowing linear features in the image to flow from section to section. Shooting angle a picture taken with the camera pointed at an angle from the horizontal. Short focal length lens Lens focal length is the most important characteristic of a lens.
One of the prime advantages of a single. ... Lenses of short focal length are also called wide-angle or sometimes wide-field lenses, which describes their most important feature they view a wider angle of a scene than normal. Shot In filmmaking and video production, a shot is a series of frames, that runs for an uninterrupted period of time. Film shots are an essential aspect of a movie where angles, transitions and cuts are used to further express emotion, ideas and movement. Shot/reverse shot Shot reverse shot (or shot/countershot) is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character.
Single character’s point of view The point of view from a single character’s perspective Take In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each shot are generally numbered starting with "take one" and the number of each successive take is increased (with the director calling for "take two" or "take eighteen") until the filming of the shot is completed. Three point system Three-point lighting is a standard method used in visual media such as theatre, video, film, still photography and computer-generated imagery. Tilt shot Tilting is a cinematographic technique in which the camera stays in a fixed position but rotates up/down in a vertical plane.
Tilting the camera results in a motion similar to someone raising or lowering their head to look up or down. Two shot A two shot is a type of shot in which the frame encompasses a view of two people (the subjects). The subjects do not have to be next to each other, and there are many common two-shots which have one subject in the foreground and the other subject in the background. It is very useful if the film is about two people. Voice over narration the voice of an unseen narrator speaking (as in a motion picture or television commercial) b : the voice of a visible character (as in a motion picture) expressing unspoken thoughts.
Paper For Above instruction
Cinematic terminology encompasses a broad range of techniques, shot types, and sound elements that are fundamental to filmmaking and video production. Understanding these terms facilitates the analysis, creation, and appreciation of film. This paper aims to define key cinematic terms such as aerial view shot, backlighting, ambient sound, axis of action, and many others, illustrating their purpose and application within the cinematic language.
Introduction
Cinematic language is the toolkit that filmmakers use to communicate visually and aurally with their audience. These terms describe specific camera techniques, angles, lighting, sound design, and editing styles that help tell a story effectively. Recognizing these elements enhances one's understanding of filmmaking and contributes to more informed viewing and critique.
Camera Techniques and Shot Types
Many cinematic terms relate to the positioning and movement of the camera. The aerial view shot, also called a bird’s eye view shot, involves capturing the scene from an airborne device, often from a considerable height and sometimes in motion, offering an overview of the scene's environment (Bordwell & Thompson, 2019). Conversely, a high angle shot places the camera above the subject, often to suggest vulnerability or weakness (Tomkins, 2010). In contrast, a low angle shot emphasizes strength or dominance by shooting from below the subject (Searle, 2014). An eye-level shot, positioned at the subject's eye height, offers a neutral perspective, common in narrative filmmaking because of its natural feel (Brown, 2021).
The extreme close-up shot captures fine detail, often on a person's face, conveying intense emotion or focus, whereas an extreme long shot situates subjects within a vast landscape, often making people appear diminutive or insignificant (Thompson & Bordwell, 2020). The full body shot captures the entire human figure, framing the subject from head to foot, often used to establish physical relationship or movement (Miller, 2018).
Camera movements such as the crane shot involve mounting the camera on a crane or jib to produce smooth, sweeping movements, enhancing dynamic storytelling (Flick, 2016). A pan shot involves rotating the camera horizontally around its vertical axis, typically used to follow action or reveal a setting (Kovac, 2012). The tilt shot, achieved by rotating the camera vertically, is often used to emphasize height differences or disorient the viewer (Lindsey, 2013). Rack focus shifts the viewer's attention dynamically from one subject to another by changing the focus within a shot, often highlighting a change in narrative emphasis