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Council Rock School District Critical Viewing Vocabulary Terms

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Page 1: Critical Viewing Vocabulary Terms - Council Rock School ... Web viewCritical Viewing Vocabulary Terms. ... a French word that literally means "true cinema"; a method or style of documentary

Critical Viewing Vocabulary Terms

Council Rock School District

Page 2: Critical Viewing Vocabulary Terms - Council Rock School ... Web viewCritical Viewing Vocabulary Terms. ... a French word that literally means "true cinema"; a method or style of documentary

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard“What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?” (Tommy DeVito – Goodfellas – 1990)

Black comedy “looking at the grim with a grin,” black comedy finds humor in serious matters

Breakaway furniture specially constructed props made from light-weight materials that easily break apart; often used for fight scenes

Burlesque a vaudeville offshoot of live entertainment including musical numbers and “blue” humor

Spoof a film that playfully imitates the style of a serious work

Satire a film that criticizes the style of a serious work by harshly mocking it

Mime (Pantomime) instrumental in silent films, speechless acting out of a character and his actions

Improv (Improvisation) an actor ad-libs his character, acting out a scene without a script or rehearsal

Slapstick violent actions used for humorous effect

Double take a delayed comic reaction in which an event goes unnoticed until the actor suddenly acknowledges it

Pratfall falling on one’s bottom for comedic effect

Shtick a Yiddish term for a comedian’s trademark talent

Sit com (Situational comedy)

a television comedy that focuses on the natural humor of a particular setting, purely a television term

Dramedy a genre which combines the elements of drama and comedy; also known as “serio-comedy,” for serious comedy

Sketch a short comedy routine with actors staged in a pre-planned situation

Laugh track a recording of laughter used only in television comedy shows; also known as “canned laughter”

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Cinema Vocabulary – Who’s Who? “No matter where you go, there you are” (Buckaroo Banzai – The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the

8th Dimension - 1984)

Director the most influential creator of the film who determines all aspect of filmmaking

Assistant to the director an aide to the director who is concerned more with management details than with the creative process

Executive producer the person who is responsible for a film's financing, or for arranging the film's production elements (stars, screenwriter, etc.)

Associate producer a catch-all title which can range from an honorary title to an actual on-set aide to the executive producer, often a lower-level executive responsible for “finding” the movie idea

Editor a technical expert who works closely with the director to assemble the final print of the film, assembled from multitude shots and sound tracks

Composer musician who creates (writes or adapts) the film's musical score; contrast to a conductor (who directs the orchestra's performance of the score), or a lyricist (who writes a song's words)

Art director an expert in architecture and design who is responsible for the film’s décor and set construction

Casting director the person responsible for interviewing and recruiting actors to the film project

Cinematographer an expert in photography, lighting, film stock, and camera movement, also known as the director of photography

Camera operator a skilled technician who operates all camera focus and movement at the director’s instruction

Mixer an expert in sound and microphone placement to achieve the best recorded on-set sound

Boom man a sound crew technician who handles the microphone boom

Gaffer the chief electrician on the set who achieves the effect designed by the cinematographer; his/her assistant is a “best boy”

Key grip the crew member responsible for setting up dolly tracks and camera cranes, erecting scaffolding, moving props or scenery, or the adjustment or maintenance of any other production equipment on the set. his/her assistant is a “best boy grip”

Stunt person a highly trained substitute who replaces actors in dangerous situations

Movie mogul an important film industry executive

Leading man/leading woman

an actor who plays the principal role in a film, usually an “A-list” movie star who has his/her pick of roles

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Box-office poison a term of contempt for movie stars who lose popularity, typically making their subsequent films financial disasters

Cameo role a brief walk-through role created specifically to feature a surprising, high-profile personality

Cast against type a popular actor appearing in a role unlike his traditional ones, producing either a refreshing or disastrous result

Chew up the scenery self-indulgent hamming or overacting by a famous actor

Paparazzi an Italian term for pushy photographers who stalk celebrities in their private lives

Credits titles at the beginning or end of a film that list the creative talents concerned with production

MPAA acronym-initials meaning Motion Picture Association of America, an organization that represents the interests of the major motion picture studios and provides a film rating system

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – Film Types “I am big! It's the pictures that got small.” (Norma Desmond - Sunset Blvd. – 1950)

“B” movie a low-budget production, originally screened to support a more important film in a double feature

Chop socky a martial arts film

Independent or“indie” film

small, low-budget companies producing and distributing films made outside of the major Hollywood studio system; also refers to a movie, director, distributor, or producer whose groundbreaking subject matter is designed for sophisticated audiences and is not necessarily produced with commercial success as the goal

Cult orunderground film

underfinanced and often experimental films produced on a director’s whim, sometimes resulting in a non-mainstream “cult classic”

Formula Film a blockbuster production with a predictable, overused scheme or plot

Horse opera a western film

Sequel a film which continues the action an characters of an earlier film

Prequel the opposite of a sequel, depicts action that happened before the original film

Slasher orsplatter film

a graphic horror film which depicts physical violence and bloody gore

Space opera a science fiction film

Sword and sandal

a gladiator, Biblical, or Greco-Roman mythology film

Cliffhanger a film characterized by scenes of great tension, danger, adventure, suspense, or high drama, often climaxing at the end of a film, where the fate of the protagonist is left unresolved, increasing interest for a sequel

Bio-pic a biographical film of the life of a famous personality or historical figure

Turkey a film that flops in the box office

Animation drawings or other graphic images placed in a sequence to portray movement

Character sketch a film portrayal of a highly individualized character

Didactic film that aims to teach or provide moral instruction

Anthology film a multi-part or multi-segmented film with a collection or series of

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various tales or short stories sometimes linked together by some theme or by a 'wrap-around' tale; often the stories are directed by different directors or scripted by various screenwriters, and are in the horror film genre; also known as an episode film or omnibus film; this term may also refer to a full-length, compilation-documentary film of excerpted segments or clips from other films

Film noir a French phrase literally meaning "black film"; a genre of mostly black-and-white films that blossomed in post-war American cinema, with a somber, downbeat tone: the plot is often a quest, low-key lighting features night scenes, camera angles are often canted or high, the setting and symbols feature the gloomy underworld of crime and corruption, and voice-overs and flashbacks combine to present a dark atmosphere of pessimism, or cynicism; characters frequently include the private detectives and the treacherous femme fatale

Sleeper a movie that is released with little publicity, often directed by and starring relatively unknown people, that by positive word-of-mouth eventually becomes popular or financially successful beyond expectations

Cinema verité a French word that literally means "true cinema"; a method or style of documentary movie-making with long takes, no narration, impromptu interview techniques, a hand-held camera, and little or no editing of the finished product; usually made without actors and with a minimal crew

Alan Smithee film the pseudonym used by directors who refuse to put their name on a film and want to disassociate themselves, usually when they believe their control or vision has been co-opted by the studio (i.e., the film could have been recut, mutilated and altered against their wishes); aka Alan Smithee Jr., Allan Smithee, or Allen Smithee

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – Literary Connections

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." (Maxwell Scott – The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance – 1962)

Screenplay or script a novel or play adapted to film or an original work written specifically for filming

Treatment a detailed preproduction literary summary or presentation of a film's story, with action and characters described in prose form without dialogue, often used to market and/or sell a film project or script

Plot the plan or storyline of any narrative

Subplot a minor or secondary plot of a narrative, often running parallel to the development of the main plot or mirroring the main plot

Setting the where and when of a narrative

Conflict the basic struggle within the plot of a narrative; the five basic conflicts: man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. society, man vs. nature, man vs. the supernatural or unknown

Protagonist the main or leading character in a narrative

Antagonist the character who opposes the protagonist

Anti-hero the principal protagonist of a film who lacks the attributes or characteristics of a typical hero but with whom the audience identifies; the character is often conflicted with ambiguous morals or character defects and lacks courage or honesty

Atmosphere the effects in a narrative that produce a specific mood or impression

Characterization the development of characters in a narrative; a dynamic character undergoes fundamental change, whereas a static character remains the same

Bookends scenes at the beginning and end of a film that complement each other and help tie a film together

Climax the turning point of a narrative, often determining the fate of the protagonist

Anticlimax a weak or disappointing narrative conclusion

Denouement the final resolution or outcome of the plot

Diegetic meaning “realistic” or “logically existing,” e.g. the music that plays on a character's radio in a scene; more generally, the narrative elements of a film that naturally originate within the content of the film reality; the opposite is “non-diegetic”

Exposition important background information for the events of a story which

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set up what's at stake for the charactersForeshadowing a hint or indication of things yet to occur in the plot

Flashback the opposite of foreshadowing, a glimpse into the past at some previous event

Irony the twisting or foiling of narrative expectations

Pathos qualities in a narrative that evoke feelings of pity and compassion

Surrealism a style of art developed principally in the twentieth century consisting of incongruous or jarring imagery

MacGuffin Alfred Hitchcock's term for an item, object, goal, event, or piece of knowledge that drives the logic or action of the plot; although it appears extremely important to the film characters, it often turns out to be insignificant

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – film lingo“Can we talk about something other than Hollywood for a change? We're educated people.”

(Griffin Mill – The Player - 1992)

Celluloid the thin strip of transparent plastic coating that forms the film's highly-flammable, light-sensitive base layer; also used as an adjective related to some aspect of cinema (e.g. "the celluloid hero") or as a slang word for a movie

Greenlight the “go-ahead” for a film to be made

Casting couch a term that implies the trade of sexual favors to a director or producer to obtain a film role

Screen test a filmed audition to determine an actor’s suitability for a film role

Ballyhoo an Irish term which denotes hype publicity regardless of the film’s actual merit

Story board a comic-style illustrated chart which visually maps out the shot-by-shot sequences as they will be filmed

Blocking the mechanical movements that a director coaches an actor to make, ensuring they are caught effective on film in coordination with camera action

Clapboard or slate a small black or white board or slate with a hinged stick on top that displays identifying information for each shot in a movie and is filmed at the beginning of a take; the board typically contains the working title of the movie, the names of the director, the editor, and the director of photography, the scene and take numbers, the date, and the time

Closed set filming done with only the essential crew present, usually to ensure privacy or secrecy

Boom a pole-like device for holding the microphone in the air, out of camera range

Dolly a trolley on which a camera can be horizontally moved about on tracks during shooting

Steadicam a hand-held, camera with a special mechanical harness that allows the camera operator to take relatively smooth and steady shots while moving along with the action; the resulting images are comparable to normal tracking shots on a wheeled dolly

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Subtitles an alternative to dubbing, a printed English translation of foreign dialogue at the bottom of a frame

Voice over a character’s voice heard over the action of a film for narrative effect

Pre-production the planning stage in a film's production after the project is finally greenlighted and before principal photography or actual shooting commences; involves script treatment and rewriting, scheduling, set design and construction, casting, budgeting and financial planning, location scouting, etc.

Rough cut often used in focus-group screening, an early edited version of a film with all the pieces of the film assembled in continuous, sequential order, but without any sophisticated editing; also known as first cut

Post-production the final stage in a film's production after principal photography, involving editing, the addition of sound/visual effects, musical scoring, mixing, dubbing, distribution, etc.

Gaffe an error that remains in the theatrical release of the film, not to be confused with removed “outtakes” which often appear on home-use videos as “bloopers” features

Final cut the last edited version of a film as it will be released; also referred to as “in the can”

Product placement advertising space within a film sold to name-brand companies for their products to appear within the film as a way for a producer to fund some film production costs

Rushes or dailies a day’s shooting on film which is quickly developed in the lab, viewed by the director and staff to determine if retakes are necessary

Shot an uninterrupted section of film produced by a single running of the camera

Scene a series of shots that together comprise the smallest narrative unit of film

Sequence a series of several scenes that together create a major emotional narrative in a film

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Cinema Vocabulary – SPECIAL EFFECTS“Ah, special effects, eh? What would you like? A little earthquake, maybe, or a tornado?”

(God – Oh, God! - 1977)

F/X an abbreviation for “special effects,” a term for various photographic tricks that create unreal, dangerous, or impossible situations

IMAX a specialized, big-screen film format about ten times larger than the traditional 35mm cinema format; IMAX film produces incredible high-definition sharpness and is projected on up to eight-story high screens in theatres equipped with advanced digital surround-sound systems

Glass shot an elaborate set painted realistically on part of a pane of glass with the action shot through it, combining two images

Matte shot the optical process of combining separately-photographed shots (usually actors in the foreground and the setting in the background) onto one print through a double exposure that does not meld two images on top of each other; it is a photographic technique in which artwork from a matte artist, usually painted on glass, is combined with live action footage to provide a convincing setting for the action

Stop-motionphotography

a special-effects animation technique where figures or models are shot one frame at a time and moved or repositioned slightly between each frame, giving the illusion of lifelike motion; one of the earliest special-effects techniques for science-fiction films, now replaced by CGI

Claymation a more primitive form of stop-motion using moldable clay figures

CGI Computer-Generated Imagery, the use of 3D computer graphics and technology in filmmaking to create images, special effects, and the illusion of motion

Morphing the transformation of one digital image into another with computer animation

Rear projection a special effects technique to create backgrounds in which actors are filmed in front of a screen on which a background scene is projected; commonly used to produce the effect of motion in a vehicle

Blue screen/green screen

a process in which actors work in front of an evenly-lit, blue or green background or screen, which is then replaced in post-production with other footage or computer-generated images to form a complete image; since 1992, most films use a green-screen

Superimposition an optical printing process that exposes one image on top of another on the same piece of film stock so that they can both be seen at once

Postsynchronization the post-production process of replacing unclear or garbled voices and sounds in a movie soundtrack, often referred to as “dubbing”

Pyrotechnics the use of explosives or ballistics in film

Foley any sound effect recorded on a foley stage, a sound stage which contains material and props necessary for a foley artist to create post-production sounds in a film that must be recorded in synchronization with the film’s action

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Critical Viewing

CINEMA VOCABULARY - OLD SCHOOL HOLLYWOOD

“But don't go thinking we sacrifice quality. I never make more than two motion pictures a week, but I'll spend up to a thousand dollars on each of 'em if I have to.” (Mack Sennett – Chaplin – 1992)

Panorama an early form of entertainment that involved either the painting of a scene in 360 degrees or presentations of a scene on a roll that is pulled past the view

Shadow Play

a pre-movie form of entertainment, it involves the back lighting of cutouts in order to present a story

1890 the first “multiple image” camera is patented

1893 the first motion picture studio, coined the “Black Maria” is built by Thomas Edison

1894 the first short film, entitled “Fred Ott’s Sneeze” is produced at the Black Maria

1896 the first public protest is voiced concerning the content of the short film“The Kiss”

1902 the first special effects are employed by French director George Méliès inA Trip to the Moon

1904 the first narrative movie The Great Train Robbery is filmed

1915 the first film to earn a one-million-dollar profit, D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation makes over two million dollars although it cost only $100,000 to make; it is subsequently banned by the U.S. Supreme Court for racist content

1916 the first movie flop, D.W. Griffith poured his entire two-million-dollar earnings from The Birth of a Nation into Intolerance, a bloated production from which he loses all his previous earnings

1916 the first high-paid actor, Charlie Chaplin earns $10,000 per week plus a $150,000 yearly bonus for his productions and portrayal of the beloved “little tramp”

1919 the first horror film, the German-made The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, features expressionistic sets, a mad scientist, and a zombie murderer

1922 the first animal star, German shepherd Rin Tin Tin, barks his way onto the silver screen

1927 the first “talkie,” The Jazz Singer delights filmgoers with its musical numbers

1928 animated star Mickey Mouse finds his voice in his first talking role,Steamboat Willie

1930 U.S. movie attendance tops 70 million viewers per week, of a 123 million national population

1939 the first box office smashes, Gone with the Wind, ten-time Oscar winner, and The Wizard of Oz, the most-watched film in history, hit theaters

1941 the most critically acclaimed American film of all time, Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, makes its theater debut

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Hays code named after Will Hays, a series of rigid censorship restrictions imposed on films by the Motion Picture Production Code, beginning in mid-1934 and lasting until the late 1960’s; enforced/administered by Joseph Breen, the Code explicitly prescribed what couldn't be shown in films, e.g. "nakedness and suggestive dances," "methods of crime," "illegal drug use," "scenes of passion," "pointed profanity," etc.

Studio system

the all-powerful control that monopolistic film studios had over all aspects of assembly-line filmmaking and film production from the 1920s until the late 1950s, when movie moguls such as Mayer, Selznick, and Zukor ruled ownership of property, control of publicity and marketing and brokered iron-clad contracts with star actors, directors, composers, cameramen, costume designers, writers, and producers

Academy Awards

an awards ceremony sponsored by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers.

ARKOFF Formula

Samuel Z. Arkoff’s formula for movie B-Movie success featured the following categories – Action, Revolution, Killing, Oratory, Fantasy, and Fornication

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – AUTEUR THEORY AND MIS-EN-SCENE

“Visions are worth fighting for. Why spend your life making someone else's dreams?” (Orson Welles – Ed Wood – 1994)

auteur theory: Europe The history of the la politique des auteurs or “auteur theory” began among European film critics. The word auteur, meaning “author,” is a French term originally applied to cinema by the film critic Andrew Sarris. The history of this theory, however, began after World War II among French critics writing for, at that time, the world’s most popular film magazine, the Cahiers du Cinema. A 1954 essay penned by Francois Truffaut outlined a tendency in the cinema toward noting the director as the creator and author of a film, therefore minimizing the role of any other single personality in film production. Certain directors were seen at this time as the driving force behind the film, and the film’s themes and images were seen as extensions of his/her personality and purpose behind filmmaking. Some European auteurs of this time: Fritz Lang (Germany), Jean Renoir (France), Robert Bresson (France), Ingmar Bergman (Sweden), Luis Buñuel (Spain), Alfred Hitchcock (GBR)

auteur theory: America Since American films were banned under the Vichy government of World War II, French cinema critics developed the auteur theory entirely around the European film industry. The American films made under the studio system were considered the work of lesser metteurs en scene or hired Hollywood hack directors. The American director was perceived as merely delivering a product purely to appease studio moguls’ box office demands, rather than for artistic merit. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, however, there was a critical reconsideration of the American cinema. Certain directors and their bodies of work were studied, and the trend of the auteur became visible under this new light. Some American auteurs of the time: D. W. Griffith, Billy Wilder, Howard Hawks, Charles Chaplin, John Ford, Preston Sturges, Orson Welles. Among these American auteurs are also considered the films of European directors who defected to Hollywood, such as Fritz Lang and Alfred Hitchcock. Some modern-day auteurs: Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg

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auteur theory: thematic motifs

Critics analyze the complete body of a director’s work, not just one single film, for recurrent themes or motifs that might reveal the director’s cinematic purpose or philosophy. This, naturally, may only be considered when comparing one film or more to others within his/her work. Often this type of analysis reveals trends, growth, and specific divisions or periods in the directory’s growth.

mise-en-scene and cinematic style

Auteur theory critics consider the overall effect of a director’s films. Although a director may not exclusively create films dealing with a given topic, the atmosphere and creation of a believable cinematic world are considered through camera work, shot duration, editing, sound, etc. The French term mise-en-scene means “what’s put into the scene,” addressing the signature control that the director has over what appears in each camera frame. All aspects of mise-en-scene must contribute to this alternate reality, including settings, decor, props, actors, costumes, makeup, lighting, performances, and character movements. Thus, believable mise-en-scene requires thorough planning for each scene and attention to details for everything from lighting to costumes.

mise-en-scene: actor’s movements

Often intensely coached by the director, an actor portrays a strong character with bold, confident movements or a weak character with quirky, self-conscious movements.

mise-en-scene: costume and make-up

Clothing can instantly indicate the time period of the film, as well as the status of the characters. Creative make-up can create realism in the characters.

mise-en-scene: lighting

Harsh, direct lighting creates a crisp image and reflects off the actors; whereas muted, gentle lighting creates a soft image that oven gives a sentimental feel.

mise-en-scene: setting The filmmaker can shoot at the actual location where the film story takes place, or he/she can create detailed artificial scenery on a sound stage or studio backlot.

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – You Shot Me!“People just don't understand what is involved in this. This is an art-form! You know, I think that

most people just think that I hold a camera and point at stuff, but there is a heck of a lot more to it than just that.” (Larry – Groundhog Day – 1993)

extreme long shot a shot filmed from a far-away location relative to the subject; often used for an establishing shot

long shot a shot in which the subject is framed completely from head to toe or top to bottom

medium shot a shot in which the subject is framed from a medium distance, e.g. the waist up

two-shot a medium or close-up shot of two people, often in dialogue with each other, to provide contrast between the two characters

close-up shot a shot taken from a close distance in which the subject is magnified to appear relatively large and fill the entire frame to focus attention

extreme close-up a shot taken from an extremely close distance in which the subject is magnified to appear very large to vividly emphasize its importance

canted framing all figures appear slanted. The frame is shifted to the right or left diagonal. This style of framing often symbolizes a character in peril.

establishing shot the opening shot of a sequence which creates the context of setting or location

insert shot a close-up image inserted into a scene, usually to give the audience a closer look at what the character on screen is seeing, such as a letter or photo

reaction shot a close-up or medium shot that focuses on a particular character’s reaction to the events in a film

180-degree rule a rule that camera operators must follow -- an imaginary line on one side of the axis of action which the camera must not cross; otherwise, there is a distressing visual disorientation

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depth of field the depth of composition of a shot where there are several planes: foreground, middle-ground, and background in which the elements captured in a camera image appear in sharp or acceptable focus

straight-on angle a shot in which the figure is framed at eye level, the most common angle

low angle a shot in which the camera is operated from beneath the figure with the viewer’s perspective looking up at the figure, often implying strength or triumph

high angle a shot in which the camera is operated from above the figure with the viewer’s perspective looking down on the figure, often implying weakness or defeat

bird’s eye view a shot that is taken from an aircraft or extremely high crane and implies the observer’s omniscience; also known as “aerial view”

short take a shot of short duration

long take a shot of long duration, not to be confused with a “long shot”

pan the horizontal movement of a camera head on the axis of its tripod

tilt the vertical movement of the camera head on the axis of its tripod

zoom a lens of variable focal length, normally used for swiftly magnifying a distant object or for moving rapidly away from a close object

arc shot a shot in which the subject is photographed by an encircling or moving camera

tracking or trucking shot

the movement or a camera on a dolly: forward, backwards, or to one side, also called a “dolly shot”

rack focus to adjust the lens during a shot so that the subject is in focus, switching focus from the foreground to the background and vice versa

running shot a shot in which a moving camera keeps pace with a moving subject

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Critical Viewing

Cinema Vocabulary – Let There Be Light/The Final Cut

“There's a light, over at the Frankenstein place.” Brad Majors and Janet Weiss – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

attached shadow

the shadows on the contours of the subject naturally created by the lighting

cast shadow created when an object obstructs the key light and throws its shade across the subject

hard lighting lighting which creates crisp textures and clear-cut shadows

soft lighting lighting which creates gentle textures and fuzzy, diffused shadows

front lighting a “head on” light source positioned in front of the subject, eliminating shadows and producing a flat image

back lighting a light source positioned behind the subject so that it appears in silhouette with glowing edges to separate the subject from the background

top lighting a light source positioned above the subject, creating a heavenly illusion

low or under lighting

a light source positioned beneath the subject, distorting the feature with shadow

side lighting a light source positioned to the side of the subject, sculpting the features by hiding one side in shadow

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key light the primary source of illumination on the subject

fill light the secondary source of illumination on the subject, softening shadows that may be cast by the key light

cut a splicing together or two sections of film; the most abrupt transition between shots

jump cut an abrupt, disorienting transitional device in the middle of a continuous shot in which the action is noticeably advanced in time, either a result of bad editing or done purposefully for artistic effect

graphic match or match cut

a transitional technique in which two shots are linked by visual, aural, or metaphoric similarities

cross cutting the editing technique of alternating, interweaving, or interspersing one narrative scene or sequence with another, usually in different locations to suggest parallel action

montage sequence

a series of shots edited together to music, developing the theme or emotional mood in a film and to quickly span time, preserving the pace of a film

continuity editing that provides a continuous and clear movement of events/images in a film as if they had occurred continuously when, in fact, they were shot out of sequence; also refers to the degree to which a film is self-consistent without errors

fade-in (fade-out)

a dark screen that gradually brightens as a shot appears

dissolve or mix

a shot transition in which the second image gradually appears on top of the first until the two are blended and the first image gradually disappears

iris a round, constricting lens attachment that closes in the shape of a circle to end or begin a scene

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wipe a shot transition in which a second shot slides its way into the frame while simultaneously horizontally, vertically, or diagonally pushing out the first