TFM-160 Quiz 2: Study Guide

Anti-Hero

Seemingly unsympathetic protagonists chasing less than noble goals. 1.) Narrative craves imperfect characters because those imperfections provide obstacles, another essential building block of storytelling 2.) Character imperfections and flaws also give characters room to grow

Lead Room

Similarly (to eye room), a character whose lateral screen movement is tracked by a moving camera is almost invariably given lead room on the side of the frame toward which she is moving.

Visual Effects

Refers to those effects created and integrated using computers in postproduction. The current specific use of special effects is synonymous with mechanical effects: any effect generated on set that can be photographed by the camera. These effects may also be referred to as practical effects.

Tracking Shot

A shot in which the camera moves parallel to its moving subject.

Long Take

A shot that lasts significantly longer than a conventional shot. There are two basic approaches to the long take: 1.) Those that exploit the mobile frame 2.) Those that hold the viewer in a state of relative status *One that intensifies the viewer experience not with movement or visual dexterity, but by holding the viewer in a moment or encounter until we are forced to realign and depend the way we engage the subject on-screen*

Process Shot

A special effect called the process shot placed actors in front of a screen that had images projected onto it from the opposite side. You may notice this so-called "rear projection" in driving scenes from older movies.

Story Duration

The amount of time that the implied story takes to occur

Backlight

The backlight, which is also known as a rim light or kicker, provides highlights in the hair and along the edges of the subject. These "rims" of light help make the actor stand out from the backgrounders.

Pan Shot

The camera pivots horizontally on a stationary axis; in other words, the camera "looks" from side to side. The pan shot offers us a larger, more panoramic view than shot taken from a fixed camera; guides our attention to characters or actions that are important; makes us aware of relationships between subjects that are too far apart to be shown together in the frame; allows us to follow people or objects; and attempts to replicate what we see when we turn our heads to survey a scene or follow a character.

Tilt Shot

The camera pivots vertically; in other words, it "looks" up and down. The tilt shot can do anything a pan does — only vertically. Because our world and our movements are mostly oriented along the horizontal axis, pain shots are the most common of the two. Pan and tilt shots are shot from a stationary tripod, but a camera can also pain or tilt as part of another camera move made from a crane, dolly, or Steadicam.

Who is the Director of Photography? What are their general duties?

The cinematographer (also known as the director of photography, or DP) uses the camera as an expressive instrument. The director of photography is the primary person responsible for transforming the other aspects of moviemaking into moving images. 1.) The collaborative relationship between the cinematographer and the director varies for movie to movie, but typically, these two positions form one of the most vital partnerships on the creative crew. The cinematographer's expertise can help shape and advise nearly every aspect of the director's preparation, including set designs, location selection, and especially previsualization storyboards 2.) On set, the director of photography and director are usually in constant communication as the director of photography translates the director's vision into specific decisions about how each shot will be photographed. And every choice the director of photography makes — *the lighting, lenses, exposure, focus, camera positions and movements, even the camera model and media format* — is largely driven by the needs of the story 3.) The cinematographer's responsibilities for each shot and setup, as well as for each take, fall into four broad categories: → Cinematographic prosperities of the shot (film stock, lighting, lenses) → Framing of the shot (proximity to the camera, depth, camera angle and height, scale, camera movement) → Speed and length of the shot → Special effects 4.) The director of photography control the cinematographic properties of the shot, those basics of motion-picture .photography that make the movie image appear the way it does. These properties include the recording medium, lighting, and lenses. By employing variations of each property, the cinematographer modifies the camera'a basic neutrality as well as the look of the finished image that the audience sees

Climax

The climax comes when the protagonist faces this major obstacle. In the process, usually the protagonist must take a great risk, make a significant sacrifice, or overcome a personal flaw. 1.) As the term implies, the climax tends to be the most impressive event in the movie

Deep Space Composition (see video tutorial "Composing the Frame")

The composition conventions we have just described are primarily concerned with only two dimensions: height and width. But the world movies depict features a third dimension: depth. Deep-space composition emphasizes depth by placing significant visual and narrative information on two or more of the three planes of depth — foreground, middle ground, and background — in such a way that not only emphasizes depth but also conveys information, mood, and meaning. 1.) This meaning can take many forms, depending on how the levels of depth are presented. Meaning about the situation and relationships presented can be communicated by the relative placement of characters and objects, their relative size in frame, and whether or not a character is in focus

What are the differences between omniscient and restricted narration?

The difference between omniscient and restricted narrations is that omniscient narration is all knowing, and has unrestricted access to all aspects of the narrative (providing any character's experiences and perceptions). However, restricted narration limits the information it provides the audience to things known only to a single character (identify with a character's singular perspective). *Many films shift between restricted and omniscient narration depending on the needs of the story*

What can narrative not exist without?

Whatever the shape of the character, narrative cannot exist if that character does not have a goal. The goal does not just give the character something to do (although that activity is important). It also gives the audience a chance to participate in the story by creating expectations that viewers want to see either fulfilled or surprised.

Frontal Lighting

When light is aimed at a subject from the same angle as the camera, no shadows are cast on the actor's face. With no shadows to indicate dimension, the actor's features appear flattened. This literal lack of depth can also convey figurative shallowness: a character lacking insight or courage may be lit with *frontal lighting*.

Low-key Lighting

When little or no fill light is used, the ratio between bright illumination and deep shadow is very high; the high contrast effect produced is known as *low-key lighting*. Low-key lighting produces the harsh, gloomy atmosphere that we often see in horror films, mysteries, crime stories, and film noirs.

What are the names of the most commonly used shots used in a movie? Be able to describe them based on proximity. (see video tutorial "Shot Types and Implied Proximity")

When we are sitting in a dark move theater, we unconsciously identify with the viewpoint of the camera, which has replaced our own viewpoint. *Implied proximity* refers to the distance between the camera (and thus the viewer) and the subject on-screen. Whether or not that distance is implied or literal, the appearance of a subject's proximity is important to a central aspect of framing and meaning — the whole idea of significance (each of the possible arrangements of subjects in proximity to each other and to the camera has the potential to convey something meaningful about the subjects on-screen). Implied proximity is the reason behind some of the most common terms for shots used in movies: a close-up implies close proximity, a medium shot is a medium distance, a long shot is a longer distance. Depending on the context in which they are used these shot types can connote significance, convey meaning and a character's state of mind, and elicit emotional responses from the audience. 1.) *Extreme long shot (XLS or ELS)*: Typically photographed at a great distance, the subject is often a wide view of a broad locale surrounding more specific locations where the action takes place. Extreme long shots typically present general background information, rather than a particular featured subject. When used to provide spatial context at the beginning of a scene, the XLS is also an establishing shot (even when human beings are included in such a shot, the emphasis is not on them as individuals but on their relationship to the surroundings). The XLS may also be used to depict a character dwarfed by his or her environment or for depicting large-scale action, such as a battle scene, in which masses of figures function as a sort of collective subject 2.) *Long shot (LS)*: Presents background and subject information in equal measure and is as much about setting and situation as any particular character. Long shots are often used as *establishing shots* at the beginning of a scene to indicate where the scene is taking place, who is involved, and what they are doing. The full bodies of characters can be seen, often with enough physical detail to allow us to recognize them, but psychological information (what characters are thinking or feeling) is limited to what can be conveyed through action or gesture 3.) *Medium long shot (MLS)*: Is neither a medium shot nor a long shot, but one in between. It is used to photograph one of more characters, usually from the knees up. In this shot type, background is reduced and the subject or subjects begin to predominate. Because the human body is shown in full, or at least nearly so, the MLS is often used for moments of physical action. 4.) *Medium shot (MS)*: Frames subjects somewhere around the waist and up, making them large enough in the frame to reduce background to the point of insignificance. *The MS is the most frequently used type of shot* because it replicates our human experience of proximity without intimacy. We can read increasingly subtle psychological and physical information on the increasingly domination, and thus significant, subject. Medium shots are often used to convey interaction between multiple subjects: medium shots featuring two subjects are called two-shots, a three-shot has three subjects, and group shots have more than three people 5.) *Medium close-up (MCU)*: Shows a character from approximately the middle of the chest to the top of the. head. The character's face, gestures, and posture can begin to provide the kind o physical and psychological detail that implied proximity we associate with the close-up 6.) *Close-up (CU)*: The subject's face fulls the frame, so the camera (and, by extension, the viewer) is up close and personal with the subject. The character's face is close enough to communicate maximum physical and psychological detail — even the subtlest shift in expression can feel monumental. This intimate proximity imparts a heightened sense of significance 7.) *Extreme close-up (XCU or ECU)*: Fills the frame with a part of a subject's face or, oftentimes, with an object revealed in great physical detail. When the XCU enlarges a normally small object to monumental proportions, it may anticipate the use of the object. If the an object is isolated and presented with great implied significance, the audience knows, or at least senses, that the object is important and will be used in some significant manner. The resulting expectation can generate suspense or impart to the object a kind of symbolic value

High-key Lighting

*High-key lighting*, which produces an image with very little contrast between the darks and the lights, is used extensively in dramas, musicals, comedies, and adventure films. Its relatively even illumination is unobtrusive and does not call particular attention to the lighting style. When the intensity of the fill light equals that of the key light, the result will be the highest of high-key lighting: no shadows at all.

Narrative Structure (2/2)

*Spirited Away* 1.) The Inciting Incident (Catalyst): Chihiro meets Haku on the bridge and the world changes to the spirit world as it becomes dark 2.) The Rising Action: Sen is tested by No-Face who offers her gold to keep her in the bathhouse and distract her from her goal of freeing her parents and saving Haku 3.) Crisis: Chihiro must face Zeniba to save Haku's life 4.) Climax: Sen gets on a train to go see Zeniba, who holds the key to helping Sen reclaim her identity as Chihiro, saving Haku's life, ameliorating the loneliness of No Face, and determining the fate of Chihiro's parents 5.) Resolution: Chihiro and her parents find their car covered with dust. The parents think someone has been playing a joke on them. Chihiro shows she is now resigned to her new life *Rear Window* 1.) The Inciting Incident (Catalyst): When JB hears a woman scream, "Don't!" and the sound of shattering glass 2.) The Rising Action: Jeff and Lisa work together to try and find incriminating evidence that Thorwald is a murderer 3.) Crisis: Thorwald notices Jeff in the window 4.) Climax: The climax occurs when Thorwald attacks Jeff and he falls out the window; Lisa comes running to be by his side 5.) Resolution: When Jeff is sitting with Lisa in his house with both his legs broken after the accident *The Grand Budapest Hotel* 1.) The Inciting Incident (Catalyst): When Jude Law's character meet sand begins chatting with F. Murray Abraham's character in the very large room with various different spa-like tubs and when Zero's older self explains who Gustave is and gives the background of his early life working there 2.) The Rising Action: Madame D dies and they are granted Boy with Apple. Gustave gets arrested and escapes from prison 3.) Crisis: Kovacs is trying to murder Zero and Gustave 4.) Climax: Kovacs is killed by Zero as he attempts to save Gustave's life 5.) Resolution: The confidential file reads that everything was meant to go to Gustave and when Gustave died protecting Zero, he gave all of his inheritance to him

Describe the different approaches to mise-en-scène and the overall effects they seek to achieve.

1.) Mise-en-scène is not just the specific choices made by individual members of the creative crew, such as lighting and framing by the cinematographer, set designs by the production designer, and costume decisions by the wardrobe department → All of the thousands of choices that go into every film production must be synthesized into a cohesive stylistic energy. And that is where the director comes in → Her role is to find and execute an approach to mise-en-scène that will best serve the particular story the film is trying to tell → She communicates that approach to the creative team of artists she leads; they come up with ideas and options; and she makes the final decisions that give the entire film a unified and coherent look and feel → As a result, we associate some directors with a specific style of mise-en-scène 2.) The directors personal style is not the only factor that can influence a film's mise-en-scène. Over the course of film history, fro a variety of cultural and artistic reasons, filmmakers have been inspired to use an enhanced sense of realism to create movies that depict the struggles of ordinary people. However, just because a movie lacks conspicuous mise-en-scène, we cannot assume the filmmakers did not exercise choice and intent. The existing locations were selected fro authenticity — an the qualities and details they brought to the production (the camera positions were determined for both naturalism and effective narration; a part may be played by a non-actor wearing her own clothes, but the filmmakers were likely directing that selection) → *German Kammerspielfilm* → *Italian neorealism* (were shot in actual locations and sometimes cast non-actors) → *Dogme 95 movement* (these films adhere to a strict "vow of chastity" that not only requires location shooting but also forbids any lighting or props beyond what is available at the selected setting) 3.) Movies that depict imaginary worlds (or fanciful versions of our own) usually fall on the opposite end of the mise-en-scène spectrum. Since the beginnings of narrative cinema, filmmakers have used costume, set, and lighting to express meaning and moods that fall outside the realm of realism. Among the most influential and enduring of these expressive approaches to mise-en-scène originated in Germany after WWI: → *German expressionism*

Narrative Structure (½)

1.) The first act sets up the story → The setup in the first act has to tell us what kind of a story we are about to experience by establishing the normal world 2.) The second (and longest) act develops it → The inciting incident (also known as the catalyst) presents the character with the goal that will drive the rest of the narrative (this active pursuit of the goal signals the beginning of the second act) → Whatever the source, obstacles are the second act's key ingredient → Stakes rise throughout the second act. In other words, the deeper we get into the story, the greater the risk to our protagonist (the stakes are rising because the obstacles are becoming increasingly difficult for our protagonist to navigate) → Rising action, crisis, and climax 3.) The third act resolves it → Resolution

Aerial-View Shot (Bird's Eye View)

A bird's-eye view shot (or an overhead or aerial-view shot) is taken from directly over the subjects, often from an elevated view. Cranes, drones, or aircraft are principally used to capture this extreme perspective. As most of us do not encounter this viewpoint in our regular lives, the bird's-eye viewpoint can be used to impart a sense of disorientation or strangeness to the action on-screen. In a different context, the view from on high can be used to convey omniscience in terms of narration or point of view. In some contexts, the angle can be read figuratively — or even literally — as a God's point of view on the earthly action.

First-Person Narrator

A character in the narrative who typically imparts information in the from of a voice-over narration. 1.) Narration by an actual character in the movie (a character in the narrative who imparts information in the form of either voice-over narration or direct address narration)

Crane Shot

A crane shot is made from a camera mounting on an elevating arm, making it capable of moving freely and smoothly through vertical space. When a camera crane is attached to a dolly or other vehicle, the crane may move freely and smoothly both vertically and horizontally. The crane shot allows filmmakers to combine multiple camera angles and shot types within a single shot.

Dolly Shot (dolly in, dolly out)

A dolly shot (also known as a tracking shot) is one taken from a camera mounted on a wheeled platform called a dolly, which can be equipped with either large rubber wheels for smooth soundstage floors or grooved wheels that run on tracks over uneven surfaces. Because it moves smoothly and freely along the ground, the dolly shot is one of the most effective (and consequently most common) uses of the moving camera. Dolly shots can follow characters moving through settings or simulate the point of view of a moving character. A camera narrator shot with a dolly can guide the frame through unfolding situations and convey spatial relationships situations between one scene element and another. 1.) One of the most common folly shots is the *dolly in*, which moves the camera towards a stationary subject, causing the subject's size in frame to gradually increase. This visible shift in implied proximity intensifies the significance of a moment, making the technique useful for depicting a character at a moment of realization or decision 2.) A *dolly-out* movement (moving backwards) can be used for a technique called *slow disclosure* where the camera movement allows new information into the frame that expands or changes the viewer's initial interpretation of the subject or situation

Italian Neorealism

A film movement that began in Italy during WWII and lasted until approximately 1952 depicting everyday social realities using location shooting and amateur actors, in opposition to glossy studio formulas. 1.) Were shot in actual locations and sometimes cast non-actors

Direct Address Narration

A form of narration in which an onscreen character looks and speaks directly to the audience. 1.) The first-person narrator character interrupts the narrative to deliver direct address narration directly to the audience, thus breaking the "fourth wall" that traditionally separates the viewer from the two-dimensional fiction on-screen

Special Effects

A general term reserved for technology used to create images that would be too dangerous, too expensive, or simply impossible to achieve with traditional cinematographic approaches.

Handheld Camera

A handheld camera is exactly what it sounds like: the camera operator holds the camera, usually with the help of a mount that allows the bulk of the camera weight to rest on her shoulder. Not even the most skilled operator can completely eliminate the skin and sobbing associated with a handheld camera. Its unstable look is often associated with documentary realism and the visual instability of the handheld camera can also be used selectively to indicate distressed states of mind or volatile situations. These fiction films are presented as if the footage was shot by a participant in the action — which is usually chaotic and unpredictable.

Story

A movie's story consist of (1) all the narrative events that are explicit presented on-screen plus (2) all the events that are implicit or that we infer to have happened but are not explicit presented.

Omniscient Narration

An approach to narration (the act of telling the story). Narration can be omniscient, meaning it knows all and can tell us whatever it wants us to know. 1.) Omniscient narration has unrestricted access to all aspects of the narrative. It can provide any characters experiences and perceptions, as well as information that no character knows 2.) An omniscient camera shows the audience whatever it needs to in order to best tell the story

Negative Space

Another application of apparent imbalance is something called negative space. We are so accustomed to compositional balance that sometimes when we are presented with a lopsided composition, an expectation is created that something will arrive to restore balance. This technique is often used to generate suspense in narrative contexts featuring someone (or something) whose imminent arrival we anticipate, or fear.

What are the basic types of camera movement? (see video tutorial "The Moving Camera")

Any movement of the camera within a shot automatically changes the image we see because the elements of framing that we have discussed thus far — angle, level, height, shot types — are all modified when the camera moves within that shot. The moving camera, which can photograph both static and moving subjects, opens up cinematic space, and thus filmmakers use it to achieve many effects. It can search and increase the space, introduce us to more details than would be possible with a static image, choose which of these details we should look at or ignore, flow movement through a room or across a landscape, and establish complex relationships between figures in the frame — especially in whats that are longer than average. It allows the viewer to accompany or follow the movements of a character, object, or vehicle and to see the action from a character's point of view. The moving camera leads the viewer's eye or focuses the viewer's attention and, by moving into the scene, helps create the illusion of depth in the flat screen image. Furthermore, it helps convey relationships: spatial, causal, and psychological. When used in this way, the movie camera adds immeasurably to the director's development of the narrative and out understanding of it. 1.) *Pan shot* 2.) *Tilt shot* 3.) *Dolly shot* 4.) *Crane shot* 5.) *Steadicam* 6.) *Handheld camera* 7.) *Zoom lens* *Each shot involves a particular kind of movement, depends on a particular kind of equipment, and has its own expressive potential.*

Prosperities (props)

Any object handled by actors is considered a prop. 1.) The *prop master* works with the production designer to find and select props, then maintains each object and ensures it is ready when the actor needs it for shooting

Prosperities (set dressing)

Anything used to create the look of the environment in which the action takes place. Set dressing may include curtains, pain, carpets, and any object visible in the area, such as furniture, books, knickknacks, and other objects or decorations. 1.) The *set decorator*, a sort of cinematic interior decorator who is in charge of set dressing, supervises a variety of specialists

Which of the following is the most common relationship of screen duration to plot duration: summary relationship, real time, or stretch relationship? Define each one.

At the level of scenes (a complete unit of plot action), the more interesting relationship is usually between screen duration and plot duration. We can generally characterize that relationship one of three ways: 1.) *Summary relationship*: Screen duration is shorter than plot duration → This is the most common relationship of screen duration to plot duration → Summary relationships are essential to telling movie stories, especially long and complicated ones 2.) *Real time*: Screen duration corresponds directly to plot duration → The least common of the three relationships between screen duration and plot duration, but its use has always interested and delighted film buffs → Many directors use real time within film to create uninterrupted "reality" on the screen (but directors rarely use it for entire films) 3.) *Stretch relationship*: Screen duration is longer than plot duration → Often used to highlight a plot event, stressing its important to the overall narrative → Can be achieved by special effects such as slow motion, particularly when a graceful effect is needed, as in showing a reunited couple running slowly towards one another (it can also be constructed by editing techniques; selected single moments are broken up into multiple shots that are overlapped and repeated so that our experience of each event on screen lasts longer than it would in reality)

Backlighting

Backlighting can create dramatic lighting effects when it is the sole light source. When positioned between the light source and the camera, the subject is thrown into silhouette. 1.) Eliminating recognizable surface detail by throwing everything we see of the subject into shadow abstracts the character, which can make him or her (or it) more frightening or impressive, depending on the context of the story at the moment

Head Room

By framing a character's eyes at the level of the upper line, cinematographers can quickly and efficiently establish a practical and aesthetically pleasing amount of space, or headroom, above the subject

Compositional Stress (see video tutorial "Composing the Frame")

By purposely breaking the rule of thirds and denying our expectation of balance, filmmakers can create compositional stress. This intentional imbalance can communicate many levels of meaning, as always depending on the context in which it is used. A character can be made to appear diminished or disturbed, or a moment can be imbued with a sense of tension or foreboding.

Optical Effects

Created by manipulating the image and/or film negative "in-camera" during production and/or during the film stock processing after the negative had been exposed.

What is composition? What are the two major elements of composition?

Design and lighting function as elements of mise-en-scène. But what really makes mise-en-scène work is how those visual elements are arranged within each shot. A shot's composition is the organization, distribution, balance, and general relationship of objects and figures, as well as of light, shade, line, color, and movement within the frame. 1.) Composition is important for a number of reasons. A consisted approach to composition over the course of the movie helps ensure that the movie's overall style will have aesthetic unity 2.) How elements are arranged helps guide the viewer's eye through the frame and makes us aware of what elements are most significant at any given moment 3.) Composition can minimize or enhance the appearance of depth in a shot 4.) *The way elements are organized on-screen can help viewers understand a character's state of mind and interpret different characters' physical, emotional, and psychological relationships to one another* 5.) The two major elements of composition are: *Framing and Kinesis*

What are the major elements of cinematic design? (see "Elements of Design" in your textbook)

During the process of designing a film, the director and production designer are concerned with several major elements. The most important of these are: 1.) *Setting*: The environment (realistic or imagined) in which the narrative takes place → In addition to its physical significance, the setting creates a mood that has social, psychological, emotional, economic, and cultural significance → The size, layout, and features of the space a character inhabits can tell us a lot about that person's background, circumstances, personality, and even emotional state 2.) *Decor*: Interior shooting involves the added consideration of decor (the color and textures of the interior decoration, furniture draperies, and curtains) 3.) *Properties*: Interior shooting also involves properties, which can be divided into two basic categories: *props* and *set dressing* ♟ *Moviemakers are also concerned with verisimilitude. Filmmakers tap into this visual vocabulary to tell us where and when a story is taking place and to help us believe the fabricated events we are watching. The appearance of characters through costumes, hairstyle, and makeup also provides filmmakers yet another way to convey narrative information and meaning to the viewer* ♟ 4.) *Costume*: The costumes (the clothing, sometimes known as wardrobe, worn by an actor in a movie) are selected and designed by the filmmakers to provide a sense of authenticity regarding the story's time period and setting and also to help communicate the character's social station, self-image, state of mine, and the public image that the character is trying to project (contemporary films employ costumes to covey character progression as well) 5.) *Makeup*: The traditional makeup used to enhance or alter an actor's appearance covers the full range of facial and body cosmetics familiar to consumers (often specially blended to comply with camera and lighting requirements) and *prosthetics*, which are synthetic materials attached to an actor's face → The computer-generated animated layers over liver performers using *motion capture* technology have been described as "digital makeup" 6.) *Hairstyle*: The appearance of actors' hair is used to create the look appropriate to each character's role in the story. An actor's existing hair may be styled or the actor may be fitted with wigs and other hairpieces → The person responsible for all these effects (makeup and hairstyle) is the *makeup artist*. The makeup artist works closely with the production designer and the cinematographer, as well as with actors themselves, usually accompanying them to the set and performing whatever touch-ups are necessary

Duration

Events, in life and in the movies, take time to occur. Duration is this length of time. When talking about narrative movies specifically, we can identify three specific kinds of duration: 1.) *Story duration* 2.) *Plot duration* 3.) *Screen duration*

Crisis

Eventually, our protagonist must face a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, and our story must reach a turning point and work its way toward resolution and the third and final act. This narrative peak is called the crisis. 1.) The goal is in its greatest jeopardy, and an affirmative answer to the central question seems all but impossible.

High-Angle Shot

For a high-angle shot, the camera is positioned above eye level, so it aims down at the subject. In our everyday conversation, to "look down on someone" indicated that we consider that someone to be inferior. When we literally look down on someone we are often viewing them from a position of superiority — either we are physically larger or they are in a comparatively submissive or prone position. In most of its cinematic applications, the high-angle shot draws upon this spatial implication; characters shot with the camera looking down on them are portrayed as vulnerable or weak. *However no cinematic meaning is carved into stone. How we experience and understand any shot depends on the surrounding context*.

Low-Angle Shot

For a low-angle shot, the camera is positioned below eye level, so it aims up at the subject. As you might imagine, the low-angle shot typically conveys the opposite meaning of a high-angle shot. When we say "I look up to her," we are talking about someone we consider superior. We literally look up at performers on stage, elevated monuments to historical heroes, and physically imposing adversaries. So it makes sense that subjects in low-angle shots generally appear powerful, noble, or threatening. But again, when used in a different context, the low-angle shot can take on very different meanings.

Eye-Level Shot

For most shots in most movies, filmmakers set the camera angle at roughly the same level as the eyes of the characters in the scene. These eye-level shots correspond with the way we are most used to seeing our everyday surroundings, including the other people with whom we interact. If the camera is functioning as narrator, the eye-level angle functions as a neutral view of the action on-screen. If the shot represents the point of view of a character, the eye level is a natural angle to represent how and what that character sees. Camera angles take on a wider range of expressive meanings as soon as the filmmakers deviate from this "normal and neutral" viewpoint.

Framing

Framing is the process by which the cinematographer or camera operator uses the boundaries and dimensions of the moving image to determine what we see on the screen. 1.) Framing involves composition and vice versa, so understanding where one concept ends and the other begins can be quite difficult. Composition is the organization, distribution, balance, and general relationship of actors and object within the space of each shot → Obviously, how the camera frames this elements is a key part of how that arrangement appears on-screen 2.) To understand what distinguishes framing, it helps to consider the term itself: framing directly engages the frame — the boundaries of the image, including the farthest visible depth and the fourth wall behind the lens — and how what we see and the way in which we see it is shaped by those borders → Framing turns the comparatively infinite sight of the human eye into a finite movie image — an unlimited view into a limited view 3.) This process require decisions about each of the following elements: → The implied proximity to the camera of main subjects → The depth of the composition → The camerawomen angle and height space within and outside of the frame → Point of view → The type of camera movement, if any *Framing is also used to determine what we do not see on-screen*

German Expressionism

German expressionism was not interested in verisimilitude: design was used instead to give objective expression to subjective (and usually disturbed) human feelings and emotions. Settings and decor were abstracted by twisting the normally horizontal and vertical world of right angles into jagged, pointed diagonals. Lighting was deliberately artificial, emphasizing sharp contrasts, and deep shadows were often cast in the same distorted shapes found in the set design. 1.) To ensure complete control and free manipulation of the decor, lighting, and camera work, expressionist films were generally shot in the studio even when the script called for exterior scenes — a practice that was to have an important effect on how movies were later shot in Hollywood 2.) Even performances were stylized: actors abandoned any attempt at naturalism and instead externalized their emotions to the extreme

How is the lighting for any movie look determined by its quality, ratio, and direction? Explain these terms and the effect each has on the overall lighting. (see video tutorial "Lighting", located in Chapter 6 Video Tutorials)

Here in relation to mise-en-scène, we will concern ourselves with three aspects of the lighting setup: 1.) *Quality*: The quality of light used in any situation falls somewhere on a spectrum between hard light and soft light → *Hard light* is direct: the beams of light shine directly from the source to the subject (hard light creates a clear, sharp border between areas of bright illumination and dark shadows) ↪ Hard light is high in contrast: details are crisp and defined, which can make hard light less flattering for characters with wrinkles and other facial textures ↪ Associated with serious or scary situations → *Soft light* is diffused: the beams of light are broken up or scattered on their way from the source to the subject (this diffusion can be accomplished by counting the light or by passing it through a sort of cloudy paper descriptively dubbed diffusion) ↪ Soft light is low contrast: where illumination ends and shadow begins is less distinct. Details are also less defined, and so soft light is considered more flattering ↪ Associated with romantic or comic stories 2.) *Ratio*: The level of illumination on a subject, as compared with the depth of the corresponding shadow, is called its lighting ratio. Filmmakers use a number of techniques to regulate this relationship between light and shadow → The most conventional method is the three-point system 3.) *Direction*: Light can be thrown onto an object or actor from virtually any direction: front, side, back, below, or above. By direction, we also mean the angel of that throw, for the angle helps produce the contrasts and shadows that suggest the source of the illumination and the time of day → As with the other properties of lighting, the direction of the lighting can also create mood and convey information or meaning regarding the subject being lit → Includes: Backlighting, Halloween lighting, Top lighting, Frontal lighting

Round Characters

In literature, complex characters are known as round characters. They may possess numerous subtle, repressed, or even contradictory traits that can change significantly over the course of the story — sometimes surprisingly so. 1.) Because they display the complexity we associate with our own personalities, we tend to see round characters as more lifelike *Round and flat characters exist not in absolutes, but along a continuum that adjusts according to narrative and cinematic needs (some characters are rounder than other, and vice versa). And flat characters are no more limited to crowd-pleasing blockbusters than are round characters confined to sophisticated dramas.*

CGI

In the digital age, computer-generated imagery (CGI) has barely eclipsed optical effects, replacing them with visual effects that can create settings and backgrounds with more accuracy and less cost. CGI backgrounds are often used for spectacular imagery world in fantasy and science-fiction films, but are also used to enhance backgrounds to allow scenes set in contemporary (and even relatively mundane) locales to be shot on a soundstage or at a more convenient location. Actors can be placed within digitally generated settings by filming the actors against a uniformly colored backdrop (usually bright green, hence the term green screen) and then applying chroma keying, a process that digitally removes that color so it can be related with computer generated images.

Halloween Lighting

Lighting from underneath a character (known as Halloween lighting, or bottom lighting) reverses the normal placement of illumination and shadows on an actor's face, which distorts the way we see facial features. 1.) As you might expect from the name, Halloween lighting is often used in horror films to emphasize that there is something unnatural about a character or situation 2.) To add to this eerie effect, placing the light source below the subject also throws shadows upward onto the walls, where we are not used to seeing them

Restricted Narration

Limits the information it provides the audience to things known only to a single character. 1.) This approach encourages the audience to identify with the character's singular perspective on perplexing and frightening events and invites us to participate in the gradual unlocking of the narrative's secrets

What is mise-en-scène? What is the literal meaning of the phrase? What do we mean by this phrase more generally when we discuss movies?

Mise-en-scène means literally *"staging or putting on an action or scene"* and thus is sometimes called *staging*. A film's mise-en-scène is everything we see in every shot: every object, every person, and everything about their surrounding, and how each of these components is arranged, illuminated, and moved around. *And very little of this is left to chance* — virtually everything on-screen was carefully chosen and placed there by the filmmakers for a reason (sometimes those choices are made for reasons of authenticity; other times those choices are driven by the filmmaker's goal of creating mood, conveying character, and telling a story). 1.) Keep in mind that the director has a purpose for each thing put into a shot or scene, but each of these things does not necessarily have a meaning in and of itself. The *combination* of elements within the frame — and the context in which they are presented — gives the shot or scene much of its overall meaning → While decisions about mise-en-scène are driven primarily by the needs of a film's story, mise-en-scène can also be highly personal and can help us distinguish one director's work from another's → Genre formulas can also have a powerful influence on the mise-en-scène of individual films within that genre 2.) Mise-en-scène is made of four primary components: *Design, lighting, composition, and movement (also known as kinesis)*

Motion Shot (mocap)

Motion capture (also known as motion tracking or mocap) is a specific visual effect in which a live-action subject wears a bodysuit fitted with reflective markers that enables a computer to record each movement as digital images; they are then translated, with as much manipulation as desired, into models on which the screen figures are based. When the images include facial contours and expressions, the process is called performance capture.

Kinesis

Movement. 1.) Movies do not just move from shot to shot and scene to scene, obviously — people and things move around within the frame, and when the camera moves, the frame itself can move through space. 2.) Both of these forms of kinesis are used to "stage or put on an action or scene" and can thus be considered components of mise-en-scène

Sound Stage

Movie studios built sound stages — windowless, soundproofed, boxlike buildings that are several stories high and can cover an acre or more of floor space — capable of accommodating multiple large sets and virtually unlimited lighting and camera equipment. Some sound stages are large enough to re-create outdoor scene, complete with building exteriors and massive painted backdrops representing distant scenery and sky.

What are the two basic types of movement we see on-screen?

Movies do not just move from shot to shot and scene to scene, obviously — people and things move around within the frame, and when the camera moves, the frame itself can move through space: 1.) *Figure movement*: Movement within the frame. The word figure applies to anything concrete and potentially mobile within the frame. Usually the moving figure is an actor playing a character, but moving figures may also include animals and objects, such as vehicles and ropes. In movies as well as in theater, figure movement is an essential part of storytelling 2.) *Camera movement* also affects mise-en-scène. What we see in the frame, and how we see it, changes as the camera moves. The camera may move independently, functioning as a narrator, leading us through a setting or situation. And because camera movement is not independent of figure movement, the camera may be used to follow a character or other figure as it moves

Voice-over Narration

Narration heard concurrently and over a scene but not synchronized to any character who may by talking onscreen. It can come from many sources, including a third person, who is not a character, to bring us up to date; a first-person narrator commenting on the action; or in a nonfiction film, a commentator. 1.) When we hear a character's voice over the picture without actually seeing the character speak the words. 2.) This technique of a character speaking to the audience allows us to hear one narration - from the first-person character narrator - while simultaneously watching the narration provided by our narrator camera

Resolution

Once the goal is either gained or lost, it is time for the resolution — the third act of falling action, in which the narrative wraps up loose ends and moves toward a conclusion. 1.) For some protagonists, the struggle continues well into this final act 2.) But sooner or later, virtually every story resolves the conflict and allows the audience a chance to celebrate and/or contemplate the final score before the credits roll

What is the difference between diegetic and nondiegetic elements in the plot? (see video tutorial "Diegetic and Nondiegetic Elements")

Our engagement with the story on-screen is enhanced by the nondiegetic elements the plot layers onto this particular sequence of selected events, including a pulsating musical score and occasional titles announcing the time as the phenomenon spreads. 1.) And, of course, the story and plot overlap. Every event explicit presented on-screen, and every diegetic sound generated by those events, qualifies as both story and plot

Dutch-Angle Shot

Our world is build along horizontal and vertical lines; typically, one of the assistant cameraperson's first tasks with each new setup is to level the camera on the tripod so the horizontal and vertical lines align with the framing. For a dutch-angle shot (also called a ditch tilt or oblique-angle shot), the camera is tilted so that horizontal and vertical lines on set appear as diagonals in the frame. Doing so causes the world on-screen to appear off-balance or misaligned, which is why the Dutch angle is primarily used in scenes depicting unnatural or chaotic events.

Rising Action

Over the course of the second act, narrative typically builds toward a peak, a breaking point of sorts, as the conflict intensifies and the goal remains out of reach. 1.) The tension it provokes enhances our engagement with the ongoing narrative

Blocking

Predetermined movement of actors that is planned according to the needs of the story. Blocking is usually decided during a rehearsal process in which the director and actors establish how characters in a given situation might move in relationship to their surroundings and one another. 1.) In theater, figure placement and movement is oriented towards an audience sharing a common static viewpoint 2.) Film blocking is oriented towards (and coordinated with) a camera that can be placed anywhere the director wants it to be

Inciting Incident (Catalyst)

Presents the character with the goal that will drive the rest of the narrative (something must occur to change that normal world). *Not all goals within a story are straightforward, some goals shift; This active pursuit of the goal signals the beginning of the second act*

Flat Characters

Relatively uncomplicated flat characters exhibit few distinct traits and do not change significantly as the story progresses. *This doesn't mean that one character classification is any more legitimate than the other. Different types of stories call for different approaches to character traits, behavior, and development*

Third-Person Narrator

Sometimes the voice-over narrator isn't even someone in the movie. Voice-over narration can also be expressed by a voice imposed from outside of the narrative. 1.) Standing at and removed from the action allows this third-person narrator to provide information not accessible to a narrator who is also a participant in the story 2.) Like the author of the story, the third-person narrator knows all and can thus provide objective context to any situation

Eye Room

Sometimes what might appear to be imbalance is actually maintaining a different sort of balance. When a character is looking across the screen, she is typically placed on one end of the frame so that her gaze is balanced with what is called eye room (or looking room) on the opposite side of the composition. In our innate visual vocabulary, just the act of looking carries the weight necessary to stabilize a composition.

The movie camera can shoot from various angles. What are they? What meaning does each imply? Do these implications always hold true? (see video tutorial "Camera Angles")

The *camera angle* is the level and height of the camera in relation to the subject being photographed. Sometimes, the camera angle on the subject simply reflects spatial relationships between characters and objects seen separately on-screen, as with a shot depicting the point of view of a character looking out of an upstairs window. But oftentimes, camera angles offer filmmakers a range of more expressive possibilities: 1.) *Eye-level shot* 2.) *High-angle shot* 3.) *Low-angle shot* 4.) *Dutch-angle shot* 5.) *Bird's-eye view shot* *No cinematic meaning is carved into stone. How we experience and understand any shot depends on the surrounding context*

What is the difference between the narrative, narrator, and narration?

The *narrative* is the story; *narration* is the act of telling the story; the *narrator* is who or what tells the story. 1.) In other words, the narrator delivers the narration that conveys the narrative

Steadicam

The Steadicam is a patented harness device worn by the operator and uses a sophisticated system of counterweights and hydraulics to combine the mobility of the handheld camera with the smoothness of a tracking shot. The camera operator can walk or run upstairs, over uneven surfaces, and through tight spaces where dollies cannot fit. This flexibility has made the Steadicam the method of choice for moving camera shots that extend a narrative over time and through space.

How (and why) do we distinguish between the story and plot of a movie?

The distinction between plot and story is complicated because in every movie, the two concerts overlap and interact with one another. 1.) Explicitly presented events, and every image and sound they produce, are included in the intersection of story and plot 2.) The story also incorporates those events implied by what we see (and hear) on-screen 3.) The plot concerns only those portions of his journey necessary to effectively convey the Ivy League setting and the narrative idea of Mark's hurrying faster and faster the closer he gets to the sanctuary of his dorm room 4.) But the plot supplies more than simply this particular arrangement of these specific events. Plot also include nondiegetic elements → These nondiegetic elements — score music and titles — are not part of the story. But they are an important piece of the plot: the deliberate selection and arrangement of specific events and elements the filmmakers employ to deliver the narrative 5.) Ex. Every event implied by the previous description, including every line of code Mark must write, every gathering happening across campus, every student who plays Facemash, every relative hotness vote they cast, and every roommate cheering them on or reacting with disgust are part of that story. The filmmakers use plot to tell us that story. We cannot possibly see every line of code, every game of Facemash, every campus activity interrupted and enlivened by the new Internet sensation. So specific events and elements are selected and ordered to present the cause-and-effect chain of events that enables the audience to experience and understand the narrative *The relationship between plot and story is important to filmmakers and to the audience. From the filmmaker's perspective, the story exists as a precondition fr the plot, and the filmmaker must understand what story is being told before going through the difficult job of selecting events to show on-screen and determining in what order to present them. For us as viewers, the story is an abstraction — a construct — that we piece together as the elements of the plot unfold before us on-screen. Our impressions about the story often shift and adjust throughout the movie as more of the plot is revealed*

Plot Duration

The elapsed time of those event within the story that the film explicitly presents (in other words, the elapsed time of the plot).

Diegetic Element

The elements that make up the diegesis are called diegetic elements.

Familiar Image (see video tutorial "Lighting and Familiar Image in The Night of the Hunter")

The familiar image is defined by film theorist Stefan Sharff as compositions, graphic elements, sounds, or juxtapositions that a director periodically repeats in a movie (with or with our variations) to help informalities or stabilize narrative (by its repetition, the image calls attention to itself as a narrative [as well as visual] element).

Fill Light

The fill light, which is positioned at the opposite side of the camera from the key light, adjusts the depth of the shadows created by the brighter key light. Fill light may also come from a reflector.

Antagonist

The irony, however, is that if the goal is quickly and easily attained, our story is over. This is where conflict comes in. Narrative depends on obstacles to block, or at least impede, our protagonist's quest for the goal. 1.) The person, people, creature, or force responsible for obstructing our protagonist is known as the antagonist 2.) Sometimes the identity and nature of the antagonist are clear-cut. But, we have to be careful with this term because, while most movies have a single — or at least primary-protagonsist, the nature of the antagonist is much more variable 3.) So, just as not every protagonist is a hero, not every antagonist is necessarily a villain 4.) The antagonist need not even be human

Key Light

The key light (also known as the *main*, or *source, light*) is the primary source of illumination and therefore is customarily set first. Positioned to one side of the camera, it creates deep shadows.

What are the principal responsibilities of the production designer, and when is the production designer usually brought into the film production (during pre-production, production, or post-production)?

The leader of the team in charge of designing the look of the movie is the production designer. 1.) Generally one of the first collaborators that a director hires, the production designer, is both an artist and an executive and is responsible for the overall design concept (for the *look* of the movie — its individual sets locations, furnishings, properties, and costumes) and for supervising the heads of the many departments involved in creating that looks → These departments include art, costume design and construction, hairstyling, makeup, wardrobe, location, properties, carpentry, set construction and decoration, greenery, transportation, visual effects, special effects 2.) The production designer's process begins with the intensive previsualization — imagining, discussing, sketching, planning — that is at the core of all movies → Perhaps because the synthesis of mise-en-scène, cinematography, and directing is so crucial, many designers have become directors 3.) The production designer is usually brought into the film production process in *pre-production*

Shooting/Camera Angle

The level and height of the camera in relation to the subject being photographed.

Lighting Ratio

The level of illumination on a subject, as compared with the depth of the corresponding shadow, is called its lighting ratio. Filmmakers use a number of techniques to regulate this relationship between light and shadow 1.) The most conventional method is the three-point system

Screen Duration

The movie's running time on-screen (the time it takes us to watch the film from beginning to end without interruption). 1.) Screen duration is necessarily constrained by financial and other considerations

Plot

The plot consists of the specific actions and events that the filmmakers select and the order in which they arrange those events to effectively convey the narrative to the viewer. 1.) Ex. In this scene, what the characters do on screen is part of the plot, including when Erica breaks up with Mark and stalks off, but the other information we infer from their exchange belongs exclusively to the story 2.) Through plot, screenwriters and directors can give structure to stories and guide (if not control) viewers' emotional responses. In fact, a plot may be little more than a sequence of devices for arousing predictable responses of concern and excitement in audiences. We accept such a plot because we know it will lead to the resolution of conflicts, mysteries, and frustrations in the story 3.) Bringing order to the plot events is one of the most fundamental decisions that filmmakers make about relaying story information through the plot → Most narrative film plots are structured in chronological order. But, unlike story order, which necessarily flows chronologically (as does life), plot order can be manipulated so that events are presented in non chronological sequences that emphasize importance or meaning or that establish desired expectations in audiences 4.) In ant plot, events have a logical order, as we have discussed, as well as a logical hierarchy. Some events are more important than others, and we infer their relative significance through the director's selection and arrangement of details of action, character, or setting. This hierarchy consists of: → The events that seem crucial to the plot (and thus to the underlying story) ↪ Those major events or branching points in the plot structure that force characters to choose between or among alternate paths → The vents that play a less crucial or even subordinate role ↪ Those minor plot events that add texture and complexity to characters and actions but are not essential elements within the narrative (these minor subordinate events enrich and complicate the diegesis [the world of the story] in a narrative film, but no single such event is indispensable to the story) ↪ When filmmakers make decisions about which scenes to cut from a film during the editing phase, they generally look for minor events that, for one reason or another, do not contribute enough to the overall movie

Protagonist

The primary character who pursues the goal is known as the protagonist. 1.) The protagonist is sometimes referred to as the hero (or heroine), but this term can be misleading, since engaging narratives do not necessarily depend on worthy goals or brave and sympathetic characters 2.) As long as the protagonist actively pursues the goal in an interesting way, the viewer cannot help becoming invested in that pursuit and, by extension, the story

Aspect Ratio

The relationship between the frame's two dimensions is known as its aspect ratio, the ratio of the width of the image to its height. Almost all movies are made to be shown in one aspect ratio from beginning to end. The most common aspect ratios are: 1.) *1.375:1 Academy* (35mm flat) 2.) *1.66:1 European widescreen* (35mm flat) 3.) *1.85:1 American widescreen* (35mm flat) 4.) *2.2:1 Super Panavision and Todd-AO* (70mm flat) 5.) *2.35:1 Panavision and CinemaScope* (35mm anamorphic) 6.) *2.75:1 Ultra Panavision* (70mm anamorphic)

Rule of Thirds (see video tutorial "Composing the Frame")

The rule of thirds breaks the frame into three vertical sections and three horizontal sections, resulting in a grid. This grid acts as a guide that filmmakers use to balance visual elements in the frame. 1.) It is not an exact science; art is never that simple. The basic idea is that composition is built in basic units of three: top, middle, bottom' left, center, right; foreground, middle ground, and background 2.) Usually, for every visual element placed on one section, there will be a corresponding element in the opposite section to counterbalance the composition. 3.) Our gaze is drawn to the area along the top horizontal line of a composition. For this reason, significant information, including the faces of characters, is often placed in this area. Because we humans tend to focus attention on one another's eyes, close-up compositions often position character's eyes along this upper line 4.) Sometimes, a story calls for composition that pushes the idea of balance to the next level, resulting in compositions that are so perfectly balances that one side of the frame mirrors the other. This symmetry can, depending on the context in which it is used, convey a sense fo rigid order, ostentatious ritual, or formal elegance

Screenwriter

The screenwriter is responsible for coming up with this story, either from scratch or by adapting another source, such as a novel, play, memoir, or news story. 1.) Screenwriters build the narrative structure and divide every character, action, line of dialogue, and setting (and all this must be managed within the fewest words possible) 2.) Each script page represents one minute of screen time 3.) The best screenwriters learn to craft concise but vivid descriptions of essential information so as to provide the director, cinematographer, designers, and actors a practical foundation that informs the collaborative creative process necessary to adapt the script to the screen 4.) No rule dictates the number of people who are eventually involved in the process. One person may write all the stages of the screenplay or may collaborate from the beginning with other screenwriter; sometimes the director is the sole screenwriter or co-screenwriter 5.) Most scripts are written entirely by independent screenwriters (either as write-for-hires or on spec) and submitted as polished revisions → Many other screenplays, especially for movies created for mass appeal, are written by committee, meaning a collaboration of director, producer, editor, and others (including script doctors; professional screenwriters who are hired to review a screenplay and improve it)

What are the differences among a setup, a shot, and a take?

The three key terms used in shooting a movie are: 1.) *Shot*: The building block of cinema. → When we are discussing a shot in an edited film, we can define shot as an unbroken span of action captured by an uninterrupted run of the camera → In a completed film, the duration of a shot (as well as its starting point and ending point) is determined by the editor. In that context, a shot is a discrete unit that lasts unit it is replaced by another shot by means of a cut or other transition → However, during the previsualization and production process, a shot can refer to a specific arrangement of elements to be captured in a particular composition from a predetermined camera position (so, the director may use shot when referring to a storyboard or production schedule; for various reasons that planned "shot" may be taken a number of times) 2.) *Take*: Act time that planned shot is captured 3.) *Setup*: Is one camera position and everything associated with it. The crew may shoot a number of different shots (and multiple takes of each of those planned shots) from a single camera position. → For example, if a film includes several separate shots of an office-worker character sitting at his desk on different days, all of the shots the can be captured from that particular setup will be shot in succession. The lighting, the actor's hair and wardrobe, and any necessary decor will be adjusted accordingly for each planned shot

What is meant by the diegesis of a story?

The total world of a story—the events, characters, objects, settings, and sounds that form the world in which the story occurs.

Diegesis

The total world of the story — the events, characters, objects, settings, and sounds that form the world in which the story occurs — is called its diegesis.

Chiaroscuro

The treatment of light and shade in a work of art, especially to give an illusion of depth. 1.) Strong contrasts between light and dark make movies visually interesting and focus our attention on significant details 2.) But that is not all that they accomplish. They can also evoke moods and meanings, and even symbolically complement the other formal elements of a movie

What are the two major visual components of mise-en-scène?

The two major visual components of mise-en-scène are design and composition. 1.) *Design*: The process by which the look of the settings, objects, and actors is determined → Set design, decor, costuming, makeup, and hairstyle design all play a role in shaping the overall design 2.) *Composition*: A shot's composition is the organization, distribution, balance, and general relationship of objects and figures, as well as of light, shade, line, color, and movement within the frame

Zoom (see video tutorial "Zoom and Moving Camera Effects")

The zoom is a lens with a variable focal length, which permits the camera operator during shooting to shift from the wide-angle lens (short focus) to the telephoto lens (long focus) or vice versa without changing the focus or aperture setting. It is not a camera movement per se, because only the optics inside the lens are moving in relation to each other and thus shifting the focal length. Still, the zoom can provide the illusion of the camera moving toward or away from the subject. One result of this shift is that the image is magnified when shifting from short to long focal length or demagnified by shifting in the opposite direction. 1.) That magnification is the essential different between *zoom-in* and dolly-in movements on a subject. When dollying, a camera actually moves through space; in the process, spatial relationships between the camera and objects in its frame shift, causing relative changes in position between on-screen figures or objects. By contrast, because a zoom lens does not move through space, its depiction of spatial relationships between the camera and its subjects does not change. All a soon shot does is magnify the image 2.) Because it depicts movement through space different than we experience it in our own lives with our own eyes, the movement of a zoom shot can feel artificial, the they are rarely used in narrative feature films

Mechanical Effects

Those created and photographed on set.

Nondiegetic Element

Those things we see and hear on the screen that come from outside the world of the story, such as score music (music not originating from the world of the story), titles and credits (words superimposed on the images on-screen), and voice-over comments from a third-person voice-over narrator.

Top Lighting

Top lighting (light cast on a character from above) usually looks comparatively normal, as the Sun, our most natural light source, is usually in an overhead position. Overhead lighting can be glamorous when it highlights the subject's hair and cheekbones. But if the angle of overhead light is taken to the extreme, the resulting shadows can obscure an actor's eyes, causing the character to appear threatening or mysterious.

Three-point Lighting

Used extensively since the Hollywood studio era (1927-47), the three-point system casts a flattering and natural-looking light on actors. The system uses three sources of light, each amend from a different direction and position in relation to the subject: *key light, fill light, and backlight*. The overall character of the image is determined mainly by the relationship between the key and fill lights.

What is three-point lighting?

Used extensively since the Hollywood studio era (1927-47), the three-point system casts a flattering and natural-looking light on actors. The system uses three sources of light, each amend from a different direction and position in relation to the subject: key light, fill light, and backlight. The overall character of the image is determined mainly by the relationship between the key and fill lights.

Deep-Focus Cinematography

Using the short-focal-length lens, keeps all three planes of depth in sharp focus. Tolan used deep-focused cinematography to create deep-space composition, the compositional approach introduced in Chapter 5 that emphasizes depth by placing significant visual and narrative information on two or more of the three planes of depth. 1.) He dramatically increased depth of field by combining the fastest film stock available with greatly increased lighting intensity, which allowed him to close the aperture to the smallest possible setting 2.) Deep focus (and deep-space mise-en-scène) allowed directors to use blocking to arrange and move actors within the full depth of the setting, which made possible multiple compositions within a single shot → This flexibility made it possible to sustain dramatic action within a single extended show without cutting, which helped distance Hollywood from the editing-centered theories