Welcome to Film Studies!!!

Let’s Start by Learning Our Film Lingo…. Terms 101 ! Gaffer Tutor Boom 2nd Director Foley Rack Focus Prop maker Clapperloader Best Boy Location Producer

Basic Film Terms… Frame: The edges of the screen that close around, or “box” the picture/image. (if you think of film like writing, a frame is like a letter of a word in a book)

Shot: The most basic structure in film Shot: The most basic structure in film. It is one “image” in a sequence of millions to make one film. (a shot is like a word in a book)

Sequence (scene): a number of related shots tied together by a common focus (location, action, event) (a sequence is like a paragraph in a book)

Types of Camera Shots

Establishing Shot/Long Shot: shows the overall setting and context of the action. OFTEN used in the opening of a film, or to show a change of location in a scene within the film.

Allows audience to read some facial expression Medium Shot: relatively close shot, revealing a figure/person from knees or waist up. What it Does: Allows audience to read some facial expression and body language

Close shot (close up): head shot, extremely detailed view of a person or object. ? What It Does: It allows director to often tease oe confuse the audience about what is being shown

(it elicits a feeling of power) -think child looking up to adult Low Angle Shot: filmed from below, camera low and shooting up on location, object or person. What It Does: It often puts central character in positions of power (it elicits a feeling of power) -think child looking up to adult

High Angle Shot: filmed from above, camera high shooting down. What It Does: Often used to make central character seem small and not in power

One Shot: Often used to show isolation or conflict One-Shot (or Two, or Three): at least one figure in the shot. Usually at a medium distance What It Does: One Shot: Often used to show isolation or conflict between characters Two + Shot: Often used to show a certain relationship between characters (good or bad)

Overexposure: Too much light enters the camera…bleached out images. Underexposure: insufficient light enters the camera…shows very dark images. Overexposure: Too much light enters the camera…bleached out images. What It Does: Gives the audience a certain “feeling” about the images they are seeing

Rack Focus: blurring parts of the shot, forcing the viewer’s eye to travel to the in-focus areas. What It Does: It is used to get your attention on what the director wants you to see, “unimportant” images are blurred out.

Part 2: Camera Movement

Angle: Camera’s line of view relative to its subject Angle: Camera’s line of view relative to its subject. The different angles can be used to represent certain emotions or responses. If the camera breaks the 180 Degree rule, the viewer will begin to see the production team (director, cameras, crew…etc.) (spinning, falling down, zooming forward or back)

Pan: a fixed camera moves horizontally from side to side (usually representing how a character is “scanning” something)

Dolly: tracking/trucking – a moving mounted camera that travels along a track to follow the action smoothly

Boom: crane – allows a mounted cinematographer (camera man) to move anywhere through space – also used to mount microphones

Zoom: fixed camera moves “closer” onto the subject or “farther” away to the subject. Can happen fast or slow. Image stays in focus the entire time.

Shots Assessment: Find a picture to represent each: (image & mood) copy and paste pic on word doc…must label! Print when done. Long shot of athletes winning a game that feels celebratory A medium 3 shot that feels scary (actors show fear) A long shot that is opening a sci/fi film and feels energetic A close up of something mysterious (not human) Rack focus of the wilderness that feels cold/isolated Low 2 shot of female characters that shows conflict An overexposed shot that feels romantic An underexposed shot that feels depressing/sad A 1 shot of a dying rose that feels sad A full body shot a hero and villain that feels victorious