Film Terms

24 Frames Per Second Backlighting Alternate Ending Motif Rear Projection Balance Hand Held Camera Blue / Green Screen

24 Frames Per Second The standard frame rate or film speed. The number of frames or images that are projected or displayed per second. In the silent era before a standard was set, many films were projected at 16 or 18 frames per second, but that rate proved to be too slow when attempting to record optical film sound tracks; aka 24fps or 24p

Alternate Ending The shooting (or re-shooting) of a film's ending for its theatrical release, usually enforced by the studio for any number of reasons (because of test audience preview results, controversial or unpopular subject matter, to provide a 'happy' ending, etc.). See director's cut. Examples include: The Magnificent Ambersons, Meet John Doe, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Blade Runner, and Clue which featured four different endings depending on the location of the theatre in which it is seen.

Motif A recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work. A repeated figure or design in architecture or decoration. A recurrent thematic element in a film that is repeated in a significant way.

Motif images from The Hudsucker Proxy

Backlighting This phenomenon occurs when the lighting for the shot is directed at the camera from behind the subject(s), causing the figure(s) in the foreground to appear in semi-darkness or as silhouettes, or highlighted; with backlighting, the subject is separated from the background.

Rear Projection A photographic technique whereby live action is filmed in front of a transparent screen onto which background action is projected. Rear projection provides an economical way to set films in exotic or dangerous locations without having to transport expensive stars or endure demanding conditions. Back projection was often used to provide the special effect of motion in vehicles during dialogue scenes, but has become outmoded and replaced by green / blue screen processing Rear Projection is used several times in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me to give the feeling of old movies.

Rear Projection

Balance Within a film's visual frame, balance refers to the composition, aesthetic qualities that working together of the figures, light, sound, and movement. There are two types of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetrical images are identical in both left and right side; asymmetrical images aren't identical but has a 'feeling' of balance and equality throughout. Asymmetrical or symmetrical? Balanced?

Explain why the following slide is balanced or unbalanced?

Camera Hand Held Camera Film technique in which a camera is literally held in the camera-operator's hands--as opposed to being placed on a tripod. The hand held camera is used to convey a sense of immediacy.

Blue / Green Screen A special-effects process whereby actors work in front of an evenly-lit, monochromatic (usually blue or green) background or screen. The background is then replaced (or matted ) in post- production by chroma-keying or optical printer, allowing other footage or computer-generated images to form the image; since 1992, most films use blue- screen

Before CGI 300 After CGI

The End