Film Terminology A basic overview of the language of the cinema.

Mise-en-scene (mez an sen) Literal translation: “staging” What appears in front of the camera: set design, lighting, character movement and placement, etc. Mise-en-scene often has a part in developing the mood and tone of a scene

Story versus Plot (there is overlap between the two) Story All the narrative events that are explicitly presented on the screen (what we actually see) All the events that are implicit or that we infer to happen (things we know but don’t see) Plot The structure for presenting everything we see and hear in a film

Example of Story versus Plot Rocky (1976) Story Rocky, the underdog, overcomes great odds to find love and self- worth in going the distance with the champ. Plot The champ, Apollo Creed, needs a new opponent when his scheduled opponent pulls out due to injury. In a decision of promotional genius, Creed gives a title shot to down-on-his-luck journeyman Rocky Balboa on the country’s 200th anniversary. Rocky goes on to shock the world by going the distance with Creed in a competitive fight.

Cinematography (behind the camera) Types of camera shots Extreme Long Shot/Establishing Shot (ELS)– a great distance from the subject; often used to introduce the viewer to an environment (gives context) Long Shot (LS) – see the character’s full body Medium Shot (MS) – between the long shot and the close-up; shows a character from the waist up Close-up (CU) – usually shows the full head or focused on a character’s face Extreme Close-Up (ECU) – very close shot of some detail

Cinematography Cont. (behind the camera) Placement of Shots: High-angle shot – the camera above the action; can imply the observer's superiority to the subject being filmed Low-angle shot – the camera below the action; can imply a feeling of helplessness in the presence of something superior Eye-level shot – the camera’s at eye level; an attitude of neutrality Dutch-angle shot – camera is tilted so that’s the frame is not level; an impression of imbalance Bird’s-Eye-View shot – shot taken from a very high point; implies the observer’s omniscience

Camera Movement Pan – a horizontal movement of a camera on a tripod; replicates a person turning his head Tilt – the vertical movement of a camera on a tripod; looking up or down Dolly–camera fixed to a wheeled support that can move in (dolly-in) or move out (dolly-out) or track (tracking shot) a subject alongside, above, beneath, or ahead of it. Crane Shot – camera is fixed to an elevating arm mounted on a vehicle

Editing Editing – the basic creative force of cinema; creates assumptions in the viewer, helps tell a story, provokes an idea or feeling Shot – an uninterrupted run of the camera; can be long or short Cut – a direct change from one shot to another Montage – a sequence of shots that shows a condensed series of events Jump Cut – an instantaneous advance in the action Fade-in/Fade-out – transitional devices that allows a scene to open or close slowly Dissolve – a transition where one shot is superimposed over another and gradually takes over Wipe – a transition where one shot wipes across often indicating a change in time or place