The language of Film: Camera movement, sound and other key ideas

To recap- We have looked at shot types such as LS, ELS, and CU. These types of shots indicate how much of the subject is shown by the camera. We have identified camera angles such as HA and LA which tell us where the cameras is placed in relation to the subject We have seen a variety of transitions, such as wipe, cut and dissolve, which are used at the beginning and end of shots. Now we will identify the way the camera moves.

Tracking shot This is the term used for a shot when the camera is being moved by means of wheels: on a dolly (a low tracking shot) in a car or even a train. The movement is normally quite fluid (except perhaps in some of the wider car chases) and the tracking can be either fast or slow. Depending on the speed, this shot has different connotations, eg: like a dream or trance if excessively slow, bewildering and frightening if excessively frenetic A tracking shot can go backwards left to right right to left Tracking Shot

Panning Shot (pan) This is an abbreviation for panorama shot; refers to the horizontal scan or movement of the camera in one direction (to the right or left) around a fixed axis while filming. A variation is the swish pan in which the camera is purposely panned in either direction at a very fast pace, creating the impression of a fast-moving horizontal blurring of images across the screen A panning shot can easily be confused with a tracking shot.

Tilt The camera tilts up or down, This camera movement is often used to suggest an imbalance, or strangeness, or to emphasize size, power or menace; also known as pan up or pan down

Zoom A zoom-in picks out and isolates a person or object, a zoom-out places that person or object in a wider context. Zooms are sometimes used in place of tracking shots, but the differences between the two are significant The following clip includes examples of all the types of camera movement we have looked at so pan tilt zoom In the next clip a combination of camera movement techniques have been. See if you can identify what they are and describe the effect camera movement

Sound Sound in film can either be diegetic or non-diegetic Diegetic- This simply means that which is realistic or logically existing within the film. It is the sound which naturally belongs to what is shown on screen. For example, dialogue, the screech of wheels of a car, or the music coming from a characters radio. Non-diegetic- This means that it comes from a source other than what is shown on screen. An example would be voice- over (VO) or the musical score.

Montage The following clip explains clearly the function of a montage Team America

Putting it all together In your book draw up three columns as shown. Use about half a page. Action here you will record what is happening on screen Sound Note down all sound that you hear and whether it is diegetic or non-diegetic Shot type/ camera movement Effect What effect is created by combining the three elements