The Basic Terminology of Cinematography

E. The Basic Terminology of Cinematography

The explanation of the terms related to cinematography is really needed to understand a film analysis as the analysis uses many of those terms which are likely uncommonly used. The explanation is as follows: The explanation of the terms related to cinematography is really needed to understand a film analysis as the analysis uses many of those terms which are likely uncommonly used. The explanation is as follows:

· Title / Opening Credits The opening credits sequence is usually used to set the mood of the film. It sometimes lacks any credits except the film's title which often exists as

static letters on a solid background (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 14).

· Plot / Story / Narrative Plot refers to a sequence of dramatic events or actions that build a

narrative in film (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 14).

· Characterization Characterization is the means filmmakers use to describe or develop a character for audience (eHow Contributing Writer, n.d.)

· Point of View (POV) Point of view is the perspective used by the filmmakers from which the

film story is told. It also means a shot that depicts the outlook or position of a character (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 14).

b. Mise–en–scene

Mise-en-scene is a French term for "staging," or "putting into the scene or shot". In film theory, it refers to “the arrangement of all the visual elements of

a theatrical production within a given playing area – the stage” (Giannetti, 1987, p. 34). Those elements are setting and sets, acting style, costumes, and lighting.

· Setting Setting is the time and place in which the film's narrative takes place,

including climate and season, people, customs, moral values, and norms of behavior (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 16).

· Costumes Costumes are refers to what are worn by actor or actress in a film

(“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 6). Costumes consist of outfits, hairstyle, and all things which support actor or actress’ appearance. Costumes can be contrast between characters and can change along the film’s narrative.

· Lighting Lighting refers to “the illumination of a scene and the manipulation of light and shadows by the cinematographer” (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-

Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 11). The following are some lights usually used in film. o Key Light

Key light is the main light of film lighting. It highlights the form, dimension and surface detail of the subject in film (“The Key Light”, 2009).

o Fill Light Fill light is a supporting light which soften the shadows and illuminate the parts of the subject which are not illuminated by the key light (Monaco, 2000, p. 197). It is used to reduce the contrast of a scene.

o Highlighting Highlight is used to illuminate selected part of a subject, for example an actress' eyes (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 10).

o Backlight Backlight is the light illuminating from behind the subject. It will cause the edges of the subject to glow (“Cinematic Terms: A Film- Making Glossary ”, n.d., p. 2 ).

c. Shot Composition

Shot composition involves: · Tone

Tone is the mood or atmosphere of a film scene which can be serious, humorous, satiric, amusing, among others. It influences the way the director directed a film (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 19).

· Film Speed Filmmakers have their particular intention in making a scene in fast or

slow motion. Fast motion is produced by a technique which entails a camera capturing an image at rate slower than normal speed (slower than

24 frames per second). It is generally used for creating comic effect. Slow motion is produced by employing a process which requires a camera capturing an image at a rate faster than it will be projected. It is usually used to completely capture a “moment in time” or to make a dramatic or 24 frames per second). It is generally used for creating comic effect. Slow motion is produced by employing a process which requires a camera capturing an image at a rate faster than it will be projected. It is usually used to completely capture a “moment in time” or to make a dramatic or

· Camera Angle Camera angle is the perspective employed from which to shoot a subject.

The various kinds of camera angle are as follows: o Eye-level Angle

Eye-level angle is a camera angle used to photograph a subject in eye level.

o High Angle High angle is a camera angle employed by filming the subject from above (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary” 10). High angle gives an effect of reducing the importance of the subject photographed, for example, a person seems harmless or insignificant photographed from above (Giannetti, 1987, p. 12).

o Low Angle Low angle is a camera angle used by filming the subject from below (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary ”, n.d., p. 12). Low angle gives an effect of raising the importance of the subject so that it will create fear and respect to audience (Giannetti, 1987, p. 13).

· Shot Distance o Long Shot (LS)

Long shot is a shot taken from “the distance between the audience and the stage in the live theater” (Giannetti, 1987, p. 8). Full shot is within Long shot is a shot taken from “the distance between the audience and the stage in the live theater” (Giannetti, 1987, p. 8). Full shot is within

o Extreme Long Shot (ELS / XLS) Extreme long shot is a shot taken from a great distance. Generally, it is used to photograph a place or a landscape (Giannetti , 1987, p. 7).

o Medium Shot (MS) Medium shot is a shot used to photograph a figure from the knees or waist up (Giannetti, 1987, p. 8).

o Close-Up (CU) Close-up is a shot magnifying the size of a filmed subject which is relatively small, for example, human face. Its use is to elevate the importance the subject (Gianeti, 1987, p. 8).

o Medium Close-Up (MCU) This shot is within the category of Close-Up but the subject photographed is not magnified as large as close-up, A medium close- up emphasizes the principal subject but includes other objects that are nearby (“Bussiness Definition”, 2000).

o Extreme Close-Up (XCU) It is the other variation of close-up. This shot might show a certain point of a subject which is rather very small, for example, a person’s eyes (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 9).

· Frame:

A frame is a single smallest unit of a film. A series of frame constructs a motion picture. Frame also refers to the rectangular area which we see within the screen (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 10).

d. Montage

Montage is a French word literally meaning "editing", "putting together" or "assembling shots". It refers to a filming technique, editing style, or form of movie collage consisting of a series of short shots or images that are rapidly put together into a coherent sequence to create a composite picture, or to suggest meaning or a larger idea (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 13). Montage involves:

· Shot Shot refers to a single take made by a camera without interruption or

editing (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”,n.d., p. 17). · Cut

Cut is a sudden change between shots in film’s structure. It can be a transition from one scene to another or from one sound to another (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 7).

· Freeze Frame Freeze is a technique in film which is generally applied at the end of a film

to give an “iconic lasting image” (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 10).

· Scene Scene refers to a shot or a series of shot which construct(s) a complete

dramatic event or action in a narrative of film. The beginning of the following scene is indicated by a change in time, location, or action. Fade, wipe, and lap-dissolve technique are usually employed to connect one scene to another scene (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 15). o Fade

Fade is a transitional technique used by changing the intensity of an image or sound gradually, from normal bright to darkness (fade out/ fade to black) or from darkness to completely normal bright scene (fade in) and from silence to sound or from sound to silence. Fade in is used to indicate the beginning of a scene while fade out is generally used to indicate the end of a scene (“Cinematic Terms: A Film- Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 9).

o Wipe Wipe is a transitional technique in which one shot is replaced by another shot as if the first shot is pushed off by the second shot. This technique is often used in 1930s (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 20).

o Lap-dissolve or Dissolve Lap dissolve which is a shorthand for ‘overlap dissolve’ is a transitional technique between two shots in which the first shot is o Lap-dissolve or Dissolve Lap dissolve which is a shorthand for ‘overlap dissolve’ is a transitional technique between two shots in which the first shot is

· Sequences Sequence is a scene or a series of related scenes that are united and edited

together to build a story in a film’s narrative (“Cinematic Terms: A Film- Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 16).

e. Sound

Sound is the audio portion of a film. It includes the following: · Dialogues

Dialogues are lines uttered by an actor/actress in a film (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 7).

· Sound Effects Sound effects are all sounds created in film but dialogue and music

(“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 17). · Score

Score is the background music in a film that commonly composed for the film (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 16).

· Sound Bridge Sound bridge is a sound which can be dialogue, music or sound effect in

one scene that continues until another scene. It is used to connects the two shots or scenes (“Cinematic Terms: A Film-Making Glossary”, n.d., p. 2).

· Synchronous (or Simultaneous) Sound It refers to sound of which the source within the frame (Monaco, 2000, p.

214). · Non-Synchronous (or Non-Simultaneous) Sound

It is the sound comes from outside the frame (Monaco, 2000, p. 214).