a2 media terminology

8/2/2019 A2 Media Terminology

1/9

In your A2 exam you need to use media terminology todescribe your music video and/or AS production.

Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition

Camera Shots

Establishing shot (ES)usually a long shot or extreme long shot used to set the scenat the beginning of a film/TV drama. Usually shows the setting.

Extreme close up (ECU) - a close up in which a small detail fills the entire frame. Usedshock or allow viewers to scrutinize close detail of a body. Not often used in TV drama

Extreme long shot (ELS) - a very wide shot, often a panoramic view used to shoscale, wider contexts and characters in a location. Often used to show the journeof a character through an environment and can be used to make a character seem

weak, or insignificant.

Close Up (CU) shows very little background. Usually concentrates on a face or a detailmise en scene. CU shots magnify the object so emphasise its importance, be it words

written on paper, or the expression on someone's face. CU shots lead the audience intthe mind of a character. In reality, we only let people that we really trust get THAT closeour face - mothers, children and lovers, usually - so a close up of a face is a very intima

shot. CUs may be used to make the audience feel extremely comfortable oruncomfortable about a character. Often used in shot reverse shots of dialogue betwee

characters.

Mid Close Up (MCU) standard distance used for dialogue between two characters. Casometimes see some of the background, which may add to the significance of the scen

Can sometimes see part of the other character in the edge of the frame, helping us toorient the characters to each other. MCUs show reactions of characters often used w

over the shoulder and two shots.


2/9

Camera Shots

Medium Shot(MS) shows a human figure from the knees up or waist up. Verycommonly used in TV drama as it shows enough of a figure to convey a characterfacial expressions and body language. Also allows space in shot for some setting t

aid understanding of a character.

Long Shot (CU)- shows entire human figure, includes entire head, near the top of thframe. and feet at the bottom of the frame. Long shots are often used as an

establishing shot, in which a character needs to be placed in his/her context (locatioand time) in order to build the narrative. Body language can be easily seen and the

characters reactions can be seen in relation to his/her surroundings.

Wide Shot (WS) - The subject takes up the full frame, or at least as much aspossible. The same as a long shot

Master Shot is a single shot that includes the complete scene from start to the finish, froan angle that keeps all the actors in shot. Often used as an establishing shot. Usually tmaster shot is the first shot filmed during a shooting schedule it is the foundation of tcamera coverage: other shots that reveal different aspects of the action, groupings of twor three of the actors at crucial moments, close ups of individuals, insert shots of variou

props etc are shot and edited in later on.

Two Shot used to create a spatial relationship between two characters, especially duridialogue. Facial expressions, reactions and body language are all conveyed in this shoso audience is aware of relationships between characters. Two shots may be combine

with mid close ups,

Aerial shot is a variation of a crane shot, usually taken from a helicopter. Ofteused at the beginning of a film or TV drama in order to establish setting and

movement. Used to convey real drama and exhilaration.


3/9

Camera Shots

Point of View shot shows a view from a characters perspective. It is usually editin such a way that it is obvious whose POV it is; this makes the viewer feel like

theyre sharing the experiences of the character.

Over the shoulder shot gives us a character's point of view but includes part othat character's shoulder or the side of the head in the shot.

Shot Angles

High angle shot makes a character/object seem smaller and less significant. Thcharacter/object often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a

wider picture.

Low angle shots create a sense of confusion and powerlessness to theaudience. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceilingthe lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. Thadded height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewerwho is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

Canted angle is when the camera is tilted (ie is not placed horizontal to floorlevel), to suggest imbalance, transition and instability. This technique is used tosuggest POINT-OF-View shots (ie when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of oneparticular character,seeing what they see - a hand held camera is often used forthis).


4/9

Camera Movement

Pan the camera turns from a fixed position horizontally on the axis of its mount. Steamovement across the scene from a fixed point, usually slow movement.

Tilt the camera moves from a fixed position vertically on the axisof the mount

Pan shot follow - like a panning shot but the camera is directed at a character orobject as it moves through a scene: it literally follows the object or character)

Dolly or tracking shot the camera moves horizontally alongside the characters oraction. NB Originally, the camera moved along on rails or tracks in order to follow theaction. When the camera was removed from rails and placed onto a platform withwheels (ie more versatile) the platform was referred to as a dolly. (Other names =trucking or travelling shots)

Crane shot the camera is attached to a crane andfilms the shot from a high angle. Used to create scale / toinclude lots of information in the scene eg for anestablishing shot

Steadicam a specially designed camera which allows handheld shotswithout unwanted shaking

Hand-held rarely used in TV dramas or films but can be used to createimpression of home-videoing. Characterised by unstable, shaking camerashots. Effective in creating tension. eg The Blair Witch Project.

Zoom In a zoom lens is used to approach a character or object. Used toemphasise emotion or to show significance of an object.

Reverse Zoom the camera zooms away from a character or objectused to emphasise importance of emotion.


5/9

Composition

When describing camera angles, or creating them yourself, you have to think about three important factors

The FRAMING or the LENGTH of shot The ANGLE of the shot If there is any MOVEMENT involved

When describing different cinematic shots, different terms are used to indicate the amount of subject mattecontained within a frame, how far away the camera is from the subject, and the perspective of the viewer.Each different shot has a different purpose and effect. A change between two different shots is called a CU

Framing is the composition of a shot: how a character is placed inits environment, eg to the left, right or centre of a frame

Rule of Thirds: A technique in camera framing where the frame isdivided into imaginary sections to create reference points.

Depth of field is the zone between the nearest and furthest points at whithe camera can obtain a sharp focus.

Shallow focus has a small depth of field. One part of the image is in focuwhile the rest is out of focus. Shallow focus is typically used to emphasiz

one part of the image over another.

Deep focus is a camera technique that creates a great depth of field. The entire contents of the frame ifocus are kept in focus at the same time.

Focus pull is the process of adjusting the lens in order to obtain a sharp, clear picture: the degree to whican image is correctly focused.

Editing


6/9

The camera never blinks. That's what cuts (changing from one shot to another shot) are for. But to cut froone shot to another, you have to vary your shots by size and angle so that you don't end up with a jump-cwhich would appear as if the shot were missing some frames. Shot compositions, sizes, and angles enhan

how you tell your story. You may want a close-up when two actors are talking if the conversation is anintimate one. A wide establishing shot may be appropriate if you want to show that the actors are surround

by a barren wasteland.

Transition of image and sound continuity and non-continuity systems

Cutting

Shot reverse shot is a method of filming a conversation in which scenes are first shown from onecharacters point of view, then theothers, then back to the first characters

Eyeline match is an edit that cuts from a character to whatever the characteris looking at: for example an object, a view or another character. It can help anaudience emphathise with a character, as the audience feels part of the

characters world.

Eyeline match is a continuity editing practice that creates a logical look or gazeof a character as it follows the eyes trajectory. Eyeline matching is based on thebelief in mainstream cinematography that when a character looks into off- screespace the spectator expects to see what he or she is looking at.

The eyeline match creates order and meaning in cinematic space. Thus, for example, character A will look oscreen at character B. Cut to character B, who-if she or he is in the same room and engaged in an exchangeeither of glances or words with character A-will return that look and so 'certify' that character A is indeed in thspace from which we first saw her or him look. This "stabilising" is true in the other primary use of the eyelinematch which is the shot-reverse-shot, commonly used in close-up dialogue scenes. The camera adopts the

eyeline trajectory of a character looking at the other person as she/he speaks, then switches to the otherperson's position and does the same.

Graphic match is making the final shot of one sequence similar to the first shot of the next can help to bothsmooth the transition between the two and link them.

Action match: If an object is dropped by a character the audience expect to see either a close up of the objeor a reaction to it falling, so a change in shot to one of these would seem natural. Likewise, if someone goethrough a door a shift in shot from one side of the door to the other would be expected, and so presentingshots in this way wouldnt unduly draw attention to the editing.

Editing
http://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/scene.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/first.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/first.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/character.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/point.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/view.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/other.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/other.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/other.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/other.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/view.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/point.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/character.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/first.htmlhttp://www.mediadictionary.com/definition/scene.html


7/9

Jump cut is a cut to later action from one filmed scene to the next, creating an effect of discontinuity oracceleration. A jump cut is a cut in film editing in which two sequential shots of the same subject are takenfrom camera positions that vary only slightly. This type of edit causes the subject of the shots to appear to"jump" position in a discontinuous way

Cutting is used to:

change the scene; compress time; vary the point of view; or build up an image or idea.

There is always a reason for a cut, and you should ask yourself what the reason is. Less abrupt transitionsare achieved with the fade, dissolve, and wipe

Crosscutting is an editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time intwo different locations. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which cansuggest the simultaneity of these two actions but this is not always the case.

Suspense may be added by cross-cutting. It is built through the expectations that it creates and in the hopesthat it will be explained with time. Cross-cutting also forms parallels; it illustrates a narrative action that happenin several places at approximately the same time. For instance, in D.W. Griffith's A Corner in Wheat (1909), thfilm cross-cuts between the activities of rich businessmen and poor people waiting in line for bread. This creata sharp dichotomy between the two actions, and encourages the viewer to compare the two shots. Often, thiscontrast is used for strong emotional effect, and frequently at the climax of a film. The rhythm of, or length oftime between, cross-cuts can also set the rhythm of a scene. Increasing the rapidity between two differentactions may add tension to a scene, much in the same manner of using short, declarative sentences in a workof literature.

Parallel editing is an editing technique that allows two or more simultaneous sets of action to unfold within asingle film sequence. It creates tension, can show multiple points of view, and can create dramatic irony whenthe characters are unaware of events unfolding away from the main action. For example, parallel editing can bused to link two related sets of simultaneous action taking place in different locations: Jimmy is searching forMichael and Billy while they are arguing about a stowaway in their car. This creates tension through dramaticirony, as the audience knows Jimmy is closing in, Michael and Billy do not.

Cutaway is a shot in which the camera view is reframed to give the audience information that was previously

outside of the camera's view. Often used to reveal something.

Editing


8/9

Insert is a shot of part of a scene filmed from a different angle and/or focal length from the master shot. Insertcover action already covered in the master shot, but emphasise a different aspect of that action due to thedifferent framing. An insert differs from a cutaway as cutaways cover action notcovered in the master shot.

Insert shots are often shots of close ups. For example, CLOSE-UP of a woman crying, INSERT of her handclutching a letter, TWO SHOT of her friends watching anxiously, INSERT of the clock ticking.

Fade: A transition to or from "nothing". In audio, fade is to or from silence. In film, fade is to or from a colour

such as black. Fades and dissolves are gradual transitions between shots. In a fade the picture graduallyappears from (fades in) or disappears to (fades out) a blank screen. A slow fade-in is a quiet introduction to ascene; a slow fade-out is a peaceful ending. Time lapses are often suggested by a slow fade-out and fade-in. dissolve (or mix) involves fading out one picture while fading up another on top of it.

Dissolve is a gradual scene transition. The editor overlaps the end of one shot with the beginning of the nextone. Distorts sense of realism. Defocus or ripple dissolves are sometimes used to indicate flashbacks in time

Wipe is visible on screen as a bar travelling across the frame pushing one shot off and pulling the next shot inplace. Rarely used in contemporary film, more common in films from the 1930s and 1940s.

Superimposition

Long take is a single shot (or take, or run of the camera) which lasts for a relatively lengthy period of time. Thlong take has an 'authentic' feel since it is not inherently dramatic.

Short take is a single shot which can be used to represent changes in action or ideas.

Slow motion is actionwhich takes place on the screen at a slower rate than the rate at which the action tookplace before the camera. This is used to:- make a fast action visible- make a familiar action strange- emphasise a dramatic moment. It can have a lyric and romantic quality or it can amplify violence.

Ellipsis and expansion of time means shortening or lengthening time through editing

Post-production means editing techniques applied on iMACs

visual effects: eg transitions

Sound


9/9

Diegetic sound is can be heard IN the action eg actors voices, music on a stereo in the action Non-diegetic sound is sound that CANNOT be heard in the action eg instrumental music to create

dramatic effect Synchronous/asynchronous sound - the sound matches the action/or not. Sound effects Sound motif means repetition of symbolic sound Sound bridge is sound that bridges two different scenes

Dialogueis characters speech Voiceover is a narrator commenting on the action eg in a reality TV documentary Mode of address/direct address Sound mixing Sound perspective Soundtrack terms: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound. Pitch meanshigh / low key Pace means speed (of music)

Mise-en-Scne: everything in the scene

Production design: location, studio, set design, properties (props) High key (bright) lighting Low key (shadowy lighting) Colour design makeup / costume

a2 media terminology

Documents