Film TerminologyA 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)

StoryAll 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)

PlotThe 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.

PlotThe 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 shotsExtreme 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