FilmFilm

The Life of a FilmThe Life of a FilmFilm Terms and TechniquesFilm Terms and Techniques

The Life of a FilmThe Life of a Film

Pre-production (Obtaining / Pre-production (Obtaining / Developing)Developing)

Production (Shooting)Production (Shooting) Post-production (Editing)Post-production (Editing)

Pre-production: the Pre-production: the planning stageplanning stage

Development: person / company buys the Development: person / company buys the rights to a literary work (screenplay or rights to a literary work (screenplay or outline)outline)

Scriptwriters are hired to improve the Scriptwriters are hired to improve the workwork

Once the owner decides to film… Once the owner decides to film… personnel is hiredpersonnel is hired Director, business manager, talent, talent Director, business manager, talent, talent

agents, lighting designers, sound engineers, agents, lighting designers, sound engineers, accountants, special effects coordinators, etc.accountants, special effects coordinators, etc.

ProductionProduction Dailies: the day’s (or night’s) shootingDailies: the day’s (or night’s) shooting Each night the director and staff review the Each night the director and staff review the

dailiesdailies Problems: bad weather, talent forgetting Problems: bad weather, talent forgetting

lines, technical glitches (ie. Uncontrollable lines, technical glitches (ie. Uncontrollable outside noise or equipment malfunction)outside noise or equipment malfunction)

Music is composed and recorded (The Score)Music is composed and recorded (The Score) Computer generated special effects designedComputer generated special effects designed Publicity strategies are mapped outPublicity strategies are mapped out

Post-production: EditingPost-production: Editing

Splicing: film is cut and arranged Splicing: film is cut and arranged Director and editor must decide on the Director and editor must decide on the

order of the shotsorder of the shots Transition techniques:Transition techniques: Cut – piece of film literally cut and Cut – piece of film literally cut and

spliced to another piece of filmspliced to another piece of film Dissolve – current shot gets lighter and Dissolve – current shot gets lighter and

fades away while the next shot appears fades away while the next shot appears and gradually takes over the screenand gradually takes over the screen

Adding SoundAdding Sound

Ambient sounds: sounds that occur Ambient sounds: sounds that occur naturally in the course of a scene’s naturally in the course of a scene’s actionaction

Looping: actors watch themselves Looping: actors watch themselves on a small screen in a recording on a small screen in a recording studio and speak their lines; studio and speak their lines; they’re lip-syncing with themselvesthey’re lip-syncing with themselves

The ScoreThe Score

Promotion and DistributionPromotion and Distribution

Trailers: coming attractionsTrailers: coming attractions Print ads: Advertisements Print ads: Advertisements

appearing in newspapers and appearing in newspapers and magazinesmagazines

PostersPosters PreviewsPreviews

Film Terms and Film Terms and TechniquesTechniques

Cinematography: how Cinematography: how the film was the film was

photographedphotographed

CinematographyCinematography Frame: an individual picture, or exposure, on Frame: an individual picture, or exposure, on

a strip of film. Film passes through camera at a strip of film. Film passes through camera at 24 frames per second (fps)24 frames per second (fps)

Shot: the basic unit of film; any continuous Shot: the basic unit of film; any continuous piece of unedited film (average length is 20 –piece of unedited film (average length is 20 –30 seconds long)30 seconds long)

Scene: a group of interrelated shots taking Scene: a group of interrelated shots taking place in the same locationplace in the same location

Sequence: a group of interrelated scenes that Sequence: a group of interrelated scenes that form a natural unit in the story. For example, form a natural unit in the story. For example, an elevator scene, a fight scene, and a car an elevator scene, a fight scene, and a car chase may all be part of an escape sequence.chase may all be part of an escape sequence.

DistanceDistance Long Shot (LS): shows the main visual subject of the Long Shot (LS): shows the main visual subject of the

shot in its entire surroundings (ex: a swimmer in a shot in its entire surroundings (ex: a swimmer in a public pool showing the entire pool) ; also called public pool showing the entire pool) ; also called ‘establishing shot’‘establishing shot’ Extreme Long Shot (ELS): For example, a shot taken from a Extreme Long Shot (ELS): For example, a shot taken from a

helicopterhelicopter Medium Shot (MS): shows the main subject in its Medium Shot (MS): shows the main subject in its

immediate surroundings (ex: the swimmer in the pool immediate surroundings (ex: the swimmer in the pool with only a portion of the pool visiblewith only a portion of the pool visible

Close-up (CU): shows just the main subject (ex: only Close-up (CU): shows just the main subject (ex: only the swimmer is visible)the swimmer is visible) Extreme Close-up (ECU): For example, just the swimmer’s Extreme Close-up (ECU): For example, just the swimmer’s

faceface

Establishing Shot Establishing Shot (or Extreme Long Shot)(or Extreme Long Shot) Shot taken from a great distance, Shot taken from a great distance,

almost always an exterior shot, almost always an exterior shot, shows much of localeshows much of locale

ELSELS

Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

Long Shot (LS)Long Shot (LS) (A relative term) A shot taken from (A relative term) A shot taken from

a sufficient distance to show a a sufficient distance to show a landscape, a building, or a large landscape, a building, or a large crowdcrowd

Austin Powers andthe Spy Who Shagged Me

Medium Shot (MS)Medium Shot (MS)

(Also relative) a shot between a (Also relative) a shot between a long shot and a close-up that long shot and a close-up that might show two people in full might show two people in full figure or several people from the figure or several people from the waist upwaist up

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Close-Up (CU)Close-Up (CU)

A shot of a small object or face A shot of a small object or face that fills the screenthat fills the screen

Adds importance to object Adds importance to object photographedphotographed

Under Pressure

Extreme Close-Up (ECU)Extreme Close-Up (ECU)

A shot of a small object or part of a A shot of a small object or part of a face that fills the screenface that fills the screen

The Saint In London

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Over the Shoulder ShotOver the Shoulder Shot

Usually contains two figures, one Usually contains two figures, one with his/her back to the camera, with his/her back to the camera, and the other facing the cameraand the other facing the camera

Hollow ManCast Away

AngleAngle

Low angle (LA): camera is lower Low angle (LA): camera is lower than the subject and looks up at than the subject and looks up at the subject (makes the subject the subject (makes the subject look powerful)look powerful)

Extreme low angle (ELA): camera Extreme low angle (ELA): camera is directly below the subject is directly below the subject looking straight up at itlooking straight up at it

Low Angle (l/a)Low Angle (l/a)

Camera is located below subject Camera is located below subject mattermatter

Increases height and powerIncreases height and powerof subjectof subject

The Patriot

Angle (continued)Angle (continued) Flat angle (FA): camera is at the same level Flat angle (FA): camera is at the same level

as the subject (eye-level shot); these are as the subject (eye-level shot); these are neutral shots and don’t convey any neutral shots and don’t convey any particular sense about the strength or particular sense about the strength or weakness of the subject.weakness of the subject.

High angle (HA): camera is higher than the High angle (HA): camera is higher than the subject and looks down at the subject; subject and looks down at the subject; makes the subject look inferior and makes the subject look inferior and insignificant – conveys weakness and / or insignificant – conveys weakness and / or defeatdefeat Extreme high angle (EHA): camera is directly Extreme high angle (EHA): camera is directly

above the subject looking straight down at itabove the subject looking straight down at it

““Eye-Level”Eye-Level”

Roughly 5 to 6 feet off the ground, Roughly 5 to 6 feet off the ground, the way an actual observer might the way an actual observer might view a sceneview a scene Most commonMost common

High Angle (h/a)High Angle (h/a)

Camera looks down at what is Camera looks down at what is being photographedbeing photographed

Takes away power of subject, Takes away power of subject, makes it insignificantmakes it insignificant

Gives a general overviewGives a general overview

Without Limits

Bird’s Eye ViewBird’s Eye View

Camera is placed directly overheadCamera is placed directly overhead Extremely disorientingExtremely disorienting Viewer is godlikeViewer is godlike

Beverly Hills Girl Scouts

Oblique AngleOblique Angle

Lateral tilt of the camera soLateral tilt of the camera sothat figures appear to bethat figures appear to befalling out of the framefalling out of the frame

Suggests tensionSuggests tensionand transitionand transition

Sometimes used asSometimes used asthe point of viewthe point of viewof a drunkof a drunk

The Matrix

MovementMovement

Pan: camera remains in place but Pan: camera remains in place but swivels from side to side; used to swivels from side to side; used to survey a scene or capture survey a scene or capture horizontal motion (example – horizontal motion (example – camera is located in the middle camera is located in the middle bleacher section, pan left as the bleacher section, pan left as the swimmer passes by in the pool)swimmer passes by in the pool)

Track: entire camera actually Track: entire camera actually moves to the left or right, also moves to the left or right, also capturing horizontal movement.capturing horizontal movement. Motion of the camera is parallel to the Motion of the camera is parallel to the

motion of the subject.motion of the subject.

MovementMovement

Zoom: camera remains in place, but the Zoom: camera remains in place, but the lens of the camera is manipulated to lens of the camera is manipulated to create the appearance of moving closer create the appearance of moving closer or farther away from the subject; used or farther away from the subject; used for dramatic effectfor dramatic effect

Dolly: camera moves toward or away Dolly: camera moves toward or away from the subject; differs from a zoom in from the subject; differs from a zoom in that it leaves more of the background that it leaves more of the background visible than the zoomvisible than the zoom

MovementMovement

Tilt: camera remains in place but Tilt: camera remains in place but pivots up or down; gives the viewer pivots up or down; gives the viewer a trip up or down a building, a trip up or down a building, person, or other vertical objectperson, or other vertical object

Boom: camera, usually mounted on Boom: camera, usually mounted on a crane or hydraulic arm, moves up a crane or hydraulic arm, moves up or down; can also move sideways or down; can also move sideways while moving up and downwhile moving up and down

MovementMovement

Subjective: camera shows what the Subjective: camera shows what the character seescharacter sees The camera is meant to take the The camera is meant to take the

place of the character’s eyes. place of the character’s eyes. Subjective shots often are not Subjective shots often are not perfectly smooth; they might bounce perfectly smooth; they might bounce up and down a little to show that the up and down a little to show that the character whom we’re seeing through character whom we’re seeing through is walking (also known as point of is walking (also known as point of view [POV])view [POV])

MovementMovement

Point of View (POV)Point of View (POV)

A shot taken from the vantage A shot taken from the vantage point a particular character, or point a particular character, or what a character seeswhat a character sees

Getting from Getting from Scene to Scene to SceneScene

CutCut

Transition between scenes when Transition between scenes when one scenes ends and another one one scenes ends and another one beginsbegins

Most commonMost common

DissolveDissolve

A gradual transition in which the A gradual transition in which the end of one scene is superimposed end of one scene is superimposed over the beginning of a new one.over the beginning of a new one.

Fade-out/Fade inFade-out/Fade in

A scene gradually goes dark or a A scene gradually goes dark or a new one gradually emerges from new one gradually emerges from darknessdarkness

WipeWipe

An optical effect in which one shot An optical effect in which one shot appears to push appears to push appears to push appears to push the preceding one from the screen.the preceding one from the screen.

IrisIris

An optical effect in which one shot An optical effect in which one shot appears to emerge from a shape appears to emerge from a shape on the screen.on the screen.