Literary techniques
This literary technique compares two different things using "like" or "as."
Simile
This camera shot zooms in on a character's face to show their emotions clearly.
close up
When a word or phrase is repeated, it grabs the audience’s attention and does this to the message.
to emphasize that point
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" is an example of this technique that repeats initial consonant sounds.
Alliteration
This technique shows a series of short clips edited together, often to show the passage of time or progress, like in training scenes.
montage
This device hints at future events, building this emotion in the audience.
to increase suspense
In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is not really dead, but Romeo doesn't. This is an example of what type of irony?
Dramatic irony
Footsteps, dialogue, or a car engine that characters in a film can hear are all examples of this type of sound.
diagetic sount
When the audience knows something the characters don’t, it can create humor or this deeper emotion.
to create tension or empathy
This technique repeats soft "s" or "sh" sounds for effect, like in "she sells sea shells by the seashore."
Sibilance
This tilted camera shot is used to create a feeling of unease, tension, or disorientation.
dutch angle
When a story works on two levels—surface and symbolic—it can make readers reflect on real-world issues and this.
in order to the audience a moral lesson
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, a clock strikes the hour—despite clocks not existing in ancient Rome. This is an example of this literary technique involving a historical inconsistency.
Anachronism
Used in film noir, this lighting technique features strong contrasts between light and dark to create a dramatic mood.
Chiaroscuro Lighting
When nature or the environment reflects a character’s emotions, this device deepens the audience’s emotional connection by doing this.
to show the charachter's feelings or to reflect the mood