Mise-en-scene
These objects are purposely placed in a film set to develop plot, reveal character traits, and indicate genre.
What are props?
The plot of this genre typically follows an underdog overcoming long odds to win a final big game.
What is Sports?
This transition lightens a shot from black at its beginning, ushering in a new scene.
What is a fade-in?
This shot offers a character’s perspective, often used when someone looks off-screen and we see what they’re seeing.
What is a point-of-view (POV) shot?
harsh, unpleasant notes often used to signal unease or tension.
What is dissonance?
This acting style attempts to closely mimic everyday life, making performances feel authentic and believable.
What is realism?
This character type in horror films is often the last survivor, famously known as the “final girl.”
What is the Final Girl?
This editing method compresses on-screen time, presenting an action in less time than it occurred in the narrative.
What is elliptical editing?
This vertical movement tilts the camera up or down to emphasize scale or setting.
What is a tilt?
This type of sound does not originate within the story world, such as background music or narration.
What is non-diegetic sound?
This essential lighting method uses three sources key, fill, and backlight to enhance depth and visibility.
What is three-point lighting?
Horror films rely heavily on setting to create fear like isolated locations, such as a haunted house or abandoned factory.
What is a haunted house?
A transition that gradually darkens the end of a shot to black, often signaling the end of a scene or chapter.
What is a fade-out?
A shot taken from an overhead perspective, often mimicking a bird’s-eye view.
What is an aerial shot?
This type of sound exists within the world of a film meaning characters can hear it.
What is diegetic sound?
This element of film design reflects period and genre, showing how a character’s personality and circumstances evolve.
What are costumes?
A historical setting for Western films, featuring covered wagons, railroads, tumbleweeds, and saloons.
What is the American frontier?
A transition where the end of one shot briefly overlaps with the beginning of the next, suggesting a passage of time.
What is a dissolve?
A simple movement where the camera rotates horizontally on a stationary tripod.
What is a pan?
The frequency of a sound, affecting whether it feels aggressive or ominous.
What is pitch?
Unlike naturalistic lighting, this method alters color, shape, and intensity to create an unrealistic or stylized visual effect.
What is expressionist lighting?
One of the earliest film genres, it romanticized expansion while reinforcing racial stereotypes.
What is Western?
This technique intercuts between two or more scenes occurring simultaneously in different locations, heightening suspense or paralleling action.
What is cross cutting?
A camera support system allowing smooth handheld tracking shots without shakiness.
What is a Steadicam?
This sound design technique recreates everyday noises in post-production for enhanced realism.
What is Foley?