Film Curriculum 2007 Update
General Course Objectives/Rationale: The purpose of this course is to examine
how film/television has grown into the predominant storytelling medium of today.
We will trace the ancestry of film through books, plays, art, comic strips, and
graphic novels to learn the traditional ways that mankind has captured and
interpreted fiction and history to portray the human experience. Moreover, we
will be examining the tools, techniques and practices of writers, directors, editors,
actors and even the audience use to bring forth life from a celluloid image.
State Standards
1.1 Learning to read independently
1.2 Reading critically in all content areas
1.3 Reading, analyzing and interpreting literature
1.4 Types of writing
1.5 Quality of writing
1.6 Speaking and listening
Unit 1- Film Fundamentals
Content
Manos: Hands of Fate (Mystery Science Theatre 3000)
“Nightmare at 30,000 Feet”-short story by Richard Matheson (Packet)
Nightmare at 30,000 Feet, Twilight Zone (Tv. 1963) and/or (film 1984)
Spider-man (2002) Dir. Sam Raimi PG-13
Film review
a. Introduction and Purpose of Unit/Objectives
1. The purpose of this unit is to introduce the most common tools of a film
maker
2. Independently analyze a film review for its effectiveness a piece of
persuasive writing as defined by the PSSA persuasive scoring rubric
3. Review of all camera angles and special effects as story telling tools,
especially perspective shots.
Assessment
Objective test on terminology with essays analyzing specific use in the films
showed in class.
Unit 2 Adaptations
Content
Dracula - Bram Stoker excerpts from novel
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) film Dr. F.F. Coppola
“Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” (Novella from King’s Different
Seasons)
Shawshank Redemption 1994 Dr. F. Darabont
Wizard of Oz- Novel L. Frank Baum (excerpts)
Wizard of Oz- Film 1939 Dir. Victor Fleming G
Gone with the Wind- Margaret Mitchell (excerpts)
Gone with the Wind- Film (1939) Dir. Victor Fleming G
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (excerpts)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) Dir.
Andrew Adamson PG
Assessment
1. Objective quiz/test on the important background information for each film
1. Independent assignment-read a novel independently and present film
version segments with important connections and discuss
director/screenwriter use of artistic license to bring the work to the screen.
Unit 3 Re-imaginings/Conceptualizations
Purpose/Objectives
1. Analyze more fully director/screenwriter use of artistic license to bring the
elements of a particular work to the screen.
Content
Scrubs 100th episode season 5 (Wizard of Oz reinterpretation) 2005
Novel Emma by Jane Austen (excerpts)
Clueless 1995 Dir. Amy Heckerling PG-13
Macbeth (excerpts)
Scotland, Pa (Macbeth reinterpretation) 2001 Dir. Billy Morrissette R
(appropriate clips)
Taming of the Shrew (excerpts)
10 Things I Hate About You (Taming reinterpretation) 1999 Dir.Gil Junger PG-13
Selected stories from 9 Stories by J.D. Salinger
Royal Tannenbaums dr. Wes Anderson 2001 R (appropriate clips)
Assessment
Essay- Focus on one of the re-imaginings and discuss how it was faithful to its
source material while still presenting its own life as an artistic product. Cite
specific differences and outline how they effect the reception of the work.
Thematic: Coming of Age/ Initiation
Purpose/Objectives
1. Analyze the techniques used in coming of age stories in both literature and
film.
2. Cite classic coming of age novels as background for the comparisons
including Huckleberry Finn
3. Analyze the role of parent figures/role models in each film, especially in A
Bronx Tale, and the lack of these figures in the other films.
4. Compare the Novella the body with its film version Stand By Me
5. Compare the differences in social expectations between males and females
especially in Virgin Suicides.
Content
Novella- The Body by Stephen King
Bronx Tale
Stand By Me
Virgin Suicides
Assessment
Compose an essay outlining defining moments in the transition to adulthood in
each film. Compare the plight of the protagonists with each other and those of
classic literature citing specific. Also explore the importance of role models in
this transition.
Thematic: Power of Individual
Purpose/Objectives
1. Explore the common literary theme of one man versus society and how an
individual can function as catalyst for change.
2. Explore historical figures that have made a tangible impact on the world.
Content
Chocolate War
Literature Connection: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Erin Brockovich
Dead Poets Society (1989) Dir. Peter Weir PG
Mona Lisa Smile (2003) Dir. Mike Newell PG-13
Cool Hand Luke
Shawshank Redemption
Angus (1995) Dir. Patrick Read Johnson PG-13
Literature Connection: “A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune” by Chris
Crutcher (short story).
Assessment
Essay topic- Provide an example of someone in “real life” (past or present) who
changed the world for the better. What qualities does this person have that are
similar to the qualities of one of the characters in this film unit?
Thematic: Conformity
Text: Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman
Mean Girls (2004) Dir. Mark Waters PG-13
Swing Kids (1993) Dir. Thomas Carter PG-13
Graduate (1967) Dir. Mike Nichols PG (novel by Charles Webb)
Garden State (2004) Dir. Zach Braff R
Saved! (2004) Dir. Brian Dannelly PG-13
The Breakfast Club (1985) Dir. John Hughes R
Assessment
Essay topic-As a teenager, discuss the role pressure to conform to the societal
“norm” shapes one’s character. Cite specific examples of characters in the films
that broke the barriers of conformity and explore how they did so.
Thematic: Archetypes /Fate vs. Free Will
Purpose/Objectives
1. Analyze the mythological foundations of literature and film.
2. Examine common archetypes of the hero, villain, sage and commoner as seen
in literature and film via Star Wars, History Channel documentary SW Legacy
Revealed
3. Examine the struggle of characters against seemingly inescapable fate in both
mythological and modern settings
4. Examine use of design and special effects to heighten
otherworldly/mythological elements of Star Wars films.
5. Discuss George Lucas’s film influences, including Kurasawa and the 1940’s
Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials .
Resources
Joseph Campbell- Hero of a Thousand Faces, Power of Myth, or various articles
on mythological Archetypes
Star Wars Films Episodes III-VI
Star Wars the Legacy Revealed History Channel Documentary
Stranger than Fiction 2006 Dir. Marc Forster PG-13
The Princess Bride (1987) Rob Reiner PG
Segments from Kurasawa’s Hidden Fortress (Optional)
Batman Begins (2005) Dir. Christopher Nolan PG-13
Assessment
1. Write an essay on other major films that utilize archetypes in their own
way, such as The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, The Matrix Trilogy, The
Princess Bride, Excalibur, or other works of Arthurian Legend, fantasy
etc.
2. Write an essay on other major films that utilize the struggle of fate versus
free will in their own way, such as The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, The
Matrix Trilogy, Excalibur, Donnie Darko or other appropriate films.
3. Write an essay defining the impact of George Lucas and his films on
modern directors and films in terms of story, directing, special effects and
marketing.
Thematic Unit: Positions of Power
Purpose/Objectives
1. Read segments of Il Principo (The Prince) by Niccolo Machiavelli to
understand its connection to the political/economical trappings of western
government, dictatorships and organized crime.
2. Examine Coppola’s study of family structure versus criminal organization
structure.
3. Compare the recommendations of Machiavelli with the actions taken by
various members of the Corleone family.
4. Analyze the director’s use of music, camera work and symbolism to
discuss why it is called the greatest film ever made.
5. Examine how leaders use public opinion to gauge their decision-making,
and how a fickle public can bring about the downfall of leaders
Resources:
Machiavelli Il Principo- excerpt -Rules for leadership
Princeton essay (http://www.princeton.edu/~ferguson/adw/prince.shtml)
Godfather, Godfather II (optional)
The Queen (2006) Dir. Stephen Frears PG-13
Marie Antoinette (2006) Dir. Sofia Coppola PG-13
Assessments
1. Essay- Discuss how Vito and Michael secure and maintain their position of
authority as outlined in Machiavelli’s Prince.
2. Watch and review the Godfather trilogy and analyze how Coppola portrays
themes such as corruption of innocence, the trappings of power, and passage of
roles from fathers to sons.
Hitchcock – Masterworks and Influences
Purpose/Objectives
1. Outline Hitchcock’s position as the premier director of the early and mid
twentieth century and the creator of the Suspense Thriller genre.
2. Discuss Hitchcock’s innovations in editing, cinematography, costuming,
color scheme, and the role of director.
3. Examine film as a form of Voyeurism especially in Psycho and Rear
Window
4. Explore themes and terms including: Macguffin, Spiral Shot, Vertigo Shot
Possible misogyny etc.
5. Examine directors who have most closely followed in Hitchcock’s
footsteps such as M. Night Shyamalan, David Fincher etc.
Content
North by Northwest
Read Window
Psycho
Vertigo
The Village (2003) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan PG-13
(optional additions/replacements)
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Dial M for Murder
Rebecca
Marnie
Rope
39 Steps
Sixth Sense (1999) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan PG-13
Unbreakable (2000) Dir. M. Night Shyamalan PG-13
The Others (2001) Dir. Alejandro Amenabar PG-13
Red Eye (2005) Dir. Wes Craven PG-13
Literature connection: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson (short story to show
author’s use of suspense)
Assessment
1.Objective test
2. Specifically outline Hitchcock’s influence on later directors mentioned in the
unit and find critical essays/reviews to solidify this point.
Unit- Film as Text- Re-Imagining
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Dir. Frank Capra G
The Family Man (2000) Dir. Brett Ratner PG-13 (modernization of It’s a
Wonderful Life)
Foreign Films – Translating Truth
Purpose/Objectives
1. The purpose of this unit is to broaden student awareness of other cultures.
2. Increase students’ ability to appreciate film as a universal art form will be
enhanced though this unit.
3. Increase awareness of the important facets of the history and culture of
other countries through imagery and dialogue.
4. Students will explore the effectiveness of satire and parody as seen in
other cultures.
Content
Life Is Beautiful (1997) Roberto Begnini PG 13
Au Revior Les Enfantes (1987) Louis Malle PG
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Guillermo Del Torro R
Rashomon (1950) Akira Kurosawa PG 13
Spirited Away (2001) Hayao Miyazaki PG
Assessment
Essay prompt- Examine how each of the films were both emblematic of their
individual culture and yet universal.
Humor: Satire/Spoof Unit
Purpose/Objectives
1. Understand the definition of satire and how it applies to both film and
literature.
2. Explore the similarities and differences between satire and the “spoof”
genre of film.
3. Distinguish between a “spoof” and a satire.
Content
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) Dir. Michael Patrick Jann PG-13
Best in Show (2000) Dir. Christopher Guest PG-13
Spaceballs (1987) Dir. Mel Brooks PG
UHF (1989) Dir. Jay Levey PG-13
Literature connection: “A Modest Proposal”- Jonathan Swift
Assessment: Which comedies were most effective at a broad-based level and
which were most pointed toward at a specific audience? Also, which techniques
(such as irony, exaggeration and satire) made these comedies effective?
*Supplemental material may be added to each unit as long as the integrity of the
unit is followed, and in the case of R-rated films, permission is obtained by
department chair, curriculum coordinator, or administrator. The listed films are
intended as options and not all may be covered as long as the objective of the unit
is met successfully. New material is constantly being produced; therefore, the
course is intended to evolve accordingly, in order to keep the course relevant.
Student essays will be assessed by using the appropriate PSSA scoring rubric.
Sun Valley High School
Film as Literature
Writing about Film
And
Glossary of Terms
Materials gained before editing from
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/humanities/film.shtml
The Challenges of Writing About Film
What's so hard about writing about film? After all, we all "know" movies. Most of
us could recite the plot of Independence Day with greater ease than we could
recite the Declaration of Independence. We know more about the characters who
perished on Cameron's Titanic than we know about many of the people who
inhabit our own lives.
But it's precisely our familiarity with film that presents us with our greatest
writing challenge. Film is so familiar and so prevalent in our lives that we are
often lulled into passive viewing (at worst) or into simple entertainment (at best).
As a result, certain aspects of a film are often "invisible." Caught up in the
entertainment, we sometimes don't "see" the camera work, composition, editing,
lighting, and sound. Nor do we "see" the production struggles that accompany
every film - including the script's many rewrites, the drama of getting the project
financed, the casting challenges, and so on.
However, when your film professors ask you to write about film, it's precisely
those "invisible" aspects that they want you to see. Pay attention to the way the
camera moves. Note the composition (the light, shadow, and arrangement of
things) within the frame. Think about how the film was edited. In short, consider
the elements that make up the film. How do they function, separately and
together? Also think about the film in the context when it was made, how, and by
whom. In breaking down the film into its constituent parts, you'll be able to
analyze what you see.
As you analyze and write about film, remember that you aren't writing a review.
Reviews are generally subjective: they explore an individual's response to a film
and so do not require research, analysis, and so on. As a result, reviews are often
both simplistic (thumbs up, thumbs down) and "clever" (employing the pundriven or sensational turns of phrase of popular magazines). While reviews can be
useful and even entertaining pieces of prose, they generally don't qualify as
"academic writing."
We aren't saying that your individual and subjective responses to a film are
useless. In fact, they can be most informative. Being terrified when you watch The
Blair Witch Project can be the first step on the way to a strong analysis.
Interrogate your terror. Why are you scared? What elements of the film contribute
to your terror? How does the film play with the horror and documentary genres in
order to evoke a fear that is fresh and convincing? And so on.
Kinds of Film Papers
Film Studies is a broad and fascinating field. The variety of its scholarship reflects
that. Below are some of the kinds of papers you might be asked to write in a Film
Studies course:
Formal Analysis
A formal analysis of a film or films requires that the viewer breaks the film down
into its component parts and discusses how those parts contribute to the whole.
Formal analysis can be understood as taking apart a tractor in a field: you lay out
the parts, try to understand the function and purpose of each one, and then put the
parts back together.
In order to do a convincing formal analysis, you'll need to be familiar with certain
key terms (outlined for you in the glossary). Returning to the tractor analogy: it's
helpful to be able to understand and to use terms like "carburetor" when you take
a tractor apart - especially if you hope to explain your process to an onlooker.
Film History
All films are deeply involved in history: they reflect history, influence history,
have history. A film like Gone With the Wind not only tells a story of the South
during the Civil War, but (more importantly) it reflects the values and ideas of the
culture that produced it, and so can be understood as an historical document.
All films are part of our culture's history. They derive from and contribute to
historical events. War films, for example, take their substance from historical
events. They also influence those events - by influencing wartime audiences to
rally behind the troops, or to protest them.
But films also have their own histories:
1. All films have production histories, which involve the details of how and
why and when they were made. Production problems often (if not always)
affect what we see on the screen.
2. All films have distribution and release histories: some films are released to
different generations of audiences, to wildly different responses; other
films are banned because they threaten certain cultural values. (Thailand,
for example, banned both The King and I and the recent Anna and the
King because, in the estimation of the Thais, the films were disrespectful
to their royalty).
3. Finally, all films should be understood in the larger context of film history.
A particular film might "make" history, through its innovations, or it
might reflect certain historical trends.
Ideological Papers
Even films that are made to entertain promote some set of beliefs. Sometimes
these beliefs are clearly political, even propagandistic: Eisenstein's Potempkin, for
example, is a glorification of Soviet values. Other films are not overtly political,
but they still promote certain values: Mary Poppins, for example, argues for the
idea that fathers need to take a more active interest in their families.
It's important to remember, when watching a film, that even films whose purpose
it is to entertain may be promoting or even manipulating our feelings about a
certain set of values. Independence Day, for example, is entertaining, in part,
because it plays on our feelings of American superiority and "never say die." An
analysis of the film benefits from a consideration of these values, and how they
are presented in the film.
Cultural Studies / National Cinemas
Films reflect the cultures and nations in which they were produced. Hollywood
films, one might argue, reflect certain things about our nation's culture: our love
of distraction, our attraction to adrenaline and testosterone, our need for good to
triumph over evil, and our belief that things work out in the end.
Other cultures and nations have different values and so produce different sorts of
films. Sometimes these films baffle us. We might watch a French film, for
example, and wonder why it's funny. Or we might watch a Russian film and
wonder why the director never calls for a close up. These observations are in fact
excellent starting places. Consider differences. Find out if these differences reflect
something about the national character, or if they reflect trends in the national
cinema. You may find that you have something interesting to say.
Discussion of the Auteur
Auteur criticism understands a film as the product of a single person and his
vision. In most cases, this person is the director. Auteur criticism is useful because
it helps us to understand, for example, what makes a certain film a "Spielberg"
film. However, auteur criticism is often based on the erroneous assumption that
films are like novels - that is, that one person retains authorship and control.
Film is a collaborative medium. It's important to understand that no one person
can control the product. The Director of Photography, the screen writers (often
many), the wardrobe and make-up people, the head of the studio - all these and
others have a hand in determining the final product of film.
Still, auteur criticism is widely practiced and is useful in helping us to understand
the common themes and aesthetic decisions in films by the same director (or
producer, or star). Keep in mind, however, that the best of the auteur criticism
draws on other sources, like film history or formal analysis, in order to insure that
the paper is not simply an examination of the private life or the psychology of the
auteur.
Prewriting Strategies
Before you can write about a film you must, of course, view the film.
Accordingly, the best prewriting strategy you can have is to be a careful and
observant viewer. However, when viewing a film we don't always have time to
study particular images and cameria techniques. This problem is less significant if
we have access to videos, which permit us to review a scene again and again.
Still, you'll sometimes be asked to write about a film that you'll see only once.
How can you prepare yourself so that your observations will be sharp? What
knowledge can you bring to a film that will inspire a thoughtful and focused
analysis?
The Elements of Composition
Film is an incredibly complex medium. Just take a look at the credits at the end of
any film. Each of the people listed there has contributed something essential to the
film's production - from lighting, to sound, to wardrobe, to editing, to special
effects. Because there's so much to talk about, you'll have to be selective if you
want to write a good, focused essay.
If you are a novice to writing about film, take the time to familiarize yourself with
the film terms listed in the attached glossary. Knowing the terms sometimes helps
you to see them on the screen. You'll begin to "see" the difference between a
cutaway and a jump cut, or between a dissolve and a fade. Make sure you have a
working understanding of how all the major components of film - writing, acting,
lighting, composition, editing, sound, and so on - work together to create what
you see on the screen.
Then, when sitting down to watch a particular film, choose from among these
many elements one or two that interest you. Is the editing particularly effective?
Focus on that and don't struggle to take note of the lighting. Do you find the
director's use of jump cuts innovative? Watch closely when these cuts occur.
Perhaps the director has used jump cuts consistently whenever characters are
engaged in intimate conversations. What is he trying to convey through this
technique?
If you are entirely unfamiliar with a film and aren't sure what you should be
looking for, ask your professor. She should be able to point you to those scenes or
techniques that deserve special attention.
Annotating Shot Sequences
Whenever you prepare to write a paper, you take notes. However, when analyzing
a film, you may want to take a very particular sort of notes in which you annotate
a shot sequence or scene.
Annotating a scene involves labeling each shot in a sequence. For example, a
scene may begin with an establishing shot, which segues into a dolly shot. The
dolly shot comes to rest in a medium shot of the main character, who is looking
off frame. Next comes a reverse angle subjective close-up shot, which dissolves
into a montage.
Labeling each of these shots - preferably using a system of abbreviations for
efficiency's sake - enables you to keep track of the complex sequence of shots.
When you review your annotations, you might see a pattern of camera movement
and editing decisions (or, on the other hand, some unusual variation in the pattern)
that better helps you to understand 1) how the director crafted his film, and 2)
why the film has a certain effect on the audience.
Think Beyond the Frame
So far, we've been advising you to consider the formal aspects of a film's
composition. However, as we pointed out earlier, you can write about film in
several ways. Sometimes you will want to "think beyond the frame," and to
consider questions about how the film was made, its historical context, and so on.
For example, ask yourself:

Who made the film?
Find out who directed the film, and what other films this director made. If
you've seen some of these other films, you'll have a better understanding
of the themes and genres that the director is interested in.

What is the production history of the film?
See if you can find out anything about the conditions under which the film
was made. Apocalypse Now, for example, has an interesting production
history, in terms of its financing, casting, writing, and so on. Knowing
something about the film's production can help you to understand some of
the aesthetic and cinematic choices that the director has made.

What do the critics and scholars say?
Reading what others have said about the film before you see it may help
you to focus your observations. If a film is particularly well known for the
editing of a certain scene (the shower scene in Hitchcock's Psycho, for
example), you'll want to pay close attention to the editing when you view
the film.

What can you learn from the film's genre?
Before you see the film, think a bit about the norms and limitations of its
genre. When you view the film, you can then consider how these
limitations are obeyed or stretched. For example, Clint Eastwood's
Unforgiven is a western that challenges its genre's typical notions of good
guy vs. bad guy. Knowing how this dynamic plays itself out in other
westerns helps you to understand and to appreciate Eastwood's
accomplishment.

Does the film reflect an interesting cultural phenomenon?
Sometimes a professor will ask you to watch certain films because he
wants you to examine a cultural phenomenon - for example, the
phenomenon of stardom. Accordingly, you might watch The Scarlet Letter
with the idea of viewing it as a "star vehicle," contributing to Demi
Moore's star persona. Note that this sort of paper may also be a discussion
of formal analysis: for example, you might discuss how Demi Moore was
lit in certain scenes to emphasize her position as Hollywood star.
Research Tips
The most important research tip that we can offer you here is: don't rely on the
Internet. While the Internet can provide some interesting information about film,
it generally doesn't provide you with the thoughtful analysis that will be useful to
you in your work.
It's best, then, to take a trip to the library and to get your hands on books and
journals.
Writing Tips
In many ways, writing a paper about film is no different from writing other kinds
of papers in the Humanities. You need to focus your topic, write a good thesis
sentence, settle on a structure, write clear and coherent paragraphs, and tend to
matters of grammar and style.
In some other ways, however, writing a paper about film has some challenges of
its own. We've collected a few tips here:

Don't simply summarize the film.
Your professors have seen the film; you don't need to recount the plot to
them. They are looking for analysis, not summary.

Don't simply summarize the use of camera angles or editing
techniques.
You've annotated shot sequences in order to find something to say about
them. Don't simply transcribe your annotation and call it a paper. Rather,
posit something about what the director is trying to achieve, or the effect
that this shot sequence has upon the audience.

Don't limit yourself to a discussion of plot and characters.
Some students come to film criticism trying to employ the techniques
they've used to analyze novels in their English classes. They focus on
analyzing the characters, themes, and plot. Film Studies papers focus on
different elements of composition, as discussed above.

Avoid the "I."
It's too easy to slip into a subjective "reviewer's" stance when you use the
"I" in your criticism. Try to find a more objective way of beginning your
sentences than "I found" or "I feel."
Citing Sources
As in any discipline, it's essential to cite any sources that you use. Film critics cite
sources using the citation method of the MLA (Modern Language Association).
Glossary of Film Terms
A
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Aspect Ratio: The height-to-width ratio of the projected screen image.
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Back Lighting: Lighting which comes from directly behind the subject,
placing it in silhouette.
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Camera Angle: The position of the camera in relation to the subject
determines the camera angle.
1. High angle means that the camera is looking down at the subject.
2. Low angle means that the camera is looking up at the subject.
B
C
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Cinema Verite: A way of filming real-life scenes without elaborate
equipment, playing down the technical means of production (script,
special lighting, etc.) and emphasizing the "reality" of the screen world.
Close-Up: A shot in which a face or object fills the frame. Close-ups
might be achieved by setting the camera close to the subject or by using a
long focal-length lens.
Composition: The arrangement of all the elements within the screen
image to achieve a balance of light, mass, shadow, color, and movement.
Continuity Editing: A style of editing that maintains a continuous and
seemingly uninterrupted flow of action.
Crane Shot: A moving shot taken on a specially constructed crane,
usually from a high perspective.
Cross-Cutting: Jumping back and forth between two or more locations,
inviting us to find a relationship between two or more events.
Cut:
1. Noun: A transition made by editing two pieces of film together.
2. Verb: To edit a film by selecting shots and splicing them together.
Cutaway: In continuity editing, a shot that does not include any part of
the preceding shot and that bridges a jump in time or other break in the
continuous flow of action.
D
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Day for Night: Simulating night through use of filters and underexposure.
Deep Focus: A technique in which objects in the foreground and the
distant background appear in equally sharp focus.
Depth of Field: Distance between the nearest and furthest points at which
the screen image is in reasonably sharp focus.
Dissolve: Editing technique in which one shot is gradually merged into the
next by the superimposition of a fade-out or fade-in.
Dolly Shot: A shot taken while the camera is in motion.
Dub: To record dialogue or sound to match action in shots already filmed.
Dutch Tilt: A wildly tilted image, in which the subject appears on the
diagonal or off-balance.
E
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F
Edit: The splicing together of separate shots.
Establishing Shot: A shot showing the location of the scene or the
arrangement of the characters. Often the opening shot of a sequence.
Extreme Long Shot: A shot notable because of the extreme distance
between camera and subject.
Eye-Level Shot: A shot taken at the height of normal vision.
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Fade: An optical event used as a transition, in which the image on screen
gradually goes to black (fade-out) or emerges from black (fade-in).
Fast Motion: Representing a shot as taking place at a higher speed than it
did in reality.
Flat Lighting: The distribution of light within the image so that bright and
dark tones are not highly contrasted.
Flashback: A shot or sequence that takes the action of the story into the
past.
Flash-Forward: A shot or sequence that takes the action of the story into
the future.
Form Cut: A cut from one scene to the next on the basis of a similar
geometrical, textural, or other compositional value.
Frame:
1. Noun: One single picture on a piece of motion picture film.
2. Noun: The boundaries of the screen image.
3. Verb: To compose a shot to include, exclude, or emphasize certain
elements.
Freeze-Frame: An optical effect in which the action appears to come to a
dead stop, achieved by printing a single frame many times in succession.
G
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Glass Shot: A shot in which part of the background is painted or
photographed in miniature on a glass lid and placed in front of the camera
so as to blend in with the rest of the image.
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Hand-Held Shot: A shot made with the camera held in hand, not on a
tripod or other stabilizing fixture.
High-Key Lighting: Distributing light within the image so that the bright
tones predominate.
H
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I
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Iris: A decorative transition in which the image seems to disappear within
a growing or diminishing circle. Commonly used in silent films.
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Jump Cut: A cut that jumps forward within a single action, creating a
sense of discontinuity.
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Long Shot: A shot taken with the camera at a distance from its subject.
J
L
M
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Mask Shot: A shot in which a portion of the image is blocked off by
means of a matte over the lens, altering the shape of the frame.
Medium Close-Up: A shot taken with the camera at a slight distance from
the subject. In relation to an actor, "medium close-up" usually refers to a
shot of the head, neck, and shoulders.
Medium Long Shot: A shot taken with the camera at a distance from the
subject, but closer than a long shot.
Medium Shot: A shot taken with the camera at a mid-range point from
the subject. In relation to an actor, "medium shot" usually refers to a shot
from the waist or knees, up.
Montage:
1. French: The joining together or splicing of shots or sequences - in
a word, editing.
2. American: A rapid succession of shots assembled, usually by
means of super-impositions and/or dissolves, to convey a visual
effect, such as the passing of time.
O
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Opticals: Any device carried out by the film laboratory and requiring the
use of an optical printer. Dissolves, fades, and wipes fall under this
category.
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Panning Shot: A shot in which the camera remains in place but moves
horizontally on its axis so that the subject is constantly re-framed.
Parallel Shot: When two pieces of action are presented alternately, to
suggest that they occur simultaneously.
Process Shot: See Rear Projection.
P
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R
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S
Reaction Shot: A shot of a person reacting to the main action as a listener
or spectator.
Rear Projection: A trick shot in which the subject is filmed against a
background that is itself a motion picture screen. Upon this screen another
image - either moving or still - has been projected as a backdrop. Also
known as a process shot.
Reverse-Angle Shot: A shot taken by a camera positioned opposite from
where the previous shot was taken.
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Score: Music composed for a film.
Set: An artificially constructed environment in which action is
photographed.
Slow Motion: Representing a shot as taking place at a slower speed than it
did in reality.
Soft Focus: A strategy whereby all objects appear soft because none are
perfectly in focus. Used for romantic effect.
Sound Track:
1. A recording of the sound portion of a film.
2. A narrow band along one side of a print of film in which sound is
recorded.
Split Screen: The division of the projected film frame into two or more
sections, each containing a separate image.
Stock Shot: A shot taken from a library of film footage, usually of famous
people, places, or events.
Subjective Shot: A shot that represents the point of view of a character.
Often a reverse angle shot, preceded by a shot of the character as he or she
glances off-screen.
Superimposition: A shot in which one ore more images are printed on top
of one another.
Swish Pan: A shot in which the camera pans so rapidly that the image is
blurred.
T
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Telephoto Shot: A shot in which a camera lens of longer-than-normal
focal length is used so that the depth of the projected image appears
compressed.
Tilt Shot: A shot in which the camera remains in place but moves
vertically on its axis so that the subject is continually re-framed.
Titles: Credits. In silent film, "titles" include the written commentary and
dialogue spliced within the action.
Tracking Shot: A shot in which the camera moves parallel to its moving
subject.
Travelling Shot: A shot taken from a moving object, such as a car or
boat.
V
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Voice-Over: Commentary by an unseen character or narrator.
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Wide-Angle Shot: A shot in which a camera lens of shorter-than-normal
focal length is employed so that the depth of the projected image seems
protracted.
W
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Wipe: A transition from one shot to another in which one shot replaces
another, horizontally or vertically.
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Zoom: The simulation of camera movement toward or away from the
subject by means of a lens of variable focal length.
Z
* This glossary was adapted from materials distributed to film students by the Film Department
at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Important Webestites
- Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com
-
The Greatest Films of All Time http://www.filmsite.org/films.html