Verisimilitude: Think ‘very similar’ - the appearance of being real or true. Motion pictures have a high degree of verisimilitude - that is, the audience can easily suspend disbelief and enter the film makers synthetic reality because motion pictures have the greatest illusion of spacial depth, sound, light, & time. Motion pictures have “presence”.
Cinematography: Literally means writing with motion. The art and process of recording visual images for the cinema using a camera. Closely related to photography
Videography: Same as cinematography but using video
Motion Picture Camera: A camera that records motion pictures. Basically consists of a lens, a shutter, a black box and a film carrying system.
Projector: The motion picture viewing device. It has an internal lamp that illuminates the film and a lens that enlarges it on a screen.
Lens: a piece of glass or other transparent substance with curved sides for concentrating or dispersing light rays, used singly (as in a magnifying glass) or with other lenses (as in a telescope). The light gathering device on the camera.
Focal Length: the length of the lens measured from the front of the lens system to the area of the film plane of focus. The longer the lens, the narrower the angle of view. The shorter the lens, the wider the angle of view. Focal length is usually given in millimeters. The 55 millimeter lens on a 35 mm film camera provides a scale equal to the eye. That means, if you look through the camera and open both eyes, the objects will appear to be the same size.
Angle of View or Angle of Coverage: The amount of area that is horizontally visible when you look through the lens. A long, or telephoto lens has a very narrow angle and a wide angle lens has a very wide angle.
Lens Angles: Wide angle, normal angle, long angle. Wide angle lenses exaggerate the depth or Z axis; long angle lenses compress the depth and give your image a flat appearance.
Zoom Lens: Many lenses has adjustable focal length (all camcorders lenses have this feature). By turning the zoom ring, or pressing the zoom button, you can change the focal length from a wide to long angle and vise versa.
Depth of Field: The depth of field (DOF) is the distance in front of and behind the subject which appears to be in focus. For any given lens setting, there is only one distance at which a subject is precisely in focus, but focus falls off gradually on either side of that distance, so there is a region in which the blurring is tolerable. This region is greater behind the point of focus than it is in front, as the angle of the light rays change more rapidly; they approach being parallel with increasing distance. All photographs are two dimensional images of a three dimensional world. Lens have a limit to how much of the depth, or Z axis can be focused. This limit is called the depth of field. If you focus on a close-up, you will have a background that is out of focus. If you focus on the background you will have a foreground that is out of focus.
Camcorder: A combination of a video camera and a video recorder. Before the camcorder, there was a separate video camera and recorder.
Shot: A single, continuous recording made with a camera. When you start and stop the camera you have made a shot.
Frame: The individual single image. On a still camera the frame and the shot are the same. Still cameras record on frame per shot. Motion picture cameras record multiple frames. Frame rates for video cameras are approximately 30 frames per second. Motion picture film cameras have variable frame rates depending on the needs of the cinematographer but the normal speed is 24 frames per second. Slow motion cameras will film thousands of frames per second. Video slow motion is not true slow motion.
Act: a set of scenes which form a cohesive whole. Almost all film made by Hollywood have a three act structure. That is, a beginning which introduce the story universe, a middle - the extended struggle, and the end - the climax and resolution.
Animation: The technique of filming successive drawings or positions of puppets or models to create an illusion of movement when the movie is shown as a sequence. Digital animation is the manipulation of electronic images by means of a computer in order to create moving images.
In drawn animation, moving characters are often shot “on twos”, that is to say, one drawing is shown for every two frames of film (which usually runs at 24 frames per second), meaning there are only 12 drawings per second. Even though the image update rate is low, the fluidity is satisfactory for most subjects. However, when a character is required to perform a quick movement, it is usually necessary to revert to animating “on ones”, as “twos” are too slow to convey the motion adequately. A blend of the two techniques keeps the eye fooled without unnecessary production cost.
Animation for most “Saturday morning cartoons” is produced as cheaply as possible, and is most often shot on “threes”, or even “fours”, i.e. three or four frames per drawing. This translates to only 8 or 6 drawings per second.
Motion Pictures: Sets of images that give the appearance of motion. Flip books, photographic film, video, digital images.
Movie: a story or event recorded with motion picture technology. Can also be called a motion picture.
Narrative: A spoken or written account of connected events. The film narrative is the story told both visually and verbally. Some films have narrators who help tell the story, but the visual elements are still necessary in the total narrative. Poor scripts are heavy in expository devices built in to the dialogue. For example, character A gives away too much of character by stating the obvious to character B. Character A might say, “you graduated from commando school in 1994, then you went on a mission to save humanity from virus X, then you divorced your second husband and became a...” and on and on. Good scripts allow the audience to become involved in the story and guess what might happen later. Plot points and character development are subtly revealed rather than obviously stated.
Persistence of Vision: If you look at a burst of light that lasts 1/60th of a second, it will appear to have lasted longer. The brain has “recorded” and briefly retained the image after the light appeared. This perceptual process, allows us to see a series of images viewed in rapid succession as motion and allows us to see motion pictures as a smooth, continuous motion. Without persistence of vision we would have a strobe effect while watching a film. The frequency at which flicker becomes invisible is called the flicker fusion threshold and is dependent on the level of illumination.
Sequence: A sequence is a series of shots and/or scenes which form a distinct narrative (story) unit, usually connected either by unity of location or unity of time. For example a heist film might include an extended recruitment sequence in which the leader of the gang collects together the co-conspirators, a robbery sequence, an escape sequence, and so on. Each of these sequences might further contain sub-sequences; for example the robbery sequence might consist of an entry sequence, a safe-cracking sequence, and so on.
The sequence is one of a hierarchy of structural units used to describe the structure of films in varying degrees of granularity. Analyzed this way, a film is composed of one or more acts; acts include one or more sequences; sequences comprise one or more scenes; and scenes may be thought of as being built out of shots (if one is thinking visually) or beats (if one is thinking in narrative terms).
Scene: One or more related shots that usually involve the same location.
Screenplay: Another term for the script of a movie.
Story: An account of imaginary (characters) or real people and events told for entertainment.
Story Board: A series of drawings from our story visualizations resembling a comic book. Storyboard artists depict the look of the character, the lighting, the emotional gestures, and choreography. Storyboards are used by the director and cinematographer to set up the shots.
Character: A person, mythical being, extraterrestrial, animal, cyborg, robot, or android who plays a part in your film. The cast of characters usually do no include no speaking extras who play crowd scenes or fill in backgrounds. Usually characters have speaking roles.
Script: The actual written text of the movie. It includes descriptions of scene and action as well as dialogue and narration. On average, one page of script equals on minute of film time.
Visualization: During the story creation process we create mental pictures of the scenes depicted in our creative thoughts. We pre-visualize what we want to show after we visualize a scene we should attempt to create it on paper through the drawing process.
Static Camera: A camera mounted on a tripod in a fixed position. All the motion is in front of the camera rather than being caused by the camera.
Pan: The horizontal movement of the camera. Used to follow an action or show a panorama.
Tilt: the vertical motion of the camera. Use to follow an up and down action or give the viewer the feeling of looking up or down. Camera follows a falling object compared to camera moving from sidewalk to window to feature a character.
Long Shot.: Not to be confused with a long lens, a long shot shows the entire setting or location. Often used for the establishing shot.
Medium Shot: A full body shot or a group shot. Usually you show the entire person or object.
Close Up: You show the face of a character, or the object the character is holding, the computer screen rather than the entire computer.
Establishing Shot: The first shot of a scene. It establishes the location. For example, to begin a scene in a parking lot, you photograph a panorama of the entire lot. Or if your scene begins in Sacramento, you show the Sacramento skyline.
Point of View or POV: A point of view shot (also known as POV shot) is a short scene in a film that shows what a character is looking at. It is usually established by being positioned between a shot of a character looking at something, and a shot showing the character’s reaction.
A POV shot need not be the strict point of view of an actual single character in a film. Sometimes the point of view shot is taken over the shoulder of the character, who remains visible on the screen. Sometimes a POV shot is “shared” (“dual” or “triple”), i.e. it represents the joint POV of two (or more) characters. There is also the “nobody POV”, where a shot is taken from the POV of a non-existent character. This often occurs when an actual POV shot is implied, but the character is removed.
Shot Reverse Shot: Shot reverse shot (or shot/countershot) is a film technique wherein one character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character, and then the other character is shown looking “back” at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer subconsciously assumes that they are looking at each other. However, shot reverse shot is also often combined with creative geography to create the sense that two characters are facing each other, when in fact they are being filmed in completely different locations or at completely different times. These techniques are all features of the “classical” Hollywood style of continuity editing, which de-emphasizes transitions between shots such that the audience perceives one continuous action that develops linearly, chronologically, and logically.
Tracking Shot: A tracking shot (also known as a dolly shot or trucking shot) is a segment in which the camera is mounted on a wheeled platform that is pushed on rails while the picture is being taken. This allows the camera to follow or track the action. One may dolly in on a stationary subject for emphasis, or dolly out (Z axis), or dolly beside a moving subject (x-axis).
The tracking shot can be combined with other movements. If there is a crane mounted on the dolly, the camera can rise or fall while tracking. The camera can zoom and dolly at the same time (Stanley Kubrick) invented this technique and fittingly named it “zolly”.)
With the invention of a harness called the Steadicam which allows the operator to carry his camera while a set of counterweights damp the vibrations that would otherwise be caused by his walking or running, smooth hand-held work replaced dolly shots in many movies. “Halloween” was one of the first movies to use the Steadicam constantly.
Tracking shots and Steadicam shots are both sometimes confused with zooms, but it should be noted that they typically look subtly different. A zoom simply magnifies part of the image by moving a lens within the camera; a tracking shot or Steadicam shot involves moving the entire camera. The difference in apparent position caused by the change in focal length will often be so subtle as to go unnoticed.
Zoom in Zoom out: Zoom lenses allow the photographer to continuously change the focal length of the lens to move from wide angle to long angle and vice versa. Not to be confused with dolly in or dolly out. Avoid the use of zoom in your films. It is better to move the camera in or out when ever possible. Zoom is acceptable when filming a speaker at a podium to break the monotony of the scene.
Dolly Zoom: For a special effect, the camera can synchronize the zoom and dolly so the background appears to grow or shrink in relation to the foreground object.
Eye line match: An imaginary line that is drawn from the character’s eye to what ever the character is looking at. The angle of the head of the viewer must match what the character is looking at. If a hilltop is shown, then the character looks up.
X-Axis: The horizontal motion of the frame. We say something moves along the X axis or moves horizontally across the frame.
Y-Axis: The vertical motion of the frame. Objects move up and down along the Y axis.
Z-Axis: The depth of the frame.
Vectors: Any shape within the film space that indicates or creates a direction. In film and video, we design in time as well as space. We use composition to move the viewer through time. Vectors move the eye into the direction you want to send the viewer. Think of shapes in your composition becoming arrows that point the way. Vectors can also keep the eye within a scene, or point to important areas in the scene.
All photography needs light. You cannot film without sufficient lighting. Be aware of where your light is coming from and what kind of light it is.
Key Light: The single, main light source.
Fill Light: The key light source always creates a strong shadow. To remove the shadow, a second light source is used to fill in the shadow with light.
Back Light: A light that is positioned behind the subject. The camera always faces backlight. Try to avoid backlighting unless necessary for your effect. If you are facing the light then it is backlighting.
Existing Light: If you aren’t in control of the lights, then it is existing light. Most amateur video film makers must rely on existing light. This is a major source of continuity errors.
Continuity Editing: the predominant style of film editing practiced by most Hollywood editors. The goal of continuity editing is to make the editing as invisible as possible. The viewer should not notice the cuts, and shots should flow together naturally. Hence, the sequence of shots should appear to be continuous.
Continuity Error: Any mistake in the filming and editing that disturbs the overall continuity. These are commonly changes in lighting, costume and props from one shot to the next when no change is supposed to be made. For example, the actor wears the wrong watch during the reshoot of a scene demanding a close-up of the actor looking at the watch. Transition
Raw Footage: Film or video that has not been edited.
Jump Cut: a cut in film editing where the middle section of a continuous shot is removed, and the beginning and ends of the shot are then joined together. They usually occur within static shots. The technique breaks continuity in time and produces a startling effect. Any moving objects in the shot will appear to jump to a new position. A generic example of a jump cut is a shot in which two actors are talking to each other, with one having his or her hands at her sides. Then, suddenly, although the camera does not move, the actor’s hands are on his or her hips. Another example, which is frequently used in old silent films, is when a magician is making a lady disappear. He makes a gesture with hands and the director yells cut. The magician then holds his position and the lady moves out of frame. The camera is kept in the same place and the director yells action again, the magician continuing with his act. The editor will then cut out all of the frames depicting the lady walking out of frame. When the final cut is played back, it looks as if the lady has disappeared. Classical continuity editing would view a jump cut as an error.
Match Cut: Any cut that does not disturb the continuity of the scene or call attention to the cut itself. A cut from a full shot to a close up will appear seamless and fluid if done correctly. The actions will “match”. The types of match cuts are: 1. Direction Match, 2. Eye Line Match, 3. Shot Reverse Shot, 4. Axis Match, 5. Position Match, 6. Graphic Match, 7. Rhythmic Match.
Cross Cut: Alternation from one line of action to another giving the impression that two or more spatially separated but plot related evens are occurring simultaneously.
Montage: A scene made for numerous shots made to show an obvious passage of time. Usually action shots with music sound track. In film theory, a montage is the assembly of various shots to create a sequence. Montage is the foundation of editing.
Cliche: Any part of content, be it character, action or dialogue, that has been overused to the point of obvious predictability.
Convention: The way anything is normally done. Continuity editing, three act structure, happy endings, exploding cars, establishing shot, are all conventions. Conventions are not rules, but most people follow them because they usually work.
Creative: Creative exist only in film. You use special effects and computer enhancements. Creatives give are any artistic additions that are added in post production.
Establishing Shot: A long shot which positions the characters within the setting. It establishes the when, where, and who of the scene.
Genre: Defines the particular subject matter, for example, Science Fiction, Epic, Mystery.
Icons: Icons are inanimate objects in the film that play an important part in the story. For example, the sword in “Kill Bill” or the guitar case in “El Mariachi”. An object becomes an icon when it plays a distinct role in the film.
Index: An index gives the audience information about elements that can’t be communicated through audio or visual technology. For example, a thermometer reading or sweaty brow will tell the audience the temperature, emotional expression tells us what the character feels. In his film, “Stray Dog” Kurosawa lets us know how hot the temperature with his opening shot of a dog panting.
Look At: The most straight forward and realistic way to shoot a scene. You are showing the scene as closely as the scene would normally look. No embellishments, special angles, or special effects
Look Into: You use camera angle, camera motion and lighting to accentuate the emotional mood of the scene. For example, you might use harsh lighting to accentuate a character’s inner feelings.
Mise en Scene: All the elements in a film that make up the film environment. Includes props, lighting, background, costumes, sound and acting. Mise en Scene style of editing relies more on longer takes that let the audience decide what to look at rather than switching back and forth between shots.
Profilmic: Any object that is placed in front of the camera to be filmed is called profilmic. Includes actors, costumes, props and scenery.
Stereotypes: A simplified mental picture of an individual or group of people who share certain characteristic qualities. They are often used in film productions for dramatic shorthand. Stereotypes are cliche or predictable characters.
Style: A recognizable group of conventions used by filmmakers to add visual appeal, meaning, or depth to their work. It can encompass every aspect of film.
Symbols: Any object in the film that represents a feeling or an idea. The color red might symbolize blood, or a wasp might symbolize aggression.
40/20/40 rule: During a project, 40% of your time is spent in preproduction, 20% in production and 40% in post production.
Preproduction: The planning phase of your project. Includes script writing, storyboards, set and costume design, character development, financial planning, location search etc.
Production: The filming stage of your project
Post Production: The editing, special effects and assembly stage of your project. Also includes promotion and marketing.
Raw Footage: All un-edited and un-assembled footage.
Rough Cut: The first draft of your film. Usually too long or missing important shots for complete continuity. The same as a rough draft in writing except you are using film.