Topics: Art › Theater
Type: Narrative Essays
Sample donated: Melinda Harris
Last updated: April 23, 2019
What is cinema
is aesthetic communication through the design of time and three-dimensional space compressed into a two dimensional image
persistence of vision
the motion picture does not really move but only seems to
three basic cinema technigues
narrative, documentary, absolute cinema
Narrative Cinema
tells story in many ways, it uses the technique of theater
Documentary Cinema
attempts to record actuality using primarily either a sociological or journalistic approach
Absolute Cinema
it does not tell a story, although documentary techniques can be used in some instances.
Created on a editing table, usually doesn’t last more than 12 minutes.
plasticity
the quality of film that enables it to be cut, spliced, and ordered according to the needs of the film and the desires of the filmmaker.
The cut
joining together of shots during the editing process
jump cut
is a cut that breaks the continuity of time by jumping forward from one part of the action to another part that obviously is separated from the first by an interval of time, location, or camera position.
Form cuts
cuts from an image in a shot to a different object that has a similar shape of contour it is used primarily to make a smoother transition from one shot to another
Montage
can be considered the most aesthetic use of the cut in film.
master shot
is a single shot of an entire piece of action taken to facilitate the assembly of the component shots of which the scene will finally be composed
establishing shot
is a long shot introduced at the beginning of a scene to establish the interrelationship of details, a time, or a place, which will be elaborated on in subsequent shots.
long shot
is a shot taken with the camera a considerable distance from the subject
medium shot
is a shot taken nearer to the subject
close up shot
shot taken with camera close to subject
two shot
is a close up of two persons with the camera as near as possible.
objective view point
reflects an omnipotent viewer, roughly analogous to the technique of third person narrative in literature.
subjective viewpoint
they present the scene as if we were actually participating in it, and present the action from the filmmaker’s perspective.
depth focus
shows both near and distant objects
rack or differential focus
main object stays clear while rest does not
track
is a shot taken as the camera moves in the same direction of the subject at the same speed
pan
rotates the camera horizontally while keeping it fixed vertically
tilt
is a shot taken while moving the camera vertically or diagonally
dolly shot
moves the camera toward or away from the subject
zoom shot
using focal lenses so camera does not have to move
crosscutting
alternates between two separate actions related by theme, mood, or plot but usually occurring within the same period of time.
tension release
that deliberately draws laughter from the audience, but at a place in the film where they wish them to laugh.
direct address
it constitutes a convention in most films that the actors rarely look at or talk directly to the audience.
structural rhythm
the manner in which the various shot join together an juxtapose with other cinematic images, both visual and aural
symbolic images
used to direct our attention to the ideas inherent in the philosophical approach underlying the film