Glossary of media termonology

Composition:

Rule of thirds

Imagining a grid on a shot, points of interest occur where the lines cross. This creates emphasis on what's important in the shot.

The golden mean

A diagonal line over a composed shot, points of interest occur on this line. This shows the audience what should be the main subject.

Framing

Choosing what to include and what to leave out in a shot and can have caution of space around a specific object to show importance.

Types of shot:

Extra long shot

The subject of the shot isn't clearly visible, it is often used to show establishment for the audience and can be used to show a location.

Long shot

This is used to show a character or object in their environment, shows the audience the subject and the location.

Mid shot

This shot shows the main subject in more detail and is used as an 'emotionally neutral shot', it also allows some gestures and movement.

Medium close up

This is used to show the subjects facial expressions clearly. This can create a realistic atmosphere for the audience as they are vaguely aware of the emotions of the subject showing understanding of the event.

Close up

This creates emphasis on a specific feature of the subject, it typically takes up most of the shot, it shows the emotional state of the subject which could create sympathy from the audience.

Extreme close up

This shot is used to show the extreme and precise detail of the subject but this camera shot is too close for gestures so it focusses specifically on a feature to show the audience what is important.

Cut away

This is a shot of something thats an addtion to the main subject and is used as a buffer between shots, it creates a questionable tension to the audience making them question what relevance it has to the event.

Two shot

it is typically a mid shot consisiting of two people and is commonly used to show establishment to the audience of the relationship between both subjects, this can either be a strong or opposing relationship between each other.

Over the shoulder

This shot face towards a main subject over the shoulder of another significant character, the main subject takes up 2/3 of the frame and it can be used to establish the position of both characters during the event of the film.

Noddy shot

The noddy shot is most commonly used during an interview, it shows the interviewers reaction to the response of the subject being interviewed. This can create a biased atmosphere to the audience to cause them to agree with the interviewee more.

Point of view

This shows the current event within a film through the main subjects eyes, it shows their perspective of the event and makes the audience feel more interactive with whats happening.

Camera movement:

Low angle shot

This shot is to show the subject as a powerful figure whereas the audience is appeared as recessive, it creates the effect thatthe audience is looking up to something.

 

High angle shot

This is opposite to the low angle shot so that the audience is seen as more dominant and the subject as weak and more vulnerable.

 

Pan (panoramic)

Panoramic is a steady shot and moves at the same level, it can either move from left to right or right to left.

 

Tracking shot

This is used to follow and track the movement of the main subject, this can be used during a chase of a film. It also gives the sense of speed and movement of the action for the audience.

 

Tilt

This is a panoramically vertical camera movement, it moves up and down the subject to show appearance and it can give the audience a sense of the height size or appreciation of the subject.

 

Canted shot

A 'wonky' and unbalanced shot of a subject which isn't directly facing them, it can be used to create the impression that a subject is losing conciousness or is in danger.

 

Zoom in/out

The zooming technique is used to focus on a particular detail with many surroundings such as a person within a busy street, zooming in to out is typically used more frequently than the reversed movement.

 

Steadicam/handheld

This is a movement of a person that follows the action of an event by hand, this can create a more realisitic movement for the audience to follow.

 

Crane shot

This is an extreme long shot, in perespective distance of a crane and is a high angle shot looking down on the subject.

 

Ariel shot

This shot is positioned in s helicopter to emphasise on the distance from the camera and the location/subject.

 

Transitions:

Crosscut

Where it goes back and forth between several different shots at a certain pace, this may be used in a chase scene to show the fast pace between the protagonist and the antagonist.

 

Crossfade

A gradual fade from one shot to the next and can also be known as a mix or a dissolve transition. It is similiar to a crosscut but is much slower, it can create a relaxed mood for the audience as it is typically used on a peaceful event.

 

Fade

Can be used to signal the ending or beginning of a scene or the opening of a subjects eyes, The shot fades into one block of colour or the colour fades into a shot.

 

Wipe

Where one shot is repeatedly replaced with another shot in a geometric pattern, it can be used to show the audience the change of the location or environment.

 

Digital effects

This transition uses colour replacement, animated effects, pixelization and focus drops, these are usually inserted during post production of a film.