CRIB SHEET
Missed some notes in class? Hopefully the following crib sheet can help you in review:
The five essentials to a great film:
Compelling story
Good acting
Attention to detail
Special effects
Framing
Literary terms and film:
Plot – What happens in the story
Exposition – the beginning of the story where we meet the main characters and determine what the norm is for that character. NOT what is normal in your view, but what is typical for that character.
Norm – The way of life for a character
Upset – The event (or events) that happens for a character relatively early in the film, that changes that characters norm in some way. The rest of the movie is often about what the character does, or has to do to get that upset returned to norm, or to a new stage of norm (depending on the story).
Setting – Where the story takes place
Character – Who the story is about, and all the other people who are part of the main character’s story.
Symbol – Something that represents something else. In movies, this can be subtle. Birds and rain are often used to symbolize something else.
Theme – The idea of the story - Answers what kind of moral, or example, the movie is trying to make. Make sure you have at least three examples from the film to support your idea. Consider answering question on social commentary as a means to identify theme.
Camera angles, Shots, Cinematic Terms:
SHOTS:
Extreme long shot – establishes scene, usually exterior, little detail
Long Shot – Focus on characters some background details visible.
Medium Shot – Figures seen from waist up. Dialog scenes, minimal background
Close-up – Very little background, specific detail on mise en scene, magnifies object, into the mind of the character.
Extreme Close-up – Extreme version of close-up. Used for effect, artificial shot.
CAMERA ANGLES:
Bird’s eye view – scene from directly overhead
High angle – Crane used to give general overview. Character becomes wider part of wider picture
Low angle – Used to create height. Sense of confusion to viewer. Background tends to be sky/ceiling
Eye Level – Neutral shot. Human “observes” scene
Canted Angle – Tilted camera, suggests imbalance. Often used in horror films for effect.
EDITING TECHNIQUES: How the shots are put together
CUT: A change between two different shots
JUMP CUT: The elimination of unnecessary action from a continuous shot. The joining of two shots that do not match in action.
Mise en scene: The way a director communicates an idea, feeling, or tone WITHOUT the use of dialogue. Can be done with colors, symbolic items, or what you see in a frame.
Montage: A series of shots edited into a sequence that condenses space, time and information. Usually shows the passing of time or the development of a relationship.
CAMERA MOVEMENTS:
Seven basic methods: Pans, tilts, dolly shots, hand-held shots, crane shots, zoom lens and aerial shot
The five essentials to a great film:
Compelling story
Good acting
Attention to detail
Special effects
Framing
Literary terms and film:
Plot – What happens in the story
Exposition – the beginning of the story where we meet the main characters and determine what the norm is for that character. NOT what is normal in your view, but what is typical for that character.
Norm – The way of life for a character
Upset – The event (or events) that happens for a character relatively early in the film, that changes that characters norm in some way. The rest of the movie is often about what the character does, or has to do to get that upset returned to norm, or to a new stage of norm (depending on the story).
Setting – Where the story takes place
Character – Who the story is about, and all the other people who are part of the main character’s story.
Symbol – Something that represents something else. In movies, this can be subtle. Birds and rain are often used to symbolize something else.
Theme – The idea of the story - Answers what kind of moral, or example, the movie is trying to make. Make sure you have at least three examples from the film to support your idea. Consider answering question on social commentary as a means to identify theme.
Camera angles, Shots, Cinematic Terms:
SHOTS:
Extreme long shot – establishes scene, usually exterior, little detail
Long Shot – Focus on characters some background details visible.
Medium Shot – Figures seen from waist up. Dialog scenes, minimal background
Close-up – Very little background, specific detail on mise en scene, magnifies object, into the mind of the character.
Extreme Close-up – Extreme version of close-up. Used for effect, artificial shot.
CAMERA ANGLES:
Bird’s eye view – scene from directly overhead
High angle – Crane used to give general overview. Character becomes wider part of wider picture
Low angle – Used to create height. Sense of confusion to viewer. Background tends to be sky/ceiling
Eye Level – Neutral shot. Human “observes” scene
Canted Angle – Tilted camera, suggests imbalance. Often used in horror films for effect.
EDITING TECHNIQUES: How the shots are put together
CUT: A change between two different shots
JUMP CUT: The elimination of unnecessary action from a continuous shot. The joining of two shots that do not match in action.
Mise en scene: The way a director communicates an idea, feeling, or tone WITHOUT the use of dialogue. Can be done with colors, symbolic items, or what you see in a frame.
Montage: A series of shots edited into a sequence that condenses space, time and information. Usually shows the passing of time or the development of a relationship.
CAMERA MOVEMENTS:
Seven basic methods: Pans, tilts, dolly shots, hand-held shots, crane shots, zoom lens and aerial shot