Media Definitions

Give a full definition of each technique

1) Extreme Close-up: Emphasises a portion of the face, a small detail.

2) Pace: To increase the pace, you decrease the length of the shot. To decrease the pace, you increace the length of the shot.

3) Low angle shot: Camera positioned low, looking up. Emphasises the size of the object in frame.

4) High angle shot: Camera positioned high, looking down. Emphasises the vulnerability of the object or person in focus.

5) Music: This usually ties in with the action. It can be used to let the audience know what is about to happen or to affect their emotions. The music heard at the start of a film sets the tone for the whole film and is sometimes repeated at important times throughout. There are many different types of music used in films:

6) Sound Effects: Sound effects - noises other than the spoken voice.

7) Pan: Camera swivels slowly, giving a sweeping view of a wide area.

8) Zoom: A smooth change in focal length to make the objects in the frame appear to come closer or recede. The camera does not move.

9) Tracking shot: Camera moves along a track on a dolly, keeping pace with a moving object which is being filmed.

10) Performance (of actor/s): How an actor performs the part of the film that is needed. Includes how well they act, remember and fit into the character.

11) Special effects (usually digital): Illusions created for films, usually done by computer graphics. Eg, spaceship flying through space in warp speed.

12) Backlighting: A light high up behind the scene. A stronger, lower backlight gives a silhouette effect ad the subject creates a halo effect and gives depth to the

13) Dialogue/script: A conversation between two or more people.

14) Mise en scene: The composition, the placement of objects within the frame, the setting, the lighting, what is happening.

15) Cross-cutting: Cutting back and forth between two scenes to create the impression that they are happening at the same time. Again, this is often used to point to a contrast