Cinema

1. Cinema • Cinema is aesthetic communication through the design of time and three-dimensional space compressed into a two-dimensional image.

2. Techniques of Presentation • Narrative- this technique tells a story, using the techniques of theatre. This type of film follows literary construction in that it begins with expository material, adds levels of complications, builds to a climax, and ends with a resolution of all the plot elements. • Documentary- this type attempts to record actuality using either a sociological or journalistic approach. It does not use reenactment by professional actors and is often shot as the event is occurring. • Absolute- this film exists for its own sake, to record movement or form. There is no story and rarely runs longer than twelve minutes (one reel) and has no commercial intent.

3. Shots • Shot- what the camera records over a period of time: the basic unit of filmmaking • Master shot- a single shot of an entire piece of action, taken to facilitate the assembly of the component shots of which the scene will be composed • Establishing shot- a long shot introduced at the beginning of a scene to establish the relationship between time & place, which will then be elaborated upon during subsequent shots

4. More shots • Long shot- a shot taken with the camera at a considerable distance from the subject • Close-up- a shot taken with the camera quite near the subject • Two shot- a close-up of two persons with the camera as near as possible while still keeping both subjects within the frame • Bridging shot- a shot inserted in the editing of a scene to cover a brief break in the continuity of the scene

5. Editing • The editing process creates or builds the film. Artists rarely record cinema in the order of its final presentation. They film it in bits and pieces and put it together • Plasticity is 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

6. Editing: How the film is put together • Cut- the joining together of shots during the editing process • Jump cut- a cut that breaks the continuity of time by jumping forward from one part of the action to another that is separated by an interval of time, location, or camera position • Form cut- cuts from an image in a shot to a different object that has a similar shape or contour, and is used to create a smoother transition

7. Director films -then arranges the segments • Montage- compression or elongation of time; also rapid succession of images to illustrate an idea or create comparisons • Crosscutting- alternates between separate actions related by theme, mood, or plot but usually within the same time period

8. Camera movement- adds variety & impact • Track- shot taken as the camera moves in the same direction and speed as the object • Pan- rotates the camera horizontally, while remaining fixed vertically • Zoom- moves the camera toward or away from the subject

9. Viewpoint: elaborates on director’s ideas • Objective viewpoint- allows us to watch the action as a universal spectator • Subjective viewpoint- present the scene as if we are actually participating in it

10. Camera Focus • Depth of focus- clear focus of images both near and far • Differential focus- focuses on one element within a shot, while other parts are left out of focus

11. Dissolves: Smooth Transitions • Transitional devices can be worked into a scene during the editing and usually indicate the end of one scene and the beginning or another. • The camera can cut or jump to the next scene, but a smoother transition occurs if the scene fades out into black and the next scene fades in. This is a dissolve. • As viewers, we need to develop an awareness of how the director articulates movement from one section to another and how that form of articulation contributes to the rhythm and style of the film.

12. Types of Dissolves • Lap dissolve- occurs when the fade-out and the fade-in are done simultaneously and the scene momentarily overlaps • Wipe- a line moves across the screen, eliminating one shot and revealing the next • Iris-out or iris-in- a transition is created by the closing or opening the aperture of the lens

13. Sensory Impact • The aim of film and all arts is to involve us in its product, either emotionally or intellectually. Filmmakers enhance their final product by using techniques that manipulate us toward a deeper involvement or heightened intellectual response. • Cross-cutting –alternates between two separate actions related by theme, mood, or plot but usually within the same time period. Its most common function is to create suspense

14. Tension • Tension release- if the plot of a film is believable and the director talented a feeling of tension will be built up. If this becomes too great, the viewers seek some sort of release to break the tension and destroy the atmosphere.

15. Magnitude & Scale • Magnitude- large panoramas and full-scale action scenes do not translate effectively to TV. TV films should be built around the close-up and concentrated action and movement because the TV audience is closer to than image.

16. Accepted Practices • Convention- accepted practices of the medium. We do not ask where the orchestra is playing when music enhances an exciting chase scene, or a performer begins singing in a musical film- we accept the background music as part of the totality of the film

17. Dynamics • Structural rhythm- this reflects the manner in which the various shots join together and juxtapose with other cinematic images, both visual and aural. The filmmaker creates a rhythm and pattern based on the way they choose to tell the story and indicate deeper meanings and relationships • Symbolic images- are used by filmmakers to direct our attention to the ideas inherent in the philosophical approach underlying the film (hero dressed in white, villain dressed in black)

18. Audio Techniques In addition to dialogue, audio techniques are used to • create symbolism • to reinforce the emotional quality of a scene • for stronger emphasis

19. More About Audio • Abrupt cutting done to beat of a soundtrack • Sound effects- amplified ambient or accompanying sound • Audio motif to introduce visual elements or convey meaning symbolically • Create sentimentality by accompanying dialogue with certain songs • Changing the tempo and timbre of songs replayed during scenes

20. Critical Viewing • Cinematic style impact • Characters with complex inner lives • Relevance to the times: response to social conditions • Integrity: serious problems have believable solutions • Avoidance of stereotypes • Gravity of theme- timeless subjects