Film Studies 101

Question 1

What are the five elements of film form?

Answer 1

Mise-en-scene, performance, cinematography, editing & sound

Question 2

What does the term ‘mise-en-scene’ mean?

Answer 2

To place in the scene (to stage)

Question 3

What are the key components of mise-en-scene?

Answer 3

Setting, costume, props, colour & light

Question 4

What kind of lighting & colour does mise-en-scene contain?

Answer 4

Diegetic

Question 5

What does diegetic mean?

Answer 5

From the Greek ‘ diegesis’, meaning narrative, it is the ‘story world’ of the film.

Question 6

What is diegetic light?

Answer 6

Diegetic light belongs in the story world e.g. a torch, car headlight.

Question 7

Can the source of diegetic light always be seen?

Answer 7

No, it can also be logically implied e.g. moonlight

Question 8

What are the components of high key lighting?

Answer 8

Key light, fill light and back light.

Question 9

High key lighting is also known as ______ _____ _______

Answer 9

Three point lighting

Question 10

How do you create low key lighting from a standard 3-point lighting scheme?

Answer 10

Remove the fill light

Question 11

What is the Italian term which uses low-key lighting and heavy shadows to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background

Answer 11

Chiaroscuro
https://www.epidemicsound.com/blog/chiaroscuro-lighting/

Question 12

How is a silhouette created?

Answer 12

Through backlighting only - no key or fill light

Question 13

What are the key elements of performance?

Answer 13

Casting (physical appearance), body language, gesture, facial expression, eye contact, proximity & orientation, movement and aspects of speech such as tone, accent, volume etc.

Question 14

What are the three main acting traditions used in film?

Answer 14

Classical (studio), Method (Stanislavski) & Brechtian. We could also consider acting styles within genres (e.g. slapstick comedy, musicals etc.)

Question 15

What is the literal meaning of the word cinematography ?

Answer 15

‘Writing in movement’, as opposed to photography, which means writing in light.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/kinema

Question 16

Identify the six elements of cinematography

Answer 16

Lens inc. focus
Film stock (e.g. B&w, colour, digital, film) Camera distance (shot size)
Camera height/angle
Composition
Camera movement

Question 17

_______ ________ is where everything is in focus from the foreground to the background.

Answer 17

Deep focus

Question 18

What is usually the purpose of shallow focus?

Answer 18

To draw attention to the subject. It can also suggest isolation and other effects.

Question 19

What can a Close Up (CU) do that a long shot cannot?

Answer 19

Show something (often a face) in detail.

Question 20

What can a Medium Shot (MS) provide that a CU or a LS cannot?

Answer 20

A degree of detail and context (background)

Question 21

What does HH mean?

Answer 21

Hand-held

Question 22

Name two camera movements which involve static placement of the camera

Answer 22

Pan and tilt

Question 23

What is a Zolly shot?

Answer 23

A combination of zoom and dolly which gives an optical effect in which the background appears to move whilst the subject remains static.

Question 24

Who famously invented the Zolly shot?

Answer 24

Alfred Hitchcock (with 2nd unit cameraman Irmin Roberts) in Vertigo

Question 25

What is the purpose of a two-shot?

Answer 25

To establish the spatial relationship between two characters.

Question 26

A two-shot is conventionally followed by _____ ____________

Answer 26

Shot-reverse shot

Question 27

What is the term for a shot in which the camera is not parallel to the horizon?

Answer 27

Canted (or Dutch)

Question 28

Name the shot which the camera tripod stays in the same position and the camera head moves from side to side or sometimes a whole 360 degrees.

Answer 28

Pan (or Panorama)

Question 29

A very fast pan is called a ____ ___

Answer 29

Whip pan

Question 30

Name a shot which appears to move but actually only involves a change in the lens

Answer 30

Zoom - often confused with a tracking shot!

Question 31

What does desaturated mean?

Answer 31

When colour is partially or entirely removed

Question 32

What is the difference between monochrome and black & white?

Answer 32

Monochrome can refer to the dominance of one particular colour

Question 33

What is 'day-for-night' filming?

Answer 33

A film shot during the day, but made to look like night time through the use of filters and/or post-production tints.

Question 34

What is the conventional colour for night?

Answer 34

Blue

Question 35

Name the two major editing styles

Answer 35

Montage and Continuity

Question 36

Which editing style belongs in Hollywood?

Answer 36

Continuity

Question 37

Explain the Kuleshov Effect

Answer 37

The juxtaposition of one shot with another, which creates a third meaning.

Question 38

Identify three techniques used in contuinity editing

Answer 38

Three from: Establishing shots 180 rule Shot/reverse shot Cutaways Eyeline match Parallel cutting

Question 39

What is the purpose of an establishing shot?

Answer 39

It helps the audience locate the diegetic space; i.e. it sets the scene for action.

Question 40

Name three commonly used transitions

Answer 40

Cut Fade Dissolve

Question 41

What other features of editing can help to create meaning?

Answer 41

Shot duration Editing tempo Rhythm

Question 42

Is continuity considered realist or expressionist?

Answer 42

Realist - the impression of real time

Question 43

What is normally done to time in film?

Answer 43

It is compressed

Question 44

Name two ways in which time is expanded in film

Answer 44

1. Repetition of action, sometimes from different perspectives 2. Use of slow motion

Question 45

What are the two commonest ways to repeat action?

Answer 45

1. Flashback (analepsis) 2. Flashforward (prolepsis)

Question 46

What are the three ways in which time is manipulated?

Answer 46

Through changes in temporal order, frequency and/or duration

Question 47

Give one example of diegetic sound

Answer 47

E.g. dog bark, dialogue, music from a source, such as a radio.

Question 48

Is VO diegetic or non-diegetic?

Answer 48

Non- diegetic

Question 49

A _____ is written specially for the film and suggests genre, narrative and mood

Answer 49

Score

Question 50

_________________ sound is often non-diegetic but instead of emphasising and complementing the image on screen (i.e. parallel) it works in opposition to it. Strangely, this can actually enhance the intended response.

Answer 50

Contrapuntal

Question 51

_____________ sound is where a natural sound is exaggerated to encourage a stronger response from an audience.

Answer 51

Pleonastic