Film Terminology:

Question 1

What is Cinematography ?

Answer 1

Refers to how a film is shot, including camera angles, movements, and framing

Question 2

What is a Close-Up ?

Answer 2

A shot that tightly frames a person or object, showing detail ; often used to highlight emotions or important details
- e.g. character’s face filling the screen to show their reaction

Question 3

What is an Establishing Shot ?

Answer 3

Often used at the beginning of a scene or sequence to show the setting and provide context for what’s about to happen
- e.g. in a film set in NYC, the establishing shot might show the skyline with landmarks like the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty

Question 4

What is a Long Shot ?

Answer 4

A shot from a distance that shows the full body of a character and their surroundings ; often used to show context or setting
- e.g. a person walking across a vast landscape

Question 5

What is a Wide Shot ?

Answer 5

A shot that shows a broad view of a scene, often focusing on the environment or large groups of people
- e.g. a city skyline or a battlefield

Question 6

What is a Mid-Shot ?

Answer 6

A shot that shows a person from the waist up, striking a balance between focus on the character and their background
- e.g. a conversation between two characters at a table

Question 7

What is the effect of Lighting ?

Answer 7

It shapes the mood and atmosphere of a scene

Question 8

What is High-Key Lighting ?

Answer 8

Bright, even lighting with few shadows, often used in comedies, musicals, or cheerful scenes
- e.g. a sunny, happy scene in a family film

Question 9

What is Low-Key Lighting ?

Answer 9

Dim lighting with lots of shadows, often creating suspense or tension, common in horror or noir films
- e.g. a dark alley in a thriller film

Question 10

What is High-Contrast Lighting/Chiaroscuro ?

Answer 10

The dramatic contrast between light and shadow to create a striking, high-contrast image, often used to create a mysterious or dramatic mood
- e.g. a single light shining on a character’s face in an otherwise dark room

Question 11

What is Sound ?

Answer 11

Includes all the audio elements of a film, from dialogue to background music

Question 12

What is Diegetic Sound ?

Answer 12

Sound that comes from within the story’s world, the characters can hear it
- e.g. footsteps, doors creaking, or characters speaking

Question 13

What is Non-Diegetic Sound ?

Answer 13

Sound that the characters in the film cannot hear, but the audience can, often used for background music or narration
- e.g. the suspenseful music in a chase scene

Question 14

What is Editing ?

Answer 14

How shots are put together to create a sequence

Question 15

What is Continuity Editing ?

Answer 15

Editing that makes the action appear smooth and natural, ensuring that time and space in the film flow logically
- e.g a character walks through a door in one shot, and in the next, they are shown in the new room

Question 16

What is a Montage ?

Answer 16

A series of quick shots edited together to show the passage of time or to build up an idea
- e.g. a training montage showing a character improving their skills over time

Question 17

What is an Intellectual Montage ?

Answer 17

A form of montage where different shots are edited together to create meaning or make a point
- e.g. showing a politician giving a speech cut with images of a violent riot to suggest a connection

Question 18

What is Mise-en-Scène ?

Answer 18

Refers to everything visible on the screen, including the arrangement of actors, props, the setting and colours.

Question 19

What is Clothing ?

Answer 19

The costumes worn by characters, which can suggest their personality, role, or time period
- e.g. a superhero’s suit or a businessman’s suit

Question 20

What are Props ?

Answer 20

Objects used by characters or seen in the background that have significance in the story
- e.g. a magical sword or a character’s phone

Question 21

What is Setting ?

Answer 21

The location in which a scene takes place, which can provide context or influence the story’s mood
- e.g. a dusty desert town or a modern city apartment

Question 22

What is Colour used for ?

Answer 22

The use of colour in costumes, lighting, or scenery to convey mood or symbolism
- e.g. red symbolizing danger or passion

Question 23

What is Set Design ?

Answer 23

How the physical space where the action happens is created and decorated ; this can include the arrangement of furniture, objects, and overall atmosphere
- e.g. a lavish palace or a cluttered detective’s office

Question 24

What is Aesthetic ?

Answer 24

Refers to the overall “look” and feel of a film; this includes the mood, tone, and visual style that make a film distinctive

Question 25

What is Look ?

Answer 25

The visual style created by the use of camera angles, lighting, and colour - e.g. a film with a vintage, sepia-tone filter

Question 26

What is Mood ?

Answer 26

The emotional atmosphere that a film creates - e.g. a tense, foreboding mood in a horror film or a light-hearted mood in a comedy

Question 27

What is Tone ?

Answer 27

The film’s attitude or approach to its subject matter, which could be serious, ironic, playful, or dark - e.g. a sarcastic tone in a dark comedy

Question 28

What is a Medium Close-Up Shot ?

Answer 28

When a subject is framed from roughly the mid-torso or shoulders up to the top of their head

Question 29

What is a Shot Reverse Shot ?

Answer 29

A filmmaking technique where two separate shots are taken of two characters, and then edited together to create the illusion of a continuous conversation or interaction

Question 30

What is a POV Shot ?

Answer 30

A shot that presents the scene from the perspective of a character, as if the viewer is looking through their eyes

Question 31

What is a Subjective Tracking Shot ?

Answer 31

A technique where the camera moves, following a character or subject, while also emphasizing the character's visual or emotional perspective