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Glossary
- University of Texas Press
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G L O S S A R Y aspect ratio The measurement between the height and width of the images on the movie or television screen. auteur theory The analytic approach to film that identifies the film’s director as the author or dominating presence in giving shape and vision to the final film (see the introduction). Bernard Hermann–esque Music that replicates the arrangements of movie music composer Bernard Hermann—particularly the orchestral strings to produce tension and terror. blocking The arranged physical movements of characters within a setting. close-up A camera shot of a character or object that magnifies the image until it appears to fill the frame. cinema verité A technique of ‘‘true film’’ in which the filmmaker shoots the subjects and action as they develop and occur in order to present the authentic and unrehearsed nature of that segment. crosscutting Moving between shots of different locations to establish simultaneous or parallel actions. cutaway Within a scene, a quick view of some specific object within the scene to give emphasis and explanation before returning back to the original scene. diegetic A term that identifies events, actions, sounds, music, etc., that occur within the fictional world of the movie and, therefore, experienced by the movie’s characters. Dutch angle A shot in which the normal lines of an image are askew and titled to suggest an ominous tone, imbalanced reality, or distorted perception. fabula The mental or verbal process in which a viewer completes the chronological organization of a movie’s narrative, when that narrative is presented in a disjointed or impressionistic manner. Fellini-esque In reference to legendary Italian film director Federico Fellini, a style of filmmaking that resembles the unusual, bizarre, dreamlike, and/or circuslike aspects of a sequence. fisheye lens A lens that creates a visual effect by elongating and curving the images within the frame. fourth wall The transparent ‘‘wall’’ that separates the audience from the movie’s characters and world, allowing the audience to voyeuristically observe actions. When ‘‘breaking the fourth wall,’’ a character will speak directly to the audience. 3 4 1 framing Maintaining the desired images within the borders captured by the camera ’s eye. freeze-frame A visual effect where the image is locked on the screen like a still photograph to punctuate and heighten the intensity of a dramatic moment. genre film A motion picture that contains certain story, thematic, and visual attributes that qualifies its inclusion within a body of similar films. Genre films, such as gangster, horror, comedy, etc., seek the fulfillment of expected elements that influence the resulting success of the movie. high-angle shot A visual perspective obtained by placing the camera above the subjects and objects to film from that position. independent film A film that is produced outside of a major studio and therefore is devoid of funding and creative control by a studio. By the late 1990s, however, some Hollywood studios created their own ‘‘independent’’ branches that sought to support low-budget film projects that would be targeted to a specialized audience with little marketing costs (see Introduction). John Woo–ism Any visual technique that resembles the noted style of famed action director John Woo. These techniques might include slow-motion ballets of violence , abrupt subjective shots, expressionistic stunts, and lengthy, fast-paced chase scenes. jump cut An abrupt and quick edit, changing from one image to another to create a jolting or disturbing effect on the viewer. key lighting The primary or major lighting that is focused and concentrated on a given object or subject in a scene. lap dissolve The slow, manipulated blending of one image over another, often used as a transitional device or a method of suggesting the passage of time. long shot A shot in which the camera is placed in a manner to allow a perspective of the full character from head to feet. malapropism When humor is created by misusing words that are confusing or contradictory because of their similar sound. mise-en-scène A term that refers to all of the collective staging, setting, and composition that appears before the camera in a given scene. montage An essential concept in the recognition of the power of images to affect a viewer’s imagination and emotional response. In European films in the early twentieth century, the concept identified the simple but dynamic results when placing one image after or next...