Vocab # 1 Comedy in Film
- black comedy - looking at the grim with a grin;” black comedy finds humor in serious
(e.g. death, terminal illness, etc.) Fargo, The Cable Guy, Dr. Strangelove
- breakawayfurniture - specially constructed props made from light-weight materials that
easily break apart; often used for fight scenes.
3.spoof - a film that playfully imitates the style of a serious work.
Airplane, Austin Powers, Hot Shots, The Naked Gun, Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs,
Scary Movie, Epic Movie, Superhero Movie, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
4.satire - a film that criticizes the style of a serious work by harshly mocking it.
The Graduate, Bulworth, Wag the Dog, And Justice for All
- mime (pantomime) - instrumental in silent films, speechless acting out of a character and
his actions.
- improv (improvisation) - an actor ad-libs his character, acting out a scene without a script
or rehearsal. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
7.slapstick - violent actions used for humorous effect. e.g. The Three Stooges, Chris Farley.
8. double take - a delayed comic reaction in which an event goes unnoticed until the actor
suddenly acknowledges it.
9. pratfall - falling on one’s bottom for comedic effect.
10. schtick - a Yiddish term for a comedian’s trademark talent e.g. Louis Black’s fits of rage
Comedy in Television
- sit-com (situation comedy) - a television comedy that focuses on the natural humor of a
particular setting, purely a television term.
- an office in Scranton (The Office)
- various locations in Manhattan (Seinfeld)
- twenty-somethings (Friends)
- Springfield (The Simpsons)
- a bar (Cheers)
- family animation (Family Guy)
12.dramedy - a genre which combines the elements of drama and comedy; also known as
“serio-comedy,” for serious comedy.
13. sketch - a short comedy routine with actors staged in a pre-planned situation.
e.g.Saturday Night Live, Mad TV, The Young Ones, The Second City,
The Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Monty Python’s Flying Circus
14.laugh track - a recording of laughter used only in television comedy shows; also known
as “canned laughter.”
Vocab # 2 Camera Framing and Angles
The framing and angle of the camera dictates how the viewer is to perceive the action in any given shot. The director uses the camera to give the viewer an idea of the space involved (Is an entire cathedral in the frame or just the stained glass window on the door?) or the angle of vision (Do we look down on the subjects in a “bird’s eye view,” or do we look up in a “snake’s view”?). The following are common examples of framing and angles.
FRAMING
1. The extreme longshotis a shot filmed from a far-away location relative to the subject; often used for an establishing shot.
2. The longshotis a shot in which the subject is framed completely from head to toe or top
to bottom.
3. The medium shot is a shot in which the subject is framed from a medium distance
e.g. the waist up
- The close-up is a shot taken from a close distance in which the subject is magnified to
appear relatively large and fill the entire frame to focus attention.
- The extreme close-upis a shot taken from an extremely close distance in which the
subject is magnified to appear very large to vividly emphasize its importance.
6.In a canted frame all figures appear slanted. The frame is shifted to the right or left diagonal. This style of framing often symbolizes a character in peril.
ANGLE
1.the straight-on angle
a shot in which the figure is framed at eye level,
the most common angle
2.the low angle
a shot in which the camera is operated from
beneath the figure with the viewer’s
perspective looking up at the figure, often
implying strength or triumph.
3. the high angle
A shot in which the camera is operated from above
the figure with the viewer’s perspective
looking down on the figure, often implying
weakness or defeat
4. bird’s eye view - a shot that is taken from an aircraft
or extremely high crane and implies
the observer’s omniscience;
also known as “aerial view.”
Vocab # 3 Camera Movement
1. pan - the horizontal movement of a camera head on the axis of its tripod.
2. tilt - the vertical movement of the camera head on the axis of its tripod.
3. boom or crane - a pole-like device for holding the microphone in the air, out of camera
range
4. zoom – a lens of variable focal length, normally used for swiftly magnifying a distant
object or for moving rapidly away from a close object.
5. establishing shot – the opening shot of a sequence which creates the context of setting or
location.
6. insert shot – a close-up image inserted into a scene, usually to give the audience a closer
look at what the character on screen is seeing, such as a letter or photo.
7. two-shot - a medium or close-up shot of two people, often in dialogue with each other, to
provide contrast between the two characters.
8. reaction shot – a close-up or medium shot that focuses on a particular character’s reaction
to the events in a film.
9. arc shot - a shot in which the subject is photographed by an encircling or moving camera.
10. tracking or trucking shot – the movement or a camera on a dolly: forward, backwards,
or to one side, also called a “dolly shot”
11.rack focus – to adjust the lens during a shot so that the subject is in focus, switching focus
from the foreground to the background and vice versa.
12. dolly – a trolley on which a camera can be horizontally moved about on tracks during
shooting.
13. running shot – a shot in which a moving camera keeps pace with a moving subject.
14. Steadicam - a hand-held, camera with a special mechanical harness that allows the
camera operator to take relatively smooth and steady shots while moving
along with the action; the resulting images are comparable to normal tracking
shots on a wheeled dolly.
15.180-degree rule- a rule that camera operators must follow -- an imaginary line on one
side of the axis of action which the camera must not cross; otherwise,
there is a distressing visual disorientation.
16. depth of field - the depth of composition of a shot where there are several planes:
foreground, middle-ground, and background in which the elements
captured in a camera image appear in sharp or acceptable focus.
Vocab # 4 Aspects of Mise-en-scene: Lighting
Lighting is more than mist the illumination necessary to film a shot. The lighting may create a feeling or atmosphere; itmay provide contrasts that guide our eyes toward a particular area in the shot. A brightly-lit area of the frame will instantly demand our attention, whereas a dark area may go unnoticed or remain in mystery. Lighting may also create textures: the grain of wood, the curve of a face or the sparkle or a diamond. Lighting varies in quality, direction, and shadow.
THE QUALITY OF LIGHTING
hard lighting - lighting which creates crisp textures and clear-cut shadows.
soft lighting - lighting which creates gentle textures and fuzzy, diffused shadows.
THE DIRECTION OF LIGHTING:
frontal lighting - a “head on” light source
positioned in front of the subject, eliminating
shadows and producing a flat image.
side lighting - a light source positioned to the
side of the subject, sculpting the features by
hiding one side in shadow. This might emphasize
cheekbones, noses, lips, etc.
backlighting - a light source positioned behind the
subject so that it appears in silhouette with glowing
edges to separate the subject from the background.
low or underlighting - a light source
positioned beneath the subject, distorting
the feature with shadow.
top lighting - a light source positioned above
the subject, creating a heavenly illusion.
key light - the primary source of illumination
on the subject.
fill light - the secondary source of illumination
on the subject, softening shadows that may be
cast by the key light
THE SHADOWS CREATED BY LIGHTING.
cast shadow - created when an object obstructs the key light and throws its shade across the
subject.
attached shadow - the shadows on the contours of the subject naturally created by the
lighting.
Vocab # 5 From Start to Finish
1. screenplayorscript - a novel or play adapted to film or an original work written
specifically for filming.
- treatment - a detailed preproduction literary summary or presentation of a film's story,
with action and characters described in prose form without dialogue, often
used to market and/or sell a film project or script.
- story board - a comic-style illustrated chart which visually maps out the shot-by-shot
sequences as they will be filmed.
- screen test - a filmed audition to determine an actor’s suitability for a film role.
- blocking - the mechanical movements that a director coaches an actor to make, ensuring
they are caught effective on film in coordination with camera action. This
includes entrances, exits, etc.
- leading man/woman - an actor who plays the principal role in a film, usually an “A-list”
movie star who has his/her pick of roles.
7. photogenic - a person who is suitable for being photographed for artistic purposes.
8. dialect - the language of a particular district or class, An actor must master many
dialects to make his characters believable.
9. pre-production - the planning stage in a film's production after the project is finally
greenlighted and before principal photography or actual shooting
commences; involves script treatment and rewriting, scheduling, set
design and construction, casting, budgeting and financial planning,
location scouting, etc.
10. post-production - the final stage in a film's production after principal photography,
involving editing, the addition of sound/visual effects, musical scoring,
mixing, dubbing, distribution, etc.
11. closed set - filming done with only the essential crew present, usually to ensure privacy
or secrecy.
12.gaffe - an error that remains in the theatrical release of the film, not to be confused with
removed “outtakes” which often appear on home-use videos as “bloopers” features.
13.voice over - a character’s voice heard over the action of a film for narrative effect.
14.subtitles – an alternative to dubbing, a printed English translation of foreign dialogue at
the bottom of a frame.
15.outtake – imperfect shot that required a retake. In a film a shot may be retaken
many times until perfect. Outtakes are often humorous “bloopers.”
16. celluloid–the thin strip of transparent plastic coating that forms the film’s highly-
flammable, light-sensitive base layer; also used as an adjective related to some
aspect of cinema (e.g. “the celluloid hero”) or as a slang word for a movie.
17. rushesordailies- a day’s shooting on film which is quickly developed in the lab, viewed
by the director and staff to determine if retakes are necessary.
18. clapboard or slate –a small black or white board or slate with a hinged stick on top that
displays identifying information for each shot in a movie and is
filmed at the beginning of a take; the board typically contains the
working title of the movie, the names of the director, the editor, and
the director of photography, the scene and take numbers, the date,
and the time.
19. credits – titles at the beginning or end of a film that list the creative talents concerned
with production.
20. cast against type – a popular actor appearing in a role unlike his traditional ones,
producing either a refreshing or disastrous result.
Vocab # 6 Who’s Who?
- director - the most influential creator of the film who determines all aspect of filmmaking.
- executive producer - a partner of the head producer. The head producer, who controls
film budget and who delegates administrative responsibilities, is
chiefly responsible for the film’s success or failure.
3. assistant to the director - an aide to the director who is concerned more with management
details than with the creative process.
- associate producer – a catch-all title which can range from an honorary title to an actual
on-set aide to the executive producer, often a lower-level executive
responsible for “finding” the movie idea.
- casting director - the person responsible for interviewing and recruiting actors to the film
project.
- art director – an expert in architecture and design who is responsible for the film’s décor
and set construction.
- editor - a technical expert who works closely with the director to assemble the final print
of the film, assembled from multitude shots and sound tracks.
- cinematographer - an expert in photography, lighting, film stock, and camera movement,
also known as the director of photography.
- camera operator - a skilled technician who operates all camera focus and movement at
the director’s instruction.
10. mixer - an expert in sound and microphone placement to achieve the best recorded on-set
sound.
11.boom man - a sound crew technician who handles the microphone boom.
12. gaffer - the chief electrician on the set who achieves the effect designed by the
cinematographer; his/her assistant is a “best boy electric.”
13. key grip - the head prop crew member; his/her assistant is a “best boy grip.”
14. stunt person – a highly trained substitute who replaces actors in dangerous situations.
15. cameo role – a brief walk-through role created specifically to feature a surprising, high-
profile personality.
Vocab # 7
Notable Hollywood Firsts
The first fifty years of a one hundred year old industry
1890The first “multiple image” camera is patented.
1893The first motion picture studio is built. It is named the “Black Maria” and is built by Thomas Edison.
1894The first short film, entitled “Fred Ott’s Sneeze” is produced at the “Black Maria.”
1896The first public protest is voiced concerning the content of the short film “The Kiss.”
1902The first special effects are employed by French director George Méliès in A Trip to the Moon
1904The first narrative movie The Great Train Robbery is filmed.
1915The first film to earn a one-million-dollar profit, D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation makes over two million dollars although it cost only $100,000 to make; it is subsequently banned by the U.S. Supreme Court for racist content.
1916The first movie flop, D.W. Griffith poured his entire two-million-dollar earnings from The Birth of a Nation into Intolerance, a bloated production from which he loses all his previous earnings.
1916The first high-paid actor, Charlie Chaplin earns $10,000 per week plus a
$150,000 yearly bonus for his productions and portrayal of the beloved “little
tramp.”
1919The first horror film, the German-made The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, features expressionistic sets, a mad scientist, and a zombie murderer.
1922The first animal star, German shepherd Rin Tin Tin, barks his way onto the silver screen.
1927The first “talkie,” The Jazz Singer delights filmgoers with its musical numbers.
1928Animated star Mickey Mouse finds his voice in his first talking role, Steamboat Willie.
1930U.S. movie attendance tops 70 million viewers per week, of a 123 million national population.
1939The first box office smashes, Gone with the Wind, ten-time Oscar winner, and The Wizard of Oz, the most-watched film in history, hit theaters.
1941The most critically acclaimed American film of all time, Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, makes its theater debut.
Vocab # 8 Film Lingo A (terms to describe movies)
1. “B” movie – a low-budget production, originally screened to support a more important
film in a double feature.
2. sword & sandal – a gladiator, Biblical, or Greco-Roman mythology film.
3. slasher/splatter – a graphic horror film which depicts physical violence and bloody gore.
4. chop socky – a martial arts film.
5. formula –a blockbuster production with a predictable, overused scheme or plot
e.g. the renegade cop who works around the system to solve a case, perhaps
for personal revenge.
6. prequel – the opposite of a sequel, depicts action that happened before the original film.
7. sequel – a film which continues the action and characters of an earlier film.
8. turkey – a film that flops in the box office.
9. sleeper - a movie that is released with little publicity, often directed by and starring
relatively unknown people, that by positive word-of-mouth eventually becomes
popular or financially successful beyond expectations.
10. horse opera - a Western film.
11. space opera – a science fiction film.
12. cinema verité - a French word that literally means "true cinema"; a method or style of
documentary movie-making with long takes, no narration, impromptu interview
techniques, a hand-held camera, and little or no editing of the finished product; usually
made without actors and with a minimal crew.
13. film noir - a French phrase literally meaning "black film"; a genre of mostly black-and-
white films that blossomed in post-war American cinema, with a somber, downbeat tone:
the plot is often a quest, low-key lighting features night scenes, camera angles are often
canted or high, the setting and symbols feature the gloomy underworld of crime and
corruption, and voice-overs and flashbacks combine to present a dark atmosphere of
pessimism, or cynicism; characters frequently include the private detectives and the
treacherous femme fatale. e.g. SinCity
14. cult or underground film – underfinanced and often experimental films produced on a
director’s whim, sometimes resulting in a non-mainstream “cult classic”
15. independent or “indie”- film small, low-budget companies producing and distributing
films made outside of the major Hollywood studio system; also refers to a movie,
director, distributor, or producer whose groundbreaking subject matter is designed for
sophisticated audiences and is not necessarily produced with commercial success as the
goal.
Vocab # 9 Film Lingo B
1. IMAX - a specialized, big-screen film format about ten times larger than the traditional
35mm cinema format; IMAX film produces incredible high-definition sharpness
and is projected on up to eight-story high screens in theatres equipped with
advanced digital surround-sound systems.
2. greenlight - the “go-ahead” for a film to be made.
3. box office poison - a term of contempt for movie stars who lose popularity, typically