ISL 2 Editing Glossary

Unit G321 Foundation Production

Glossary

Camera Shots

Aerial Shot- An exterior shot filmed from the air. Often used to establish a location.

Arc Shot- A shot in which the subject is circled by the camera.
Bridging Shot- A shot that denotes a shift in time or place, like a line moving across an annotated map.

Close Up- A shot that only keeps the face in full frame.

Mid Shot- The shot that utilises the most common framing in movies, shows less than a long shot but more than a close up.

Long Shot- A shot that depicts an entire character or object from head to foot.

Handheld Shot- A shot in which the camera operator holds the camera during motion to create a jerky, immediate feel.

Low Angle Shot- A shot looking up at the character or subject often making them look bigger.

High Angle Shot—A shot looking down on the character or subject often isolating them in the frame.

Matte Shot- A shot that typically incorporates foreground action with a background, typically painted onto glass, now created on computer.

Over The Shoulder- A shot where the camera is held behind one subjects shoulder usually during conversation.

Pan- A shot where it continuously moves left to right or right to left.

POV Shot- A shot that depicts the point of view of the character so that we see what they see.

Tilt- A shot where the camera moves continuously up to down or down to up.

Two Shot- A shot that depicts two people in a mid frame.

Crane Shot- A shot where a camera is placed on a crane or jib and moved up and down.

Zoom- A shot deploying a lens with a variable focal length that allows the cinematographer to change the distance between camera and object without moving the camera.
Composition- This is where objects are placed or arranged in shot.

Framing- What you choose to include in the shot and what you choose to leave out. What you leave out could be important so look at how much space is given around a subject.

Camera Angles

Bird’s Eye View- This shows a scene from directly overhead a very unnatural or strange angle.

High Angle- Not as extreme as a bird’s eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles makes an object look smaller.

Eye Level- A fairly neutral angle; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that actors are on a level with the focus.

Low Angle- These increase height and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

Oblique/ canted Angle- Sometimes the camera is titled to suggest imbalance, transition and instability. This technique is used to suggest point of view shots of one particular character, seeing what they see- a handheld camera is usually used for this.

ISL 1 Camerawork Glossary

Unit G321 Foundation Production

Glossary

Camera Shots

Aerial Shot- An exterior shot filmed from the air. Often used to establish a location.

Arc Shot- A shot in which the subject is circled by the camera.

Bridging Shot- A shot that denotes a shift in time or place, like a line moving across an annotated map.

Close Up- A shot that only keeps the face in full frame.

Mid Shot- The shot that utilises the most common framing in movies, shows less than a long shot but more than a close up.

Long Shot- A shot that depicts an entire character or object from head to foot.

Handheld Shot- A shot in which the camera operator holds the camera during motion to create a jerky, immediate feel.

Low Angle Shot- A shot looking up at the character or subject often making them look bigger.

High Angle Shot—A shot looking down on the character or subject often isolating them in the frame.

Matte Shot- A shot that typically incorporates foreground action with a background, typically painted onto glass, now created on computer.

Over The Shoulder- A shot where the camera is held behind one subjects shoulder usually during conversation.

Pan- A shot where it continuously moves left to right or right to left.

POV Shot- A shot that depicts the point of view of the character so that we see what they see.

Tilt- A shot where the camera moves continuously up to down or down to up.

Two Shot- A shot that depicts two people in a mid frame.

Crane Shot- A shot where a camera is placed on a crane or jib and moved up and down.

Zoom- A shot deploying a lens with a variable focal length that allows the cinematographer to change the distance between camera and object without moving the camera.

Composition- This is where objects are placed or arranged in shot.

Framing- What you choose to include in the shot and what you choose to leave out. What you leave out could be important so look at how much space is given around a subject.

Camera Angles

Bird’s Eye View- This shows a scene from directly overhead a very unnatural or strange angle.

High Angle- Not as extreme as a bird’s eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles makes an object look smaller.

Eye Level- A fairly neutral angle; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that actors are on a level with the focus.

Low Angle- These increase height and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

Oblique/ canted Angle- Sometimes the camera is titled to suggest imbalance, transition and instability. This technique is used to suggest point of view shots of one particular character, seeing what they see- a handheld camera is usually used for this.

Audience Profile of Stigmata

 

 

 

     

 



What makes A Thriller Thrilling?

What makes a thriller thrilling?

1)   Lucy

This is the film Lucy starring Scarlett Johansson, has recently been released in cinemas this year. The first screenshot is an extreme close up of Lucy’s eyes through her transformation. This shot allows the audience to have an up close view of the effect the CPH4 is having. This makes a thriller thrilling as the eerie look through her eyes creates mystery into what is happening to her in the film. The lighting here also highlights her eyes. It also creates a sense of darkness as she is being turned into a new kind of human. In the second screenshot we see a mid shot of the visions she begins to see and at this point we are able to see the full extent of her new powers. There is darkness in the background which is suspicious with the sole lighting aimed at her. Her look is very sophisticated which contrasts a typical thriller film.

The camera shots used in these images represent the mystery the audience will feel seeing this film. The look in Lucy's eyes and the concentration on her face suggest how unordinary and sophisticated thriller films are. By using Lucy's eyes in this first shot the audience gets a sense of what is happening to her body and the process she is going through. Again we can then see that the unordinary symbolises the representation of the thriller genre. The editing in this scene is a zoom out to her whole face in the next shot. The other screenshot  cuts to a shot of Lucy's partner in the car who does not understand what Lucy's experiencing. This jump cut happens very quickly and the pace of the edit is fast. The props used in this film include the car they are travelling in, the CHP4, guns and the memory stick at the end. The sound in this shot is sophisticated and quite fast paced. The lighting in this scene focuses on Lucy's eyes and what she is seeing in the second shot. This highlights what's happening to her and what's going on around her. The setting is in a cell in the first shot and a car in the second. This suggests the danger she is in and that she does not have a lot of time. This also creates tension towards the audience as we also do not know who the killer is.

2)   Gravity

 

 

 

 

This is the film Gravity which was released last year staring Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney).  The first close up screenshot of Dr. Stone is of her face in sheer panic as she has just been hurtled off a shuttle after a debris collision. Here we see her fear and gather the suspension of how she is going to react in the steps to getting back to Earth. The darkness in the background helps to aggrandize the loneliness and fear she is experiencing. The astronaut helmet obviously suggests a space themed thriller. The second screenshot is of the dramatic aftermath of the collision course. The lighting is bright as we can see all of the debris scattered above the earth. This creates a wild and hectic scene which heightens the thrills of this movie and makes the thriller thrilling.

The camera shots used in these images represent the instant and close up tension the audience will get seeing this film. The fear on Dr. Stone's face and the wreckage suggests how alarming and threatening thriller films are.  By using Dr. Stone's facial expression in this first shot the audience gets a sense of how she is trying to escape her fate, and how she is trying to survive. We see that the fear symbolises the representation of the thriller genre. The editing in this scene is jump cuts to part of the wreckage in the next shot. The other screenshot also cuts to a shot of Matt floating in space. This jump cut happens very quickly and again the pace of the edit is fast. The props used in this film is the astronaut helemt, the wreckage, the manual and the ropes. The sound in fast paced and very dramatic. The lighting in this scene focuses on Dr. Stone and the wreckage. This highlights how she is feeling and what's going on around her. The setting is in space in the first shot and in the second. This suggests the danger she is in and the dangers of travelling to space. This also creates tension towards the audience as we also do not know who the killer is.

3)   Silent Hill: Revelation

 

 

 

 

This film is Silent Hill Revelation which was released in 2012 staring Heather (Adelaide Clemens). This film revolves around the complicated and disrupted life of Heather Mason who is being chased by a dark order to end the misery and tedious surroundings of Silent Hill. The first screenshot is of Heather surrounded by a circle of fire. The fire sets the ferocity and excitement of Heathers fate at the end of the film. The tension built off her face in this screenshot accentuates the thrill of the movie and the dramatic tension it causes. The second screenshot is of the Nurses in the operating room. There stiff and jumpy movements in the film create the thrill that wants to make you jump out of your seats. This makes a thriller thrilling because audiences like to be kept in suspense and they enjoy the thrill of excitement.

The camera shots used in these images represent the instant tension the audience will get seeing the film. The fear on Heather's face and the posture of the manikin dolls suggest how unordinary and alarming thriller films are.  By using Heather's facial expression in this shot the audience gets a sense of how she is trying to escape her fate, again we can then see that the fear symbolises the representation of the thriller genre. The editing in this scene is simply of a jump cut to Alessa in the next shot. The other screenshot also cuts to a shot of Heather stood still in silence so she does not get noticed by the manikins. This jump cut happens very quickly and the pace of the edit is fast. The props used in this film are the guns, the pyramids great knife, the key and the torches. The sound in this shot is just of the fire around her and the sound of the creaking manikins in the second shot. The lighting in this scene focuses on Heather and the manikins. This highlights how she is feeling and what's going on around her. The setting is in a theme park in the first shot and a dark operation theatre in the second. This suggests the danger she is in and the horrors of Silent Hill. This also creates tension towards the audience as we also do not know who the killer is.

Conventions of a Thriller Genre

What makes a thriller thrilling?

·         Tension

·         The Unknown

·         Suspense

·         Danger

·         Excitement

·         Mystery

·         Hero

·         Fast Paced

·         Cliff Hangers

·         Action/Violence

Characters

Thriller narratives involve characters who are in conflict with each other or outside forces and the menace is usually mysterious and dark. Themes of thrillers include mystery, crime, revenge, political conspiracy, pursuit which lead to murder. The Protagonist is usually the Hero, they are relatable and likable e.g. 'The Doctor'. The Antagonist is usually smart and cleverer or stronger than the protagonist's. In some cases psychologically disturbed e.g. Claudia Wolf in ‘Silent Hill’.

Mise-en-Scene

Thriller films also have a great deal of props, lighting, mysterious locations and sound. Typically the props in a thriller films would be, badges of law, mobile phones etc. However typically weapons are used by the villains for violence and fear overall, being knives and guns etc. The lighting would be shadowed, some outside lighting, low key lighting highlighting key conventions in the film. The location would normally be in abandoned houses or in dark outdoor places. The sound in thriller films is usually tense and non-diegetic with some diegetic sound. Increasing in speed and volume and nursery rhyme themes work well in thriller films this is because it creates a sense of enigma.

Narrative

The beginning of a thriller narrative usually starts by introducing the main characters. We get given information about them and the location of where the plot will take place. During the beginning we begin to see a problem/situation that the main characters become involved in. In the end this will need resolving, but we will not notice this until the climax of the film. Mystery can be involved at the beginning of a thriller film and the audience begins to feel tension. We are also introduced to any people who could be dangerous or threatening. The middle part of a thriller narrative is the development of the plot. This is when tension begins to build to a point, which the audience will begin to start figuring out the climax of the film. The audience will also realise at this part in the film, that the protagonist has been tricked. Finally the conclusion of the film sees the problem resolved or one of the main characters die. This is usually the antagonist. Some films however do create a cliff hanger which could lead to another film being made.

Summer Work

Media A Level Homework- Silent Hill

Thriller Genre

The thriller genre is a very specific type of genre. This type of genre is used to create suspense and dramatic tension throughout the film. The aim for thriller films is to keep the audience alert throughout the film and keep them on the edge of their seats. The main structures around thriller films evolve around an escape, mission or a mystery, these are the common elements to a thriller film. This keeps the audience in fear yet excited at the same time. The end of the film will most likely lead to a successful yet highly stressful climax in which all becomes resolved.

The storyline of a thriller film mainly revolves around one individual or a group of characters who come into conflict with each other with a threat that is sometimes unseen. A sudden violence, either crime or murder characterize thrillers. Thrillers often present the world as dark and corrupt with endings in which the evil is overcome. The tension usually heightens when the character/s are placed in a mystery or a trap from which escaping seems impossible. The protagonist is mainly the hero who faces death of their own or somebody else’s life. The antagonist is the villain or evil the protagonist/s must defeat.

The settings of thriller films are usually built around old mysterious houses or mostly in ordinary towns and cities. These settings are resourceful, but essentially ordinary heroes are challenged against villains determined to destroy them, their town, or the free world. Often in a thriller, the protagonists are faced with what seems to be surreal problems in their mission, and are carried out against the clock, the stakes are high and they face personal dilemmas forcing them to make sacrifices for others. The types of props used in thriller films usually consist of knives, guns, torches, and maps. The antagonist and the protagonist may both use these weapons to assist them in their cause to either create or destroy the evil they are faced with.

Characters usually include criminals, stalkers, innocent victims and troubled women, with deep dark pasts and psychotic individuals, sociopaths who are very troubled. These characters are usually played by women or sometimes well-known actors. The characters usually depend on the need of friends, family, authoritative or religious assistance to help them solve the mystery or reach the climax of the film. Most of the characters in these films do not survive as they are inhumanly killed during highlighted scenes in the film.

The soundtrack in thriller genres is very dramatic and heightens the tension created in the scenes of the movie. A thriller needs something to bring the audience into the movie, and feel as if they are experiencing the danger and suspense for themselves. Crimes, murders, mysteries and chase scenes step up to the next level of fear and suspense when the film is complemented with a well-placed suspense track. The soundtrack creates depth and is the main cause for the fear that is created by the villain or the evil in the film.

Camerawork and editing in thriller films is usually either really steady or moves around quite frantically. Common shots used are over –the-shoulder shots to emphasise the idea that someone is following the victim. Close-ups and extreme close-ups which are obtrusive and will make the audience feel uncomfortable and anxious as to what is going on. Camerawork and editing can also create sudden movements which frighten the audience watching. By doing these sharp, sudden movements the audience will be unaware of what’s hiding behind corners or what’s waiting to attack them the next time they turn around.

 

Silent Hill

In this shot we see an extreme close up of Heather’s eyes. By focusing on her eyes we are able to see the fear she is experiencing in her dramatic circumstance. Before the shot Heather is seen running away from the Order whilst she is dreaming. After the shot we see Heather confronted with a pink rabbit which moves sharply and turns to face her, then she runs and heads towards the merry-go-round. We can’t specifically see anything other than her eyes in this shot however the lighting in this scene highlights her eyes as the main importance in the shot. The soundtrack at this point is very creepy which emphasises the fear in her eyes. The camerawork in this shot specifically focuses on Heather's eyes as the outside of her face is blurred.

 

In this shot we see the Pyramid Head rotating a machine that controls the merry-go-round. This shot is a low angle shot. Before the shot, Heather was running towards the merry-go-round because she was being chased by the Order. The Pyramid Head begun to spin the merry-go-round before Alessa appeared on it. The lighting in this scene is very dark but there is a main focus on the Pyramid Head. The setting in this scene is in an amusement park which was situated at the beginning of the opening scene. The costume the Pyramid Head is wearing is a pyramid shaped helmet and could represent death as it may symbolise a weapon, the fact that it is so large and bulky could suggest that it is a form of torture. He also wears a cloth around the waist to cover his legs which is not typically worn by any other masked creature in thriller films.

This shot is a bird’s eye view shot of the merry-go-round in the centre of a ring of fire. The fire was created by Alessa before this shot was taken. She created it as punishment to the people who live in Silent Hill who burnt her for being accused of being a witch. This is all occurring in Heather’s dream. After this shot Alessa burns Heather and then she wakes up from her nightmare. The setting is still in the amusement park and the main prop we see is the merry-go-round itself with a stall to the right hand side. The lighting in this scene is specifically highlighted by the fire which projects on the merry-go-round which is the main feature of this shot.

 

This shot is a close up of this man attached to the merry-go-round through steel chains and straps. Before this shot Heather had recently just jumped onto the merry-go-round. This is when she encountered the man strapped to the amusement park attraction. After this Heather meets Alessa who then sets the surroundings of the merry-go-round on fire. The costume in this shot suggests that the man is being tortured to hang off of the ride and how horrific the film is. The lighting highlights the man and nothing else it focuses on his face and the pain he is in. The actors fear and pain creates the horrified feel to the film and it shows inhumane actions towards this man. The setting remains the same throughout the opening scene.

 

Finally this shot is a mid-shot of Heather running from the Order. Before this was a shot of Heather’s boots whilst she was running towards the amusement park entrance. After this shot, Heather runs into the amusement park where she begins finding a place to hide until she can escape her nightmare. This scene is set at the amusement throughout the opening scene. The entrance to the amusement park is highlighted through the lighting and shows an evil and psychotic looking clown which Heather runs towards. The clothing Heather is wearing is very modern and brightly coloured which contrasts the conventions of a thriller film.  Heather’s terrified look creates dramatic tension for the audience and her fear elaborates the nightmare she is having.