1-3 Cinema and Film Terms, Q4

​Cinema Terms #1

The smallest unit of film possible. However, we will use it to mean what is visually on the monitor or screen.

"The frame uses the rule of thirds because the parrot is in the second-third of the screen."

​

Frame

Multiple Choice

In the definition of a frame, what was inside of the frame? Select the BEST answer.

• bird

• parrot

• cat

• dog

Multiple Choice

In the definition of a frame, what is usually "holding" the frame? Select the BEST answer.

• TV, phone, computer screen

• white board, chalk board

• movie screen, TV, phone, computer screen

• movie screen

Multiple Choice

Can a single film strip piece be a "frame?" Select the BEST answer.

• Yes

• No

• Yes, but it's usually what's on a screen that's called a frame

Multiple Choice

How many frames are in this? (Think carefully)

• 3

• 6

• 9

• 10

Often used to describe what's happening in the frame. "The parrot is on-screen and the bird keeper is off-screen yelling at the cat that tried to eat the parrot."

Screen

​Off-screen: You can't see what's happening but you hear it.

​On-screen

Multiple Choice

Select the correct usage of the term "screen." Select the BEST answer.

• Shot the screen so both actors appear in the close-up.

• The off-screen action was dynamic.

• The off-screen action could be heard, but not seen.

• The on-screen action was not in the frame.

Multiple Choice

If a camera person said the sound on-screen was too low that probably means...Select the BEST answer.

• The background noise of off-screen was too loud

• The actors' audio was too quiet.

• The actors were too loud

• The background on screen noise was too loud

Soft or shallow focus means the focus of the camera is sharpest on the object or actor(s) and the background is blurry.

Soft Focus

Multiple Choice

Is this a shallow focus shot?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is this a soft focus (also called shallow focus) shot?

• Yes

• No

Deep focus refers to a shot where everything including the background is in focus. Everything must be well-lit.

Deep Focus

Multiple Choice

Is this a deep focus shot?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is this a deep focus shot?

• Yes

• No

Rack focus is shifting the focus from one object or actor within a single shot.

A director might want a rack focus shot to focus the viewer on something they didn't see in the scene before because the background was blurry so it reveals something hidden. Or to show something that's near the main actor as a hint or clue to the audeince of what's to come also known as "foreshadowing." Look for examples for this in Google search by typing "rack focus example" or "rack focus film example."

Rack Focus

Multiple Choice

Is this an example of rack focus?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Rack focus can go from close to far or from far to close.

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is this shallow focus or deep focus?

• Shallow

• Deep

Challenge Question

Multiple Choice

How would the director shoot this if they wanted to capture the person taking this image?

• Zoom in using the camera lens in this shot

• Zoom out using the camera lens in this shot

• Have another camera person take a video of the 3 actors

• Have another camera person take a video of the whole scene

​Cinema Terms #2

Editing refers to how shots are connected to each other to make a video or film.

Editing

Multiple Choice

In order to edit a video, a program similar to iMovie or CapCut is required.

• True

• False

Montage

​A montage is an editing technique that shows an activity take place in a series of related events to show the passage of time more quickly to the viewer. An example would be a boxer training for a match over several months and this would be edited down to 30 seconds of various training activities. The viewer would understand this took a long time, but the watch time would be short.

​Below is a montage of a couple falling in love, getting married, growing old, and one eventually passing away.

Multiple Choice

In post-production (after the shooting)

Director: "I want a montage of actor 1 practicing for a wrestling competition."

Editor would first do the following:

• Find various clips of actor 1 daydreaming and reading.

• Find various clips of actor 1 training with various wrestlers and running.

• Find various clips of actor 1 and actor 2 looking at each other.

• Find various clips of the outside of the wrestling competition arena.

Transition

​A transition is an editing technique that refers to how one scene moves to the next. In the example to the right, the transition goes from a wide show of someone on an empty street to a medium over the shoulder shot of two actors looking out a window. It's implied they are observing the solo person on the street. The viewer guesses they are watching or tailing the lone person.

​Below is a transition which creates tension. Because the viewer realizes that solo person on the street is being watched. The viewer is left wondering why and so this moves the plot forward.

Multiple Select

Director: "I want actor 1 to fall down for no reason, but clearly isn't hurt. I want the next shot to be of actor 2 looking confused and smiling."

• This transition would cause the viewer to feel badly for actor 1.

• This transition would cause the viewer to laugh.

• This transition would cause the viewer to feel confused as to why actor 1 fell.

• This transition would cause the viewer to feel maybe actor 2 tripped actor 1.

Cut

​A cut is simply splicing one shot to the next. The most common kinds of transitions are called "cuts."

​Below are 5 cuts. Cuts are the spaces between the shots.

Multiple Choice

All cuts are transitions. Are all transitions cuts?

• Yes

• No

​Cinema Terms #3

Dissolve

​A dissolve is a type of transition from one shot to the next. The shots "bleed" or "dissolve" into each other. Sometimes dissolves are used to show smaller amounts of time passing than a fade in or out.

​Below is an example of a dissolve from a close two-shot to a close-up of a clock.

Multiple Choice

If a loud crash came while an actor was driving and the shot dissolved into a hospital establishing shot, the viewer might assume what? Select the best answer.

• The car was in an accident, but the driver is OK.

• The driver is in the hospital, but the car is fine.

• The driver is in the hospital.

• The car was taken to the mechanic and the the driver is checking something important at the hopsital.

Fade In/Fade Out

Fade in / Fade out is a type of transition. A fade in goes from a black screen to a shot. A fade out goes from a shot to a black screen. This indicates usually a longer time passing than a cut or dissolve. This also indicates a break in the story like the end of an act or main plot point.

​Below is an example of a fade out as it goes from the shot to a black screen. A fade in would be from black to the shot.

Multiple Choice

If the director asked the editor to show a long period of time had passed, which transition would be the most appropriate?

• Cut

• Dissolve

• Fade out or Fade in

• wipe

Wipe

A wipe is a type of transition where one shot replaces another. It's rare that wipes are used in films these days.

A famous film that uses wipes is Star Wars.

​Below is an example of wipe. Here the wipe indicates action is happening quickly even as time is moving forward.

Multiple Choice

If a director wanted to show two people speaking, which type of transition would they use to show close-ups of the actors' faces?

• Cut

• Dissolve

• Fade in/Fade Out

• Wipe

Multiple Choice

If an editor wanted to show the passage of time, maybe a few hours, which type of transition would be the most conventional?

• cut

• dissolve

• fade in / fade out

• wipe

Multiple Choice

If an editor wanted to show a year had passed, which transition would be the most conventional to use?

• cut

• dissolve

• fade in / fade out

• wipe

Multiple Choice

If an editor wanted to show action happening in a comic book related film in very fast and fun way, which type of transition might they use?

• cut

• dissolve

• fade in / fade out

• wipe

Multiple Choice

If an editor wanted to show a spy watching a target from a close distance, what transition would be the most conventional?

• cut

• dissolve

• fade in / fade out

• wipe