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Film Study

The document discusses different film genres and techniques used in films. It provides examples of common genres like action, comedy, and drama. It also discusses sub-genres and defines various cinematic techniques like shot types, lighting, sound, and more.

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Fudong Wang
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24 views35 pages

Film Study

The document discusses different film genres and techniques used in films. It provides examples of common genres like action, comedy, and drama. It also discusses sub-genres and defines various cinematic techniques like shot types, lighting, sound, and more.

Uploaded by

Fudong Wang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Film Study

Year 10 English
Genre
A genre is a type of film, novel or story. They allow
us to categorise films so that people can quickly
choose the films that suit them best.
There are also well-known conventions for each
genre in terms of the narrative (story-line),
costumes, characters and settings. This allows
people to identify, understand and expect certain
elements of the film that are not clearly explained
within the film.
Genre Types
There are many types of genres to suit
different people. For example:
• Action
• Romance
• Comedy
• Drama
• Horror
• Mystery
These genres are not the only
genres. You can combine genres, such as
'romantic-comedy' of 'mystery-thriller.'
Sub-Genres
There are also sub-genres (genres within genres)
which have their own characteristics, for example:
• Slapstick (sub-genre of comedy)
• Historical / Costume Drama (sub-genre of drama)
• Time Travel (sub-genre of science fiction/ drama)
• Film Noir (subgenre of crime / mystery / thriller)
• Psychological Thriller (sub-genre of thriller)
• Slasher (sub-genre of horror)
• Superhero (subgenre of action/ science fiction)
Many of the styles can have similar characteristics.
Film Techniques
Film techniques are the ways meaning is created in a film.
Scene
Scene is a series of
camera shots that take
place in a single location
and that deal with a
single action in the film.
Costume
Costumes are the
clothes worn within the
film. This tells you
about the type of film
(genre), the time
period, and about the
characters themselves
(i.e. personality).
Props
Props are the items used in the film which help with acting out a particular
scene.
Product
Placement
Product Placement is the
placement of goods and
services within a film. It is a
marketing technique designed
to sell a particular product or
advertise a particular brand. A
company pays money to the
film producers for their
products to be put in the film.
Mise-en-scene
Mise-en-scene is the layout or composition of the scene. It includes the whole
part of the cinematic process taking place on the set in front of the camera,
such as setting, props, lighting, actions of the characters, costume, etc...
Set

The set of the film is where


the action of the film takes
place.
Lighting
Lighting is the use of light in a film. It includes the manipulation
of natural and artificial light to create artistic visual shots.
The establishing shot is the initial (first) shot of a scene. It
Establishing is usually from a distance, letting the viewer know where
Shot the scene takes place, and showing everything that is
happening in the scene, before zooming in.
Panning is a shot that uses a moving camera
Panning to show the full width of a scene.
An aerial shot is usually an exterior (outside) shot
taken from above the scene. Aerial shots are generally
Aerial Shot taken by using a crane or an aircraft to go overhead
and take the shot.
Extreme Close-up Shot
An extreme close-up is a shot which
shows a very detailed view of a person
or a thing (generally eyes or mouth).
Close-up Shot
A close-up is a shot that
provides clear detail of a
person (usually only the
head and shoulders).
Mid-range Shot
A mid-range shot is a shot that is taken from relatively close, so that the human
figure is shown.
A long shot (or a wide shot) is a shot of with some distance to the object of
Long Shot shooting. A long shot aims to place the object in its surrounding (so you can
see where it is).
Extreme Long
Shot
An extreme long shot is the view of
an exterior location shot at a far
distance showing the entire
surround background of a scene.
High Angle Shot

A high angle shot is


when the subject of the
shot is filmed from high
up above.
High angle shots show
the subject as small and
weak.
Low Angle Shot
A low angle shot is when the subject of the shot is photographed from below
the subject. Low angle shots show the subject and strong and powerful.
Dolly Shot
A dolly shot is a
shot taken from
a moving
platform.
Cross-Cutting
Cross-cutting is the
intermingling of (moving
backwards and
forwards between) two or
more scenes to suggest
parallel action (show
things happening at the
same time).
Zoom
Zooming is when a shot
moves continuously closer
to the subject of the shot.
Slow Motion
Slow motion is when the
image in the film moves
slower than normal.
Flashback

A flashback is a scene or
sequence of scenes
which take the audience
back in time to events
that took place prior to
the setting of the film.
Diegetic
Sound
Diegetic sound is any
sound belonging in the
world of the film. This
includes dialogue,
sound effects, and
ambient noise.
Non-Diegetic
Sound

Non-diegetic sound is
any sound coming from
outside the world of the
film, e.g. music
soundtrack, voice-over,
narration
Dialogue is any speaking occurring within the film,
Dialogue including a voice over, soliloquy or an exchange
between characters.
Soundtrack

The soundtrack is the music


used within a film. It can
include sound that the
characters can hear, as well as
music that only the audience
of the film can hear.
Narration

Narration is the speaking voice


heard which speaks directly to the
audience. This can be either from a
character on-screen or an
off-screen voiceover, that provides
commentary on the action of the
spot.
Colour is the use of colour within a film. This can include the colouring
of the film itself (sepia, black and white, etc...), as well as the colours of
items, settings and costumes within the film.
Colour For example: the colour often changes during a dream scene a flashback
into the past.
Symbolism
Symbolism is the use of symbols and colours within
the film that provide additional meaning.
Allusion is the reference to something outside the
Allusion world of the film. Allusion can refer to events in
history, cultures, literature, other films, etc...

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