Previously unknown film analysis terminology

Previously Unknown

Film AnalysisTerminology

Camera Shots, Angles and Movements

Arial Shots

Aerial shots are often filmed from cranes or helicopters to show large landscapes, much

like establishing shots, but from the air. These are usually used to show buildings in

action movies, such as the bank robbery scene at the start of The Dark Knight.

Canted Angle Shots:

This is a type of shot where the camera is tilted one way to create lines that are at an

angle to the side of the frame. An example of this is during the hotel fight scene in

Inception; the walls are at a 45 degree angle to the side of the frame.

Editing

Eyeline Match

This is an editing practice to ensure continuity within the film when characters are looking at an object, character or landscape outside of

the frame they’re in. Essentially, it makes sure that the character’s line of sight goes to

what they are meant to be looking at, not lower or higher. This is seen many times in

LotR, when Frodo looks out towards the Eye of Sauron

Graphic Match

Graphic match is an editing technique used to transition seamlessly between two shots that

metaphorically link. This was done in Hitchcock’s Psycho in the shower murder

scene to transition between the drain and the victim’s eye, and in 2001: A Space Odyssey when transitioning between a bone in the sky

and an ‘orbital nuclear weapons platform’.

Action Match

An action match occurs when two shots showing two different perspectives of action

are filmed apart from each other but edited to look like they are happening sequentially. In Hot Fuzz, the shot of Danny licking his lips could have been shot days apart from the

shot of him breaking the fence but edited to suggest it happened one after the other.

Parallel Editing

Parallel editing is a technique used to imply that two characters are in the same situation without having to show both characters in the

frame at the same time, making the scene more engaging. For example, during the chase scene in The Dark Knight Rises,

Batman and the convoy of police cars are often separately shot, but it is still clear that

the police are chasing Batman.

Superimposition

Superimposition is where two shots/images are overlaid. This shows a link between these two shots, giving the scene greater meaning

and allowing more detail to be shown in a single shot. A good example of this is seen in

the Hangover while Alan gambles. The superimposition of mathematical formulae onto the shot shows his intelligence during

this time.

Sound

Synchronous / Asynchronous Sound

Synchronous sound is that which matches what is happening within the frame, whereas asynchronous sound is that which is relevant

to something happening out of frame. For example, footsteps match someone walking

would be synchronous because it is synchronised with the action on screen, but

the sound of police sirens being played whilst the frame shows bank robbers and not a

police car would be asynchronous.

Direct Address

When a character directly speaks to another character, this is direct address. Often the character doing the addressing will use the

other character’s name, or some such phrase much like “my friend” to initiate the direct

address.

Incidental Music

Incidental music is essentially background music that adds atmosphere to what is

happening on screen. If a murder has just been revealed, the incidental music might be

a high pitched, sharp noise. It suspense is being built, the incidental music might be a

long, middle-pitched droning sound.

Stings

A sting is a short piece of music that introduces something that regularly occurs. For example, the background music during

the title sequence for various film companies such as Universal would be a sting.