The document defines several key media and film terminology: Binary oppositions refer to mutually exclusive concepts that create narrative conflict, such as good/evil. Diegetic sounds originate from within the film's world, while non-diegetic sounds come from outside. Hegemony describes dominant group influence over other groups through political, economic or cultural power. Representation refers to how media re-presents the world through signs and codes for audiences.

1. Media Dictionary
Binary Oppositions- The contrast betweentwomutuallyexclusive conceptsorthingsthatcreates
conflictanddrivesa narrative e.g.good/evil,day/night,male/female,presence/absence,old/young
Diegetic/Non-Diegetic- Diegeticsound isanysoundpresentedasoriginatedfromsource withinthe
film'sworld, Non-diegeticsoundisrepresentedascomingfrom a source outside storyspace,eg.
soundtrackmusic.
Hegemonic- Hegemonyisthe political,economic,ideologicalorcultural powerinfluencedbya
dominantgroupoverothergroups.In the mediait’sused encourage people toconsenttostatusquo
meaningpowerstructures.
Ideology- It isa set of ideasor beliefswhichare heldtobe acceptable bythe creatorsof a mediatext.
For example,atextmightbe describedashavingafeministideology,meaningitpromotesthe ideathat
womenare the equal of menand shouldnotbe discriminatedagainstonthe groundsof gender.
Intertextuality- The influence thatmediatextshave oneachother. Sometimesthisisthe resultof
directcross-references(e.g.musicmashups) orindirect(the waygossipnewsitemsregulatethe way
we viewa star's performance).
Representation- The wayin whichthe media"re-presents"the worldaroundusinthe form of signsand
codesfor audiencestoread.
Iconography - Iconographyisusedwithinfilmstudiestodescribethe visual language of cinema,
particularlywithinthe fieldof genre criticism, forexample,inaWestern,dustylonelyroads,saloonbars,
cowboy hats andhorses.
PreferredReading- The meaningof a textwhichthe producersintended.
Archetype - A universal type ormodel of characterthat isfoundinmany differenttexts,e.g.ingenue,
anti-hero,wise oldwoman,hero-as-lover,hero-as-warrior, shadowtrickster,mentor,loyal friend,
temptress.
Stereotype - Stereotypesare negative(usually) representationsof people thatrelyonpreconceived
ideasaboutthe group that personisperceivedasbelongingto.Itis assumedthatan individual shares
personal characteristicswithothermembersof thatgroupeg blondesare all stupid,accountantsare all
boring.
Verisimilitude - isdescribedasthe qualityof appearingtobe true ordepictingreality.Instorytelling,
theaudience contributestothe experience bytheir"willingsuspensionof disbelief".Themorethe story
resemblesrealityeveninsmalldetailsthe easieritisforthe audience toengage.Realismandplausibility

2. areespeciallyimportantingredientsinanalternate realitygame.Somethingthatmerelyseemstobe true
or real.
High Key Lighting- High-keylightingmeansanoverall brighterpicture.
Low Key Lighting - Low-keylightingmeansanoverall darkerpicture.
Contrapuntal Sound - Whenwe hearsoundthat we wouldn’tassociate withthe eventsonscreen,for
example if we were tobe watchingchildrenplayingonthe beachwe wouldn’tusuallywhere the fast
pacingmusicto accompany itas the twostylesdonotgo together.
AmbientSound - Meansthe backgroundsoundswhichare presentina scene or location.Common
ambientsoundsincludewind,water,birds,crowds,office noises,traffic,etc.
Foley- The reproductionof everydaysoundeffectsthatare addedtofilm, video,andothermediain
post-productiontoenhance audioquality.Thesereproduced soundscanbe anythingfromthe swishing
of clothingandfootstepstosqueakydoorsandbreakingglass.
Ellipsis- A termthat refersto periodsof time thathave beenleftoutof the narrative.The ellipsisis
markedby an editingtransitionswhich,while itleavesoutasectionof the action,none the lesssignifies
that somethinghasbeenelided.
Prop’s Character Theory - VladimirPropp,wasaRussiancritic,he noticedthatoftenmanyFolktales
were similarinavarietyareas.He identifieda theory aboutcharactersand actionsas narrative functions
and theyprovide astructure for the text. The typical charactershe foundwere: The Hero – a character
that seekssomething. The Villain–whoopposesoractivelyblocksthe hero’squest. The Donor– who
providesanobjectwith magical properties. The Dispatcher–whosendsthe hero on his/herquestviaa
message. The False Hero – whodisruptsthe hero’s successbymakingfalse claims. The Helper–who
aidsthe hero. The Princess –acts as the rewardfor the heroand the objectof the villain’splots. Her
Father– whoacts to rewardthe heroforhiseffort.
Todorov’s Narrative Theory - IzetanTodorovwasa Bulgarianstructuralistlinguistpublishinginfluential
workon narrative fromthe 1960s. Todorovsuggestedthatconventional narratives are structuredinfive
stages:A state of equilibriumatthe outset. A disruptionof the equilibriumbysome action. Recognition
that there hasbeena disruption. Anattempttorepairthe disruption. A reinstatementof the
equilibrium.
RestrictedNarrative – The informationthatiswithheldfromthe audience.
OmniscientNarrative - The voice inwhicha storyis writtenthatisoutside the storyand thatknows
everythingaboutthe charactersandeventsin the story.
Linear Narrative - Linearnarrativesfollowastraightline, startingatthe beginning,movingtothe middle
and proceedingtothe endof the story.

3. Above The Line Costs - Costsincurredduringthe productionof an advertisingcommercial thatare
associatedwiththe creative side of it.These costsincludethose incurredforactors,musicand
photography.
BelowThe Line Costs - In general,anadvertisingstrategyinwhichaproductispromotedinmediums
otherthan radio,television,billboards, print,filmandthe internet.Typesof below the line advertising
commonlyinclude directmail campaigns,trade showsandcatalogs;thisadvertisingtype tendstobe
lessexpensiveandmore focused.
Diegesis- The denotativematerial of filmnarrative,it includes,notonlythe narrationitself,butalsothe
fictional space andtime dimensionimpliedbythe narrative.
Enigma Code - A questioninatextthat isnot immediatelyansweredandcreatesinterestforthe
audience –a puzzle thatthe audience hasto solve.
ContinuityEditing- A systemof cuttingusedto maintaincontinuousandclearnarrative actionby
followingasetof rules.
High ConceptFilm - A type of artisticworkthat can be easilypitchedwithasuccinctlystatedpremise.
Juxtaposition- The placementof twoor more utterlydistinctconceptsindirectproximitytoone
another. Whendone deliberately,juxtapositionisavalidtool usedtocreate effect.
Key Light - The firstand usuallymostimportantlightthataphotographer,cinematographer,lighting
cameraman,or otherscene composerwill use inalightingsetup.
Master Shot - A longtake of an entire scene,generallyarelativelylongshotthatfacilitatesthe assembly
of componentclosershotsanddetails.The editorcanalwaysfall backon the mastershot: consequently,
it isalocalleda covershot.
Parallel Editing - A technique wherebycuttingoccursbetweentwoormore relatedactionsoccurringat
the same time intwo separate locationsordifferentpointsintime.D.W. Griffithisoftencitedforhis
use of thistechnique.
Reaction Shot - A termusedinmotionpicture filmproduction,cinematographyandvideoproduction
referringtoa basicunitof filmgrammar.It isa shotwhichcuts awayfrom the mainscene inorderto
showthe reactionof a character to it.
Polysemic- The waythat all imagesmaybe interpretedinavarietyof differentways. Byextension,this
can applyto otherformsof text. The more anchorage a textisgiven,the lessopenitistopolysemy.
Synergy - the use of one product to promote anotherone.Commoninlarge franchisessuchasDoctor
Who,The SimpsonsandHarry Potter.
Convergence - the combinationof several mediatechnologiesintoone medium. Forexample,current
mobile ‘phonescandoall sortsof thingsbeside simplytelephoningpeople –theycan sendtexts,orplay

4. music,or take photographs,etc. The ultimate example isprobablythe Internet –practicallyeveryform
of traditional mediahasanonline equivalent.
Horizontal Integration- Thisis where aproductioncompanyexpandsintootherareasof one industry.
Thismeansthat the companycan developinaparticularareaof productionortheycan buy outanother
companythat dealswiththese areas.
Vertical Integration - Thisiswhenthe productioncompanyhasthe ownershipof the meansof
production,distributionandexhibitionof the filmbythe same company,because of thistheyreceiveall
of the profit.
180 Degree Rule - It’sa basic rule that meansthattwo charactersshouldalwayshave the same leftand
rightrelationshiptoeachother.Whenacamera crossesthe ‘axis’connectingtotwosubjectsitiscalled
‘crossingthe line’.
Rule Of Thirds - A conceptinvideoandfilmproductioninwhichthe frame isdividedintointonine
imaginarysections,asillustratedonthe right.Thiscreatesreference pointswhichactas guidesfor
framingthe image.
Codes- A signwhichmustbe decodedtocreate meaning. Codescanbe veryobviousorhidden,andcan
be createdby camera techniques,visualimages,spokenwords,connotationsof signs,etc. Decodinga
textina mannerthatdiffersfromthe mannerthe producerof that textintendedittobe decoded
producesan aberrantreading.
Conglomerate - A large mediaorganisationwithworldwide influence andinterestinbroadareas,
consistingof manysmallerorganisations. EMI Group andTime Warner are examplesof conglomerates.
Connotation- Meaningcreatedthroughassociation. Forexample,figleaveshave connotationsof
modesty,hornshave connotations of demonsandthe colourredhasconnotationsof passionandrage.
Cultural Imperialism- The dominationof one culture overanother.Cultural imperialismcantake the
formof a general attitude oran active,formal anddeliberate policy,includingmilitaryaction.Economic
or technological factorsmayalsoplaya role. We mightsay: the cultural productsofthe firstworld
"invade"the third-worldand"conquer"local culture.
EffectsModel – It ishowmediacan affectsocietyandhow societyaffectsthe media.
HypodermicModel – It isa theoryimpliesthatthe massmediahasa direct,immediate andpowerful
effectonitsaudiences.