This document provides an overview of key film terminology for a GCSE Film Studies course. It discusses mise-en-scene, genres, camera shots, camera movement, editing techniques including pace and transitions, and special effects including CGI and practical effects. Students are instructed to analyze sample scenes focusing on elements of mise-en-scene, camera work, and how they convey meaning and elicit emotional responses from audiences.

1. Key Terminology - 1
G.C.S.E. Film Studies

2. Starter
•What is the actual
translation for the word
mise-en-scene?

3. Todays Objectives
• This week is recovering the key terminology covered in the first
half term as prep for the controlled assessment.
• WALT
• Understand the range of areas covered by mise-en-scene.
• The impact and effect of camera shots and their movement
• The impact of editing and the techniques being used.
• WILF
• You to identify and analyse the range of criteria covered in miseen-scene and how different genres differ.
• Analyse the impact of camera techniques on the audience.
• Be able to identify the difference in editing pace and techniques.

4. Controlled Assessment
• What is the five minute extract
you are intending on covering for
your controlled assessment.
• I need the name of the film and
the start and finish time of the
extract.

5. Genre
• Genre is a form of catergorsing a film based on reoccuring codes and
convetions.
• This means similar forms of narrative, or setting, locations, types of
characters etc.
• There can be a range of types of genres :
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Horror
Comedy
Action
Western
Romance
Superhero
• To Name but a few.

6. Terms
• Denotation – This means what something is.
• An example the denotation of red is that it is a colour.
• Connotation – This means what it could mean.
• An example of the connotation of the colour red in a vampire film
would be that it represents murder and death as well as blood
that a vampire seeks to survive.
• Sample Scene
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N7VK7vHwnw&list=PLD80C
E53FDFEC7104&index=6

7. Mise-en-scene
• It is a french term and means everything within the frame this
will include:
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Costume
Props
Setting – including the decoration and use of colour
Lighting
Even the way the actors move
• This becomes a very important element when analysing a scene
as well as identifying characters as some films will have very
unique mise-en-scene.

8. Mise-en-scene
• Watch the following examples and identify the mise-en-scene
of these scenes.
• Understanding this is vital to your controlled assessment.
• You must identify the following elements of mise-en-scene
and describe how they are creating meaning for the audience.
• Costume (this includes make-up)
, Props, Lighting, Setting, decoration, movement of actors.
• Sample Scenes – Once Upon a Time in the West, Lost
Boys, War of the Worlds

9. Mise-en-scene
• You will have fifteen minutes to analyse each scenes.
• You are covering as a reminder:
• Costume (this includes make-up)
, Props, Lighting, Setting, decoration, movement of actors.
• The films are: Once Upon a Time in the West, Lost Boys, War
of the Worlds

10. Camera Shots
• Open additional Powerpoint – Camera Angles

11. Camera Movement
• The camera can be moved using a variety of methods of style
of camera work.
• Hand-held (Chronicle, Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity)
• Steadicam – camera attached to the camera operator allows for
smoother movement than hand-held
• Cinematic – using a variety of movements:
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Tracking
Jib / Crane
Tripod
All of the previous mentioned where required.

12. Camera Movement
• Directors pick the types of camera work to convey a message
or an emotion to the audience.
• Fast camera movements are often to make action exciting.
• Slow could be to add or build tension or in a horror build
suspense for the audience.

13. Sample
• Sample Scene – Donnie Darko – this scene uses a lot of
cantered angles
• In your table discuss the three questions
• Question
• How does the camera work make you feel when watching the
scene?
• What techniques are being used?
• What might it be conveying about the character of Donnie?

14. Editing – creating meaning
• The move from one shot to another is called a CUT.
• The editing is how the story is told to the
audience, keeping a wide shot is boring it creates visual
interest for the audience.
• The edit will also draw and move to what is of interest to
the viewer.

15. Pace
This is the speed of the cuts.
It could be fast or slow, a film will often have a different pace
for different scenes depending on what is happening.
 A conversation
A fight
 The pace will often increase when more dramatic things are
happening.

16. Transitions
• The use of an effect to move from one shot to another
• Dissolve
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• Wipe
Fade to Black

17. Additional Effects
Images and graphics
Text
 This is often used in foreign films to translate the language.
 It could also be used for a stylistic effect.
 Example – BMW
 What impact does the use of onscreen text have on this film?
 Do you like the effect or dislike it (offputting)?

18. CGI
• This can be used now for a variety of uses.
• Creating characters
• Creating backgrounds / worlds / universe
• Destroying things that would cost to much to do for real or
would never be allowed.

19. Practical Effects
• There are a variety of practical effects.
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Fake Cuts / Wounds on skin
Prosthetics
Creature / monsters
Puppets
Animatronics
• A practical effect is anything the actor can interact with.

20. SIN CITY
• A short video showing how they created sin city showcasing
the use of green screen and how they created the world of Sin
City