Film Language (Mise en Scene And Camera Angles)

Media And Film Language

Definition:

Film Language is a mode of expression through which the plot/narrative is developed and explored. Media Language consists of:
Camera (cinematography):  
Mise-en-scene (environment, visual elements)
Sound
Editing

Mise-en-scene (a French word; setting the stage) consists of everything included in the frame, all the visual elements included in a scene. It includes:
  • Costumes, 
  • props,
  •  lighting, 
  • performance,
  •  set design,
  •  actors and their positioning in a shot,
  •  background etc.
Cinematography, or camera consists predominantly of camera angles, movements, shot sizes, frames.

Camera Shot Sizes: how much of a setting or the subject is displayed within the set frame. These include:
  1. Extreme Wide Shot (XWS). For example city view, It can be used in the establishing shot to show time and place,
  2. Very Wide Shot (VWS) eg Street View
  3. Wide Shot (WS) OR Full Shot (FS) OR Long Shot (LS)
  4. Mid Long Shot (MLS). Advice: it should not cut directly on joints.
  5. Mid Shot (MS) Waist up.
  6. Mid Close Up (MCU) chest up
  7. Close Up Shot (SU) Neck and Face
  8. Big Close Up (BCU) even part of forehead excluded 
  9. Extreme Close Up (ECU) just the eyes.



Camera Angle: the camera angle refers to the location and the position at which the camera is placed while taking a shot. It can be used to convey emotions. These include:
  1. Eye Level Shot (also called a neutral shot)
  2. High Angle Shot (*in this shot, the CAMERA is placed at a high angle, NOT the subject.) It can be used to show the helplessness of the subject.
  3. Low Angle Shot: can be used to show authority.
  4. Bird's Eye View/Aerial View
  5. Worm's Eye View 
  6. Dutch Tilt 
  7. Master Shot (the entire setting of the room)



Camera Movement:
On An Axis (camera on a tripod)=*
  1. Pan left or Pan right *
  2. Tilt Up or Tilt Down *
  3. Pan Tilt *
  4. Slider Movement; slide left or slide right. subject is still, camera moves.
  5. Tracking Movement: Subject tracked, or followed. it can either be track in, track out, track left or track right.
  6. Dolly In or Dolly Out; camera gradually and smoothly moving in and out/away from subject
  7. Arch Shot; camera moving around subject.
  8. 360 shot
  9. Jib/Pedestal/Crane movement. Camera sliding up and down
  10. Crane Slider
  11. Crane Tilt

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