Film techniques explained
Here are some of my favourite film techniques to analyse in text response essays!
High Angle
Definition:
The camera looks down on a subject.
Effect/Meaning:
• Makes the subject appear weak, vulnerable, or powerless.
• Can create a sense of inferiority or intimidation.
Low Angle
Definition:
The camera looks up at a subject.
Effect/Meaning:
• Makes the subject appear powerful, dominant, or intimidating.
Close Up Shot
Definition:
The camera focuses on a subject’s face or an important object.
Effect/Meaning:
• Highlights facial expressions and emotions.
• Creates a sense of intimacy.
Medium Shot
Definition:
Shows the subject from the waist up, balancing focus between the character and their surroundings.
Effect/Meaning:
• Shows the character’s relationship with their surroundings.
• Creates a natural feel.
Long Shot
Definition:
The subject is fully visible in their entire body, with background details included.
Effect/Meaning:
• Establishes setting and context.
• Can emphasise loneliness, scale, or character placement within an environment.
Extreme Long Shot
Definition:
The subject is very small or not visible, with the environment dominating the frame.
Effect/Meaning:
• Creates a sense of vastness, insignificance, or epic scale.
• Often used for introducing locations or setting tone.
Mise en scène
Definition:
A French term meaning "placing on stage," referring to everything within the frame, including set design, props, lighting, costume, actor placement, and composition.
Effect/Meaning:
• Creates atmosphere and mood.
• Symbolises themes or character traits (e.g. a cluttered room might represent a chaotic mind).
Costume
Definition:
The clothing and accessories worn by characters.
Effect/Meaning:
• Reflects personality, status, or transformation.
• Can symbolise themes (e.g. dark clothing for villains, white for innocence).
Lighting
Definition:
The use of light and shadows to create mood, highlight characters, and direct attention.
Types of lighting:
- High-key lighting (bright, even) -> Creates a sense of openness or happiness.
- Low-key lighting (dark, shadowy) -> Creates mystery, fear, or tension.
- Backlighting -> Can create silhouettes, symbolising mystery or power.
Effect/Meaning:
• Enhances tone and atmosphere.
• Emphasises character traits (e.g. villains often appear in shadows).
Voiceover
Definition:
A narrator’s voice is heard without the character speaking on screen, often providing backstory, inner thoughts, or commentary.
Effect/Meaning:
• Creates a sense of intimacy by revealing inner thoughts.
• Can provide unreliable narration, forcing the audience to question the character’s perspective.
• Enhances storytelling by filling in gaps in time or setting.
Music
Definition:
The soundtrack, background music, or thematic score that accompanies a scene.
Effect/Meaning:
• Sets mood and tone (e.g. suspenseful music builds tension, upbeat music creates joy).
• Can foreshadow events (e.g. eerie music before a horror scene).
• Reinforces character emotions or major themes.
There are a THOUSAND more, but these are some of my favourites to analyse. What ones do you gravitate towards the most?
