AS G321: Media Language - Mrs Mallet

Media Language - Mrs Mallet 

Camera shots

• Extreme long shot (ELS) - A wide view of the complete setting.
• Long shot (LS) - Closer than the extreme long shot but still shows the complete scene. Human figure is visible.
• Medium Long shot (MLS) - Human characters can be seen in detail.
• Medium shot (MS) - Gesture, expression/dialogue - clearly visible.
• Medium close up (MCU) - Head & shoulders fit comfortably in the frame. 
• Close - up (CU) - Shows the detail of a subject. Shows emotion. 
• Extreme close up (ECU) - Portion of detail or magnifies something that is minute.

Camera Angles

• High angle - When the audience views the subject from above, looking down. 
• Low angle - The opposite of above, where we look upwards toward the subject. 
• Eye Level - We view the scene as if we were the spectator. 
• Point of view - The camera is used as if it is the eye of one of the characters. 
• Crane - The camera is attached to a crane and we are shown the scene from above it.
• Dutch - When the camera is canted or tilted to one side so that the horizon is on an angle.

Editing

• Straight cut - Creates a natural movement between shots and in many ways emulates the audiences own eye movements. 
• The fade - Where the old image gently disappears usually to a black screen before the new image appears. 
• The dissolve - Bringing the new shot into focus as the old on disappears from focus. At some point in a dissolve, both shots are on screen at the same time. 
• The wipe - Where the new image comes onto the screen with a distinct shaped edge and seemingly pushes the old one off the screen.

Lighting

• Coloured lighting - To give a particular effect to a scene - golden glow where a soft, flattering effect is required. 
• Diegetic lighting - Lighting that appears to emanate from a source within the scene e.g. lamp. 
• Location of light source - Up-lighting/Overhead lighting.
• Key light - Hardest/brightest light, main source of illumination. 
• Fill light - Softer, more diffuse light that is placed slightly to the other side of the main subject. Same angle as key light, fills in the shadows cast by the key light.
• Backlight - Placed behind the subject, creates 3D distance or separation. Usually hard lights to better create an outline around the subject. 

Sound

• On screen sound - Diegetic sound that comes from objects observable within the frame.
• Off screen sound - Diegetic sound that comes from objects not seen within the frame. 
• Asynchronous sound - Sound which does not match the action on the screen. 

Special Effects (SFX)

• Added after filming to enhance images. 
• Used to create images the camera cannot create. 
• Blue/green screen technology is used to place an action in a location - to superimpose images. 

Computer Generated Images (CGI)

• Could be used for a futuristic location/science fiction. 
• Motion capture.