WHAT IS A DOCUMENTARY?A category of non-fi ction movies with some aspect of real ity.
The purpose is often to inform or educate, or to maintain a historical record.
The main idea is that “original” actors and scenes are better guides than fi ctional accounts.
Documentaries have become increasingly popular, and do quite well in theatres.
There is some overlap between documentaries and real ity television, but the “real ity” in real ity TV is often staged.
MODERN DOCUMENTARIES
GLOSSARY OF FILM TERMS
Foreground BackgroundSymmetry
The part of the The scenery be-When a picture
picture that is hind the object is arranged with
closest to the that is the focus near perfect
viewer. of the picture. balance.
Assymmetry- lack of balance
Tone- The intensity of light
and dark
Shape- Basic geometric
shapes appearing in the
composition.
GLOSSARY OF FILM TERMS
COMPARE AND CONTRASTUsing the terms we’ve just looked at, discuss the composition of these two pictures.
Which picture do you think is more effective? Explain your answer.
Sebastião SalgadoA community above Chimborazo, Ecuador, 1982
Sebastião SalgadoRefugees in the Korem Camp, Ethiopia, 1984
Aerial ShotA shot from high
above,
giving a bird’s eye view of
a scene or place.
GLOSSARY OF FILM TERMS CONTINUED—SHOT TYPES
SHOT TYPESExtreme Wide Shot
The view is so far from the subject that he isn’t
visible.
Wide Shot
The subject takes up the full frame, or at least
as much as comfortably possible. AKA long/full
shot.
SHOT TYPESMid Shot
Shows some part of the subject in more detail while
still giving an impression of the whole subject.
Close UpA certain feature or part of the subject
takes up the
whole frame.
Extreme Close UpShows extreme details.
GROUP TASK
With the people in your group, brainstorm what each shot type would
be used for.
Aerial Shot
Extreme Wide Shot
Wide Shot
Mid Shot
Close Up
Extreme Close Up
DIFFERENT SHOT TYPES
Dolly Shot- The camera is mounted on a dolly and moves smoothly.
Hand-Held Shot:- The camera operator carries the camera while filming the action.
Subjective Shot- The camera is positioned at an angle, or has something about its content (distortion through misfocus or strange color, etc.) to suggest that the shot is seen from the viewpoint of the subject (e.g., through drunkenness, or fear, or heightened sensitivity).
In Groups: When would you use each type of shot? Can you think of an example from films of each type of shot?
MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER
Lighting- Illumination of the set. Lighting includes where the light is coming from, what the light highlights, or what the darkness conceals.
Music- Any music that is played during a film. Often music will play in the foreground at the beginning and end of films, but be played in the background during the action.