See also:   [^^Film DIRECTORY]
            [post post-modernism]
                [post post-modernist terms] (the usual suspects)
            [Art Films]
                   [(art) Concepts]
            [Alienation]
            [Distancing]
            []
            []
            []
            []

On this page:  {The Usual Suspects] 
               {Film Terms}



Film


The Usual Suspects
Siegfried Kracauer ()

post post-modernism]

Alienation
Cropping
Distancing

(expand, briefly expound here)

Film Terms


Costume

Ostensibly these are the clothes (or lack there-of) the
actors wear. Note the imaginative use of costume in
"Enemy of the State" when the dog (Porchie") is 
spray painted.

If "clothes make the man", then costume makes the part.
As Andreas Katsulas (who played the lizard-man in 
Babylon Five) put it, "I didn't really feel like an
alien until i put on all of that heavy leather and
- even the makeup didn't do it, but that outfit 
MADE me into G'kar.  -- not an exact quote.

Note the diliberate mis-use of costume in Agatha 
Christie's "Mouse Trap" where "Vatrusian" ??name??
is clearly overly made up with makeup as part of
the myster of that character - prompting one person
to say, "and did you notice how much makeup he has
on, and the way he moves. I don't think he's as old
as he pretends to be" -- not an exact quote.

http://www.heniford.net/4321/index.php?n=Citations-M.MouseTrap-The-1m2f?setview=big&setfontsize=110


Cut

To change from one view of something to another or 
to change from one scene to another.




Dressing

This consists of the set (see SCENE) as well as the
actors (see COSTUME)


Scene

See also: SET.

ote: A "scene" is to be thought of like a stage set
      for a single act/scene in a play. In film, 
usually each "scene" corresponds to a "set" to be
built. For example, in "Little Miss SunShine" the
"scenes" include the sets of the family's home,
the motel rooms (two sets/scenes), and the van.
Note that the van in fact (one scene - a logical
concept here) consists of several actual vans that
comprise several "sets" - one van has the front 
removed for head-shots of the driver and his wife,
another van as the passenger side removed so that
the back seats can be viweed.  Note that in this
case mise-en scene is NOT used very much).

Note too that often a miniature or computer mock-up
of a set will be created; viz, most action adventure
movies where in LONG SHOTS, the miniature or FX double
is used.

Set

Traditionally, each location in a film was a separate
set. For example in a western one set would be the
main street with shops on either side of the street,
and separate set would be the inside of the jail, the
inside of the saloon, the inside of the brothel, the
inside of the doctor's office, a stretch of trail
in the desert.  

Thus, each set "sets" the stage (mindset, ENV, plot-element)
for the story elements to be played out there. 

In many cases a set may only be used to link to major sets
together.  THis is the case of entry halls, where an actor
answers the door the guests enter and then CUT to an
actual set of the living room, etc. Thus these "bridging sets"
are usually minimal. As regards plot elements, an excellent
example is the REVEAL in "National Treasure" showing how
the document is taken down below ground for storage. The
set/scene is mainly for plot exposition and ONLY exists
as a computer FX - but is key to the action. Details; details.

As in theatre, the set is DRESSED by the art director and
staff. A room with a fireplace having "deer and tiger heads"
mounted on it becomes a room in "the explorer's club", but
the same room with wall paper becomes a drawing room. Even
if the rest of the furniture might be the same. 

Again: Look and feel create the reality; action can't take
       place in a vacuum (unless it's an SF film ;)


Shot

The view/way what is on the screen is displayed.

Note: A "scene" is to be thought of like a stage set
      for a single act/scene in a play. In film, 
usually each "scene" corresponds to a "set" to be
built. For example, in "Little Miss SunShine" the
"scenes" include the sets of the family's home,
the motel rooms (two sets/scenes), and the van.
Note that the van in fact (one scene - a logical
concept here) consists of several actual vans that
comprise several "sets" - one van has the front 
removed for head-shots of the driver and his wife,
another van as the passenger side removed so that
the back seats can be viweed.  Note that in this
case mise-en scene is NOT used very much).

Note too that often a miniature or computer mock-up
of a set will be created; viz, most action adventure
movies where in LONG SHOTS, the miniature or FX double
is used.

An object may be in a CLOSE UP, a LONG SHOT (at a distance)
or PANNING (rotating the camera from side to side)

Close-up - a shot where almost every detail of the object/scene
           can be studied in detail. Most common use of the
close-up with a person's face is to allow the actor to "show
emotion" or "show what they are thinking" or "emphasize dialog".

Extreme Close-Up - a much closer than "comfortable/normal"
                   view of the object/scene.

Medium SHot - Sufficent to show more than one object, but
              usually not enough to give a global view 
of the entire object/scene. Thus, it reveals much but 
almost always leaves something hidden.

Long Shot - (aka "Establishing Shot") sufficient to show
            the over-all layout of almost every thing in
a particular object/scene.

Chronology