sound micro elements

sound has power to create different moods to create a character and can signal events that are about to happen. 

the power of music can manipulate audiences emotions has always been acknowledged on television and film. The entire soundtrack is compromised of 3 main elements: 
- the human voice 
-sound effects 
-Music 
this creates a balance between the realism world of drama and creates tension using sound in the real world and dialogue is less polished. 
Two main types of sound: 
diegetic sound natural sound anything that happens inside the world of the story 
Non diegetic sound: off screen sound takes place outside the story e.g. voice over 
Verisimilitude: realism 
Foley: person that makes sound 
Modes of address: generally a narrative 
terminology 
diegetic sound and non diegetic sound 

sound

Glossary Of Sound Terms For Tv Drama from raybloggs

editing and cutting

Cutting

Editing terminology

Editing has a number of key terms which an editor should be extremely well educated on. These terms could be known to mean transitions or simply the continuity.

The following list shows the terms used in editing and also what is meant by these terms.

Cutting

Cutting is when one shot suddenly changes to another shot. Cuts are made very regularly; for example, television shows consist of cuts which occur approximately every seven to eight seconds. Cuts aren’t always left as a sudden change from one shot to another, sometimes these cuts are transitioned as a fade, wipe or a dissolve.

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  There is always a reason for cutting a shot, this could include


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  To change the scene and setting


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  To compress the time


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  To vary the point of view


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  To build or create and image or an idea

Shot/Reverse shot

A shot and reverse shot is where several shots are edited together and alternate characters. This is very typically used in a conversation situation.

Eye line Match

An eye line match consists of two shots. The first shows the character look off in one direction. The following shot shows what the character is looking at.

Graphic Match

A good example of this would be a washing machine spinning around and dissolving into a car wheel. Or even in Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, in the famous shower scene, when the camera focuses on the water spiralling down the plug hole and the shot dissolves into the ladies eye.

Action Match

An action match is when two different views are shot of the same action, and are edited together so that the action appears to continue uninterrupted.

Jump Cut

A jump cut is when a single shot has an interruption. The interruption is either the background changes instantly while the figure in the shot remains the same, or that the figure changes instantly while the background remains the same.

Parallel Editing

This is an editing technique where two or more shots, set in different places, alternate, these are usually simultaneous, and the actions are linked in some way.

Dissolve

Dissolving is a transition used in between two shots so that the shots don’t suddenly change. Dissolve is the transition in which one shot fades out while another shot fades in, meaning at one moment in this transition the shots are blended together.

Fade in/Fade out

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  Fading into a shot is when the screen appears just a blank, black screen to begin with, and then the shot begins to fade in. This usually occurs at the beginning of a scene to indicate a softer, quieter introduction.


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  Fading out of a shot is when the shot is shown on the screen and then slowly fades out into a blank, black screen.

Superimposition

This is where two shots are blended into one, and unlike dissolve, this is not a transition between two different shots.

Long Take

A shot that takes an unusually long length of time before cutting to the next scene.

Short Take

A shot that is a very quick shot that takes a very short length of time before cutting to the next scene.

Slow Motion

When the action on the screen has been edited to move at a slower rate than the original action did. This can be used to do the following

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  Make a faster action more visible to the audience


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  To emphasize a moment or a reaction


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  To create an unusual and strange feeling about a familiar, ordinary action


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  To emphasize violence

Lighting

High key lighting- a lighting with bright even illumination and minimal shadows often used in musicals and comedies.

Low key light- uses only one key light which creates drama and a sense of alienation

Ambient Lighting- Also known as background lighting to create an overall atmosphere

natural lighting- Provided by 'outdoor' lighting either light or dark

artificial lighting- A powerful tool in creating a strong atmosphere think sci-fi

Backlighting- light that originates from behind figures in a scene. This type of lighting creates silhouettes

Three point lighting- a system of lighting that uses light from 3 sources, bright, one behind and one fill

Fill light- Part of the 3 point system this lower powered light helps to erase or soften shadows created by light

The Effect- Why is the light being used?

camera movement

Tracking shot- To follow the narrative on the screen, back or forwards usually using a dolly- tracking in and out moving onto the next piece of action. 

crab shot- follow movement of the character/object to keep pace with action 

Tilt shot- up or down on a axis upwards is used to create height and power 

zoom- alternative to tracking 

Arc shot- full or semi circle round character/object increasing the intensity of the narrative.

Crane shot - attaching a camera to a crane and following in a vertical direction

Panning shot - mounted on a tripod left to right movements or vice versa following the camera in the frame.

180 degree rule