Film Studies key terms

A system of society in which men hold most authority and women’s choices are often subordinate to male power.

Influence from people of a similar age or social group that encourages someone to behave in an accepted way.

The selection and arrangement of story events as they are presented in a film.

An event that changes the direction of a narrative or significantly alters a character’s situation.

A shared issue or feature used to explain a meaningful similarity or difference between films.

The perspective through which spectators experience a narrative, shaping what they see, hear and know.

A shot showing what a character is looking at, aligning the spectator with that character’s view.

The political issues, beliefs and power relationships reflected in a film.

A lightweight camera that can be carried and used more easily on location, including for hand-held filming.

An outlook that treats feminist gains as already achieved and often emphasises individual confidence and choice. DeRogatis questions whether Juno's appearance of empowerment conceals a less supportive message about women.

The stage of filmmaking after shooting, during which footage is edited and elements such as visual effects are added.

A physical effect produced and filmed during shooting, rather than created digitally afterwards.

The Hollywood period before strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1934. The Code had been introduced in 1930, and other censorship pressures still existed.

A Hollywood film made before strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hays Code.

The process of making a film, including organising its resources, filming and completing the finished work.

The money allocated to making a film, which influences the resources and production choices available.

Hollywood’s system of moral guidelines, also called the Hays Code, enforced by the Production Code Administration and restricting what films could show or endorse.

An object within a scene that contributes to the action or helps communicate meaning about characters and their world.

Communication designed to promote a particular political or ideological viewpoint and influence an audience’s beliefs.

The central character whose actions organise the main story.

The distances and positions between characters within an image, which can suggest their relationships.

A change of focus within a shot that redirects attention between subjects at different distances from the camera.

A convincing impression that the people, places and events presented in a film could exist in the world it depicts.

Providing information previously kept from spectators, changing their understanding of events.

The balance between familiar genre conventions and variations that give audiences something new.

The presentation of people, groups or ideas through selected and constructed images, sounds and narrative events.

The outcome or aftermath of a narrative’s main conflict, which may settle some questions while leaving others open.