Saturday, 21 March 2026

Classwork: Technical Elements

Here is a summary of what we have been learning in class. We learned about different types of Technical Elements in media.
Camera
A camera captures images, and different shots and angles show emotion, size, and perspective.

Camera Angles
Effects

Long Shot: Shows the full subject and setting.

Extreme Long shot: Shows the subject from afar.

Medium Shot: Balances subject and setting, often used for conversations.

Cowboy Shot: Focuses on the face or details, shows emotion or importance.

Close Up: Focuses on the face or details, shows emotion or importance.

Extreme Close Up: Highlights tiny details and intensity.

POV: Shows a characters perspective, creates immersion.

Over the Shoulders: Shows one character from another's viewpoint,  creates connection or tension.

High Angle: Makes the subject appear powerful or dominant.

Dutch Angle: Creates unease or tension.

Establishing Shot: Provides location and contact, often helps set a scene.

Here is a video of what my teacher gave us to get a better understanding of Camera Angles:


Camera Shots

Fixed

Camera remains static

Calm, peace, normal

Push in

Camera moves slowly toward subject

Brings the audience closer, more involved, getting more serious. 

Pull out

Camera moves slowly away from subject

Takes audience away from the action, leaving a character. Detaching from subject

Pan 

Side to side, camera fixed

Reveal information, mirrors natural head movement of the audience. 

Tilt

Up and down, camera fixed

Same as pan, just a different direction

Dolly 

Camera moves around freely

More immersive, we are moving inside the subjects world, we feel part of the action

Tracking

Camera moves around on tracks

Similar to dolly, but smoother. 

Crane

Taken by a camera mounted on a jib/crane that moves up and down.

Reveals the epic size of the setting, landscape. 

Handheld

Camera is shakey

Very natural, immersive. High energy

Zoom

Zoom 

Brings audience closer to budget. Draws our attention to something. 


Heres a video I made of my understanding of different camera shots:


Sound
Sound in media includes dialogue, music, and effects to create mood, tell stories, and add realism.

Type of Sounds

Description

Effect

Diegetic sound

Sound that can be heard by the characters within the media text. 

Add a sense of realism. Reveal information to characters (and then audience)

Non diegetic sound

Sound that can only be heard by the audience.

Enhance meaning, create an emotional response in the audience

Trans diegetic sound 

Sound that transitions from one to the other. 

Creates a link between the audience and the world. More immersive


Heres a video of what my teacher gave us to get a better understanding of Sounds:


Sound

Non-Diegetic Tones

 

Description

Effect

Melodic

Positive and pleasing connotations

Enhances a positive scene. Create positive emotions in the audience.

Discordant

Harsh and unpleasant connotations. 

Enhance negative scenes.  Create suspense, tension, anxiety

Contrapuntal 

Has an opposite tone to the on-screen visuals. 

Adds deeper meaning to scenes. Insight into the character's thoughts. Maybe they seek pleasure in doing bad things. 


Here are music videos that best represents these type of Non-Diegetic Tones:

Melodic


Discordant


Contrapuntal


The idea of this music shows how its upbeat, happy music contracts with its dark and serious lyrics.

Mise-en-Scene
Refers to the arrangement and design of visual elements within a framework or a scene.
Here is a video of what my teacher gave us to get a better understanding of Mise-en-Scene:


Editing
The process of selecting and arranging footage to create a cohesive and engaging story. 

Long Take vs Short Take
Here is a comparison of how Long Take and Short Take editing looks like:

Continuity vs Non-Continuity Editing

Continuity Editing

Non continuity editing 

  • Straight cut (cut)

  • Eyeline match 

  • Shot /reverse shot

  • Cutaway / Insert 


*Match cut

  • Cross cut (parallel cut)

  • Flash back

  • Flash forward

  • Jump cut 


*Match cut


Reflection: