ANALYTIC TERMS
HOW THEY WORK
In communications theory there is a sender and a receiver. The sender sends a message that is encoded (put into a code). The message travels through a medium and arrives at the receiver. The receiver needs to decode the message to understand it.
Although technically there are differences between codes (word for word substitution) and ciphers (letter for letter substitution), "code" is often taken generally to mean a way of "hiding" a message. One "deciphers" a cipher and "decodes" a coded message. When the message is concealed in a text, the actual message is revealed through "hermeneutics".
Every art form can build contrast in particular areas sometimes called "domains". Within a domain are "variables". All codes require contrasts. Paul Revere in the poem, indicates the method of arrival by the British by the NUMBER of lanterns hung in the old North Church: "One if by land, two if by sea". By using the domain containing variables that are numbers, the contrast is between "one" and "two". If the domain had been "color" then the various colors would be the variables and the poem might have read "Red if by land. and green if by sea". Another domain might have been "movement" and then the poem might have read "Swinging if by land, steady if by sea" (this would have been unfortunate because it would have made the meter wrong for the poem!).
In a film, there are many domains in which there are variables. Camera placement with its variables of extreme close up, close up, medium shot, and so on. Camera movement is another domain in which the variables would be "stationary", "panning", "tilting", "craning", "tracking" and so on. Lenses and film stocks can also be variables since a choice is possible between variables.
In the area of light there are variables such as "source light" (the light appears to come from places where there are lights in the film), "chiaroscuro lighting" (pools of light surrounded by darkness), "three point lighting" (key, fill in and back light), use of filters on lights and so on.
Sound constitutes another major domain with several possible variables - diegetic vs. non diegetic (is the sound in the world of the film (e.g. a radio playing) or not (background music).
Editing is another aspect of film making with variables dealing with the way in which the story (the chronological events that happened) contrast with the narrative (the way the story is told). The narrative can be linear (told in the same order that the events occurred in the story) or non linear (not in that order - e.g. flashbacks and so on). Editing can also manipulate time and timing. by using variables such as the length of the shot, cross cutting action so that it is possible to stretch time.
In addition to variables that can only be used by film makers there are variable that occur in films and can occur in other art forms as well. For example, symbolic use of color is something that could occur in films or in stage productions. Color could be used in sets, on props or on costumes or ever as makeup on people.
Acting techniques are techniques that can be used on stage and in film (although the some of them are handled differently on film than in the theater.