Film Terminology

• Semiotics is the study of signs
• Signs/signifiers have a denotation and a connotation and are polysemic.
• Polysemic means having multiple meanings.
• Signs include mis-en-scene, sound, camerawork and editing.
• Naturalisation refers to how media establishes myths in society and propagates them.
• Mis en scene translates as 'putting into the scene' or 'staging an action' in French.
• Auteur is the french idea that the director is the 'author of the film'.
• Example mis en scene elements include format, aspect ratio, location, lighting, costume design, art design, acting style, camera techniques and style and post production.
• A visual motif is an element of mis en scene repeated in a film with significance.
• A signifier is the catalyst conveying the message (symbol)
• The signified is the meaning conveyed (meaning)