244 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding MediaGlossary
Archival – Motion pictures that have been stored and are used for study,
research, and placement in other motion pictures. An archive is a place where
moving images are preserved for public or private use.
Authenticity – In fi lmmaking, the genuineness or truth of footage in relation
to the actual events or experiences being shown or depicted.
Cinéma vérité – Term from the French meaning “Cinema Truth” originally
applied to documentaries that sought truth about events through active
participation and eliciting of testimony by fi lmmakers, although it is oft en
used to describe methods involving direct recording of events with minimal
intrusion by the fi lmmaker.
Commentary – Remarks delivered by a person, usually an off -screen voice,
concerning the topic of the motion picture, oft en given as an authority
perspective.
Coverage – Group of shots fi lmed for a scene regarding their appropriateness
for editing. Full coverage implies a range of diff erent framings, angles, and
movements of individual shots in relation to the content and continuity of
the scene. [Note: Th ere is also a second distinct meaning for coverage in
fi lmmaking: a report by a script reader evaluating a screenplay for its merits
and defi ciencies.]
Direct cinema – Documentary traditions that seek to record events and
activities as they occur with minimal evidence of the presence of fi lmmakers,
including interviews.
Foundation – An institution that holds an endowment dedicated to funding
projects, including documentaries and other non-mainstream motion picture
production.
Grant – An amount of money distributed by a governmental organization
or foundation for the purpose of completing a project, such as a motion
picture. In virtually all cases, specifi c procedures and terms are in place to
apply for the grant.
Outline – In documentary fi lm, an outline typically consists of a two- to
three-page summary of the project and is used to apply for grants or studio
subsidies.
Split-screen – Visual eff ect in which the screen is divided into two or more
frames, with separate or repeated images occupying each individual fi eld of
the screen.
Switcher – A board consisting of control levers and buttons that allows a
technician to select and mix video and audio signals directly in a studio to
produce completed segments for broadcast media and related formats. Full
term is production switcher.Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).