Glossary of Techniques PDF

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Glossary of Techniques Verbal/written language techniques: Alliteration: words that start with the same sound/ letter. Allusion: references to well-known places, people, events, literary works or characters. Assonance: repetition of a vowel sound. Authorial intrusion: a literary device wherein the composer penning the story, poem or prose steps away from the text and speaks out to the responder Biblical allusion: references to specific sayings or stories or characters in the Christian bible Characterisation: the gradual revelation of a character’s physical or personal traits. Cliché: a dull, over-used expression. Colloquial language: informal, conversational language. Connotation: a specific feeling or attitude created by a selective group of words. Direct quotation: when a composer quotes another person’s exact words in his/her writing using quotation marks. Emotive language: words which specify an emotion e.g. happy, sad, angry, grumpy, frustrated, relieved. Enjambment: (in poems or verse only) the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. Extended metaphor: a metaphor that extends over a sentence, paragraph or the entirety of a text. First person narration/form: one particular character’s narrative perspective using ‘I’. Foreshadowing: advanced hints or clues of what will happen later in a text Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration of the truth. Imagery: descriptions which appeal to any ONE of the five sense such as sight, smell, taste, sounds and touch. Imperative: a phrase, which begins with a verb, to give a command or order. Intertextual reference: when the composer refers to another fictional or non-fictional work in their own text. Irony: a narrative device whereby the actual outcome differs from the expected outcome. Jargon: Specialised language specific to a certain group e.g. legal jargons, computer jargons, political jargons. Juxtaposition: Contrast of words, characters, situations or ideas to highlight their distinctive qualities. Metaphor: a comparison that says one thing is another e.g. My brother is a beast. It is raining men. Onomatopoeia: a word that imitates a sound e.g. sizzle, slam, drip, whisper, murmur, crunch, creak etc. Oxymoron: contradictory words are placed next to each other e.g. deafening silence, burning cold Paradox: a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true. Personal pronouns: words like “we” or “you” to involve the reader. Personification: giving a non-human thing human characteristics. Pun: using a word or phrase that has two meanings. Recurring motif: an idea, symbol or image which is referenced multiple times within a text. Repetition: repeating identical words or phrases for an effect. Rhetorical question: a question that doesn’t have or need an answer. Rhyme: repetition of similar sounds, e.g. in poetry. Rhythm: the beat of the words. Second person narration/form: the use of ‘you’ in a text to address the responders directly. Simile: a comparison that says one thing is like another. Slang: words or expressions used by a particular group, informal. Slogan: a catchphrase to advertise a company or product. Symbolism: the use of objects or colours to represent complex ideas or qualities Tone: the manner in which the words are expressed to reflect the speaker or writer’s emotion or attitude. Truncated sentence: particularly short sentences to create suspense or emphasis. Visual techniques: Body language: the position or posture of a body to express an emotion or attitude Colour/ colour palette: used to draw contrast, attract attention or for symbolism. Contrast/ Juxtaposition: contrasting colours, ideas, or pictures within an image to highly distinctive qualities. Caricature: (in cartoon) a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect. Dominant feature: the one feature that first grabs a viewer’s attention. Empty space: can be used for an effect. Facial expression: the use of faces to express an emotion or attitude. Layout/ Composition: how all parts of an image are arranged in the foreground, mid-ground and background. Lettering/Font: the size, shape, colour of the words in the image. Symbolism: a colour, picture, or object that represents an idea. Vector: invisible lines created by objects in an image to direct the viewer’s gaze to focus on something in particular.

Film techniques: Extreme long/ wide shot: Camera captures the wide horizon where buildings and humans cannot be made out. Long/ wide shot: Camera captures a section of the horizon where buildings and humans can be made out. Full shot: Camera captures a human from head to toe so the full body is visible. Medium/ Mid shot: Camera captures half a human body. Close up shot: Camera captures a small object or a single human body part up close. Extreme close up shot: Camera magnifies a microscopic object which is difficult to see with our naked eyes. Bird’s Eye View: Camera looks straight down at an object. High Angle Shot: Camera is placed on a high place and looks down at an object at an angle. Eye Level Shot: Camera is placed on the same height level as the object. Low Angle Shot: Camera is placed on a low place and looks up at an object at an angle. Point of View Shot: Camera looks through a particular character’s eyes and sees what he/she sees. Handheld Camera shot: A small camera is used to film footage which allows the audience to be present in the footage. Over-the-shoulder shot: Camera is in an eavesdropping position where it looks over one character’s shoulder. Pan/ Panning shot: Camera remains stationary but the lens move from left to right. Tilt/ Tilting shot: Camera remains stationary but lens move up and down. Tracking/ Dolly shot: Camera is placed on a track to follow a moving object at the same pace. Crane Shot: Camera is placed at the end of a crane to create fluid movement during filming. Cross Cut: Camera cuts from one object to another, or from one scene to another. Split Screen: Screen is divided to show two or more events unfolding at the same time. Diegetic Sound: Sounds of which we can locate and see the source on screen. Non-Diegetic Sound: Sounds of which we cannot locate or see the source on screen. Lyrics: Songs with words which are played in the background of some unfolding action to reinforce the mood or attitude of the characters or situations. Musical score: Musical compositions with no lyrics which are played in the background of some unfolding action to create a certain mood or atmosphere. Tone (of Voice): The manner in which a character voices his/ her/ its lines. Voiceover: When a character’s voice narrates over some unfolding action as if he/she/it is doing live commentary. Colour palette: The main colours visible in a scene to create a certain mood, e.g. props, lighting, background, costumes, makeup etc. Mise-en-scene: The layout of the main and minor visual elements in any given frame to indicate relationships between the characters and the setting. Facial Expression: The manner in which characters express their emotions or responses on their faces. Body Language: The manner in which characters express their emotions or responses through their stance, gestures or posture. Lighting/ Shadows: The use of light or shadows to create a certain mood e.g. soft sunset lighting, ambient candle light, sudden flashes of lightning etc....