Elements of Film

Use any one of these elements of film to prove each point about a similarity or a difference between the text and the film.

Staging What the audience sees, hears, and experiences during a film.

Diagetic sound (actual sound) Nondiagetic sound (commentary sound)

voices of characters, sounds made by objects in narrators commentary, sound effects added for
the story, music coming from instruments in the dramatic effect, mood music
story space

Lighting Costumes
(or lack thereof) light draws the clothing and overall fashion of a character
audiences attention to something and,
typically, illuminates what is right or truth

Props Set design

moveable things that characters design of the space in which a film takes
interact with, wear, or have in their hands place, including things like

symbols
seemingly ordinary item(s) that stands for
something deeper than itself
Camera Angle How the director chooses to portray the scene to the audience.

Low angle shot Straight angle shot

reflects dominance and eye level is dramatically neutral; sense of equality
aggression of the character; instills awe or fear in and relatability with audience
the audience

High angle shot Dutch tilt

reflects vulnerability or weakness in the reflects a moment that is unique, out of
character control, or disoriented; artistic effect

Point of view Two shot

camera angle reflects what a character sees; emphasizes the interaction between two
emphasizes the characters individual experience characters

Proximity
close proximity conveys strong emotion; wide an-
gle shots convey less emotion