BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

TYPES OF FILM - PART TWO

detective story

a story wherein there is a homicide or other misconduct and an investigator attempts to unravel the mystery by his clever ploy

director’s cut

a type of movie, ordinarily released after the release of the original movie which showcases the exact version of what the creator wanted it to look like

drama

the public entertainment in theatres, TV, etc., meant for the masses

epic

a lengthy film or book which involves a great deal of activity on an elevated theme based on a historical subject and an adventurous hero

feature film

a main, full-length film with an authentic story with a running time long enough to be considered the principal presentation in an entertainment program

feature-length

A feature-length is a duration between 80 minutes and 180 minutes ie., of similar length as a regular film

film noir

a sort of film with gloomy malicious characters in an uncouth setting and an unpleasant climate evoking obnoxious feelings wherein there are overwhelming inclinations of dread and wickedness

franchise

a series of related works and corpus  of movies wherein similar characters appear in related stories and interact in the same backdrop

genre

a particular style of film, writing, form, or content  that the audience can perceive as a result of its striking elements

Hollywood

the part of Los Angeles where the entertainment world is based and is the sole authority for producing American motion pictures

horror

a kind of book, film, and so on that is intended to create panic and consists of nerve-racking scenes and sequences to frighten individuals

Kollywood

the Tamil entertainment world, which is principally situated in Kodambakkam the suburb of an Indian city, Chennai

montage

an image, film or piece of music that comprises of many discrete things arranged together, particularly in a fascinating manner

motion picture

a series of pictures shown on a screen in quick progression with objects displayed in sequential positions slightly different to create the optical illusion of movement

new wave

a category of artists who work as a team to create an innovative style of filmmaking together and churn out off beat music and films .

prequel

a book or a film whose story precedes that occurred before those in a well-known book or film that is already in circulation for the general public (OR) it is the opposite of sequel

psychodrama

a play or film characterized by an emotional undercurrent where the personalities and feelings of the characters carry a higher priority than the events

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of a heart-wrenching poem  STEADY AS A ROCK from Tamil literature. The poem is about what the girl told her friend about the lover’s strict resolve and conviction in accomplishing his goal and her foolish anxiety over his safety.

STEADY AS A ROCK

He belongs to the land

where among the precarious slopes

the sprightly mountain goat

slurps mother’s milk to its heart’s content

frolics on the obscure slanting slope.

He is pretty much as firm as a stone

Obliviously I worried about him

Perpetually.

(what the girl told her friend about the lover’s strict resolve and conviction in accomplishing his goal and her foolish anxiety over his safety)

TYPES OF FILM - PART ONE

actioner

a movie that has a lot of electrifying activity and daredevil feats and experience

action film

a film that has a great deal of invigorating , adventurous activity and moves the audience to the edge of their seat

adaptation

a film, TV show or play that embraces the basic storyline of a specific book or play however with suitable changes that suit the new medium within the limits of creative freedom

animated

a series of drawings, pictures, and so on in a film that is made to look as though they are moving and brings the action alive

animation

the most common way of making movies, videos and PC games in which drawings, models or pictures of individuals are in a realistic movement

anime

Japanese animation films and TV shows with eye-catching graphics showcasing flamboyant characters with futuristic themes targeting young audience

biopic

a biopic is a film that tells the story of someone's life.

black and white

exclusive black and white and shades of dim tones in photos, TV shows and motion pictures

blockbuster

a book or film with a mind-boggling exciting story that is very popular and successful in the box office

B-movie

a film that is made on a shoestring budget and is considered to be of an inferior standard

bodice-ripper

a Gothic romance normally highlighting scenes in which the heroine is subjected to brutality

Bollywood

used to suggest the Hindi entertainment world which is mostly situated in the Indian city of Mumbai

buddy movie

a film that depicts the story of intimate fellowship between two individuals

cartoon

a film or TV program made by shooting a progression of slowly changing drawings or models that look as though they are moving

classic

a book or film which is notable and considered exceptionally excellent something like the literary treasures of ancient Greece or Rome

cliffhanger

an event in a story, film and so forth that is extremely captivating since the viewers will have no clue of what will occur straightaway as the series is presented in episodes ending in gripping situations

costume drama

a play or film that is set in the past in which the entertainers wear garments that are representative of that period

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of a heart-wrenching poem LOVELORN LOVER from Tamil literature. The poem is about what the lover told the girl’s friend about his lovelorn heart. He doubts whether the girl knows about his present state in which he heaves a sigh of relief like a sleeping elephant due to his separation from his beloved.

LOVELORN LOVER

She is a sweet young lass

with merciful eyes,

frightening off the parrots from the millet field,

busy making a wreath of lilies

collected from the mountain fountain.

I don't have the foggiest idea

in the event that she knows it or not,

my heart is still with her

in my residence farther here

panting for breath

hurling hasty sighs

like a slumberous elephant.

(what the lover told the girl’s friend about his desperate condition due to his separation from his lover)

TECHNICAL TERMS RELATED TO MAKING FILMS - PART TWO

intercut

to insert a film segment between two parts of a different scene

location

a site outside a regular film studio where some select scenes of a movie are filmed

method acting

a technique for planning for a role wherein an entertainer attempts to emulate and bring out real-life portrayal of the person in minute detail

out-take

a particular scene or shot that is excluded from the final version of the film due to some inadvertent mistake

pre-production

the groundwork that is done before the actual production process of the film

production values

the final output of a film, play, music show, and so forth should be commensurate with the money spent to make it good

rough cut

the main version of a film, after the various scenes and sequences of the film have been assembled

screenplay

the script that is written for a film with recommendations for the smooth flow of the storytelling process

screen test

an audition for a prospective candidate and assess his or her histrionic ability

sequence

a progression of shots and scenes of a film developing one subject or theme

special effects Abbreviation SFX

strange segments of animated activity in movies or TV programs that are made by computers or trick photography to show things that do not regularly exist or occur

shoot

the technique of shooting with a camera

shot

a scene in a film that is recorded continuously by one camera

sound

the sound component of a TV, radio,film show which actually adds credibility to the sequence

sound effect

suitable effects that are imitative of sound called for in the context of a dramatic creation and that makes the scene more appealing

soundtrack

all the songs, speech and background music that are recorded for a film

storyboard

a sequence of drawings or pictures that show the outline of the narrative of a film

studio

a sophisticated interior location where movies are made

stunt

a hazardous activity that some professionals undertake that requires great skill and adventurous spirit to engage the audience

take

a scene or part of a film that is shot at one time without interruption

theme music

Signature music is a melodic piece that is frequently played explicitly for radio programming, network shows, computer games, or movies and is generally played during the introduction of a character, opening credits, closing credits etc.,

young adult

a category of fiction that is principally designed for the juvenile audience

zoom in

to magnify the size of the image manifold that is being shot from a closer/farther range with the utilization of a zoom lens

zoom out

to reduce the size of the image manifold that is being shot from a closer/farther range with the utilization of a zoom lens

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of a tantalizing poem LIKE AN ORPHANED EGG from Tamil literature. The poem is about what the girl said to her friend about her plight when her beloved husband abandons her. The poet uses metaphoric language in the poem. The girl says that she will be like an orphaned egg if by any chance her husband deserts her.

LIKE AN ORPHANED EGG

Individuals chide me

and expose their ignorance

as a turtle's hatchling

draws vigor from its mother

by checking her out,

I for one acquire power

from my ardent lover.

perchance he deserts me

I ought to squander myself

what's more, shrink away

like an orphaned egg.

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of an enchanting poem THE CHIMING CHARIOT from Tamil literature. The colophon says that this is the personal rambling of a wife whose husband is yet to come home in his chiming chariot. In the course of the poem, she expresses her concern about the absence of the reassuring message of his coming home, through the tinkling of the chariot's bell from afar, while the other farmers are returning home with baskets filled with flowers.

THE CHIMING CHARIOT

The merry   peasants

who went to cultivate their fields

are retreating back home,

their seed bushels

loaded up with new blossoms.

twilight has engulfed the landscapes.

However, no reassuring message

of my better half's chariot

whose split-mouthed little chimes,

made from molds of wax,

and fashioned in a furnace,

continue to tinkle

while crossing the desolate terrains

and going through the bushes

while bringing my sweetheart home

for the sumptuous feast

ELEMENTS OF A PLAY OR FILM-RELATED VOCABULARY - PART TWO

line 

the words delivered by a performer in a play or film

love interest

a character in a film or story who plays the role of the sweetheart of the main character

monologue

a long discourse by one actor during a conversation in the form of a soliloquy

narrate

to give a spoken explanation of the progress of the narrative, film or program to avoid picturization

opening

the starting or initial segment of something

part

the specific role played by an individual actor

plot

the sequence of events that form the tale of a novel, play, film or any literary composition

prologue

a discourse at the start of a play, book or film that presents the audience with a gist of what is about to happen in the narrative

protagonist

an individual who plays a pivotal role in a play, film or book etc.,

scenario

a blueprint of what happens sequentially in a film or play

scene

a part of one act in which the action happens in one place or is of one particular type In a film or play

score

the music composed for a movie or dramatic production

setting

the backdrops and the specific properties used in a theatrical or film production

soliloquy

a discourse in a play wherein a character takes the centerstage and speaks aloud his or her contemplations and thoughts without inhibition

storyline

the rudimentary story in a novel, play, film, and so on.

subplot

a progression of events in a play, novel, and so forth that forms a subordinate plot and bears a lot of significance to the main story

superhero

a fictional hero in a story, film, and so forth who has extraordinary strength or power and uses his prowess to help impoverished people

tension

the sensational twists and turns that are consciously incorporated in the course of the plot by an essayist or a film director

twist

a startling change in a story or situation to create a sense of surprise in the minds of the audience

villain

the terrible and manipulative person in a story or play who opposes the protagonist in every possible manner

voice-over

a creation strategy where an off-camera dubbing artist or individual renders his or her voice for use in a film, program, narrative etc., in the post-production stage

ABOUT THE POEM:

This is a translated version of an enchanting poem MISSUS IS DEARER THAN RICHES from Tamil literature. The poem is about what the companion said to the wife easing her apprehension that her better half would never betray and leave her in the lurch, in his quest for wealth. The friend of the girl thereby was driving home the fact that blood is thicker than water

MISSUS IS DEARER THAN RICHES

The land has become barren.

Bamboos shrink in the sweltering sun.

Dacoits with bows

eliminate clueless travelers

and share the booty.

Stray elephants meander all over.

Stay cool my dear

your better half  for sure

won't confront those dangers

in even small measure

during his quest for treasure

Furthermore, your complexion

dusky as mango sprouts

will not  become pale

I vouch he doesn't esteem riches

much more than his darling missus.

(what  the companion said to the wife easing her apprehension that her better half would never betray  and  leave her in the lurch, looking for fortunes)

19/10/2022

ELEMENTS OF A PLAY OR FILM-RELATED VOCABULARY - PART ONE

act

to perform a role on the stage or enact a particular character in a film

action

an actor's performance to bring to life the character portrayed by them by suitable use of voice, gestures and slapstick etc.,

allegory

a story, play, picture, and so forth in which each person or event is a symbolic fictional figure representing qualities like truth, immorality, vices, virtues and so on

aside

(in the theater) some narrative that a character in a play shares with the audience but not with the other characters to move the plot forward

backstory

the developments that should have led to the main story or plot and the characters in a film, novel, etc.,

baddy

a monstrous or malicious person in a film, book, play, and so on who opposes the protagonist

characters

individuals or persons with different traits in a book, play or film

climax

the most significant occasion which is most noteworthy or a significant defining moment in the course of the play or film

coup de théâtre

unexpected highly dramatic and extremely sensational turn of events that occurs in the course of a play or film

denouement

the logical conclusion of a play, book, and so forth, in which the main dramatic intricacy in a literary work is resolved

dialogue

one-to-one or involving more persons conversation in a book, play or film

dramatic irony

the dichotomy of a situation in a film or play when a character’s words or actions is understood by the audience with an additional significance

dramatis personaeˌ

every one of the actors playing different roles in a play or film

ending

the last part of a story, film, and so forth

epilogue

a final discourse that remarks on the overall plot of the play and is delivered in verse form by one of the actors in the play

exit

departure particularly of an entertainer from the stage after enacting his/her part

flashback

a part of a film, play, and so on that shows a sequence that happened in the past and showcases an earlier occurrence significant to the main story

fourth wall

a fictional boundary that separates the characters in a work of fiction from individuals who are watching or reading and for the entertainers the wall is opaque and for the audience it is transparent

goodie or

goody

a decent, well-mannered individual in a book or film who thwarts the plans of the antagonist

hero

the principal male character in a story, novel, film, etc.,

heroine

the vital female character in a story, novel, film, and so forth.

Hollywood ending

the final ending in a film, novel, and so forth that occurs with expected twists and turns which is highly melodramatic and lacks sense and sensibility

intermission

or

interval

a brief time frame between parts of a play or film