Film Production Terms 3: Equipment & Techniques

Auteur Theory is a way of looking at films that state that the director is the “author” of a film. A film is a reflection of the director’s artistic vision; so, a movie directed by a given filmmaker will have recognizable, recurring themes and visual queues that inform the audience who the director is (think a Hitchcock or Tarantino film) and shows a consistent artistic identity throughout that director’s filmography. The 3 Components of Auteur Theory Andrew Sarris, film critic for The New York Times, expanded on Truffaut’s writing and set out a more comprehensive definition for auteurs according to three main criteria: technical competence, distinguishable personality, and interior meaning. 1. Technical competence: Auteurs must be at the top of their craft in terms of technical filmmaking abilities. Auteurs always have a hand in multiple components of filmmaking and should be operating at a high level across the board. 2. Distinguishable personality: What separates auteurs from other technically gifted directors is their unmistakable personality and style. When looking at an auteur’s collected works, you can generally see shared filming techniques and consistent themes being explored. One of the primary tenets of auteur theory is that auteurs make movies that are unmistakably theirs. This is in sharp contrast with the standard studio directors of the era who were simply translating script to screen with little interrogation of the source material or editorial input. 3. Interior meaning: Auteurs make films that have layers of meaning and have more to say about the human condition. Films made by auteurs go beyond the pure entertainment-oriented spectacles produced by large studios, to instead reveal the filmmakers unique perspectives and ruminations on life. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-what-is-an-auteur#3ClNjwO6Gkgjd8ix2Cm5qI Who is the author of a TV program? It seems like it ought to be an easy question to answer, but it is not. There are, of course, scriptwriters, who are the literal authors of episodes in the sense of generating words that an actor eventually speaks, but in a soap opera or a sitcom there may be a dozen or more scriptwriters working on dialogue as the months go by. Is any one of them truly responsible for the overall tenor of the show, or are they just following rigid guidelines set down by other scriptwriters ahead of them? And the script is just the blueprint of an episode anyway. Actors, production designers, directors, videographers, editors, and on and on, are all necessary to construct an episode from that blueprint. Should we call one of them the author? And, at a more basic level, should we even bother looking for authors in television? Do viewers need to know who created a program in order to enjoy it? What does it add to our appreciation or understanding of television if we assign authorship of a program to an individual? In the closely related medium of the cinema, questions such as these have been answered by the auteur theory, which stems from the French word for “author,” auteur. Its basic precept is that a single individual is, and should be, the “author” of a work in order for it to be a good, artistically valuable work. A book, poem, film, or television show should express this individual’s personality, his “vision” (the masculine pronoun is significant; auteurist studies almost all focus on men). This notion stems from the nineteenth-century Romantic image of the author as a figure who sits alone in a dingy room, scratching out angst-ridden poems with a quill pen. The tormented, misunderstood author or artist is a cherished character type that can be traced back to the poet Lord Byron (1788–1824) and observed in numerous portrayals of demented painters, musicians, and writers in television programs and other media. Consider this: Have you ever seen or read a story about a creative person who wasn’t somehow strange or crazy? The auteur theory originated in French film criticism of the 1950s, where it was initially theorized that auteurs could be drawn from the ranks of producers, directors, scriptwriters, actors, and other filmmaking personnel.1 However, the vast bulk of auteurist film criticism has been about directors: Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, and Quentin Tarantino, among many others.

Film Production Terms 1: Introduction

Film Production Terms 2: Cinematic Language

Film production: 3D and VR

News Opinion Sport Culture Lifestyle Show more Books Music TV & radio Art & design Film Games Classical Stage ‘Hollywood doesn’t do very much of that business, they have the nice sign, and everything’s good, but they don’t do very much,’ said Trump. View image in fullscreen ‘Hollywood doesn’t do very much of that business, they have the nice sign, and everything’s good, but they don’t do very much,’ said Trump. Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Film ‘I’m not trying to hurt the industry’: Trump softens tone on movie tariffs California governor Gavin Newsom announces a $7.5bn tax incentive scheme as Trump’s announcement of 100% tariffs on films ‘produced in foreign lands’ is mocked by Jimmy Kimmel and Fallon Andrew Pulver Tue 6 May 2025 11.24 BST Share Donald Trump appears to be softening his tone after widespread dismay in Hollywood and further afield at his bombshell announcement of 100% tariffs on films “produced in foreign lands”, saying he was “not looking to hurt the industry”. In remarks reported by CNBC, Trump said he was planning to discuss the plan with film industry leaders. “I’m not looking to hurt the industry, I want to help the industry.” He added: “So we’re going to meet with the industry. I want to make sure they’re happy with it because we’re all about jobs.” Trump also took aim again at California state governor Gavin Newsom, saying the film industry “has been decimated by other countries taking them out, and also by incompetence, like in Los Angeles, the governor [Gavin Newsom] is a grossly incompetent man, he’s just allowed it to be taken away from”. Trump added: “Hollywood doesn’t do very much of that business, they have the nice sign, and everything’s good, but they don’t do very much.” Trump’s talk of film tariffs makes no sense, but it’s already doing damage – to Hollywood Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw Read more Newsom responded with a statement saying: “Governor Newsom continues to champion California’s iconic film and television industry – recognising it as a cornerstone of the state’s economy, one that sustains hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs across every sector around the state.” “His plan to more than double the state’s film and television tax credit reflects a commitment to keeping production here at home, supporting workers and maintaining California’s global leadership in entertainment. If the President announces a proposal with more details, we will review it.” Newsom had earlier responded to Trump’s announcement by proposing a $7.5bn federal tax incentive scheme, saying in a statement to Variety: “Building on our successful state program, we’re eager to partner with the Trump administration to further strengthen domestic production.” Tax incentive schemes in the US currently operate on a state-by-state basis, and Newsom had announced a plan in April to boost California’s to $750m. California senator Adam Schiff also condemned Trump’s tariff proposal while backing calls for a federal tax credit scheme, saying in a statement: “Blanket tariffs on all films would have unintended and potentially damaging impacts, [but] we have an opportunity to work together to pass a major federal film tax credit to re-shore American jobs in the industry.” Late night TV hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon also joined the chorus of dismay and bafflement at Trump’s plan. Commenting that Trump was “now aiming his wrecking ball at Hollywood”, Kimmel questioned whether foreign-made movies were a “national security threat” as Trump claimed. “I don’t care where they’re made. I really don’t. I guess it’s what the late, great Hannibal Lecter would’ve wanted. Sonic, the illegal immigrant hedgehog, is a national security threat and he must be stopped!” Kimmel also mocked actor Jon Voight’s role in Trump’s thinking, saying: “This is where he reportedly got the tariff movies idea – from Angelina Jolie’s 86-year-old father she won’t talk to. What a great idea. Next year, The White Lotus is gonna be set at a Hampton Inn.” Fallon also took aim at Trump’s implication that foreign locations were somehow taboo, saying: “Gonna be fun seeing the next Lord of the Rings filmed in Bayonne, New Jersey,” adding: “If you don’t like that, you can also watch Emily in Des Moines [instead of Emily in Paris]. It’s just as charming.” Explore more on these topics Film Film industry Donald Trump Trump tariffs Gavin Newsom Jimmy Kimmel Jimmy Fallon news Share Reuse this content Most viewed Live German parliament votes again on Merz’s bid to be chancellor after humiliating first round – Europe live Trump and Carney to meet at White House in closely watched encounter Mushroom lunch’s sole surviving guest details deadly meal and its aftermath as trial of Erin Patterson continues ‘It’s the misogyny slop ecosystem!’ How Candace Owens and the American right declared war on Blake Lively Wisconsin woman missing for more than 60 years found ‘alive and well’

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT Big movies on a small budget. Do you need millions of dollars to make a movie? No. Do you need millions of dollars to make a successful movie? Most people would answer 'Yes' to that question. But would they be right? We're used to hearing about really expensive Hollywood films. The 1997 Oscar-winner Titanic cost $200 million to make, and more recently, Spider Man 3, one of the most successful films of 2007, had a budget of more than $250 million. To be successful, however, a film doesn't need to be as expensive as the big Hollywood blockbusters. An example of this is the 2010 movie Monsters, which cost less than half a million dollars to make. Monsters is set in Mexico and is the story of two people trying to escape from aliens and get back to the USA. The film won several awards and got very good reviews from many film critics-for example, the website Moviefone put Monsters at number 3 in its list of the best sci-fi films for 2010. How did they make the film so cheaply? First of all, it only took three weeks to film, and the film crew was just seven people in a van. Secondly, the man who made the film, Gareth Edwards. decided to film it with digital video, which is cheaper than the usual 35mm film. (The film equipment cost only $15,000 altogether) There is also the fact that they used real locations, not a studio. And the cast of the film were Edwards himself and two friends of his all the extras in the film were people who were just there, and they weren't paid. Most importantly, Edwards did most of the production work himself. He spent eight months editing Monsters and then five months creating the special effects. And he did it all at home on his computer, using non-professional software. The amazing thing is that the final film looks nearly as professional as big, fancy Hollywood productions. Not everybody liked Monsters, of course. One person said: "That's 90 minutes of my life that I'll never get back. But overall, it was very well received. And at least it wasn't expensive to make.

1. The following are ingredients in preparing pumping solution, EXCEPT; a. 5 kgs ham leg c. 1 cup saturated salt solution b. one tablespoon sugar d. 2 drops maplein 2. What is the value in grams of 6.4% refined salt if the amount of pork meat is 1 kilogram? a. 64 grams c. 640 grams b. 6.4 kilograms d. 6,400 grams 3. What is the main purpose of curing meat? a. To tenderize it c. To add color to it b. To prevent spoilage d. To increase its weight 4. What is the advantage of using pumping pickle over cover pickle and dry cure mixtures? a. It reduces the curing time. b. It enhances the flavor. c. It controls the concentration of salt. d. All of the above 5. What is the function of phosphate in curing solutions? a. It increases the water-holding capacity of the meat. b. It inhibits the growth of bacteria. c. It prevents oxidation of fat. d. It improves the texture of the meat. 6. What is the function of carrageenan in curing solutions? a. It acts as a thickener. b. It acts as a binder. c. It acts as a stabilizer. d. All of the above 7. In coloring salted eggs, how many teaspoons of vinegar must be added? a. 1 teaspoon b. 2 teaspoons c. 3 teaspoons d. 4 teaspoons 8. The following are factors that must be considered in packaging eggs. a. quality maintenance b. packaging design c. type of transport d. cost 9. In type 3 packaging material for eggs, what type of materials can these be made? a. burlap b. plastic c. paper board d. polystyrene 10. How many hours must be needed to bake the ham in an oven? a. 5 hours b. 3 hours c. 4 hours d. 2 hours 11. What is the ideal temperature of a smoke fish when storing it at home inside a refrigerator? a. 30℃ b. 38 ℃ c. 100 ℃ d. 50 ℃ 12. The following are ingredients for curing meat EXCEPT a. salt b. sugar c. vinegar d. cooking oil 13. What is the maximum period for commercial salted duck eggs? a. 18 days b. 21 days c. 14 days d. 30 days 14. What type of curing method is needed when fatty fish such as herring is being used? a. pickle curing b. dry curing c. cover pickle curing d. Pumping pickle curing 15. In making a pork ham, how many quarts of water must be needed to bring it to a boil? a. 2 quarts b. 3 quarts c. 4 quarts d. 5 quarts 16. In making a homemade skinless pork longganisa, what is the percentage of pork fats and lean meat? a. 20% fats, 80% lean meat b. 30% fats, 70% lean meat c. 40% fats, 60 lean meat d. 50% fats, 50% lean meat 17. It is a systematic procedure of producing a record for reference A. output C. documentation B. production report D. input 18. Anything produced, especially through a process, a product, a yield. A. documentation C. output B. input D. production report 19. It is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format. A. documentation C. production report B. reporting D. output 20. What is the value in grams of 6.4% refined salt if the amount of pork meat is 1 kilogram? a. 64 grams c. 640 grams b. 6.4 kilograms d. 6,400 grams 21. What is the difference between pumping pickle and cover pickle? a. Pumping pickle is injected into the meat, while cover pickle is poured over it. b. Pumping pickle is made with vinegar, while cover pickle is made with water. c. Pumping pickle is used for whole cuts of meat, while cover pickle is used for sliced meat. d. Pumping pickle is a dry mixture, while cover pickle is a liquid solution. 22. What is the main ingredient of dry cure mixtures? a. Sugar b. Salt c. Spices d. Phosphate 23. What is the function of vitamin C powder in curing solutions? a. It acts as an antioxidant. b. It enhances the color of the meat. c. It accelerates the curing reaction. d. All of the above 24. What is the ideal temperature for storing cured meat? a. Below 0°C b. Between 0°C and 4°C c. Between 4°C and 10°C d. Above 10°C 25. The following are advantages of packaging shell eggs EXCEPT. a. It protects against micro-organisms such as bacteria b. It prevents the loss of moisture. c. It protects the eggs from possible crushing while being handled, stored, or transported. d. It prolong the shelf life of the eggs. 26. How many pieces of eggs can be filled in a type 2 packaging materials, filler tray? a. 36 b. 12 c. 30 d. 24 27. How many hours must be needed in smoking ham? a. 10 to 19 hours b. 5 to 9 hours c. 15 to 24 hours d. 20 to 29 hours 28. It is a food packaging method that removes all air from a food-filled, plastic film package before sealing it. a. smoking b. drying c. vacuum packing d. weighing 29. Which is NOT TRUE about packaging a smoked fish? a. Sort cooled smoked fish according to size b. Pack or transfer smoked fish in bulk packaging materials by arranging the fish head and tail in any position. c. When the packaging material is nearly full, weigh the whole pack to check the product weight attained. d. Close or seal the packs. 30. The following nutrients can be found in an egg, EXCEPT. a. vitamins b. minerals c. omega 3 d. amino acids

Ostinato Music Definition Ostinato (plural – ostinati or ostinatos) is an Italian word meaning obstinate or persistent and is used in music to describe a musical phrase or rhythm that is repeated persistently. The repeated pattern could be a melody, a figure in the bass – called a basso ostinato or simply a repeated rhythmic idea. An ostinato may be played for an entire piece of music or just during one section. The key aspect to remember in the definition of an ostinato is that it is a pattern that is repeated persistently in a piece of music. Rhythmic Ostinato A rhythmic ostinato is a rhythmic pattern that is persistently repeated. It will often be played on an untuned percussion instrument (e.g. snare drum, triangle, etc..). However, rhythmic ostinati can also be found in parts played on pitched instruments where the note pitch stays the same or where the pitches change as the phrase is repeated. The key characteristic is that it is the rhythm that is persistently repeated.In Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero” the use of a rhythmic ostinato brings a magical and almost hypnotic feel to the piece as the percussive pattern contrasts with the sweeping and almost improvisatory nature of the flute melody. Have a look at the pattern below and listen to its use in the audio extract: Rhythmic Ostinato Example from Ravel Bolero.A rhythmic ostinato is an excellent technique that composers use for creating drama and tension. One of the most famous examples of this is from “Mars” by Gustav Holst. Have a look/listen to the rhythmic pattern: Rhythmic Ostinato Example from Gustav Holst Mars. This rhythmic pattern is played relentlessly throughout the piece and forms the basis for the intense drama associated with the subject – Mars, the god of war! Have a listen to this extract of the piece performed by the United States Air Force Band:You can hear how the relentless sound of a rhythmic ostinato is extremely effective at building tension as the music around it changes and develops. This effect is heightened in the extract from Mars as the bass note remains on a G throughout the extract and acts as a pedal point. Not surprisingly, rhythmic ostinati are used widely in dramatic film music. Hans Zimmer is a film composer who makes considerable use of this technique across the many film scores he has written. Have a listen to the opening from his theme for the film “Pirates of the Caribbean” performed by the Auckland Symphony Orchestra:You can hear that there are a number of different ostinati in many of the different parts that are layered to produce the overall sound. Here is the rhythmic ostinato that forms the basis of the melody line: Rhythmic Ostinato Example Hans ZimmerMelodic ostinato A melodic ostinato is a repeated pattern where both the rhythm and the melody form the basis for the repeated pattern. These often occur in the bass part where they are called a basso ostinato. Basso Ostinato A basso ostinato is a repeated pattern in the bass part of a piece. This technique became particularly popular in the 17th century where a number of Baroque dances were based upon ostinati in the bass part. In dances such as the passacaglia the bass remained constant throughout the piece whilst the other parts developed. This technique is called “ground bass” and you can have a look at my lesson on ground bass for some examples of this. The most famous example of a basso ostinato is Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Ostinati Examples in Contemporary Music Rhythmic and melodic ostinatos have had a massive influence on contemporary popular music across a wide range of genres. This can be seen in 2 main ways: Riffs (short melodic phrases) – these are effectively contemporary expressions of ostinato. Loops – rhythmic and melodic phrases are repeated to create the characteristic sound of contemporary productions. As a result, you will probably be able to find examples of the use of repeated patterns/ostinati in most contemporary songs. However, there are some songs where the use of an ostinato provides the clear foundation for the song and these are useful examples to listen to. Examples of Ostinati Riffs Seven Nation Army by White Stripes The guitar riff from Seven Nation Army is one of the most famous modern guitar riffs and is used as an ostinato that plays throughout the song. It is an excellent example of a melodic ostinato:Back in Black by AC/DC The opening guitar riff in this song is another great example:Examples of Loops Loops are repeated patterns that are clearly built on the concept of ostinati. They are used widely in contemporary music. Hip hop songs often use loops as the foundation for the track. Still D.R.E by Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg In this song a piano loop plays throughout the whole track and forms the foundation of the song:

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