The language of Film

The particular style of a film might be influenced by the 'auteur' vision of directors such as Welles, Hitchcock or Weir but it is more commonly due to the ways in which key filmic elements have been utilised. Film literacy involves teaching students how to use the building blocks of film in an informed way. There are many excellent websites available giving teachers resources to use including the following:

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/

http://www.bfi.org.uk/

http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/tfms/

http://www.filmsite.org/

Any simple google search will bring up others that give a whole range of glossary researches, some of which even have demonstrations for some of the main camera angles and shots that can be used. Searches for powerpoints, wikispaces, You Tube and webtools relating to film techniques and other elements offer still more resources that can be used in class. 

Here is a list of film elements that can be used to discuss, describe and analyse film:

• Setting (geographical, historical, social milieu)
• Genre
• Cinematography (camera placement and movement, lighting, color, focus, frame, composition, etc)
• Lighting
• Art direction (décor, etc)
• Costuming
• Suspense
• Sound (realistic, expressive, simple vs. multi-layered, etc)
• Soundtrack
• Character (complexity, development, believability, etc)
• Plot (story and subplots)
• Narrative structure (straightforward vs. complex, flashbacks, etc)
• Conflict
• Point of view
• Themes
• Editing

More information is available about these elements here...excellent guide from Yale
The following project from students in a Darwin high school is an engaging introductory snapshot of some of the many film elements that can be used.