Glossary M

M&S	Middle and Side (not Marks & Sparks). Method of recording stereo sound on location. A cardioid pattern mic points at the subject and a figure-of-eight mic points across the background. This can be processed to produce conventional left-right stereo. The advantage over conventional stereo recording is that one mic is pointing directly at the subject and if the background is too noisy the stereo part of the signal can be reduced or junked.

Metaphors (Visual)	If they have to be explained; forget it. If they add another layer of meaning; great!

Mickey Mouse	Term of disparagement (as in "Mickey Mouse outfit") "Mick Mousing It"; Overdoing post-sync fx, so that every little movement has an accompanying sound.

Mood Music	All music creates a mood; But library mood music wears its heart on its sleeve.

Montage	French for 'edit' ( as in "montage pour"). Used by Eisenstien to describe the juxtaposition of images that is central to the art of cinema. Now used to describe a mishmash of shots, when you don't know what else to do ( as in "lets make a montage of this")

Motion Blur	Blurring of images, caused by slow shutter speed, helps to prevent strobing. On film, increased by shooting at slow camera speed (camera speed of 25 fps creates a shutter speed of approx 1/50th sec. depending on shutter angle). Can be imitated in post-production, but not very successfully.

Motivation	Classically, everything should be motivated; not just actors, but camera moves and cuts too. We cut to a close-up because that's what the audience wants to see at that moment and we cut to a reaction shot because they want to see how the other character is reacting. And they want to see those things because we have lead them to want them. So the whole film becomes a cascade of expectations generated and fulfilled. Shock cuts don't seem to fit the pattern, but they have a sort of motivation too. (This needs a book).

Moviola	The most widely used upright film editing machine. Also known as 'Hollywood Moviola'. Basically it's a projector turned on its back with the lens replaced by a ground-glass screen. Exciting (and dangerous) to use.

Mute/MOS	Shots that are filmed silently are called 'mute' (The board is not clapped). MOS is a US expression; apparently in remembrance of a pre-war German director working in Hollywood, who required a scene to be shot mute, and said "I vont it Mit Out Sound!"