A film, also known as a video, moving image or short film, is an artistic work of visual art typically intended for only one audiences and intended for presentation on VHS or DVD. The term “film” can refer to a number of different art mediums, such as photography, paintings, sculpture and literature. The term “video” is often used interchangeably with “video art,” but in actuality “video art” refers to any work made primarily of images and not necessarily images alone. Most movies have at least some elements of video art, as most movies are at least designed with some kind of video element. However, there are a few exceptions to this generalization.
A film is usually made to be both visually and aurally entertaining and most often used to entertain an audience. In this regard, a film will often use a spoken word to convey its plot’s meaning or a character’s motivation. When a film is purely visually driven, it is referred to as a point-and-click film. Point-and-click films are not often used anymore unless it is a fictional film about animals or cars. The term “audio-visual” often refers to films and other media that employ the utilization of sound, especially spoken language.
The two most basic types of film are: independent films and major studio motion pictures. Independent films, also known as personal or home films, are more personal in nature and are usually self-produced. On the other hand, major studio films are mass produced, using the motion picture camera and other standard technology. Both styles of film can be made for any number of different purposes and are oftentimes combined to tell a particular story.
While independent motion pictures and major studio films are the two main styles, there exist many hybrid forms of film, including home videos, reality shows, video essays, and short films. Some hybrid films are actually more independent or low budget than the aforementioned two styles, while others are indistinguishable from both in story and purpose. Video essays are films that are solely filmed through a digital camera, with no dialogue except for the actors themselves. These films can contain a significant amount of text, though they tend to be very short (as little as a minute or less).
The term “point-and-click” describes a type of film that utilizes traditional film techniques, but adds a third element, which is a sort of computer animation. In this case, the film will make use of a character speaking, then displaying a moving picture in slow motion as the speaker says those words. This type of film is often used to teach the audience a certain concept, such as grammar, in a film class. Students are shown a sentence, then asked to find the word that describes it from a list of options. If they correctly guess the correct word, they win a prize.
“Flash” movies are short (usually no longer than thirty seconds) films that contain one or two images, often very simple, like a black and white picture or a single color. They are often used to introduce a character, introduce a plot, or show an important event (such as the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989). While these films are often played in schools and colleges as part of extracurricular activities, some of them are made for commercial purposes. They are made for television series, advertisements, music videos, or movies. The Flash movies industry is a multi-million dollar industry, as a result of the huge number of people who love and are inspired by these films.