Film Terms

Genre

A critical category for organizing films according to shared themes, styles, and narrative structures; examples are “horror films”, “romantic comedies”, and “gangster films.”

Crane Shot

An image depicting the subject from overhead, usually with the camera mounted on a mechanical crane.

Handled Shot

A shot filmed from the shoulder or hand of the cameraperson; the image created is often somewhat wobbly.

Montage

A specific kind of editing in which objects and figures are linked in a variety of creative or unexpected ways, and which might condense time. Usually this kind of editing aims to generate certain effects, emotions or ideas.

Flashback

An image, scene, or sequence that appears in a narrative to describe a past action or event.

Camera Angle

The relationship between camera and subject.

Low Angle Shot

If the camera is low and looking up.

High Angle Shot

If the camera is high and looking down.

Narrative

The way a story is constructed through a particular point of view and arrangement of events.

Camera Movement

Any motion of a camera in a shot, including panning or tilting.

Panning

The camera remains stationary but moves either left or right to follow a character, car, or to reveal more of the setting.

Tilting

The camera remains stationary but moves either up or down.

Reaction Shot

A shot that cuts from an object, person, or action to show another person or persons’ reaction.

Cinematography

Refers to the art of film photography. This usually relates to camera movement, angles, and other ways the film or the shot itself may have been manipulated.

Tracking Shot

The movement of the image through a scene, photographed by a camera mounted on tracks (or something that contributes to the camera moving smoothly).

Close-Up

An image in which the distance between the subject and the point of view is very short. Usually, just the head, maybe some shoulder…

Extreme Close-Up

Point of view is even shorter! just FACE. Or EYES?

Medium Close-Up

A shot that shows an individual from the chest to the head.

Medium Shot

A shot that shows an individual from the waist up.

Long Shot

A shot that reveals the entire body of a person or object along with a large part of the surrounding scene.

Focus

The clarity and detail of an image, produced by the type of lens used and the distance between the camera and the object being filmed.

Composition

The arrangement and relationship of the visual elements within a frame.

Long Take

A single shot that lasts for a relatively long period of time.

Point of View

A technique that re-creates the perspective of a single individual. A “first person” view from a specific character’s perspective.

Screenplay

The literary description of a film. It may be a description of characters, dialogue, and actions or may contain exact shots and scenes.

Scene

A space/time within which a narrative action takes place; it is composed of one or more shots.

Soundtrack

Using either optical or magnetic recording technology, the dimension of the film that includes music, noise, dialogue, and any other aural effects.

Diegetic Sound

Any sound in the “story world” of the film. The sound that can be heard by characters in the film.

Non-Diegetic Sound

Sound added by the editors of the film. It is not heard by characters in the “story world” - it is for audiences and serves a story telling purpose.

Motif

An object or sound or image that becomes linked to the narrative in a meaningful way. It is often symbolic of a particular action or associated with a character.

Cutting

Changing from one image to another.

Style, Stylistics

Refers to the way the movie looks, feels or sounds.

Mise-en-scene

The arrangement of everything that appears in the framing – actors, lighting, décor, props, costumes, etc.

Establishing Shot

Designed to show the audience where the action will be taking place and to establish the context/relationship between place,, and characters. It establishes the setting and geography of the scene.

Dutch Angle

The camera is tilted on its axis, creating a skewed perspective where the horizon line is not parallel to the bottom of the frame, often used to convey a sense of unease, tension, or disorientation in a scene

Editing

Creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film which increasingly involves the use of digital technology.