Basic Terms for Film Analysis - ENGL323 UNC

Shot

 one continuously exposed, uninterrupted image with a single framing (static or mobile); as the most basic unit of filmmaking, this is to cinema as a cell is to a living organism

Extreme Long Shot

A shot in which human figures are barely visible; often reserved for landscapes, cityscapes, and other vistas; in many cases used as establishing shots that disclose settings at great distances.

Long Shot

A shot in which the scale of the object shown is small; a standing human figure appears nearly the height of the screen; the background still dominates the image.

Medium Long Shot

A shot in which the human figure is framed approximately from the knees up. These are especially common because they allow for a nice balance between figure and surroundings.

Medium Shot

A shot in which the object filmed is of moderate size; the human figure is captured from the waist up, letting gestures and expressions become more visible.

Medium Close Up

A shot in which the object shown is fairly large; a human figure is framed from the chest and shoulders up, and fills much of the screen.

Close-up

A shot in which the filmed object is relatively large; most often a person’s head seen from the neck up, or an object of comparable size that takes up most of the screen.

Extreme Close-up

A shot in which the object depicted is very large and fills the entire screen; most usually a small object or part of the body.

Angle

refers to the position of the camera in relation to the subject being shown.

POV Shot

Taken with the camera placed approximately where the character’s eyes would be- allow for greater identification on the part of the spectator, since he or she is made to share the visual perspective of the character in question

Focal Length

distance in millimeters between the center of the lens to the surface of the film stock, where light rays taken in by the lens converge. Changes the magnification, depth, scale, and focal range of the image.

Depth of field

The range of distance before the lens, within which objects may be filmed in sharp focus

Deep-focus

Achieves a great depth of field, with several planes visible and in sharp focus

Shallow-focus

Achieves a short depth of field, with only a few planes in sharp focus

Wide-angle Lens

Less than 35mm in focal length- maximizes depth of field and lends itself to shooting in deep focus. Tends to exaggerate distances between objects and to distort straight lines near the edge of the frame.