Film Angles, Shots, and Movements Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes on film angles, camera shots, camera movements, lighting types, editing techniques, and visual effects.

Shot

A single, uninterrupted piece of film, or the image seen on film until another image replaces it.

Long take

A shot that lasts long (ex. Goodfellas).

Short take

A shot that is short in duration.

Establishing shot

Typical use of long shot that shows a scene's setting or initial character placement, allows viewer freedom on where to look, and sets mood or tone (ex. building, landscapes, signage).

Long shot/Extreme long shot

Shows physical/emotional distance between characters and full form from head to toe; primary focus is on subject while contextualizing them within surroundings, showing action/interaction, or establishing sense of scale.

Wide shot

Primary focus is on environment while showing subject within environment, making them appear smaller, isolated, lonely, or vulnerable; often used as an establishing shot.

Medium/Mid shot

A common, natural, neutral shot showing waist up; shows more setting than close-up but lacks detail and cannot show relationships between characters and setting.

Close-up shot

Shot where object/subject takes up 80% of frame; directs viewers to clues, emphasizes facial expression/emotion, and forces viewers to look.

Eye-level angle

Angle that mimics human perspective, breaks boundary between story and viewer, and shows change in characters.

High angle

Angle that makes subject appear weak, powerless, vulnerable, trapped, and not in control; functions to convey narrative info, elicit emotional response, and convey character info.

Low angle

Angle that makes character seem powerful, vulnerable, or both, and increases perceived height of object.

Pan

Movement where camera is stationary and looks side to side only; helps follow subject, transition time, or reveal plot point.

Tilt

Movement where camera is stationary and looks up and down only; helps establish scene, affect psychology/physical space, or show power vs. vulnerability.

Zoom

Technique where camera is stationary while lens zooms in and out only, making object look closer or further away.

Tracking

Camera movement on wheels or track to move smoothly with action.

Push in

Camera movement inward (typically with Dolly camer or Steadicam) to draw audience's attention towards specific detail or infer internal character state.

Pull out

Camera moves away from subject, making subject look smaller while revealing surroundings, setting, and characters.

Crane and jib

Camera mounted on platform (crane) connected to mechanical arm (jib) that lifts up, down, or laterally; sets scene, establishes geography, shows large crowds, or ends films by 'riding off into the sunset'.

Handheld

Camera held in operator's hands to create a realistic effect.

Steadicam

Lightweight mounting for a movie camer that keeps it steady.

Drone

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used to capture photographs and videos from aerial perspective.

Camera arc

Also known as 360 degrees or tracking shot; orbits camera around subject in arc motion.

Camera roll

Movement where camera physically rotates on side to create an unnatural, dizzying effect, disorientation, or dramatic shift in mood.

Diegetic sound

Sound logically heard by characters (ex. person speaks, dog growls, dialogue, background noise).

Non-diegetic sound

Sounds not logically heard by characters and intended for audience only (ex. music, sound effects, voiceover narration).

Internal diegetic sound

Sound only the character can hear, while others logically cannot (ex. character talking to himself, remembering things he heard before).

Low-key lighting

Lighting characterized by darkness, shadows, and patches of bright key light; creates moods of suspicion, mystery, and danger, commonly used in noir or thrillers.

High-key lighting

Lighting characterized by brightness, openness, and lack of shadows or contrast; creates an optimistic/hopeful tone where characters are seen without threat.

Neutral/natural lighting

Average, even/balanced lighting that lacks much to distinguish it and is meant to not create anything.

Chiaroscuro lighting

Juxtaposition between light and dark used as fill light, adding youth to subject's face and giving illusion of coming from practical sources.

Bottom/side lighting

Uses low-key lighting from a low angle or side to create evil, morally ambiguous characters who are hiding something.

Front lighting

Shines light directly into subject from front to convey innocence or openness; used for heroes or characters with nothing to hide (was essential for Hollywood actresses).

Deep focus

Technique where all objects in foreground and background remain in focus at same time with equal importance, forcing viewer to choose what to see.

Soft focus

Ever so slightly out of focus shot that helps create a lighter mood or blur images slightly to communicate uncertainty.

Rack focus

Technique that brings background or foreground to sudden focus to direct viewer's attention; great way to combine close-up in a long take.

Dissolve

Type of fade where one image slowly replaces another, creating a connection between images.

Wipe

Transition where a new image wipes off the previous image; more fluid than a cut and quicker than a dissolve.

Crosscut/Parallel editing

Editing technique able to show events occurring in different places simultaneously to create suspense or show links between characters, themes, or plots.

Shot-reverse shot

Shot of one subject, then another, then back to the first; used for conversation or to show someone's reaction.

Eye-line match

Usually 3 or more shots showing character looking at object, then shot witches to the object; reveals character's thoughts and creates empathy by looking through character's eyes.

Flashback and flashforward

Shots that show things that happened in the past (or future) to give important information.

Montage

A long amount of timer covered very quickly with short takes and usually music.

Camera lock off

Stunt technique where two actions are shot separately by same camera for dangerous stunts and then stitched together.

Green/blue screen

Green background that creates illusion; commonly associated with superhero/sci-fi movies.

Texas switch

Technique that transitions from lead actor to stunt performer through clever staging and camera movement.

Tuning fork

Rig where characters fly by using two prongs attached to both sides of performer's body, controlled by steering wheel used by people in blue or green suit.

Ratchet pull

Stunt setup where double is tied to cables powered by an air pressured cylinder to move forward/backward or launch performer.

Computer-generated imagery (CGI)

Creation of still or animated visual content with computer software, commonly referring to 3D computer graphics to create characters, scenes, and special effects.

Magic carpet

Technique using a large tarp attached to a vehicle on smooth surfaces (like asphalt) or weight wire system with winch on rough terrain to make performer look as if running at superhuman speed (30 mph).

Animatronics

Uses machines driven by electronics, mechanics, or pneumatics to make puppets and other figures move in a natural way.