Film Terminology

What is a shot in film?

A single piece of film uninterrupted by cuts.

What is the purpose of an establishing shot?

To set the scene and show transitions between locations.

What does a Long Shot (LS) typically show?

A shot from some distance that shows the full body of a person, often indicating isolation or vulnerability.

What is the most common shot used in film?

The Medium Shot (MS).

What does a Close Up (CU) encompass?

The image being shot takes up at least 80 percent of the frame.

What is an Extreme Close Up?

A shot that focuses on a part of a whole, such as an eye or a hand.

What is a Two Shot?

A scene between two people shot so that both characters are included more or less equally.

What is an eye-level shot?

A shot taken from a normal height at the character's eye level.

What effect does a High Angle shot have on a subject?

It makes the subject look smaller, giving the appearance of weakness and powerlessness.

What is the effect of a Low Angle shot?

It makes the subject look larger, conveying strength and power.

What is the definition of a Pan in camera movements?

A stationary camera moves side to side on a horizontal axis.

What does tilting a camera mean?

A stationary camera moves up or down along a vertical axis.

What is a Zoom in camera terminology?

A stationary camera where the lens moves to make an object appear closer or further away.

What is the purpose of Dolly/Tracking in filmmaking?

The camera moves with the action on a track, allowing for dynamic shots.

What is a Boom/Crane shot?

A shot taken from a crane over the action to create overhead shots.

What does High Key lighting create?

A bright and open-looking scene flooded with light.

What is Low Key lighting used to signify?

Suspense or suspicion through shadows and darkness.

What effect does Bottom or Side lighting have?

It can make the subject appear dangerous or evil.

What is the function of Front or Back lighting?

It gives a soft appearance of innocence or goodness, or a halo effect.

What is a Cut in editing techniques?

The most common technique where two pieces of film are spliced together.

What is a Fade in film editing?

A transition that can begin from darkness to full brightness or vice versa.

What does a dissolve do in editing?

It slowly replaces one image with another.

What is the definition of a wipe in film editing?

A new image wipes off the previous image, creating a transition.

What is a flashback in narrative film?

A cut or dissolve to action that happened in the past.

What is Shot-Reverse-Shot commonly used for?

For conversation or reaction shots.

What does Cross Cutting refer to?

Cutting into action happening simultaneously in different scenes.

What is the purpose of Eye-Line Match?

To show what a character appears to be looking at, revealing their thoughts.

What is Diegetic sound?

Sound that could logically be heard by the characters in the film.

What is Non-Diegetic sound used for?

Sound that cannot be heard by the characters, designed for audience reaction.

What are storyboards?

A series of drawings or photographs created to visualize scenes before filming.

What is a key light?

The main source of light.

What is fill light?

A secondary light source found opposite from the key light to fill in shadows created by the key light.

What is a backlight?

A light source that shines from the back of the subject to separate them from the background.

What is three-point lighting?

It is using three light sources in different positions to create a three-dimensional look on the subject.

What is German Expressionism?

An early 20th century art movement that emphasized the artist’s emotions over realism in film.

Why is German Expressionism so dark?

It was a way to express the collective anxiety of a defeated nation of post WWI Germany.

What defines German Expressionism?

Visual distortion and hyper-expressive performance. It was focused on emphasizing the artist’s feelings and ideas over reality.

What is the direct translation for Film Noir?

Black/dark film.

What are some of the character archetypes in Film Noir?

The anti-hero, the detective, the femme fatale, and the victim.

What is Film Noir inspired by?

German Expressionism, French Poetic Realism, and hardboiled American crime fiction.

What are the “classic periods” of Film Noir?

The ‘40s and ‘50s.