ELA Basic Film Terminology

Shot

A single, uninterrupted piece of film

Frame

DIviding line between the edges of the screen image and the enclosing darkness of the theater.

Establishing Shot (ES)

Shot taken from a great distance, almost always an exterior shot, shows much of local

Long Shot (LS)

(A relative term) A shot taken from a sufficient distance to show a landscape, building, or large crowd

Medium Shot (MS)

(Relative) A shot between a long shot and closeup that might show two people in full figure or several people from the waist up

Close Up (CU)

A shot of a small object or face that fills the screen to an object photographed. Adds importance

Extreme Close Up (ECU)

A shot of a small object or part of a face that fills the screen. The closer the shot, the closer we feel towards the character. Used for love scenes, suffering,…

Two Shot (TS)

Camera is showing two characters that are equally shown

Over-the-Shoulder-Shot (OSS)

Usually contains two figures, one with their back to the camera, the other facing the camera.

Bird’s Eye View (BEV)

The camera is placed directly overhead. Extremely disorientating. Makes viewer feel godlike.

Eye Level (EL)

Roughly five-six feet above ground. The way an actual observer might view a scene

High Angle (h/a)

Camera looks down at what is being photographed. Takes away power of the subject and makes it insignificant. Gives a general overview

Low Angle (l/a)

Camera is below the subject. Increases height and power of subject

Oblique or Canted Angle

Lateral tilt of camera so figures appear to fall out of frame. Suggests tension and transition. POV of a drunk or impaired person.

Point of View (POV)

Shot taken from a vantage point of character showing what they see. Camera is the person

Pan

Camera moves horizontally on a fixed base

Swish Pan

Panning shot where the intervening scene moves past too quickly to be observed. Blurry passage of time.

Tilt

Camera points up or down from fixed base.

Zoom

Not a camera movement, camera gets closer or farther from an object

Dolly/Tracking

Camera moves through space on a wheeled truck (or dolly) but stages in the same plane

Boom/Crane

Camera moves up or down through space using a mechanical arm

High Key Lighting

Scene flooded with light, creating bright and open-looking scene. What feeling was the director creating?

Low Key Lighting

Scene flooded with shadows and darkness. Does the darkness add to suspense or suspicion?

Bottom or Side Lighting

Direct lighting from below or side, often makes subject appear dangerous or evil.

Front or Back Lighting

Soft lighting on actor’s face or from behind gives appearance of innocence or goodness; halo effect

Cut

Transition between scenes when one scene ends and another begins. Most common

Fade (Out or In)

Scene gradually goes dark (out) or a new one gradually emerges from the darkness (in)

Dissolve

Gradual transition in which the end of one scene is superimposed over the beginning of a new one.

Superimposition

The dissolving lingers and both scenes are on at the same time

Jump Cut

Shots joined, not to emphasize continuity. Jumping ahead in time

Flashback

Cut or dissolve to action that happened in the past

Shot-Reverse-Shot

Shows the character looking at another character off camera. Then the character looks back. Then shows the first character again. Used in dialogue. Three shots

Cross Cutting

Cutting between different sets of action that can occur simultaneously or at different times. Used to build suspense or to show relationship between different sets of action.

Eye-Line Match

Shot of character looking off screen or camera and then a shot of what the character is looking at. SImilar to shot-reverse-shot

Soft Focus

A slightly blurred effect achieved by using special filter or lens, or by shooting with a normal lens slightly out of focus. To show someone looking soft or glamorous.

Rack Focus

Change of the field in focus takes the viewer from one object to another that was previously out of focus. Changes during the shot.

Literary Aspect

What films share with literature

Dramatic Aspect

What films share with plays/live theater

Cinematic Aspect

How film is different from books (literature) and plays

Literary Aspect examples

Plot, theme, climax, characters, setting, antagonist/protagonist, conflict, pov, dialogue, symbols, tone, illusions

Dramatic Aspect Examples

Actors, sets and locations, colors, directors, lights, sound effects, script and screenplay, characters in costumes, makeup and prosthetics, dialogue