film terms

Actual Sound

Sound from an identifiable sound source, either on or off screen.

Commentative Sound

Sound from a source outside of the physical setting, such as background music.

Shot

What is recorded by a single, uninterrupted run of the camera.

Close-Up

A shot in which the camera is or appears to be close to the subject.

Extreme Close-Up

A shot in which the camera is so close to the subject that only some aspect of it can be recorded.

Long/Full Shot

A shot in which the camera appears at a distance from the subject, showing the complete person with some background visible.

Extreme Long Shot

A shot in which the camera is so far away that it results in a broad, panoramic view.

Medium Shot

A shot halfway between a close-up and a long shot, typically showing the subject from the waist up.

Establishing Shot

Generally a long shot that identifies a location, providing context for closer shots.

Over-the-Shoulder Shot

A shot where the camera is positioned over a character’s shoulder, revealing what the character sees.

High-Angle/Bird’s Eye Shot

A shot where the camera is positioned above the subject.

Low-Angle Shot

A shot that shoots up at the subject from below, making it appear larger.

Subjective/POV Camera

A technique where the viewer experiences what the character would have experienced.

Pan Shot

A shot in which the camera rotates horizontally on a fixed axis.

Tilt Shot

A shot in which the camera rotates vertically on a fixed axis.

Mobile Camera

A general term for the camera in a moving state.

Tracking/Dolly Shot

A moving shot taken on a dolly, or wheeled platform.

Crane Shot

A shot taken when the camera is mounted on a crane, enabling various movements.

Zoom In

The illusion of movement achieved by changing the lens' focal length to move into a scene.

Zoom Out

The illusion of movement achieved by changing the lens' focal length to move out of a scene.

Freeze Frame

A form of stop-motion photography that reduces an image to a still photograph.

Montage

A sequence in which a series of shots appear in rapid succession.

Straight Cut

The immediate transition from one shot to another.

Contrast Cut

A transition that dramatically differs from the preceding shot, highlighting the disparity.

Parallel/Cross Cutting

Switching back and forth between two simultaneous actions, not necessarily in the same location.

Jump Cut

An abrupt transition between locations or timeframes, often for effect.

Match Cut

A transition between two shots that are contextually related yet spatially distinct.

Form Cut

A cut from one object to another that is similarly shaped.

Fade-In

An image that materializes out of a dark screen.

Fade-out

The image that disappears as the screen goes dark.

Dissolve

A transition where one shot fades out as another fades in, often overlapping.

Form Dissolve

A dissolve transition from one object to another with a similar shape.

Wipe

A transition where a line moves across the screen, revealing the next shot.

Iris Shot

A shot where the image is enclosed within a circle.

Mise-en-Scene

The staging of a production, emphasizing the details of a shot or sequence.

Framing

The act of composing a shot based on its visual form.

Iconography

Re-creating an image to evoke a traditional or familiar visual representation.

Deep Focus

Photography allowing foreground, middle ground, and background to be in clear view.

Shallow Focus

Rendering the foreground with greater clarity than the background.

Rack Focus

Shifting focus between characters or areas in a shot by blurring and restoring clarity.

High-Key Lighting

Lighting that produces uniform brightness with low contrast between key and fill light.

Low-Key Lighting

Lighting that creates dark, shadowy images with a high contrast ratio.

Top Lighting

Lighting from above, capable of producing a glowing effect.

Side Lighting

Lighting from the sides of a subject, creating a half-light, half-shadow effect.

Bottom Lighting

Lighting from below, leaving part of the subject in shadow.