Terms for Film Analysis

shot

one continuously exposed, uninterrupted image with a single framing (static or
mobile); as the most basic unit of filmmaking, a shot 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 established 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 up 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 up the entire screen; most usually a small object or part of the body

POV shot/first-person/subjective camera

taken with the camera placed approximately where the character’s eyes would be, showing what the character sees; usually placed before or after a shot of the character looking at something offscreen.

Focal length

the distance in millimeters between the center of the lens to the surface of the film stock. changing the focal length 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

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

normal lens

a lens of medium focal length, 35-50mm. As it more closely approximates human vision, this lens minimizes distortions of perspective.

telephoto lens

a lens with a focal length greater than 75mm that minimizes depth of field and reduces distances between objects in the image. These longer lenses can emphasize certain sections of the image while everything else stays in soft focus, and allow filmmakers to shoot action at greater distances.

zoom lens

a lens of variable focal length that can transform perspectives relations within a single shot. to the untrained eye, a zoom shot may appear to be caused by camera movement.

rack focus

adjusts the focus and perspective within a shot, but the magnification stays the same. usually forces our attention to shift from one section of the Fram to another

lighting source

natural, available light, or artificial? Often a combo of both, even in exterior scenes.

lighting direction

direction of the lighting within the shot as it relates to the subject; the path of light from its source or sources to the object lit

intensity

high key, low key, hard and soft lighting

three point lighting

combines a key light, the main light source, with fill and back lights to accent and blend the illumination as desired.

pan

a camera movement in which the camera rotates on its vertical axis; gives the impression of a frame horizontally scanning space

tilt

a movement in which the camera rotates on its horizontal axis; onscreen it gives the impression of unrolling a space either from top to bottom or vice versa, as though the camera is looking up or down

tracking shot

here the camera as a whole changes position, traveling in any direction along the ground. sometimes called a dolly shot, because of the device that enables the camera to move fluidly on wheels along a track.

crane shot

the camera moves above ground level, rising or descending, often thanks to a mechanical arm which lifts and lowers it.

handheld camera

produces an unsteady image; often used by documentary filmmakers because of sense of immediacy

steadicam

a gimbal-balanced camera mount that produces smooth, fluid movements and stabilizes the image no matter how jagged the terrain or uneven the movement of the operator.

mise-en-scène

a French term that means “put into a scene”— the arrangement of materials before the camera for the purpose of staging a scene. implies agency on the part of the filmmaker. the creative manipulation of the profilmic for the purposes of drama; it is the staging of action in a fictive context

profilmic

a neutral category—whatever is in front of the lens at the moment of filming

long take

a single unbroken shot, moving or stationary, that follows a complex action that might otherwise be represented through editing.

sequence shot

long take in which an entire sequence unfolds, often through the use of intricate camera movement and skilled choreography of action.

continuous editing

cuts occur to emphasize fluid action and narrative continuity

parallel editing/crosscutting/parallel action

when shots are edited together from at least two different locations, often to depict simultaneous action (often to build suspense)

fade-in

a dark screen that gradually brightens as a shot appears

fade-out

a shot that gradually darkens as the screen goes black. occasionally brighten to pure white or solid colors.

dissolve

the first image gradually disappears while the second image gradually appears; for a moment the two images blend in superimposition

wipe

a line passes across the screen, either vertically or horizontally, eliminating the first shot and replacing it with another.

diabetic vs nondiagetic sound

sound within the world of the story vs outside of the story

synchronous vs asynchronous sound

if the sound is synced up with the action

simultaneous or non simultaneous sound

flashback/forward through time

sound bridge

hearing the sound from the next scene before the cut

discursive sound

sound that works to move the narrative forward, transition between scenes

acousmatic sound

a sound one hears without seeing the source