Film Terms

Mise-en-scene

all of the things within a shot (set, costumes, props, location, etc.)

Shot

an uninterrupted run of the camera

Take

a single recording of the shot

Frame

The borders of the image onscreen that define the edge of the image

Composition

The precise arrangement of objects and characters within a frame

Extreme Close-up

a shot that isolates something very close, such as the person’s eyes, mouth, or nose

Close-up

a shot that isolates an object in the image, making it appear relatively large. A close-up of a human being is generally of that person’s face

Medium Close-up

taken from the chest up

Three-quarters shot

takes in the human body from just above the knees

long shot

appears to be taken from a long distance

Extreme long shot

shows the object or person at a vast distance surrounded by a great amount of surrounding space

Eye level shot

The camera is placed at the level of an adult’s eyes, 5-6 feet off the ground when the characters are standing, lower when they are seated. This is used when directors want to film a person or room or landscape from an angle that seems unobtrusive and normal.

Low-angle shot

The director shoots his or her subjects from below; with a low-angle shot, the camera is in effect looking up at the subject. Typically, directors use low-angle shots to make subjects look sinister.

High-angle shot

When the director shoots the subject from above; the camera is looking down. High angle shots are often used to subtly criticize the subject by making them seem powerless or small

Bird’s-eye view

An extreme overhead shot, seemingly from the sky or ceiling and looking straight down on the subject.

Dutch tilt

When the camera tilts and moves at the same time

Two-shot

Two people appear in the shot, generally at medium distance or closer. Two shots are dominated spatially by two people, making them ideal for conversations.

Three-shot

This shot contains three people – not three people surrounded by a crowd, but three people who are framed in such a way as to constitute a distinct group.

Master shot

Taken from a long distance and includes as much of the set or location as possible as well as all the characters in the scene.

Pan

When the camera is stationary but pivots on its axis from side to side.

Tilt

Camera is stationery but tilts up and down.

Hand Held Shots

Hand-held cameras create these shots.This type of shot dates from the 1960s and on. These shots are used as a convention of realism – the jerkiness of hand-held shots suggests an unmediated reality, a lack of intervention between camera and subject.

Long Take

The shot continues without a cut for an unusually long time which can create a tense, uneasy feeling that lingers

Full shot

A shot displaying an entire body