FILM TECHNIQUES

Long Shot: On-screen object appears small or seen from a distance; provides a sense of time and place.
Establishing Shot: A long shot that remains on-screen long enough to establish setting.
Close-up/Head Shot: Object appears large, taking up ~80% of the screen; focuses viewer attention on what the director intends.
Medium Shot: Between a long and close shot; the most common and naturalistic shot.

Soft Focus: Slightly out of focus; creates a lighter mood (love, sadness, reminiscence) or uncertainty.
Rack Focus: Shifts focus between background and foreground to direct viewer attention.
Deep Focus: All objects (background and foreground) remain in focus.

Low Angle: Camera is below the subject; makes characters appear powerful.
High Angle: Camera is above the subject; makes characters appear weak or vulnerable.
Eye Level: Camera and subject are on the same level; a neutral shot.
Dutch Angle/Tilt: Camera is slightly tilted; indicates tension, conflict, or danger.

Subjective Focalization: Aligns with one character's point of view (what the character sees).
Authorial Focalization: Provides information a character might not have; often dramatically ironic.

Pan: Camera pivots horizontally (left/right); introduces setting or observes surroundings.
Whip Pan: A fast pan that blurs the image; often accompanied by a "whoosh" sound.
Tilt: Camera tilts vertically (up/down); communicates distance, size, or strength.
Zoom: Adjusts the focal length, making objects appear larger or smaller.
Dolly Zoom (Vertigo Effect): Camera moves while the lens zooms in the opposite direction; indicates psychological distress.
Tracking/Dolly Shot: Camera moves with the on-screen action; brings the audience into the action.
Arc Shot: Subject is circled by the camera; often used in intense questioning or chaos.

Low-Key: Marked by darkness and shadows; creates moods of suspicion or danger.
High-Key: Bright and open with minimal shadows; indicates clarity or revelation.
Neutral: Evenly balanced lighting.
Bottom/Side: Partial illumination; suggests ambiguity, conflict, or evil.
Front: No shadows; indicates innocence or openness.

Diegetic: Sound heard logically within the movie environment (e.g., dialogue, traffic).
Non-Diegetic: Sound not heard by characters (e.g., music, narration).
Internal Diegetic: Sound heard only by one character (e.g., internal thoughts).

Cut: Sudden transition between shots; the most common technique.
Fade: Image fades to black and is replaced by another; indicates passage of time or an end.
Dissolve: One image fades out while another fades in simultaneously; creates connections.
Crosscut/Parallel Editing: Alternates between scenes in different places; builds suspense.
Flashback/Flash-Forward: Shows past or future events to provide context.
Eye-Line Match: Sequence where a character looks at something, followed by a shot of what they see and their reaction.
Long Take: A shot lasting more than 20–30 seconds; creates a calm or peaceful environment.

Refers to everything visible in a shot: sets, costumes, props, lighting, acting, etc.