Term
|
Definition
| Extreme Long Shot (aka Extreme Wide Shot) - Used to show the subject from a distance, or the area in which the scene is taking place. This type of shot is particularly useful for establishing a scene (see Establishing Shot later in the article) in terms of time and place, as well as a character’s physical or emotional relationship to the environment and elements within it. The character doesn’t necessarily have to be viewable in this shot. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Long Shot (aka Wide Shot) Shows the subject from top to bottom; for a person, this would be head to toes, though not necessarily filling the frame. The character becomes more of a focus than an Extreme Long Shot, but the shot tends to still be dominated by the scenery. This shot often sets the scene and our character’s place in it. This can also serve as an Establishing Shot, in lieu of an Extreme Long Shot. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Full Shot - Frames character from head to toes, with the subject roughly filling the frame. The emphasis tends to be more on action and movement rather than a character’s emotional state. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Medium Long Shot (aka 3/4 Shot) Intermediate between Full Shot and Medium Shot. Shows subject from the knees up. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Medium Shot Shows part of the subject in more detail. For a person, a medium shot typically frames them from about waist up. This is one of the most common shots seen in films, as it focuses on a character (or characters) in a scene while still showing some environment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Medium Close-Up Falls between a Medium Shot and a Close-Up, generally framing the subject from chest or shoulder up. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Close-Up Fills the screen with part of the subject, such as a person’s head/face. Framed this tightly, the emotions and reaction of a character dominate the scene. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Choker A variant of a Close-Up, this shot frames the subject’s face from above the eyebrows to below the mouth |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Extreme Close Up Emphasizes a small area or detail of the subject, such as the eye(s) or mouth. An Extreme Close Up of just the eyes is sometimes called an Italian Shot, getting its name from Sergio Leone’s Italian-Western films that popularized it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Eye Level Shot taken with the camera approximately at human eye level, resulting in a neutral effect on the audience. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| High Angle Subject is photographed from above eye level. This can have the effect of making the subject seem vulnerable, weak, or frightened. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Low Angle Subject is photographed from below eye level. This can have the effect of making the subject look powerful, heroic, or dangerous. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Dutch Angle/Tilt Shot in which the camera is set at an angle on its roll axis so that the horizon line is not level. It is often used to show a disoriented or uneasy psychological state. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Over-the-Shoulder Shot A popular shot where a subject is shot from behind the shoulder of another, framing the subject anywhere from a Medium to Close-Up. The shoulder, neck, and/or back of the head of the subject facing away from the camera remains viewable, making the shot useful for showing reactions during conversations. It tends to place more of an emphasis on the connection between two speakers rather than the detachment or isolation that results from single shots. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Bird’s-Eye View (aka Top Shot) A high-angle shot that’s taken from directly overhead and from a distance. The shot gives the audience a wider view and is useful for showing direction and that the subject is moving, to highlight special relations, or reveal to the audience elements outside the boundaries of the character’s awareness. The shot is often taken from on a crane or helicopter. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Cut-In Similar to a Cutaway, but shows a Close-Up shot of something visible in the main scene. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Cutaway A shot of something other than the subject and away from the main scene. It is usually followed by a cut back to the first shot and is useful for avoiding a jump cut when editing down a section of dialogue, or editing together two separate takes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Establishing Shot Usually the first shot of a scene, this is used to establish the location and environment. It can also be used to establish mood and give the audience visual clues regarding the time (night/day, year) and the general situation. Because they need to provide a great deal of information, Establishing Shots are usually Extreme Long Shots or Long Shots. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Master Shot Term given to a single, uninterrupted shot of a scene. This shot can be the only shot used by a director to cover a scene, or edited together with additional shots. While it’s commonly a Long or Full Shot, a Master Shot can be a closer shot, or consist of multiple shot types if the camera is moving throughout the scene. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Point of View Shot (POV) Shot intended to mimic what a particular character in a scene is seeing. This puts the audience directly into the head of the character, letting them experience their emotional state. Common examples are of a character waking up, drifting into unconsciousness, or looking through a scope or binoculars. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Reaction Shot Shows a character’s reaction to the shot that has preceded it. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Reverse Angle Shot A shot taken from an angle roughly 180 degrees opposite of the previous shot. The term is commonly used during conversation, indicating a reverse Over-the-Shoulder Shot, for example. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Two Shot A shot in which two subjects appear in the frame. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Zoom
Without a doubt, zooming is the most used (and therefore, most overused) camera movement there is. It is often used as a clutch when the videographer is not sure what else to do to add interest to a shot. If you are going to use zoom, try to use it creatively. Zoom in or out from an unexpected, yet important, object or person in your shot. Use a quick zoom to add energy to a fast-paced piece. Don’t get stuck with your zoom as your default move! |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Pan
Panning is when you move your camera horizontally; either left to right or right to left, while its base is fixated on a certain point. You are not moving the position of the camera itself, just the direction it faces. These types of shots are great for establishing a sense of location within your story. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Tilt
Tilting is when you move the camera vertically, up to down or down to up, while its base is fixated to a certain point. Again, like panning, this move typically involves the use of a tripod where the camera is stationary but you move the angle it points to. These shots are popular when introducing a character, especially one of grandeur, in a movie. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Dolly
A dolly is when you move the entire camera forwards and backwards, typically on some sort of track or motorized vehicle. This type of movement can create beautiful, flowing effects when done correctly. If you want to attempt a dolly, make sure your track is stable and will allow for fluid movement. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Truck
Trucking is the same as dollying, only you are moving the camera from left to right instead of in and out. Again, it is best to do this using a fluid motion track that will eliminate any jerking or friction. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Pedestal
A pedestal is when you move the camera vertically up or down while it is fixated in one location. This term came from the use of studio cameras when the operators would have to adjust the pedestal the camera sat on to compensate for the height of the subject. A pedestal move is easy to do when the camera is fixated to an adjustable tripod. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play.
the setting or surroundings of an event or action |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Whichever direction, left or right, the actor or object is looking at or moving toward. Described from the audience's point of view. Most often continuity editing will maintain the integrity of screen direction. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a shot that views the action from the opposite side of the previous shot, as during a conversation between two actors, giving the effect of looking from one actor to the other. Expand. Also called reverse angle shot. Origin of reverse shot. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a short film scene that shows what a character (the subject) is looking at (represented through the camera). It is usually established by being positioned between a shot of a character looking at something, and a shot showing the character's reaction (see shot reverse shot). The technique of POV is one of the foundations of film editing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Shot reverse shot (or shot/countershot) is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process, in film and video creation, of combining more-or-less related shots, or different components cut from a single shot, into a sequence so as to direct the viewer's attention to a pre-existing consistency of story across both time and physical location |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a series of scenes that form a distinct narrative unit, which is usually connected either by unity of location or unity of time. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the post-production process of film editing and video editing, a cut is an abrupt, but usually trivial film transition from one sequence to another. It is synonymous with the term edit, though "edit" can imply any number of transitions or effects. The cut, dissolve and wipe serve as the three primary transitions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Transition to and from a blank image |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| make an abrupt transition from one scene to another. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a type of film transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the frame to another or with a special shape. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time, and usually in the same place. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which can suggest the simultaneity of these two actions but this is not always the case. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the width and height of a cinema or television screen, or the size in which a film has been shot and should be projected. The size is not standard, so an aspect ratio may be defined in centimetres or inches or yards, etc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is created by whatever appears or occurs within the shot of a moving picture. It can change within a scene (film) and from scene to scene |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Like depth perception, motion perception is responsible for a number of sensory illusions. Film animation is based on the illusion that the brain perceives a series of slightly varied images produced in rapid succession as a moving picture. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| any of a series of regular perforations(holes) along the edge of photographic film for engaging the drive sprockets in a motion-picture camera or projector. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process of subjecting photographic film stock to any light intensity for a given time, resulting in an image once the film has been processed. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| refers to the optical illusion whereby multiple discrete images blend into a single image in the human mind and believed to be the explanation for motion perception in cinema and animated films |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| any shot where the camera moves alongside the object(s) it is recording. In cinematography, the term refers to a shot in which the camera is mounted on a camera dolly that is then placed on rails – like a railroad track. The camera is then pushed along the track while the image is being filmed. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the art and process of movie photography. An example of cinematography are the decisions made about lighting, camera filters and lenses when shooting a movie scene. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a lens whose focal length is substantially smaller than the focal length of a normal lens for a given film plane |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| isolates the operator's movement, allowing for a smooth shot, even when the camera moves over an irregular surface. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length. |
|
|
