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Glossary of Film Terminology

This glossary expands our basic framework:

Still: a single photograph within a video. Here is language for writing about stills:

The ekphrasis language we’ve learned, including the scene, colors, textures, shapes, composition, as
well as lines, sharpness, brushstrokes, and the viewer’s perspective.

The mise-en-scène includes the composition as well as all of the elements placed in front of
the camera to be filmed: setting, props, lighting, costumes, makeup, and figure behavior
(meaning actors, their gestures, and their facial expressions).

To frame: to arrange objects and people within a still or shot.

Name of element The element’s definition Usual reason for using the element

Camera angles (from the first video)

Wide (and The wide shot is said to be Frequently used when you want to establish
establishing) caught on a wider angle lens in a location. Helps the viewer understand
order to help you see more of where the scene is taking place. These shots
your surroundings. This type of can also help viewers understand the
camera lens is used in order to emotions of someone through the scenery.
establish a location so the
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viewer can understand where

the scene is taking place.

Long Similarly to a wide shot, a long This is used to give a greater emphasis on
shot is also used to establish a your subject, and normally fills the entire
location; however, it frame.
emphasizes mainly on the
subject (people), and this shot
normally shows one's whole
body.

Medium A medium shot is normally Used to help the viewer focus on what your
from the waist up and is used to subject is doing or saying. This shot is also
help the viewers focus in on great to make the viewer feel as though
what the subject (main person) they are close to the subject.
is doing. A medium shot
normally represents the distance
you view people with.

Cowboy The Cowboy shot is in between Use to show detail around the waist.
a long and medium shot.
Normally, this shot is taken
from the mid thigh up. Further,
used to show detail around the
waist.

Tight/Close-up This is normally just a shot of Used mainly to show dialogue or to show
the head and shoulders of the the detailed expression of your subject.m
subject, and is used mainly for Mainly for important or intense pieces of
dialogue or to show a detailed dialogue to help the viewer know that they
expression. should really pay attention to what is being
said.

Detail/Extreme Used to put emphasis or This helps create mystery and depth in a
close-up importance on a specific detail story, and makes the viewers want to
on an action or image. continue watching.

Low angle Low camera angles are Low camera angles are used to make your
normally taken from under a subject appear larger than real life and to
person to portray power. portray power and dominance. As long as
your subject is smaller than what surrounds
them in your image, this angle can portray
wonder.

High angle As opposed to a low camera Shows your subject as weak or

angle, a high camera angle does incompetent.
the exact opposite. This camera
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angle portrays your subject as

weak or inferior.

Dutch angle Normally from a tilted camera helps convey an uneasy feeling of
angle These angles are utilized ‘something is quite right.’
to tell us that something is
wrong.

Over-the-shoulder Over the shoulder shots are This gives the viewer the perspective that
normally used when two they are talking to the other person.
subjects are talking to one
another. This is used when
someone places the camera
angle behind one of the
speakers shoulders.

Point-of-view A point of view shot shows This camera angle is normally used to show
what the character is looking at. the viewer the perspective of the character.
Further, adding to their Normally used in action or sport scenes to
understanding of that help give the audience the thrill of being in
character's state of mind on a the driver's seat.
more personal level.

Cutaway This is an interruption of a shot Cutaway shots are used for transition to
that is continuously filmed by new scenes or show two stories that are
inserting a view of something contemporary.
completely different.

180-degree rule This rule is basically an When in conversation you need to use this
invisible line that you draw in rule to help the viewer understand where a
the middle of your scene and person is, such as when two people are
you have to make sure not to talking.
cross over that as you are going
from camera angle to camera
angle.

30-degree rule When cutting between two

angles of the same subject, like
an interview, you want to make
sure that the two points of
views are at least 30 degrees
apart. Ideally, at two different
shots.

Focus

Soft focus A director intentionally puts his Some Hollywood actresses from the 1940s
or her object slightly out of and 1950s would insist on soft focus for
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focus to make the images look any close-ups in order to accentuate beauty
softer or unclear. and to hide any imperfections

Rack focus A director shifts the focus from It sometimes shows a character’s mind at
one object to another in the work. It sometimes produces drama when
same shot in order to direct the something not previously in focus is placed
audience’s attention from the in focus.
first object to the second.

Lighting

Low-key lighting Scene is flooded with shadows It creates suspense or suspicion.

and darkness.

High-key lighting Scene is flooded with light. It creates a bright and open-looking scene.

Neutral lighting Neither bright or dark lighting. Lighting is not a factor.

Bottom lighting Lighting from below. Character appears as dangerous or evil.

Side lighting Lighting from the side. Character appears to have a split
personality or, more likely, to struggle with
moral ambiguity.

Front or rear lighting Lighting from the front or rear. This lighting may suggest innocence.
Indeed, lighting from behind may create a
“halo” effect.

Shot: a single, uninterrupted piece of film. A shot is made up of many stills. It’s the image that is seen
on-screen until it is replaced by another image by some kind of editing technique. A movie camera (or a
phone’s camera app in video mode) gets us from a still to a shot.
The language for writing about shots includes all of the above language for writing about stills (see
above). Here is more language for writing about shots:

Name of element The element’s definition Usual reason for using the element

Sound

Diegetic sound Sound that could be heard It characterizes, produces a tone, reinforces
logically by the characters a theme, or advances a plot or subplot.
within the film.

Non Diegetic sound Sound that could not be heard It can reinforce a tone or theme. It can
by characters; sound given affect the audience’s mood as well.
directly to the audience by the
director.
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Camera movement

Track A tracking shot is any shot that Tracking shots often follow a traveling
physically moves the camera subject, though they can be used to simply
sideways through the scene for show off the scene.
an extended amount of time.

Pan A stationary camera moves its Any number of effects.

lens from one side to the other.

Tilt A stationary camera moves up Any number of effects.

or down.

Zoom A stationary camera moves its Zooming in often emphasizes a person or

lens in or out, making the an object, giving it greater importance than
objects appear to grow larger its surroundings. Zooming out often
(and more singled out) or grow displays a person’s or an object’s
smaller (and part of their surroundings and show how it connects
surroundings) with those surroundings.

Dolly A dolly shot is similar to The camera may move past characters or
tracking. The main difference is objects that temporarily block the field of
that in dollies the camera is view, helping to emphasize the depth of a
moved toward or away from the scene. In an expanded dolly shot, though,
subject, whereas in a track shot, the camera follows a character who is
the camera is moved sideways, moving away.
parallel to an object.

Scene: a single sequence of continuous action consisting of one or more shots. It’s defined by time and
place rather than by technology. Movie editing software, such as iMovie or WeVideo, joins shots together
using transitions. In doing so, such software combines shots to make scenes.
The language for writing about scenes includes all of the above language for writing about stills and
shots (see above). In addition, the language for writing about scenes includes literary terms such as
setting, plot (including the six stages of plot development), flashback, diction, tone, and indirect
characterization. The language for writing about scenes also includes these editing techniques because
scenes join shots:

Name of element The element’s definition Usual reason for using the element

Editing techniques (from the second video)

Cutting on action Cutting from one shot to Show action advancing

another while the subject is still
in motion

Cut away Cutting to an insert shot of What are characters looking at? Or Get
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something and then back inside the head of a character

Jump cut Cuts between the same Often used to show the passage of time.
mise-en-scene You’ll find it in montages. Sometimes adds
a level of urgency to scene; baseball

Match cut Cuts to new shot by matching Shows characters making associations;
either the action or the often used as scene transitions
composition; they can be verbal
-- completing sentences

Fade Dissolving to or from black

Dissolve Blend one shot into another Can be used in montages; can show the
passage of time

Smash cut Abrupt transitions, from quiet Someone waking up from an intense dream
to intense (or vice versa)

Iris Make camera’s “iris” open or Stylistic choice

close on a subject

Wipe Different kinds

Invisible cut Impression of a single take, but Often hidden in blackness or in whip pans
it really edits two takes

L-cut Audio-based transition. Audio You keep hearing. Sometimes like an

from the current shot carries echoing thought.
over to the next shot.

J-cut Audio-based transition. Audio You hear before you see. Good for showing
from the next scene starts a new element in a scene.
before you get to it.

Crosscutting (a.k.a. Cut to action that is happening Crosscutting suggests how two actions may
parallel editing) simultaneously. relate to each other.

Eye-line match A shot of a person looking, then Eye-line match allows viewers to get into a
a cut to what he or she is character’s mind by seeing his or her
looking at, followed by a cut reaction to what he or she sees.
back for reaction.