Film Glossary

The Art and Science of Filmmaking Name____________________________ Meyers and Hoffman Film Terminology 101 FRAMING / SHOTS Term Definition Long Shot (LS) a shot taken from some distance; shows the full subject and perhaps the Unforgiven surrounding scene as well. Master and Commander Full Shot (FS) a shot that would generally show an entire persons body Office Space Pulp Fiction Medium Shot (MS) people are seen from the waist up; in between a full shot and a close-up Unforgiven Close-up (CU) the image being shot takes up at least 80 percent of the frame, usually the Tropic Thunder shoulders and head Extreme Close-up (XCU) a head, or only a portion of a head would take up the entire frame Invasion of the Body Snatchers Establishing Shot / Scene sets the scene or shows the space of a scene; often a long shot or series of Patton shots at the beginning of a film that establishes something about a world, character, or problem Over the Shoulder Shot often used when filming two people having a conversation, this shot has Pulp Fiction the effect as if someone is there firsthand observing the action Two-Shot a common shot that shows two people in the frame Pulp Fiction Three-Shot a common shot that shows three people in a frame Pulp Fiction FOCUS Term Definition Soft Focus when a director intentionally puts his or her object slightly out of focus to Moonstruck make the image look softer or unclear Rack Focus when a director shifts the focus from one object to another in the same Everything is Illuminated shot in order to redirect the audience’s attention Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Deep Focus when the foreground and background are equally in focus; these shots are Citizen Cane rarely done CAMERA ANGLES Term Definition Low Angle (LA) camera shoots subject from below; has the effect of making the subject Triumph of the Will look larger than normal—strong, powerful, threatening Unforgiven High Angle (HA) camera is above the subject; usually has the effect of making the subject High Noon look smaller than normal—weak, powerless, trapped Office Space Eye Level (EL) accounts for 90 to 95 percent of the shots seen because it is most natural; Tropic Thunder camera is even with the key character’s eyes Dutch Angle shot that is tilted sideways on the horizontal line (also called “canted” Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner angle); used to add tension to a static frame, it creates a sinister or distorted view of a character SOUND Term Definition Diegetic sound that could be heard logically by the characters within the film; Chinatown sound can also be internal diegetic, meaning that the sound can be heard only within the mind of one character Nondiegetic sound that could not be heard by characters; sound given directly to the Garden State audience by the director LIGHTING Term Definition Low-Key scene is flooded with shadows and darkness; creates suspense/suspicion Blade Runner High-Key scene is flooded with light; creates bright and open-looking scene 2001: A Space Odyssey Bottom / Side direct lighting from below or from one side; often dangerous or evil- Young Frankenstein looking, may convey split personality or moral ambiguity Silence of the Lambs Front / Rear soft, direct lighting on face or back of subject—may suggest innocence, Casablanca create a “halo” effect CAMERA MOVEMENT Term Definition Pan stationary camera moves left or right Master and Commander Tilt stationary camera moves up or down Moonstruck Zoom the camera is stationary but the lens moves, making the objects appear to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon grow larger or smaller Dolly / Tracking Shot the camera itself is moving with the action—on a track, on wheels, or The Birth of a Nation held by hand Easy Rider EDITING TECHNIQUES Term Definition Cut when one image or seen immediately changes to another; called a cut Vertigo because the film was literally cut and spliced together Fast Cut a series of cuts in rapid succession, can be used to create suspense or Black Hawk Down tension Long Cut one continuous scene lasting more than 10-20 seconds, can also be used A Touch of Evil to create suspense or tension Jump Cut A cut that changes time, place, and subject matter; an abrupt shift in the 2001: A Space Odyssey film Fade scene fades to black or white; often implies that time has passed Chinatown Dissolve an image fades into another; can create a connection between images Modern Times Cross-Cutting / Parallel Editing cut back and forth to action that is happening simultaneously The Birth of a Nation Flashback movement into action that has happened previously, often signified by a Everything is Illuminated change in music, voice-over narration, or a dissolve; a “flash-forward” leads us ahead in time Eye-Line Match a shot of a person looking, then a cut to what he or she saw, followed by a Philadelphia cut back for a reaction Montage a series of shots pieced together, often accompanied by music, to show Bride and Prejudice the passage of time Thelma and Louise OTHER Term Definition Mise-en-scene refers to what appears within the frame of the shot, including the Dead Poet’s Society costumes, props, acting, lighting, and makeup. .

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