Basic Film Terms

Front 1

film treatment

Back 1

Narrative description of film

Front 2

shooting script

Back 2

shot-by-shot detailed description of film, used when shooting the movie

Front 3

storyboard

Back 3

a series of sketches that lays out shots, like a comic strip. drawings of each shot and description shot below

Front 4

frame

Back 4

what the film is capturing (dividing line, of whats being filmed and what's not)

Front 5

shot

Back 5

basic unit of film structure; an unbroken strip of film

Front 6

sequence

Back 6

(scene) a few related shots unified with common location, or concern

Front 7

establishing shot

Back 7

long shot introducing the setting. often at the beginning of sequences/scenes.

Front 8

long shot

Back 8

far away view, sam distance as if going to the theater

Front 9

medium shot

Back 9

relatively close shot, revealing figure/person from knees or waist up

Front 10

close shot

Back 10

head shot; detailed, upclose view of person or object

Front 11

low angle

Back 11

filmed from below, looking up

Front 12

high angle

Back 12

filmed from above, looking down

Front 13

one-shot (two, three)

Back 13

one (etc.) figure in the shot usually at a medium distance

Front 14

underexposure

Back 14

not enough light, causing dark images

Front 15

overexposure

Back 15

too much light, causing bleached out, light images

Front 16

fast/undercranked

Back 16

film speed run slower than normal to make actions look faster

Front 17

slow/overcranked

Back 17

film speed run faster than normal to make actions look slower

Front 18

rack focus

Back 18

blurring, causing viewer's eyes to travel to in-focus areas of the frame. used to get your attention on what is important.

Front 19

angle

Back 19

camera's angle of view relative to the subject

Front 20

pan

Back 20

fixed camera rotating horizontally

Front 21

dolly(tracking/trucking)

Back 21

moving/mounted camera which follows action; may be on tracks for smooth movement

Front 22

boom(crane)

Back 22

mounted camera which moves any direction through space

Front 23

zoom

Back 23

fixed camera, but scene magnified equally

Front 24

cut

Back 24

simple break where two shots are joined together

Front 25

crosscutting

Back 25

cutting back and forth btw two or more separate scenes suggesting simultaneity and eventual convergence (hightens tension)

Front 26

fade

Back 26

gradual darkening of the image until it becomes black (fade-out) gradual brightening of a black screen until the picture becomes visible (fade-in)

Front 27

dissolve

Back 27

simultaneouly fading out on one shot while fading in on the next shot at the same time

Front 28

iris

Back 28

rare in contemporary cinema, a masking device placed over the camera lens will gradually open (iris-in) or close (iris-out) to widen or narrow the field of view.

Front 29

wipe, fiip wipe

Back 29

somewhat dated transition in which second shot appears to push/pull the first shot off the screen

Front 30

matches

Back 30

transitions within a scene to provide continuity of action: graphic matches, matches on action, eye-line matches

Front 31

freeze frame

Back 31

single frame is reprinted a number of times on the filmstip; when projected, it gives teh illusion of a still photograph

Front 32

synchornous sound

Back 32

image and sound correspond; recorded simultaneously, or seem so in the finished print. sound derives from an obvious source in the visuals.

Front 33

M.O.S.

Back 33

without sound; images but no sound (can build suspense)

Front 34

dialogue

Back 34

the spoken lines

Front 35

voice over narration

Back 35

nonsynchronous, spoken commentary, often used to convey a character's thoughts or memories

Front 36

sound effects

Back 36

aural atmosphere, sounds added to provide realism

Front 37

music

Back 37

musical score written by film's composer functions as commentary on action; directs audience's attention to specific characters or details, establishes mood

Front 38

three-point lights

Back 38

standard lighting setup

Front 39

key light

Back 39

chief, directional light sources above front, side rear

Front 40

fill light

Back 40

weaker light sources to fill in the shadows cast by the key light

Front 41

back light

Back 41

minor lights used to light the space between the characters and the back of the set, separates characters from background, lights important figures in the background

Front 42

credits

Back 42

who produced, directed, acted, and performed jobs of film's crew, contributors

Front 43

rushes/dailies

Back 43

selected footage of previous day's shooting, usually evaluated by director and cinematographer before start of next day's shooting

Front 44

outtakes

Back 44

pieces of film not used in the final cut; left over/unused footage

Front 45

rough cut

Back 45

crudely edited footage before ediotr tightens up slackness between shots; a rough draft