Glossary of Film Terms
The following is a list of terms commonly referred to in film study.
- allusion:
- A reference to an event, person, or work of art, usually well known.
- angle:
- The camera's angle of view relative to the subjects being photographed. A high angle shot is photographed from above; a low angle from below the subject.
- animation:
- A form of filmmaking characterized by photographing inanimate subjects or individual drawings frame by frame, with each frame differing minutely from its predecessor. When such images are projected at the standard speed of twenty-four frames per second, the result is that the objects or drawings appear to move, seeming "animated."
- art director, also production designer:
- The individual responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of sets for a movie, and sometimes its interior decoration and overall visual style.
- cinematographer, also director of photography, lighting cameraman:
- The artist or technician responsible for the lighting of a shot and the quality of the photography.
- cross-cutting:
- The alternating of shots from two sequences, often in different locales, suggesting that they are taking place at the same time.
- dissolve, lap dissolve:
- The slow fading out of one shot and the gradual fading in of its successor, with a superimposition of images, usually at the midpoint.
- double exposure:
- The superimposition of two literally unrelated images on film.
- editing:
- The joining of one shot(strip of film) with another. The shots can picture events and objects in different places at different times. Editing is called montage in Europe.
- epic:
- A film genre characterized by bold and sweeping themes, usually in heroic proportions. The protagonist is usually an ideal representative of a culture- national , religious, or regional. The tone of most epics is dignified, the treatment larger-than-life.
- expressionism:
- A style of filmmaking that distorts time and space as ordinarily perceived in reality. Emphasis is placed on the essential characteristics of objects and people, not necessarily on their superficial appearance. Typical expressionist techniques are fragmentary editing, extreme angles and lighting effects, and the use of distorted lenses and special effects.
- fade:
- The fade-out is the snuffing of an image from normal brightness to a black screen. A fade-in is the slow brightening of the image from a black screen to normal.
- frame:
- The dividing line between the edges of the screen image and the enclosing darkness of the theater. Can also refer to a single photograph from the filmstrip.
- iris:
- A masking device that blacks out portions of the screen, permitting only a part of the image to be seen. Usually the iris is circular or oval shaped and can be expanded or contracted.
- miniatures, also model or miniature shots:
- Small-scale models photographed to give the illusion that they are full-scale objects.
- montage:
- Transitional sequences of rapidly edited images, used to suggest the lapse of time or the passing of events. Often employs dissolves and multiple exposures. In Europe, "montage" means the art of editing.
- multiple exposure:
- A special effect produced by the optical printer, which permits the superimposition of many images simultaneously.
- optical printer:
- An elaborate machine used to create special effects in movies. For example, fades, dissolves, multiple exposures, etc.
- pan, panning shot:
- Short for panorama, this is a revolving horizontal movement of the camera from left to right or vice versa.
- scene:
- An imprecise unit of film, composed of a number of interrelated shots, unified usually by a central concern- a location, an incident, or a minor dramatic climax.
- sequence:
- An imprecise structural unit of film, composed of a number of interrelated scenes and leading to a major climax.
- special effects:
- Trick photography and optical effects, usually employed in fantasy films, especially science fiction.
- stop-motion photography:
- A staple of trick and animation photography, the method used to make King Kong move. Models are shaped over metal armatures and photographed one frame at a time, with the model being moved slightly between exposures. When the filmstrip is projected at the standard rate of twenty-four frames per second, the models seem to move realistically.
- tracking shot, trucking shot, dolly shot:
- A shot taken from a moving vehicle. Originally tracks were laid on the set to permit a smoother movement of the camera. Today even a smooth hand-held traveling shot is considered a variation of the dolly shot.
Cinema Asia © 2008 A. Papapostolou || All Rights Reserved
Designed by Appassionato
