Film Language Glossary Developed by Columbia School of the Arts. See http://is.gd/ColumbiaFLG 37 John Bell 81b87807d92913ca36e4aa8948ce3cee9d13732a nmdjohn da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709 180-Degree Rule The 180-degree rule of shooting and keeps the camera on one side of the action. 3-D Film 3-D film has a three-dimensional, stereoscopic form, creating the illusion of depth.... Aerial Shot An aerial shot is typically made from a helicopter or created with miniatures (today, digitally), showing a location from high overhead. Aspect Ratio Aspect ratio refers to how the image appears on the screen based on how it was shot--the ratio of width (horizontal or top) to height (vertical or side) of a film frame, image, or screen. Black-and-White Film Black-and-white film contains an emulsion that, when processed, changes colors into various shades of gray. Camera Angle Camera angle refers to where the camera is placed in relation to the subject of the image. Camera Movement Camera movement refers to the actual or perceived physical movement of the camera apparatus through space. Canted Angle (Dutch Angle) A canted angle is when the camera is tilted, usually to suggest imbalance, transition, or instability. Celluloid Cellulose nitrate was the original transparent material used as a base for film, which was then coated with light-sensitive emulsion. Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro refers to strong contrasts between light and dark. Cinema Verité Cinema verité is a French term that means "true cinema" or "cinema truth." Cinematography Derived from the French word cinématographe, cinematography literally means "writing in movement" and is generally understood as the art and process of capturing visual images with a camera for cinema. Cinerama Cinerama is a process of simultaneous filming by three cameras. The cameras are pointed at different angles and are then projected by three synchronized projectors and shown on a curved screen. Circular Pan A circular pan is a shot in which the camera rotates 360 degrees around a fixed axis. Clapboard (Slateboard) Before each take, a clapboard appears in front of the camera, with the number of the take written on it. Close-up A close-up is a shot in which a person's face fills most of the screen, although the term can also refer to any shot that appears to have been taken at close range (or through a telephoto lens), and in which an object appears relatively large and in detail. Color Film Color film has been a possibility since the beginning of cinema. Technical problems and economic circumstances early on meant that it was not until the 1950s that color was viable in the film industry. Crane Shot A crane shot is achieved by a camera mounted on a platform, which is connected to a mechanical arm that can lift the platform up, bring it down, or move it laterally across space. Day for Night Day for night refers to the creation of a night effect while shooting during the day, through the manipulation of filters, underexposure, or printing. Deep Focus Deep focus is a style or technique of cinematography and staging with great depth of field, using relatively wide-angle lenses and small lens apertures to render in sharp focus near and distant planes simultaneously. Depth of Field Depth of field is the area, range of distance, or field (between the nearest and farthest planes) in which the elements captured in a camera image appear in sharp focus. Dialogue Dialogue is speech delivered by or between characters. Diegesis From the ancient Greek for "recounted story," diegesis is a term used in film studies to refer to the story (or narrative) world of a film. Diegetic Sound Diegetic sound is any sound that emanates from the story (or narrative) world of a film, which is referred to in film studies as diegesis. Dissolve A dissolve is a transitional device in which one scene fades out while the next scene fades in, resulting in some overlap between the two scenes. Dolly (Dolly Shot) A dolly is a mobile platform on wheels with a camera, which can be driven or pushed by a dolly pusher or dolly grip. Double (Multiple) Exposure Double exposure is the superimposition of two images, one over the other, which results from exposing the same film twice. Editing Editing is the process of putting a film together--the selection and arrangement of shots and scenes. Establishing Shot An establishing shot is a long shot at the start of a scene (or sequence) that shows things from a distance. Exposure Exposure is the act of making film available to light so that an image is formed in the emulsion. Eye-Line Match Eye-line match is a method of continuity editing whereby a cut between two shots creates the illusion of the character (in the first shot) looking at an object (in the second shot). Fade The fade is a means of gradually beginning or ending a scene, and is achieved in the camera by opening or closing the aperture; in an optical printer, this is achieved when the exposure light is increased or decreased. Fisheye Lens A fisheye lens is a wide-angle lens that takes in a nearly 180-degree field of view. Frames-per-Second Frames-per-second is the rate at which film is exposed in a camera. Freeze-Frame Freeze-frame is achieved when a single frame is repeatedly printed on a duplicate copy of the film. Handheld Shot A handheld shot is one in which the cameraman or -woman holds the camera and moves through space while filming. High-Angle Shot High-angle shot refers to when the camera is placed above eye level, looking down at the subject. Iris Shot The iris shot is a shot masked in a circular form. Jump Cut A jump cut is an editing technique in which some frames are taken out of a sequence. Lighting Lighting is responsible for the quality of a film's images and often a film's dramatic effect. Long Shot A long shot shows characters in their entirety, as well as some of the surrounding environment. Long Take The long take is a shot of some duration. Low-Angle Shot A low-angle shot is achieved when the camera is placed below eye level. Medium Shot A medium shot is one that can include several characters in a frame, usually showing a character from the waist up. Mise-en-scène Mise-en-scène originated in the theater and is used in film to refer to everything that goes into the composition of a shot--framing, movement of the camera and characters, lighting, set design and the visual environment, and sound. Montage At the core of montage ss the idea that a single shot has meaning only in relation to another shot. Non-Diegetic Sound Non-diegetic sound is sound whose origin is from outside the story world. Pan Shot A pan shot is achieved with a camera mounted on a swivel head so that the camera body can turn from a fixed position. Parallel Editing Parallel editing is a technique whereby cutting occurs between two or more related actions occurring at the same time in two separate locations or different points in time. Point of View With POV, the audience is, in effect, looking through the character's eye. Rear Projection Rear projection involves the projection of either a still or a moving picture onto the back of a translucent screen. Shot, Scene, and Sequence A shot consists of a single take. A scene is composed of several shots. A sequence is composed of scenes. Slow Motion Slow motion is typically achieved by shooting at a fast speed and then projecting at a normal speed. Sound Sound is the audio portion of a film. Soundtrack Soundtrack refers to all the audio elements of a film--dialogue, music, sound effects, etc. Split Screen Split screen is the combination of two or more scenes films separately which appear in the same frame. Steadicam Shot A Steadicam shot employs a kind of special hydraulic harness that smoothes out the bumps and jerkiness associated with the typical handheld style. Superimposition Superimposition is when two or more image are placed over each other in the frame. Swish Pan A swish pan looks like a blur as one scene changes to another--the camera appears to be moving rapidly from right to left or left to right. Take A take is one run of the camera, recording a single shot. Tracking (Trucking) Shot A tracking, or trucking, shot is one in which a camera is mounted on some kind of conveyance (car, ship, airplane, etc.) and films while moving through space. Virtual Camera Movement Virtual camera movement refers to the creation of the perceptual sense of movement through space by the manipulation of focal length or by more irregular techniques. Voice-Over Voice-over is dialogue, usually narration, that comes from an unseen, offscreen voice, character, or narrator. Wide-Angle Lens A wide-angle lens has a short focal length, increasing the depth of field for a shot and thereby keeping in focus both the foreground and the background. Wide-Angle Shot A shot with a greater horizontal plane of action and greater depth of field is known as a wide-angle shot. Wipe Wipes allow one scene to effectively erase the previous scene and replace it. Zoom Shot A zoom shot is one that permits the cinematographer to change the distance between the camera and the object being filmed without actually moving the camera.