The camera is “locked-off,” meaning it is stationary, typically on a tripod (no camera movement)

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The border of the image in-camera and on-screen

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A French term that we use when we describe every visible detail within the frame.

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where a scene takes place

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Objects in a scene

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objects used by actors

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how a character is dressed

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the appearance of the face that shows a character's feelings

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the posture or gestures of the body that show a character's feelings

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the positioning and movement of the actors

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The basic element of filmmaking, a single, uninterrupted run of the camera; or an uninterrupted image on film.

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The art of motion-picture photography

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in this shot size, the subject is visible from a great distance; the environment dominates the frame more than the subject

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in this shot size, the distance is great enough to fit the entire subject within the frame

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Also known as a three-quarters shot, this shot size frames the subject from the knees up

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Also known as a waist shot, this shot size frames a subject’s upper-body, arms, and head

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This type of shot frames a subject's head and cuts off around mid-chest

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This type of shot frames a subject's entire face and

cuts off around mid-neck

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This type of shot is so tight that it only frames a detail of the subject, such as a subject’s facial features

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also known as god’s-eye-view, this is the most extreme version of a high angle shot, it looks down at the subject from directly above

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to achieve this camera angle, the camera is higher than the subject,

looking down

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to achieve this camera angle, the camera is level with the subject, as we normally expect to see them; it is the most common angle

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to achieve this camera angle, the camera is lower than the subject,

looking up

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The most extreme version of a low angle, it is shot from the ground level looking up at the subject

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also known as a canted angle, the camera is angled on the axis of the lens; it turns vertical and horizontal lines into diagonal lines

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the camera stays in a fixed position,

and rotates up or down (vertical rotation)

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the camera stays in a fixed position,

and rotates left or right (horizontal rotation)

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also known as a Dutch Tilt or Cant, the camera rotates around the axis of the lens, it causes every everything in the shot to turn

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the camera moves vertical (up or down) with respect to the subject,

while remaining level (no rotation)

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the camera itself moves forwards, backwards, or sideways (on a dolly, steadicam, or handheld) to sweep through an area, often to follow the physical movement of characters or events

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also called trucking, the camera moves alongside the subject

left-to-right or right-to-left

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The camera physically moves towards the subject, tightening the frame

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The camera physically backs away from the subject, widening the frame

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the camera moves around the subject in a semicircle,

the extreme version is 360° tracking

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the camera is held in the camera operator's hands, it shakes, matching the slightest movement of the camera operator

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a stabilization device absorbs the shock and vibration of the camera operator’s movement, floating instead of shaking

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the camera is on wheels and/or traveling along a track, to create smooth motion; a “slider” can achieve this movement over a short distance

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the camera is on a large mechanical arm, also known as a jib, used to raise, lower, or move the camera anywhere it can reach

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the camera is airborne on a drone or helicopter

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the relative difference between light and dark areas in the frame

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the image contains areas that are very bright and very dark,

with well-defined edges between the two

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the image has little or no highlights or shadows, just “midtones” without much variation between one shade and another

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the most common, basic lighting setup

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this light serves as the main, brightest source of light on a subject

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this light is usually placed opposite the main light,

it cuts down on the shadows

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also known as the kicker or rim light, this light shines behind the subject, creating a glow at their edge, separating them from the background

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Bright lighting with a strong key light and a strong fill light, it eliminates harsh shadows from the subject, which tends to reduce contrast

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Dark Lighting with a weak key light and little to no fill light, it creates higher contrast, darker tones, and shadows

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focused, direct light casting harsh, angular shadows with defined edges

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spread-out, diffused light casting soft shadows

that wrap around the subject smoothly

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also known as ambient light; this is light that already exists at the location; it may be natural (i.e. a sunny or overcast sky)

or artificial (ceiling light or fixtures)

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light sources that affect the scene and are included in the frame; table lamps, a computer screen, a torch, headlights, neon signs, candles, etc.

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a color’s level of intensity, the richness or dullness of color,

the degree to which it differs from white

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describes intense, pure, rich, full color

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describes weak, greyish, dull, neutral color

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also known as color palette, this is the choice of colors when designing a film, scene, or shot; color choices are used to stylize, set a tone, convey a mood, represent traits, draw focus, etc.

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arranging the subject, object, lines, and shapes within the frame

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attempt to evenly distribute visual weight between objects in the frame based on factors including size, color, shape, and position

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some cinematographers attempt perfect balance with a frame that appears to divide down the middle into two equal parts, conveying a sense of unity

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many cinematographers use this off-center composition technique; elements are placed along the lines of an evenly divided 3×3 grid; the most important elements of the image are placed where lines intersect

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minimize the space between your subject’s head and the top of frame; alternatively, a lot of space here can generate an unsettling, sinking feeling

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give your subjects space in the direction they are looking or moving; alternatively, too little space can create a claustrophobic, trapped feeling

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use simple, recognizable forms, such as Rectangles, Circles, and Triangles to divide the image & frame or block your subjects

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use shapes to act as borders around your subjects, drawing attention to them; doorways, windows, and mirrors work well

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use blank or empty areas to surround your subjects, drawing attention to them; excessive amounts of emptiness create

a sense of tension, anticipation, or isolation

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use repeated shapes, colors, or objects to to emphasize anomalies, such as your subjects, which will stand out by breaking the repetitive flow

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create a sense of three-dimensional space by including objects in the foreground, middle, and background

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A visual transition created in editing when one shot is instantly replaced on screen by another shot

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in French, this is simply the word for assembling or editing a series of shots into a sequence

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the combination of two or more images or ideas to create a separate, third image or idea in the viewer’s mind

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editing experiments demonstrating the power of juxtaposition in editing; identical footage of an actor is cut with shots of different subjects, changing the audience’s perception of the actor

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editing the timing, rhythm, collision, or cohesion of different shots to create emotional, psychological, or intellectual ideas in the viewer’s mind, ideas not found in any individual shot itself

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a sequence that uses editing to condense actions & time,

suggesting that a lot of time is passing

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creating the illusion of seamlessness with the edit. Time, space, and subjects seem uninterrupted; actions flow smoothly from shot to shot; it’s also known as invisible editing

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the action that takes place at a certain place and time in the story usually consisting of multiple shots edited together

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the amount of footage shot; all of the different shot sizes and camera angles capturing the scene; everything the editor has to build a scene

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classically the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the scene is set (even if the actors aren’t really there); it is usually a long or extreme long exterior shot

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a long shot containing all important elements in the scene. Classically, filmmakers record the entire scene like this before recording any other coverage shots; it is a good fallback/lifesaver shot for editors to have

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the camera should stay on one side of the imaginary “action” line that connects two actors or represents a line of motion to maintain screen direction; crossing that imaginary line will flip the actor’s left-right position

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A shot of two people together; similarly, adding a third person makes it a Three Shot; more than three is a Group Shot

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a shot of just one actor; considered “clean”

if nothing else is in the foreground

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a shot of someone or something that includes part of a character's shoulder or the side of their head

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an editing pattern used to cut from a person speaking to the person being addressed or to cut from a person looking at something to the thing they observe, also known as eyeline matching

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the interruption of a continuously filmed action with a view of something separate from the main action; these can be used to solve continuity problems or give new meaning to a scene

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a shot which cuts away to show the reaction of a character within the scene

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a shot which cuts away to show an object or specific detail that adds information, emphasizes an idea, or conveys a certain tone

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a cut between two shots that show the same continuous action, also known as Cutting on Action; time seems uninterrupted

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effects controlling how shots change from one to the next

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the shot slowly appears or disappears, to or from a blank screen,

usually black

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a gradual transition from one shot to another;

temporarily superimposing separate shots

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a moving line or shape replaces one shot with another

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a black circle closes to end a scene or opens to begin a scene

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omitting parts of an action so that it takes less time on screen; something is left out, like an ellipse ( . . . ) in writing; common when a character is traveling from one location to another

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alternating between two or more events, usually occurring at the same time, in different locations; often used to build suspense, draw thematic connections, or make comparisons, also known as parallel editing

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cutting out a section in an otherwise continuous shot, skipping forward; commonly used in vlogs to remove pauses

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a visual similarity is used to connect shots; the connection can be color, shape, composition, texture, or motion; it can form symbolic connections

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A rapid series of actions in fast motion, accompanied by sound effects,

also known as fast cutting

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any sound from the story world of the film; sound that can logically be heard by people in that world

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the subtle, low-volume sound present in any space when no dialogue is spoken; recordings are used to fill editing gaps between audio clips

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background sounds which are present in a scene or location; common sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc.

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manually produced sound effects

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sound outside of the world of the film; sound that would not logically be heard by people in that world; voice-over and mood music for example

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a piece of narration not accompanied by an image of the speaker

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adding or mixing additional sounds with the original production sound

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re-recording dialog & vocal sounds by the original actor after the filming process; typically to improve audio quality

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when sound carries over a visual transition; this can help lead into or out of a scene, such as when a sound effect, dialog, or music

is heard before a new scene

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audio from a preceding shot overlaps with the image

from the following shot

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audio from a following shot overlaps with the image from a preceding shot

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Sounds which match (in time) with what is seen.

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Most sounds in film are synchronous, such as dialogue and foley sounds.

Sound that emanates from a source that we can see.

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Sound which derives from a source that we do not see.

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Sound whenever we hear the thoughts of a character within a scene.

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When sound accurately replicates what a voice or action is supposed to sound like.

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When sound does not accurately match its apparent source for dramatic or comic effect.

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When the music or sound effects match the mood of the action, participating in the feeling of the scene.

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When music or sound effects contradict the tone or emotion of the scene, also known as contrapuntal.

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Sound heard by a single character and that we assume cannot be heard by any other characters.

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Diegetic sound from earlier in the film is repeated later in the film to indicate a memory.

Screaming Sound in Earlier Scene (Left)  [image][image]Screaming Sound Repeated in Later Scene (Right)

A number expressed in millimeters (mm) that indicates the lens’s angle of view—how much of the scene will be captured.

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Any lens with a short focal length (less than 35mm). These lenses have a wide angle of view. Their images appear to expand space and increase the depth between near and far objects.

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Any lens with a long focal length, greater than 50mm. These lenses have a narrow angle of view. These lenses appear to compress space and decrease depth.

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Any lens that can change focal length. Both the minimum and maximum focal lengths are marked on the lens.

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This effect is achieved by zooming a lens to adjust the focal length in one direction while the camera dollies toward or away from the subject in the opposite direction.

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How sharp or blurry an image is.

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The distance between the nearest and the farthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus.

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A small area of the scene is in focus while the rest is out of focus.

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Changing the focus of the lens during a continuous shot. 

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the concept that colors elicit certain emotions from the audience, draw attention, set the tone, represent character traits, or show a change or development in a story

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The collection of guidelines designers use to create appealing color schemes.[image]

Common appealing color schemes in include Monochromatic, Analogous, Complementary, Triadic