Bird's eye view. A shot in which the camera photographs a
scene from directly overhead.
Close-up, Close shot. A detailed view of a person or object,
usually without much context provided.
Continuity. The kind of logic implied in the association of
ideas between edited shots. "Cutting to continuity" emphasizes smooth
transitions between shots, in which space and time are unobtrusively
condensed. "Classical cutting" emphasizes dramatic or emotional logic
between shots rather than one based strictly on considerations of
time and space. In "thematic montage" the continuity is based
entirely on ideas, irrespective of literal time and space. In some
instances, "continuity" refers to the space-time continuum of reality
before it is photographed.
Crane shot. A shot taken from a special device called a crane,
which resembles a huge mechanical arm. The crane carries the camera
and cameraman, and can move in virtually any direction.
Cross cutting. The alternating of shots from two sequences,
often in different locales, to suggest the sequences are taking place
simultaneously.
Deep focus. A technique of photography which permits all
distance planes to remain clearly in focus, from close-up range to
infinity.
Dissolve, lap dissolve. These terms refer to the slow fading
out of one shot and the gradual fading in of its successor, with a
superimposition of images, usually at the midpoint.
Dolly shot, tracking shot, trucking 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.
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 also called montage.
Establishing shot. Usually an extreme long or long shot
offered at the beginning of a scene or sequence providing the viewer
with the context of the subsequent closer shots.
Extreme close-up. A minutely detailed view of an object or a
person. An extreme close-up of an actor generally includes only his
eyes, or his mouth.
Extreme long shot. A panoramic view of an exterior location,
photographed from a great distance, often as far as a quarter-mile
away.
Eye-level shot. The placement of the camera approximately 5 to
6 feet from the ground corresponding to the height of an observer on
the scene.
Fish-eye lens. An extreme wide angle lens, which distorts the
image so radically that the edges seem wrapped into a sphere.
Flash-editing, flash-cutting. Editing sequences so that the
durations of the shots are very brief.
Full shot. A type of long shot which includes the human body
in full, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near
the bottom.
High angle shot. A shot in which the subject is photographed
from above.
Long shot. Includes an amount of picture within the frame
which roughly corresponds to the audience's view of the area within
the proscenium arch of the legitimate theater.
Long take. A shot of lengthy duration.
Loose framing. Usually in longer shots. The
mise-en-scène is so spaciously distributed that the subject
photographed has considerable latitude of movement.
Low angle shot. A shot in which the subject is photographed
from below.
Master shot. A single uninterrupted shot, usually taken from a
long or full shot range, which contains an entire scene. Later, the
closer shots are photographed, and an edited sequence, composed of a
variety of different shots, is subsequently constructed on the
editor's bench.
Medium shot. A relatively close shot, revealing a moderate
amount of detail. A medium shot of a figure generally includes the
body from the knees or waist up.
Mise-en-scène. The arrangement of volumes and movements
within a given space. In the cinema, the space is defined by the
frame; in the legitimate theater, usually by the proscenium arch.
from Andrew Sarris:
As I wrote some years ago, I would suggest a definition of mise-en-scène that includes all the means available to a director to express his attitude toward his subject. This takes in cutting, camera movement, pacing, the direction of players and their placement in the decor, the angle and distance of the camera, and even the content of the shot. Mise-en-scène as an attitude tends to accept the cinema as it is and enjoy it for what it is -- a sensuous conglomeration of all the other arts.
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
editing.
Oblique angle. A shot which is photographed by a tilted
camera. When the image is projected on the screen, the subject itself
seems to be tilted on its side.
Open forms. Used primarily by realist film directors, these
techniques are likely to be subtle and unobtrusive, with an emphasis
on informal compositions and apparently haphazard designs. The frame
generally is exploited to suggest a temporary masking which
arbitrarily cuts off part of the action.
Over-the-shoulder shot. A medium shot, useful in dialogue
scenes, in which one actor is photographed head-on from over the
shoulder of another actor.
Point-of-view shot. Any shot which is taken from the vantage
point of a character in the film. Also known as the first person
camera.
Pull-back dolly. A technique used to surprise the viewer by
withdrawing from a scene to reveal an object or character that was
previously out of the frame.
Rack focusing, selective focusing. The blurring of focal
planes in sequence, forcing the viewer's eye to "travel" with those
areas of an image that remain in sharp focus.
Reaction shot. A cut to a shot of a character's reaction to
the contents of the preceding shot.
Reverse angle shot. A shot taken from an angle 180°
opposed to the previous shot -- that is, the camera is placed
opposite its previous position.
Scene. A 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.
Set-up. The positioning of the camera and lights for a
specific shot.
Shot. Those images which are recorded continuously from the
time the camera starts to the time it stops. That is, an unedited,
uncut strip of film.
Sub-text. A term used in drama and film to signify the
dramatic implications beneath the language of a play or movie. Often
the sub-text concerns ideas and emotions that are totally independent
of the language of a text.
Telephoto lens, long lens. A lens which acts as a telescope,
magnifying the size of objects at a great distance. A significant
side effect is tendency to flatten perspective.
Three-shot. A medium shot, featuring three actors.
Tight framing. Usually in close shots. The
mise-en-scène is so carefully balanced and harmonized that the
subject photographed has little or no freedom of movement.
Two-shot. A medium shot, featuring two actors.
Wide angle lens, short lens. A lens which permits the camera
to photograph a wider area than a normal lens. A significant side
effect is its tendency to exaggerate perspective. Also used for
deep-focus photography.
Wipe. And editing device, usually a line which travels across
the screen, "pushing off" one image and revealing another.
Zoom lens. A lens of variable focal length which permits the
cameraman to change from wide angle to telephoto shots (and vice
versa) in one continuous movement.
Zoom shot. A shot taken with the aid of a zoom lens. The lens
changes focal length during the shot so that a dolly or crane shot is
suggested.