Voiceover – a voice talks over the top of a scene to give extra information. Narration – A narrator tells part of the story as a voiceover, written text, or a character who speaks to the camera. Cross cutting – The camera cuts back and forth between two different scenes, to show action happening simultaneously. Flashback – The action cuts back to an earlier point in the film’s timeline. Flashforward – A brief shot or scene of action that takes place later in the film’s timeline. Montage – Different shots grouped together, often with a musical background. This provides a quick impression, or condenses a series of events. Circular plot – The film begins and ends in the same place (flashback or flashforward). Chronological order – The story relates events in the order that they happened. Motifs – Objects, shapes etc. that are repeated throughout the film to emphasise an idea. Lighting – Daytime/night time, but also used to highlight characters or place them in shadow. Related techniques are chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark), a strong contrast between light and dark in a shot; halation, the type of lighting that gives a halo effect around a character; silhouette, when an object is lit from behind and only an outline is seen. Composition – How objects are arranged in the frame. Shot – The section of film that is one continuous take, usually lasting only a few seconds. Scene – A number of shots that take place in a specific setting; like a chapter in a book. Establishing shot – A long shot or extreme long shot which contains a lot of landscape. It gives important information about the setting, atmosphere or context in which events will take place. Long shot – Contains a lot of background, although you can recognise people in the scene. Medium shot / Mid shot – A person is seen from the waist up. Close up – Focuses on a person’s head and shoulders, or the whole of an object. Point of view shot – the camera becomes the eyes of one of the characters and we see things from that character’s point of view. Over-the-shoulder shot – the camera looks over the shoulder of a character, often used to show conversations. Point of view shot – The camera becomes the eyes of the character, and we see the action from their point of view. Bird’s eye view – The camera looks down on the action from above. High angle shot – The camera is looking down on a person or object. This makes the person or object look small, insignificant or helpless. Low angle shot – The camera is looking up at a person or object. This makes the person or object look large, powerful and dominant. Pan – The camera moves from side to side. Tilt – The camera moves upwards or downwards. Tracking – The camera follows the subject. Zoom – Camera moves closer or further away from a subject. Cut – A change from one shot to the next. Fade – The shot fades to a blank black or white screen. Dissolve – The frame dissolves into the next shot. Special effects – Includes computer animation, but also use of miniatures, explosions, blue screens, etc. Costume/makeup – Ranges from subtle effects to make someone seem innocent, tired, etc. to drastic effects such as monsters. Set design/props – The place where the action takes place, and any objects that are used to help tell the story. Colours – Can be as simple as the colours used in the set/props or as sophisticated as using a coloured filter on the camera. Colours often carry symbolic significance. Text – Can be subtitles, headings, or words within the shot e.g. newspaper headlines, signs, etc. Dialogue – The words that the characters speak. Sound effects – Sounds used in a scene, from small things such as dogs barking to big things such as explosions. Diegetic sounds are sounds that are part of the story, as opposed to the background music or soundtrack of a film. Music – Can be diegetic (for example, a character playing a piano) or part of the score/soundtrack. Some characters or situations may have their own musical motif or theme.
Film terms glossary
Voiceover – a voice talks over the top of a scene to give extra information.Narration – A narrator tells part of the story as a voiceover, written text, or a character who speaks to the camera.
Cross cutting – The camera cuts back and forth between two different scenes, to show action happening simultaneously.
Flashback – The action cuts back to an earlier point in the film’s timeline.
Flashforward – A brief shot or scene of action that takes place later in the film’s timeline.
Montage – Different shots grouped together, often with a musical background. This provides a quick impression, or condenses a series of events.
Circular plot – The film begins and ends in the same place (flashback or flashforward).
Chronological order – The story relates events in the order that they happened.
Motifs – Objects, shapes etc. that are repeated throughout the film to emphasise an idea.
Lighting – Daytime/night time, but also used to highlight characters or place them in shadow. Related techniques are chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark), a strong contrast between light and dark in a shot; halation, the type of lighting that gives a halo effect around a character; silhouette, when an object is lit from behind and only an outline is seen.
Composition – How objects are arranged in the frame.
Shot – The section of film that is one continuous take, usually lasting only a few seconds.
Scene – A number of shots that take place in a specific setting; like a chapter in a book.
Establishing shot – A long shot or extreme long shot which contains a lot of landscape. It gives important information about the setting, atmosphere or context in which events will take place.
Long shot – Contains a lot of background, although you can recognise people in the scene.
Medium shot / Mid shot – A person is seen from the waist up.
Close up – Focuses on a person’s head and shoulders, or the whole of an object.
Point of view shot – the camera becomes the eyes of one of the characters and we see things from that character’s point of view.
Over-the-shoulder shot – the camera looks over the shoulder of a character, often used to show conversations.
Point of view shot – The camera becomes the eyes of the character, and we see the action from their point of view.
Bird’s eye view – The camera looks down on the action from above.
High angle shot – The camera is looking down on a person or object. This makes the person or object look small, insignificant or helpless.
Low angle shot – The camera is looking up at a person or object. This makes the person or object look large, powerful and dominant.
Pan – The camera moves from side to side.
Tilt – The camera moves upwards or downwards.
Tracking – The camera follows the subject.
Zoom – Camera moves closer or further away from a subject.
Cut – A change from one shot to the next.
Fade – The shot fades to a blank black or white screen.
Dissolve – The frame dissolves into the next shot.
Special effects – Includes computer animation, but also use of miniatures, explosions, blue screens, etc.
Costume/makeup – Ranges from subtle effects to make someone seem innocent, tired, etc. to drastic effects such as monsters.
Set design/props – The place where the action takes place, and any objects that are used to help tell the story.
Colours – Can be as simple as the colours used in the set/props or as sophisticated as using a coloured filter on the camera. Colours often carry symbolic significance.
Text – Can be subtitles, headings, or words within the shot e.g. newspaper headlines, signs, etc.
Dialogue – The words that the characters speak.
Sound effects – Sounds used in a scene, from small things such as dogs barking to big things such as explosions. Diegetic sounds are sounds that are part of the story, as opposed to the background music or soundtrack of a film.
Music – Can be diegetic (for example, a character playing a piano) or part of the score/soundtrack. Some characters or situations may have their own musical motif or theme.