NEWS 9Film / Photography Terminology

Cinematography

Refers to the camera work in a film How the lighting and cameras are set up

Shot

The basic unit of film.

Boom Shot / Booming

Refers to the movement up or down of the camera and its mount or tripod.

Close-Up

A shot which brings the subject very close to the camera. Close-ups are usually used for tense or intimate scenes, or to show reactions of characters.

Crane Shot

A dramatic still or motion shot taken from a camera high up on a crane-like machine.

Dissolve

A common transitional device; it is what happens when one image or scene fades out as another fades in. It indicates a chance in scene or time, or both.

Dolly Shot

When the camera rolls toward or away from a subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZgUu6VFmAI

Fade-In / Fade-Out

When images or film move from darkness to light, or move from light to darkness. Used simply, the two techniques combined might be used to suggest a lapse in time or a chance of scene.

Hand-Held Shot

The camera is not held steady on its usual tripod, but instead is held in the hand, giving the sense of action, instability, or a character’s point of view (the degree of movement of the camera can vary).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D51QgOHrCj0

Whole movie done with the hand-held concept (stop at your discretion!)

High Angle Shot

Is taken from a higher position shooting down on a subject, making the subject look small, unimportant, inferior, unheroic, lonely, or vulnerable.

Long Shot

Is taken at some distance from the subject. It includes the entire bodies of actors and many details of the setting.

Low Angle Shot

Is taken from a lower position shooting up at a subject, making the subject look important, heroic, stronger, superior, and larger-than-life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MDPeL8lpzo

TitanicMakes use of the high angle shot, and the low angle shot. Many other shots in there too!

Medium Shot

Probably the most common camera shot, showing subjects as from a moderate distance from the camera, with the top halves of the bodies showing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laU2MI6X48I&feature=related

Shot types

Montage

A combination of several carefully planned shots to present artistically a scene or create a mood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8xHjC27YvM

ROCKY?

Pan (Panning)

A camera movement horizontally from one side to another. It is often used to suggest p.o.v. (what a character sees)

P.O.V. (Point of View)

Usually refers to a camera as a character might see the action. It gives the sense of where the camera is placed to a shot and/or scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUwdMnEtEUI

Charles Manson Ranch Dig SiteLook for the Point of View provided by the camera, the pan shot at 0:17, and the dissolve at 0:24.

Sequence

A series of shots put together to make up a continuous scene or episode

Superimposition

Two shots, one on top of the other. This is often used for special effects such as ghosts or dream sequences

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agVUMPd_haw

Random – but it gets the point across

Take

A run-through or actual shooting of a sequence

Tracking Shot

Is taken by a camera moving alongside the actor. The camera usually moves on rails, producing a smooth, seamless effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFCb-iYTSg0&feature=related

Kill Bill – whole scene a tracking shot

Tilt Shot

The vertical up or down movement of the camera itself while it is on its stationary stand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47l_q4YjSc4

A scene from Citizen KaneLook for the bit of tilt to start, then the crane shot and boom shot that start the scene, then the dissolve, held at a medium shot range for the remainder of the scene.

Wide Angle

What the human eye sees horizontally as recorded by a camera (often referred to as letterbox format).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBu9nAOlRRE&feature=related

Cute?!

Zoom

Refers to the movement of a camera from close-up to far away, or vice-versa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur7wFR-cFaA