Cinematic Terms | A-O Flashcards
180 degree rule
a screen direction rule that camera operators must follow - an imaginary line on one side of the axis of action is made (e.g., between two principal actors in a scene), and the camera must not cross over that line - otherwise, there is a distressing visual discontinuity and disorientation; similar to the axis of action (an imaginary line that separates the camera from the action before it) that should not be crossed
24 frames per second
refers to the standard frame rate or film speed - the number of frames or images that are projected or displayed per second; in the silent era before a standard was set, many films were projected at 16 or 18 frames per second, but that rate proved to be too slow when attempting to record optical film sound tracks; aka 24fps or 24p
3-D
a film that has a three-dimensional, stereoscopic form or appearance, giving the life-like illusion of depth; often achieved by viewers donning special red/blue (or green) or polarized lens glasses; when 3-D images are made interactive so that users feel involved with the scene, the experience is called virtual reality; 3-D experienced a heyday in the early 1950s; aka 3D, three-D, Stereoscopic 3D, Natural Vision 3D, or three-dimensional
above the line
usually refers to that part of a film’s budget that covers the costs associated with major creative talent: the stars, the director, the producer(s) and the writer(s), although films with expensive special effects (and few stars) have more ‘above the line’ budget costs for technical aspects; the term’s opposite is below the line
abstract (form)
a type of film that rejects traditional narrative in favor of using poetic form (color, motion, sound, irrational images, etc.) to convey its meaning or feeling; aka non-linear; see also avant-garde
absurd (absurdism)
a stage, philosophical and literary term originally, adopted by film-makers, in which ordinary settings become bizarre, illogical, irrational, unrealistic, meaningless, and incoherent
Academy Awards
the name given to the prestigious film awards presented each year by AMPAS (the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, or simply ‘The Academy’), a professional honorary organization within the industry, since 1927. The annual awards show, in slang, is sometimes referred to as a kudo-cast, see also Oscars
act
a main division within the plot of a film; a film is often divided by ‘plot points’ (places of dramatic change) rather than acts; long films are divided mid-way with an intermission
action
(1) any movement or series of events (usually rehearsed) that take place before the camera and propel the story forward toward its conclusion; (2) the word called out (by a megaphone) at the start of the current take during filming to alert actors to begin performing; (3) also refers to the main component of action films - that often contain significant amounts of violence
actor
refers either to a male performer, or to any male or female who plays a character role in an on-screen film; alternate gender-neutral terms: player, artist, or performer
actress
refers to any female who portrays a role in a film
adaptation
the presentation of one art form through another medium; a film based upon, derived from (or adapted from) a stage play (or from another medium such as a short story, book, article, history, novel, video game, comic strip/book, etc.) which basically preserves both the setting and dialogue of the original; can be in the form of a script (screenplay) or a proposal treatment
ad lib
a line of dialogue improvised by an actor during a performance; can be either unscripted or deliberate;improvisation consists of ad-libbed dialogue (and action) that is invented or created by the performer
aerial shot
a camera shot filmed in an exterior location from far overhead (from a bird’s eye view), as from a helicopter (most common), blimp, balloon, plane, or kite; a variation on the crane shot; if the aerial shot is at the opening of a film, aka an establishing shot
Alan Smithee film
the pseudonym used by directors who refuse to put their name on a film and want to disassociate themselves, usually when they believe their control or vision has been co-opted by the studio (i.e., the film could have been recut, mutilated and altered against their wishes); aka Alan Smithee Jr., Allan Smithee, or Allen Smithee
A-Level (or A-List)
usually refers to top-tier actors/actresses who are paid upwards of $20 million per feature film; can also refer to producers, directors and writers who can be guaranteed to have a film made and released
allegory
mostly a literary term, but taken in film terms to mean a suggestive resemblance or correspondence between a visible event or character in a film with other more significant or abstract levels of meaning outside of the film; an extended metaphor
allusion
a direct or indirect reference - through an image or through dialogue - to the Bible, a classic, a person, a place, an external and/or real-life event, another film, or a well-known cultural idea
alternate ending
the shooting (or re-shooting) of a film’s ending for its theatrical release, usually enforced by the studio for any number of reasons (because of test audience preview results, controversial or unpopular subject matter, to provide a ‘happy’ ending, etc.). See also director’s cut
ambiance
the feeling or mood of a particular scene or setting
ambient light
the natural light (usually soft) or surrounding light around a subject in a scene; also see background lighting
ambiguity
a situation, story-line, scene, or character, etc. in which there are apparent contradictions; an event (and its outcome) is deliberately left unclear, and there may exist more than one meaning or interpretation; can be either intentional or unintentional, to deliberately provoke imaginative thinking or confusion
anachronism
an element or artifact in a film that belongs to another time or place; often anachronistic elements are called film flubs
anamorphic
related to different optical imaging effects; refers to a method of intentionally distorting and creating a wide screen image with standard film, using a conversion process or a special lens on the camera and projector to produce different magnifications in the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the picture; an anamorphic image usually appears “squished” horizontally, while retaining its full vertical resolution; see alsoaspect ratio and the trade name CinemaScope. Many studios produced anamorphic lenses, using other trade names such as Panavision, Technovision, and Technirama. On the right are examples of anamorphic imaging effects from the filmBlade (1998) (with an aspect ratio of 2:35.1).
ancillary rights
contractual agreement in which a percentage of the profits are received and derived from the sale of action figures, posters, CDs, books, T-shirts, etc.
angle
refers to the perspective from which a camera depicts its subject; see camera angle, and other specific shots (high, low, oblique, etc.)
animation (and animator,animated films)
a form or process of filmmaking in which inanimate, static objects or individual drawings (hand-drawn or CGI) are filmed “frame by frame” or one frame at a time (opposed to being shot “live”), each one differing slightly from the previous frame, to create the illusion of motion in a sequence, as opposed to filming naturally-occurring action or live objects at a regular frame rate. Often used as a synonym for cartoons (or toonsfor short), although animation includes other media such as claymation, computer animation; see also CGI, claymation,stop-motion, time lapse.
anime
a distinctive style of animated film that has its roots in Japanese comic books (known as manga), usually recognizable and often characterized by heavily-stylized backgrounds, colorful images and graphics, highly exaggerated facial expressions with limited facial movement, simulation of motion through varying the background behind a static character or other foreground element, and frequently, big-headed characters with child-like, large eyes
antagonist
the main character, person, group, society, nature, force, spirit world, bad guy, or villain of a film or script who is in adversarial conflict with the film’s hero, lead character or protagonist; also sometimes termed the heavy.
anthology film
a multi-part or multi-segmented film with a collection or series of various tales or short stories sometimes linked together by some theme or by a ‘wrap-around’ tale; often the stories are directed by different directors or scripted by various screenwriters, and are in the horror film genre; also known as an episode film or omnibus film; this term may also refer to a full-length, compilation-documentary film of excerpted segments or clips from other films (i.e., That’s Entertainment (1974)).
anthropomorphism
the tendency in animated films to give creatures or objects human qualities, abilities, and characteristics.
anti-climax
anything in a film, usually following the film’s high point, zenith, apex, crescendo, or climax, in which there is an unsatisfying and disappointing let-down of emotion, or what is expected doesn’t occur.
anti-hero
the principal protagonist of a film who lacks the attributes or characteristics of a typical hero archetype, but with whom the audience identifies. The character is often confused or conflicted with ambiguous morals, or character defects and eccentricities, and lacks courage, honesty, or grace. The anti-hero can be tough yet sympathetic, or display vulnerable and weak traits. Specifically, the anti-hero often functions outside the mainstream and challenges it.
aperture
refers to the measurement of the opening in a camera lens that regulates the amount of light passing through and contacting the film.
archetype
a character, place, or thing, that is repeatedly presented in films with a particular style or characterization; an archetype usually applies to a specific genre or type classification.
arc shot
a shot in which the subject(s) is photographed by an encircling or moving camera.
arret
French word meaning ‘halt’ or ‘stop’; refers to the in-camera trick technique of stopping the camera, then removing or inserting an object, then restarting the camera to have an object magically disappear or appear; one of the earliest techniques of silent film
art director
refers to the individual responsible for the design, look, and feel of a film’s set, including the number and type of props, furniture, windows, floors, ceilings dressings, and all other set materials; a member of the film’s art department (responsible for set construction, interior design, and prop placement).
arthouse
a motion picture theater that shows foreign or non-mainstream independent films, often considered high-brow or ‘art’ films.
art-house film
films, often low budget or ‘art’ films, that are acknowledged as having artistic merit or aesthetic pretensions, and are shown in an arthouse theatre; films shown usually include foreign-language films, independent films, non-mainstream (sometimes anti-Hollywood) films, shorts, documentaries, explicitly-erotic films, and other under-appreciated cinema of low mass appeal; began to appear in the 1950s and provided a distinct contrast to commercial films.
aside
occurs when a character in a film breaks the ‘fourth wall’ and directly addresses the audience with a comment.
aspect ratio
in general, a term for how the image appears on the screen based on how it was shot; refers to the ratio of width (horizontal or top) to height (vertical or side) of a film frame, image or screen; the most common or standard aspect ratio in early films to the 1950s was called Academy Aperture (or ratio), at a ratio of 1.33:1 (the same as 4:3 on a TV screen); normal 35mm films are shot at a ratio of 1.85:1; newwidescreen formats and aspect ratios were introduced in the 1950s, from 1.65:1 and higher; CinemaScope (a trade name for a widescreen movie format used in the US from 1953 to 1967) and other anamorphic systems (such as Panavision) have a 2.35:1 AR, while 70mm formats have an AR of 2.2:1;Cinerama had a 2.77:1 aspect ratio; letterboxed videos for widescreen TV’s are frequently in 16:9 (or 1.77:1) AR.
assembly
the first stage of editing, in which all the shots are arranged in script order.
asynchronous (sound)
refers to audio-track sounds that are mismatched or out of conjunction or unison with the images in the visual frame (or screen); sometimes accidental, but sometimes intentional; akanon-synchronized
atmosphere
refers to any concrete or nebulous quality or feeling that contributes a dimensional tone to a film’s action.
audience
refers to spectators, viewers, participants - those who serve as a measure of a film’s success; although usually audiences are viewed in universal terms, they can also be segmented or categorized (e.g., ‘art-film’ audiences, ‘chick film’ audiences, etc.).
audio
refers to the sound portion of a film.
audio bridge
refers to an outgoing sound (either dialogue or sound effects) in one scene that continues over into a new image or shot - in this case, the soundtrack, not a visual image, connects the two shots or scenes; aka lightning mix
audition
the process whereby an actor-performer seeks a role by presenting to a director or casting director a prepared reading or by ‘reading cold’ from the film script, or performing a choreographed dance; after the initial audition, a performer may be called back for additional readings or run-throughs.
auteur (or auteur theory)
literally the French word for “author”; in film criticism, used in the terms auteurism or auteur theory, denoting a critical theory (originally known as la politique des auteurs or “the policy of authors”) popular in France in the late 1940s and early 1950s that was introduced by Francois Truffaut and the editors (including legendary film critic and theorist Andre Bazin) of the celebrated French film journal Cahiers du Cinéma (literally ‘cinema notebooks’), arguably the most influential film magazine in film history; their ideas were subsequently enlarged upon in the 1960s by American critic Andrew Sarris, among others; the theory ascribed overall responsibility for the creation of a film and its personal vision, identifiable style, thematic aspects and techniques to its film-maker or director, rather than to the collaborative efforts of all involved (actors, producer, production designer, special effects supervisor, etc); the theory posited that directors should be considered the ‘true’ authors of film (rather than the screenwriters) because they exercise a great deal of control over all facets of film making and impart a distinctive, personal style to their films; simply stated, an auteur can refer to a director with a recognizable or signature style.
available light
the naturally-existing light in an off-set location; a film’s realism is enhanced by using available or natural light rather than having artificial light.
avant-garde
refers to an experimental, abstract, or highly independent, non-independent film that is often the forerunner of a new artistic genre or art form; avant-garde films self-consciously emphasize technique over substance; also loosely applies to a group of French and German filmmakers in the early 20th century and to some modern American experimental filmmakers (e.g., Andy Warhol), and their film movement that challenged conventional film-making; see also cinema verite,surrealism, and abstract form
B-Film (or B-Movie,B-Picture)
an off-beat, low-budget, second-tier film, usually from an independent producer; they were predominant from the 1920s to the late 1940s; they were shot quickly with little-known, second rate actors, short run times, and low production values; often the second film (or the ‘lower half’) of a double-feature, and paired with an A-feature; the vintage B-movie began to decrease in the 50s, or morphed into inferior TV series; sometimes B-films were exclusively shown in agrindhouse, especially in the 50s and 1960s; as code restrictions waned in the late 60s, B-films often becameexploitation films, which added sensational and catchy titles, campy acting, cheesy special effects, and gratuitous violence and sexuality (nudity); contrast to A-pictures (first-class, big-budget films with high-level production values and star-power); not to be confused with cult films, although some B-films attained cult status
backdrop
refers to a large photographic backing or painting for the background of a scene (e.g., a view seen outside a window, a landscape scene, mountains, etc.), usually painted on flats(composed of plywood or cloth); a large curved backdrop (often representing the sky) is known as a cyclorama; backdrops were more commonly used before the current trend toward on-location shooting and the use of bluescreens.
background music
refers to part of the score that accompanies a scene or action in a film, usually to establish a specific mood or enhance the emotion.
backlighting
this phenomenon occurs when the lighting for the shot is directed at the camera from behind the subject(s), causing the figure(s) in the foreground to appear in semi-darkness or as silhouettes, or highlighted; with backlighting, the subject is separated from the background.
back lot
an area, on studio property, in an open-air, outdoor space away from the studio stages, where real-life situations with backgrounds are filmed; contrasted to on-location shoots that are more expensive; various studios in the Los Angeles area offer back lot tours.
back projection
a photographic technique whereby live action is filmed in front of a transparent screen onto which background action is projected. Back projection was often used to provide the special effect of motion in vehicles during dialogue scenes, but has become outmoded and replaced by bluescreen (or greenscreen) processing and traveling mattes; also known as rear projection or process photography (or shot); contrast to matte shot.
back story
refers to the events that directly happened prior to the beginning of the story, or lead to the story; composed of information that helps fill out the skeletal story of a screenplay or a character’s background, often to help actors (or the audience) understand motivation.
balance
within a film’s visual frame, refers to the composition, aesthetic quality, or working together of the figures, light, sound, and movement.
banned
the blocking of a film’s release (in a theatre showing or on video) by either the government or an official movie classification board, for political, religious, sexual, or social reasons; see also censorship.
barn doors
the black metal folding doors an all four sides of a light that can be bent back and forth on their hinges to control where the light is directed.
barney
a blanket placed over the film camera to reduce the noise of the moving mechanisms inside; see also blimp.
based on a true story
films that consist of a story line that has at least some basis in real historical events, and may actually contain only a few factual elements. These films, loosely based on various biographies, stories, or events, may/may not significantly alter the characters or situations for greater dramatic effect;inspired by a true story indicates the film is even looser with the factual basis of the events.
beat
refers to an actor’s term for how long to wait before doing an action; a beat is usually about one second.
behind the scenes
the off-camera events or circumstances during filmmaking.
below the line
Opposite of above the line.
best boy
the term for any technical assistant, apprentice or aide (regardless of sex) for the gaffer or the (key) grip on a set, responsible for the routing and coiling of power cables necessary to run the lights for a shot; a gender-neutral term that came from whaling.
beta
1/2 inch videotape that was originally called Betamax.
billing
the placement or display of names of actors, directors, and producers for a movie in publicity materials, opening (or closing) film credits, and on theatre marquees. A person’s status is indicated by the size, relative position, and placement of their name. Generally, higher positions closer to the top with larger and more prominent letters designate higher importance and greater box-office draw, and precede people of lesser importance; the most prominent actor that appears first is said to have top billing, followed by second billing, and so forth.
bio-pic
or biographic
a biographical film of the life of a famous personality or historical figure, particularly popularized by Warner Bros. in the 1930s; a sub-genre of drama and epic films.
bit part (or bit player)
a small acting role (usually only one scene, such as a waiter) with very few lines or acting; contrast to a cameo, extra, or walk-onrole.
biz
in shorthand, refers to the “business”, or “show business”.
black and white
simply means without color; before the invention of color film stock, all films were black and white; monochrome (literally meaning “one color”) usually refers to a film shot in black and white, although it can refer to a film shot in shades of one color; grainy B&W is often used to convey authenticity; abbreviated asBW, B/W, and B&W; contrast to color.
black or dark comedy
a type of comedy film, first popular during the late 1950s and early 1960s in which normally serious subjects, such as war, death, dismemberment, misery, suffering, or murder, are treated with macabre humor and satire through iconography, dialogue, and the characters; settings may include cemeteries, war rooms, funerals
blacklisting(and blacklist)
refers to late 40s and early 50s McCarthyism and the HUAC’s (House UnAmerican Activities Committee) formal and informal discrimination and ‘blacklisting’ (effectively banning from employment) of various actors, artists and film-makers based upon their personal, political, social, or religious beliefs (i.e., “Communist sympathizers”); the blacklist was a roster of illegal artists who were not to be hired during the years 1947-1951.
blaxploitation
a combination of the terms “black” and “exploitation”; refers mainly to sensational, low-budget films in the 1970’s featuring mostly African-American casts (and directors), that broke the mold of black characterization in feature films; usually emphasized fads of the time in hairstyles, music and costuming, and also brutality, sleazy sex, street-life, racist and militant attitudes, etc.
Blighty
used to refer to Britain
blimp
the sound-deadening housing a noisy movie camera is put in to prevent the sound equipment from picking up extra sounds
blockbuster
originally referred to a large bomb that would destroy an entire city block during World War II; now in common usage, an impactful movie that is a huge financial success - usually with box-office of more than $200 million (the new benchmark by the early 2000s, after the original mark was $100 million) upon release in North America; ticket lines for blockbusters literally go around the ‘block’; also known as box-office hit; the term may also refer to a costly film that must be exceptionally popular in order to recoup its expenses and make a profit; the opposite of a blockbuster is a bomb, flop, or turkey. See All-Time Box-Office Bombs/Flops.
blocking a shot (or scene)
the process of figuring out where the camera goes, how the lights will be arranged, and what the actors’ positions and movements - moment by moment - are for each shot or take; often, the specific staging of a film’s movements are worked out by the director, often with stand-ins and the lighting crew before actual shooting
blooper
an actual error or mistake (misplaced action, or mis-spoken dialogue by a performer), usually embarrassing or humorous, made by a performer during filming; also known as a goof, flawor flub; see also continuity
blow-up
an optical process - the enlargement of a photographic image or film frame; often used to create 70mm release prints from original35mm films
blue-screenorblue-screen shot
a special-effects process whereby actors work in front of an evenly-lit, monochromatic (usually blue or green) background or screen. The background is then replaced (or matted) in post-production by chroma-keying or optical printer, allowing other footage or computer-generated images to form the image; since 1992, most films use a green-screen
blurb
another name for a commercial or advertisement (usually for TV)
body double(or double)
a performer who takes the place of an actor in scenes that require a close-up of body parts without the face visible, often for nude scenes requiring exposed close-ups (considered distasteful by some actors), or scenes requiring physical fitness; not to be confused with stunt double or stand-in
Bollywood
refers to the burgeoning film industry of India, the world’s biggest film industry, centered in Bombay (now Mumbai); the etymology of the word: from Bo(mbay) + (Ho)llywood; unlike Hollywood, however, Bollywood is a non-existent place.
bookends
a term denoting scenes at the beginning and end of a film that complement each other and help tie a film together; aka framing device
boom
a traveling or moveable counter-balanced pole (also calledfishpole or fishing rod), arm, or telescoped extension device upon which a microphone, light or camera can be suspended overhead above a scene and outside the frame during filming (by a boom operator or boom man); for example, a microphone (mike) boom, a camera boom, or a light boom; the most common film mistake is the appearance of the boom mike (or its shadow) in the frame; a mechanical boom mike is known as a ‘giraffe.’
boom shot
a continuous single shot made from a moving boom, assembled like a montage, and incorporating any number of camera levels and angles.
bootleg
an illegally copied, unauthorized, and/or distributed version of a copyrighted film/video/DVD, often of second-rate quality; also termed pirated.
bowdlerize(d)
refers to purging anything considered disturbing, vulgar, or adult in content in order to make it sanitized for mass market consumption and appropriate for children; originally a literary term derived from the name of Englishman Thomas Bowdler who published a ‘censored’ Family Shakespeare version in the early 1800s.
box-office
the measure of the total amount of money or box-office receiptspaid by movie-goers to view a movie; also referred to as B. O. orgross; usually divided into domestic grosses (unadjusted and adjusted for inflation), and worldwide grosses; films with great box-office results or a strong and outstanding performance are often termed ‘boff’, ‘boffo’, ‘boffola’, ‘whammo’, ‘hotsy’, or’socko’.
bracketing
the act of shooting a scene several times with different F-stops to try and get a certain desired effect
bridging shot
a transitional type of shot used to cover or ‘bridge’ a jump in time or place or other discontinuity; see also audio bridge andmatch-cut
buddy film
a subgenre of film (comedies, westerns, dramas, action films, road films, etc.) in which two mismatched persons (usually males) are forced to work together, often a pair of police cops; situations are often contrived to present the pair with challenges or strains that both strengthen their bond and weaken it; buddy films are often action/comedy films with witty dialogue between the two characters and sometimes the inclusion of a love triangle; has been extended to include female buddies; compare to fish-out-of-water tale
building a scene
using dramatic devices such as increased tempo, volume, and emphasis to bring a scene to a climax
bumper
usually refers to the pre-film segment of pre-made film that contains studio trademark and logo or title identification; also refers to a period of positive financial growth (i.e., it was a ‘bumper year’ for films)
buzz
slang for the sense of excitement, expectancy, and hype that surrounds a film, an actor, or a director
buzz track
a soundtrack of natural, atmospheric, on-location background noise that is added to the re-recorded (or looped) track of actors’ dialogue and other sound effects recordings to create a more realistic sound; aka referred to as room tone ormatching ambient sound; a wild track or sound refers to a soundtrack w/o any synchronized picture accompanying it (e.g., the sounds of a playground)
call sheet
a type of schedule given out periodically during a film’s production to let every department know when they are supposed to arrive and where they are to report
cameo
originally meaning “a small piece of artwork,” refers to a bit part (usually a brief, non-speaking or walk-on role that is uncredited or unbilled) or special screen appearance by a famous actor, director, or prominent person who would ordinarily not take such a small part; contrast to a bit part; also refers to a type of camera shot in which the subject is filmed against a black or neutral background. See Directors’ Cameos.
camera
the basic machine involved in film-making, from a hand-held version to portables, to heavy studio cameras; some of the parts of a camera include the aperture, lens, film magazine (for storage), viewfinder, etc; the positioning of the camera by the camera operator is known as the setup
camera angle
the point of view (POV) or perspective (including relative height or direction) chosen from which to photograph a subject. Various camera angles, compositions, or positions include: front, behind, side, top, high (looking down), low (looking up), straight-on or eye-level (standard or neutral angle), tilted (canted or oblique), or subjective, etc.; see alsoframing
camera movement
the use of the camera to obtain various camera angles and perspectives. (See motion picture camera shots below, including the pan, tilt, track, and zoom; also boom/craneshots, Steadicam, or hand-held)
camera operator
the individual who is responsible for operating the camera, under the direction of the film’s director and director of photography (or cinematography)
camp (or campy)
a type of comedy parody wherein conventional (and especially overused or clichéd) situations and plot devices are intentionally exaggerated to the point of absurdity to produce humor
can(“in the can”)
refers to the round metal/plastic container that holds or stores film (reels) for transport or for long-term storage; a film that has been completed is known colloquially as “in the can”;canned means pre-recorded; also see reel
candlelight (lighting)
refers to lighting that is provided by candlelight, to provide a warm hue or tone, and connote intimacy, romance, and harmony
capsule review
a short movie review
caption
the descriptive, printed line(s) of text that occasionally appears on the screen, usually at the bottom of the frame, to describe the time/place, or to translate a foreign word/phrase; different from closed-captioning (closed captions are all white uppercase (capital) letters encased in a black box that require a decoder or television with a decoder chip to be viewed) for deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers; see also subtitles
caricature
a character appearing ridiculously out of proportion because of one physical, psychological or moral trait that has been grossly or broadly exaggerated; a caricature often portrays a character in an unrealistic, stereotypical fashion
cartoon
an animated film that is usually not of feature length; also seeanimation
cash cow
in movie terms, a definitely guaranteed, ‘can’t-miss’blockbuster film that promises to generate disproportionately tremendous profits due to its lucrative franchise (sequels, merchandising, spin-offs, etc.). See Greatest Film Franchises of All-Time.
cast
a collective term for all of the actors/performers (or talent) appearing in a particular film: usually broken down into two parts: the leads with speaking roles, and the seconds or supporting characters, background players or extras, and bit players
cast against type
an actor playing a role distinctly different from roles previously played
casting
the process of selecting and hiring actors to play the roles and characters in a film production, and be brought under contract; the lead roles are typically cast or selected by the director or a producer, and the minor or supporting roles and bit parts by a casting director; type-casting refers to an actor playing only roles similar to those he/she has played before
casting couch
refers to the illegal practice (mostly during the heyday of the studio system) when unknown young actors or actresses (starlets) exchanged sex (literally on an office couch) with acasting director or producer in order to acquire/land a role in a film
cast of thousands
an advertising claim, often used in big-screen historical epicsof the 1930s-60s, when literally 1,000s of extras were hired for crowd scenes, battle scenes, etc
catchphrase (film)
short phrases, expressions, or words that have become favored and/or popularized due to repeated use, often by film critics
catharsis
during a film’s climax, the audience may experience a purging or cleansing of emotional tension, providing relief or therapeutic restoration
cautionary tale
A literary term, referring to a narrative with a moral message warning of the consequences of certain actions, ideologies, character flaws, technologies or institutions, often with a downbeat ending; many slasher horror films are semi-cautionary tales about one of the consequences of sex or experimenting with the occult — death; see also satire,morality tale and nihilism
cel (or celluloid,animation cel)
refers to each of the thousands of hand-drawn sheets (of clear, transparent material, either celluloid or Mylar) representing a single animation frame to allow several layers of composition. Cels consist of character cels (containing only the foreground characters or objects - those things that move from frame to frame) and background cels, (static drawings of scenery that remain the same). The character cels are placed against the background cels and filmed or shot one frame (or picture) at a time to produce the effect of motion. Celluloid also refers to the thin strip of transparent plastic coating that forms the film’s highly-flammable, light-sensitive base layer (such as nitrate base or acetate base); also used as an adjective related to some aspect of cinema (e.g., “the celluloid hero”); the light-sensitive substance coating on one side of the film base is termed emulsion; celluloid is also a slang word for a movie
censorship
the process of determining what can or can not be viewed by the public or depicted by the motion picture industry; also refers to changes required of a movie by some person or body (other than the studios or film-makers, such as a national or regional film classification board); see also rating systemsand banned. See Sex in Cinema and Most Controversial Films of All-Time.
CGI
or Computer-Generated Imagery (or Images), a term referring to the use of 3D computer graphics and technology (digital computers and specialized software) in film-making to create filmed images, special effects and the illusion of motion; often used to cut down on the cost of hiring extras. SeeVisual/Special Effects.
change-over cue
the small dot, oval or mark on the top-right corner of a film frame that signaled to the projectionist to change over from one projector (or film reel) to another (about every 15-20 minutes); nowadays, most film theatres have only one projector - the reels are spliced together into one giant roll and fed into a single projector from a horizontal revolving turntable called a platter
character
the fictitious or real individual in a story, performed by an actor; also called players.
character actor
an actor who specializes in playing well-defined, stereotypical,archetypal, off-beat, humorous, or highly-recognizable, fictional roles of a particular physical, emotional, or behavioral type, in a supporting role; see also typecasting.
character color coding
refers to identifying a film’s character or persona with a particular color; changes in color often represent transformations, shifts, merges, or changes in persona
character study
a film that uses strong characterizations, interactions and the personalities of its characters to tell a story, with plot and narrative almost secondary to them
cheater cut
the footage put into the beginning of a serial episode to show what happened at the end of the previous episode
chemistry (or screen chemistry)
referring to performances between actors who are uncommonly suited and perfectly complementary to each other; performances that lack screen chemistry can sometimes be disastrous for a film; see also buddy film
chiaroscuro
literally, the combination of the two Italian words for “clear/bright” and “dark”; refers to a notable, contrasting use of light and shade in scenes; often achieved by using a spotlight; this lighting technique had its roots in German Expressionistic cinematography; aka high-contrast lighting or Rembrandt lighting; flat lighting or TV lighting (bright and flat lighting with no shadows) is its opposite
chick flicks’
refers to films popular with women, but also used in a derogatory sense to marginalize films with heavy, sappy emotion and numerous female characters; aka tearjerkers
child actor
technically, any actor under the age of 18; aka moppet
chopsocky
slang for a martial arts film
choreographer (andchoreography)
a person who plans, designs, organizes, sequences, and directs dancing, fighting, or other physical actions or movements in a film or stage production; a dancer is known as a hoofer.
cineaste
refers to a film/movie enthusiast or devotee; also used in the name of a leading film magazine
CinemaScope
the term commonly refers to widescreen processes oranamorphic techniques, that use different magnifications in the horizontal and the vertical to fill the screen; it is also the specific trademark name for 20th Century Fox’s commercially-successful widescreen process which uses an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 (originally it could be as wide as 2:66:1 - to compete with Cinerama and 3-D processes in the 1950s.
cinematic
relating to or suggestive of motion pictures; having the qualities of a film.
cinematographer (alsocinematography)
specifically refers to the art and technique of film photography, the capture of images, and lighting effects, or to the person expert in and responsible for capturing or recording-photographing images for a film, through the selection of visual recording devices, camera angles, film stock, lenses, framing, and arrangement of lighting; the chief cinematographer responsible for a movie is called the director of photography (or D.P.), or first cameraman; one of the earliest movie-picture machines, patented by the Lumiere brothers in 1895, was termed a Cinematographe.
cinema verité
a French word that literally means “true cinema” or “cinema truth”; a method or style of documentary movie-making with long takes, no narration and little or no directorial or editing control exerted over the finished product; usually made without actors, and often with a minimum of film equipment, a small film crew (camera and sound), impromptu interview techniques, and a hand-held camera and portable sound equipment; sometimes used to loosely refer to adocumentary-style film or minimalist cinema; popularized in the 1950s French New Wave movement; now widely used (often inappropriately) to refer to the popular, artsy trend of using hand-held camera techniques; also termed free cinema(UK) or direct cinema (UK)
Cinerama
a wide-screen filming process that first used three cameras and three projectors to achieve an encompassing view of the subject matter, and was projected on a curved screen of about 160 degrees; it was the first commercially-successful multiple-camera/multiple-screen process.
clapboard (clapper (board) or slate)
a small black or white board or slate with a hinged stick on top that displays identifying information for each shot in a movie, and is filmed at the beginning of a take. The board typically contains the working title of the movie, the names of the director, the editor, and the director of photography, the scene and take numbers, the date, and the time. On the top of the clapboard is a hinged wooden stick (called a clapstick or clapper) which is often clapped to provide audio/visual synchronization of the sound with the picture during editing;electronic clappers and synchronization are currently in use instead of the old-fashioned clapboard.
claymation
refers to the animation of models constructed of clay, putty, plasticine, or other moldable materials, often through stop-motion.
click
slang denoting a ‘hit’ film
cliffhanger
a film characterized by scenes of great tension, danger, adventure, suspense, or high drama, often climaxing at the end of a film, or at the end of a multi-part serial episode, where the plot ending and the fate of the protagonist(s) are left unresolved; the name was derived from the movie serials of the 1930’s where each week the hero (or heroine) was perilously left dangling from a cliff – with a ‘to-be-continued’ ending – to increase interest for the next episode (sequel).
climax
the highest point of anxiety or tension in a story or film in which the central character/protagonist faces, confronts, and deals with the consequence(s) of all his/her actions, or faces the antagonist in a climactic battle or final engagement; a crisis often leads to a climax; also called the film’s high point, zenith, apex, or crescendo; a climax may be followed by an anti-climax or denouement
clip
see film clip
close-up
CU
a shot taken from a close distance in which the scale of the object is magnified, appears relatively large and fills the entire frame to focus attention and emphasize its importance; i.e., a person’s head from the shoulders or neck up is a commonly-filmed close-up; atight shot makes the subject fill almost the entire frame; alsoextreme close-up (ECU or XCU) is a shot of a part of a character (e.g., face, head, hands) to emphasize detail; also known as detail shot or close on; contrast to long-shot (LS)
(the) Coast
slang meaning either Hollywood or Los Angeles, both entertainment centers
coda
literally, means “tail” in Italian, and usually refers to musical selections; in film, it refers to the epilogue, ending or last section of a film (often wordless), that provides closure, a conclusion, or a summary of the preceding storyline
coin
a slang term for money or financing
color(film)
a phenomenon of light or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects caused by differing qualities of the light reflected or emitted; contrast to black and white.
colorization
the film-altering process whereby a black and white film is digitally changed to include color; popularized but controversial in the 1980s.
comedian(comedienne)
an actor who specializes in genre films that are designed to elicit laughter from audiences; also known as a comic
comedy (film)
a film with elicits laughter or humor by celebrating or showing the eternal ironies of human existence; types include screwball,dark/black, farce, slapstick, dead-pan, parody, romantic comedy, etc.
comic relief
a humorous or farcical interlude in a dramatic film, usually provided by a buffoonish character, intended to relieve the dramatic, built-up tension or heighten the emotional impact by means of contrast
coming-of-age (film)
a film associated with difficult teen rites of passage (from adolescence to adulthood), the onset of puberty, the loss of naive innocence and childhood dreams, the experience of growing up, achieving sexual identity, etc.; aka teen films
command performance
a great performance in a film by an actor, sometimes referring to the one before his or her death; it originally referred to a special performance that was requested by a sovereign, royal, head of state, or other important person
commentary
an objective opinion or description of characters or events occurring in the film, presented from an omniscient point of view by a commentator; the commentator’s voice comes from off-camera, and is presented on the soundtrack as a voice-over; also refers to one of the added features on various DVDs in which a cast member, director, film critic, or film historian ‘comments’ on the film in some way
compilation film
a film made up of shots, scenes, or sequences from other films
complication
a plot event that complicates or tightens the tension of a film
composer
the musician who creates (writes or adapts) the film’s musicalscore; contrast to a conductor (who directs the orchestra’s performance of the score), or a lyricist (who writes a song’s words)
composition
refers to the arrangement of different elements (i.e., colors, shapes, figures, lines, movement, and lighting) within a frame and in a scene
concert film
rock or comedy
a film that records the live concert performance of musician(s), a band/group, or stand-up comic(s); concert films are often edited over the course of many performances and/or staged for the camera with multiple set-ups, and can be considered pseudo-documentaries; a rock concert is aka rockumentary
continuity
editing or cutting
the system of editing that developed in the early 20th century to provide a continuous and clear movement of events/images in a film; refers to the final edited structure of a completed film, with the events or scenes/sequences arranged as if they had occurred continuously, when, in fact, they were shot out of sequence; continuity also refers to the degree to which a film is self-consistent without errors, jump cuts, or mis-matched shots and details; acontinuity cut refers to a editing cut that takes the viewer seamlessly, unobtrusively, and logically from one sequence or scene to another, to propel the narrative along; a blooper or flub is a continuity error
contract player
an actor (both stars and bit players) who has a contractual commitment or agreement to a studio/producer/company
contrast
refers to the difference between light and shadow, or between maximum and minimum amounts of light, in a particular film image; can be either high contrast (with a sharp delineation between the bright and dark areas) or its opposite low contrast; color can also be contrasted; see also chiaroscuro
conventions
the expected elements in a type of film, without question, thought, or judgment
Coogan’s Law
refers to landmark legislation in the late 30s designed to protect a child actor’s earnings, by depositing some of the minor’s earnings in court-administered trust funds that the child receives when he/she reaches the age of majority; named after child actor Jackie Coogan
costume
(or wardrobe) and costume design
refers to the garments or clothing worn by actors/performers in a film; a costume (or wardrobe) designer researches, designs, and selects the costumes to be appropriate to the film’s time period, the characters, their location, and their occupations, whereas thecostumer (or stylist) is responsible for acquiring, selecting, manufacturing, and/or handling the clothing and accessories; acostume drama is a film set in a particular historical time period, often with elaborate costuming
courtroom drama
a drama and/or mystery story, in which the main protagonist is a lawyer, and a majority of the drama and dramatic action takes place in a courtroom setting; the plot revolves around the preparation of a trial and its result of guilt or innocence
coverage
refers to all the shots, including closeups and reverse angles, that a director takes in addition to the master shot, to make up the final product; to have proper coverage means having all the proper scenes, angles, lightings, close-ups, and directions
crane shot
a camera shot taken from a large camera dolly or electronic device (an apparatus, such as a crane), resembling a extendable mechanical arm (or boom), that can raise the camera up in the air above the ground 20 feet or more; the crane allows the camera to fluidly move in virtually any direction (with vertical and horizontal movement), providing shifts in levels and angles; crane shots usually provide some kind of overhead view of a scene
credits
in general, this term refers to the text appearing on screen - composed of a list of technical personnel, cast, and production crew of a film; specifically, it refers to the list of names and functions of persons and corporations contributing and responsible for the artistic or intellectual content of a film, such as: “Story by…”, “Screenplay by…”, “Photography by…”, etc.; sometimes distinguished from the cast (the performers in front of the camera); see also front (or opening) credits, end (or closing) credits, or(beginning or end) titles.
crew
refers to those involved in the technical production of a film who are not actual performers
crisis
the period of highest tension just before the climax of a film (there can be more than one); the point at which events reach their highest level of tension
critic (or film critic,film reviewer)
an individual who writes and/or publishes a review of a film from either an artistic or entertainment point of view. Film reviews often analyze and discuss a film’s details, its content and characters, a critique of the performances, camera work, directing, editing, production, and script; film critics are usually more philosophical and theoretical than film reviewers or commentators; film criticismrefers to the analysis of the narrative, historical and stylistic characteristics of film; ‘critics’ is sometimes abbreviated as crix.
cross-cutting
the editing technique of alternating, interweaving, or interspersing one narrative action (scene, sequence, or event) with another - usually in different locations or places, thus combining the two; this editing method suggests parallel action (that takes place simultaneously); often used to dramatically build tension and suspense in chase scenes, or to compare two different scenes; also known as inter-cutting or parallel editing.
cross-over and cross-over appeal
a film or production that is made for one audience, but may easily ‘cross-over’ to another unexpected audience; also refers to a film, actor, or production that appeals to different demographic groups or age groups and can move between two or more distinct franchises; see also hybrid
crowd shot
a shot or image of a large group of people (often extras) in a film;CGI is now often used to film large crowd shots, to avoid huge costs associated with hiring extras
cue
a signal or sign for an actor to begin performing, from either another performer, from the director, or from within the script; a cue is often the last word of one character’s line(s) of dialogue, when another performer is expected to ‘pick up their cue’ to speak.
cue cards
a device (cards, scrolling screen, teleprompter, or other mechanism) printed with dialogue provided to help an actor recite his/her lines; an electronic cue card is called a (tele)-prompter; derogatively calledidiot cards or idiot sheets.
cult film(s)
usually a non-mainstream film that attracts a small, but loyally-obsessed group of fans, and remains popular and worshipped over many years; cult films have limited but special appeal, and often have unusual or subversive elements or subject matter; they are often replayed for repeat viewings and audience participation (and group identification) as midnight movies; not to be confused with B-films (not all cult films are B-films)
cut(or cutting)
an abrupt or sudden change or jump in camera angle, location, placement, or time, from one shot to another; consists of a transition from one scene to another (a visual cut) or from one soundtrack to another (a sound cut); cutting refers to the selection, splicing and assembly by the film editor of the various shots or sequences for a reel of film, and the process of shortening a scene; also refers to the instructional word ‘cut’ said at the end of a take by the director to stop the action in front of the camera; cut to refers to the point at which one shot or scene is changed immediately to another; also refers to a complete edited version of a film (e.g., rough cut); also see director’s cut; various types of cuts include invisible cut,smooth cut, jump cut (an abrupt cut from one scene or shot to the next), shock cut (the abrupt replacement of one image by another), etc.
cutaway shot
a brief shot that momentarily interrupts a continuously-filmed action, by briefly inserting another related action, object, or person (sometimes not part of the principal scene or main action), followed by a cutback to the original shot; often filmed from the POV of the character and used to break up a sequence and provide some visual relief, or to ease the transition from one shot to the next, or to provide additional information, or to hint at an impending change;reaction shots are usually cutaways; cross-cutting is a series of cutaways and cutbacks indicating concurrent action; a cutaway is different from an insert shot.
cyberpunk
a sub-genre of science fiction, derived from combining the termscybernetics and punk, and related to the digital or information technology society (referring to the proliferation of computers, the online world, cyberspace, and ‘hacking’); this sub-genre also incorporates classic film-noirish characteristics into its style - traits include alienation, dehumanization, the presence of counter-cultural anti-heroes, darkness, dystopia, and corruption; heavily influenced by the novels of Raymond Chandler; also associated with the work of writer William Gibson and his 1984 novel Neuromancer
cyclorama
the curved backdrop used to represent the sky when outdoor scenes are shot in the studio
dailies
the immediately processed, rough cuts, exposed film, or first prints of a film (w/o special effects or edits) for the director (producer, cinematographer, or editor) to review, to see how the film came out after the day’s (or previous day’s) shooting; more commonly in the form of videotape or digital dailies nowadays; aka rushes (referring to the haste taken to make them available); used to determine ifcontinuity is correct, if props are missing or out of place, or if sound is poor, etc., to help decide whether to re-shoot
dark horse
in film terms, a little-known, unlikely movie (often a sleeper, a low-budget film, indie, or a foreign film) that is, surprisingly, nominated for a major award (i.e., Academy Award or Golden Globe)
day-for-night shot
a cinematographic technique for using shots filmed during the day to appear as moonlit night shots on the screen, by using different lenses, filters, special lighting and underexposure; very common during the 50s and in the 60s, but rarely used in present-day films.
deadpan
a specific type of comedic device in which the performer assumes an expressionless (deadpan) quality to her/his face demonstrating absolutely no emotion or feeling.
decoupage
a French term referring to the design of a film - the arrangement of its shots
deep-focusshot
a style or technique of cinematography and staging with great depth of field, preferred by realists, that uses lighting, relatively wide angle lenses and small lens apertures to simultaneously render in sharp focus both close and distant planes (including the three levels of foreground, middle-ground, and extreme background objects) in the same shot; contrast to shallow focus (in which only one plane is in sharp focus)
deleted scene
refers to a scene that was edited out of a film’s final cut, for several possible reasons: the scene was poorly done, the scene was unnecessary, the film’s running time needed truncation, the film was avoiding an R or NC-17 rating, the film’s studio disapproved of it, etc. Deleted scenes are now commonly included on DVDs, either re-edited into a director’s cut or as a separate feature
denouement
the point immediately following the climax when everything comes into place or is resolved; often the final scene in a motion picture; aka tag; see resolution
depth of field
the depth of composition of a shot, i.e., where there are severalplanes (vertical spaces in a frame): (1) a foreground, (2) a middle-ground, and (3) a background; depth of field specifically refers to the area, range of distance, or field (between the closest and farthest planes) in which the elements captured in a camera image appear in sharp or acceptable focus; as a rule of thumb, the area 1/3 in front of and 2/3 behind the subject is the actual distance in focus; depth of field is directly connected, but not to be confused with focus
depth of focus
related to depth of field - refers to an adjustment made technically to insure that a camera shot retains its deep focus throughout all the various planes (fore, middle, and back)
deus ex machina
literally, the resolution of the plot by the device of a god (“deus”) arriving onstage by means of a piece of equipment (“machina”) and solving all the characters’ problems; usually refers to an unlikely, improbable, contrived, illogical, or clumsy ending or suddenly-appearing plot device that alleviates a difficult situation or brings about a denouement - just in the nick of time; can sometimes refer to an unexpected, artificial, or improbable character
dialogue
any spoken lines in a film by an actor/actress; may be consideredoverlapping if two or more characters speak simultaneously; in film-making, recording dialogue to match lip movements on previously-recorded film is called dubbing or looping
diegetic(diegesis)
simply means realistic or logically existing, such as the music that plays on a character’s radio in a scene; more generally, it refers to the narrative elements of a film (such as spoken dialogue, other sounds, action) that appear in, are shown, or naturally originatewithin the content of the film frame; the opposite is non-diegeticelements, such as sounds (e.g., background music, the musical score, a voice-over, or other sounds) w/o an origin within the film frame itself; in an objective shot, the most common camera shot, it simply presents what is before the camera in the diegesis of the narrative
diffusion
the reduction or softening of the harshness or intensity of light achieved by using a diffuser or translucent sheet (lace or silk) in front of the light to cut down shadows; materials include screen, glass, filters, gauze, wire mesh, or smoke; also see soft-focus.
digital production
refers to filming on digital video using digital high-resolution cameras, rather than on traditional 35mm film
directing the eye
in cinematographic terms, using light and dark lighting and frame composition to emphasize what is important
direct sound
the technique of recording sound simultaneously with the image
director (and directing)
the creative artist responsible for complete artistic control of all phases of a film’s production (such as making day-to-day determinations about sound, lighting, action, casting, even editing), for translating/interpreting a script into a film, for guiding the performances of the actors in a particular role and/or scene, and for supervising the cinematography and film crew. The director is usually the single person most responsible for the finished product, although he/she couldn’t make a film without support from many other artists and technicians; often the director is called a helmer (at-the-helm); the assistant director is known as the a.d. ; the director of photography (or cinematographer), responsible for the mechanics of camera placement, movements, and lighting, is known as the d.p.
director’s cut
a rough cut (the first completely-edited version) of a film without studio interference as the director would like it to be viewed, before the final cut (the last version of the film that is released) is made by the studio.
discovery shot
in a film scene, when the moving or panning camera unexpectedly comes upon or ‘discovers’ an object or person previously undisclosed to the viewer
Disney-ficationorDisney-fied
refers to the making of an adapted, sanitized, ‘family-friendly’ version of a book or play, by removing objectionable elements (such as crude language, sexuality, or violence) and modifying plot elements to make the tale more acceptable, entertaining, predictable and popular for mass consumption by audiences, as first exercised by the Disney studios in the 50s; now used as a derogatory term for how popular culture has been homogenized and cultural diversity has been minimized; see also bowdlerize(d)
dissolve (or lap dissolve)
a transitional editing technique between two sequences, shots or scenes, in which the visible image of one shot or scene is gradually replaced, superimposed or blended (by an overlapping fade out orfade in and dissolve) with the image from another shot or scene; often used to suggest the passage of time and to transform one scene to the next; lap dissolve is shorthand for ‘over’lap dissolve; also known as a soft transition or dissolve to
documentary
a non-fiction (factual), narrative film with real people (not performers or actors); typically, a documentary is a low-budget, journalistic record of an event, person, or place; a documentary film-maker should be an unobtrusive observer - like a fly-on-the-wall, capturing reality as it happens; aka doc or docu; also called direct cinema; one type is termed docudrama; contrast with cinema verite andmockumentary
Dogme 95
a collective of film directors founded in Denmark in 1995 led by Lars von Trier, with a distinctive democratizing philosophy and set of rules (termed “the vow of chastity”) that rejected special effects and contrived lighting/staging and camera work, and espoused returning to more “truthful” and honest, “non-Hollywood” forms of cinema; the ten rules included shooting on location, use of hand-held cameras, natural lighting only, no props, use of digital-video (DV), lack of credits for the director, etc.
Dolby stereo
a stereo-sound process for motion pictures created by Dolby Laboratories, Inc., used to improve sound quality; 35mm prints have two optical sound tracks (Dolby can decode and playback on four channels), while 70mm prints have six magnetic tracks for multi-channel playback; by the 1990s, Dolby Stereo was superceded by advanced digitally-recorded sound
dolly (shot)
refers to a moving shot in which the perspective of the subject and background is changed; the shot is taken from a camera that is mounted on a hydraulically-powered wheeled camera platform (sometimes referred to as a truck or dolly), pushed on rails (special tracks) and moved smoothly and noiselessly during filming while the camera is running; a pull-back shot(or dolly out) is the moving back (‘tracking back’) of the camera from a scene to reveal a character or object that was previously out of the frame, dolly in is when the camera moves closer (‘tracking in’) towards the subject, and dollying along with (or ‘tracking within’) refers to the camera moving beside the subject; also known as tracking shot, trucking shot, follow shot, or traveling shot; contrast with zoomshots.
doppelganger
a German word literally meaning: “doublewalker,” a reference to the fact that a shadow-self, duplicate, counterpart or double (spiritual, ghostly, or real) accompanies every individual
double
refers to the person who temporarily takes the leading player’s place for a dangerous or difficult stunt, or to photographically stand in for the actor (when the latter is not available or when the actor wants a body double for a nude scene, etc.)
double exposure
to expose a single frame twice so that elements of both images are visible in the finished product; produces an effect similar to superimposition and is often used to produce ‘ghostly’ effects
double take
a comedic convention that refers to the way in which an actor first looks at an object (subject, event, scene, etc.), then looks away, and then snaps his head back to the situation for a second look - with surprise, disgust, sexual longing, etc.; a variation is termed a spit-take (the double-take causes the character to spit out whatever he is drinking)
drive-in
an outdoor movie theatre in which the patrons viewed a film from their automobile; films projected were often B-films or low-budget films; reached their peak in terms of popularity and numbers in the 1970s; also called a passion pit, ozoner; contrast with a hard top (or indoor movie theatre).
dub(or dubbing)
the act of putting a new soundtrack on a film or adding a soundtrack (of dialogue, sound effects, or music) after production, to match the action and/or lip movements of already-filmed shots; commonly used when films are shot on location in noisy environments; also refers to adding translated dialogue to a foreign-language film; as opposed todirect sound - which is sound recorded when filming a scene; contrast to looping.
dunning
the process or technique of combining shots filmed in a studio with background footage shot elsewhere
dutch tilt(or canted angle)
a shot made with the camera leaned to one side and filming at a diagonal angle; see also camera angle.
dynamic frame
a photographic technique used to mask the projected image size and shape to any ratio that seems appropriate for the scene (e.g., the image narrows as an actor passes through a narrow passageway, and then widens as he emerges)
dystopia
an imaginary, wretched, dehumanized, dismal, fearful, bad, oppressive place or landscape, often initiated by a major world crisis (post-war destruction) coupled with, an oppressive government, crime, abnormal behavior, etc.; the opposite ofutopia (a state of ideal perfection); see also nihilism
editing (editor)
the process (performed by a film editor) of selecting, assembling, arranging, collating, trimming, structuring, and splicing-joining together many separate camera takes(includes sound also) of exposed footage (or daily rushes) into a complete, determined sequence or order of shots (or film) - that follows the script; digital editing refers to changing film frames by digitizing them and modifying them electronically; relational editing refers to editing shots to suggest a conceptual link between them; an editor works in acutting room; the choice of shots has a tremendous influence upon the film’s final appearance.
ellipsis
the shortening of the plot duration of a film achieved by deliberately omitting intervals or sections of the narrative story or action; an ellipsis is marked by an editing transition (a fade,dissolve, wipe, jump cut, or change of scene) to omit a period or gap of time from the film’s narrative.
emcee
another term for master of ceremonies
end (or closing) credits
credits appearing at the end of a film; aka end titles
enfant terrible
literally from the French, meaning “terrible baby” - referring to a brilliant, young, passionate but egotistical, brash director; characteristics of an enfant terrible director include being innovative and unorthodox
ensemble (film)
a film with a large cast without any true leading roles, and usually with multiple plotlines regarding the characters; it also literally means ‘the group of actors (and sometimes directors and designers) who are involved in a film’.
epic
a costly film made on an unusually large scale or scope of dramatic production, that often portrays a spectacle with historic, ancient world, or biblical significance.
epilogue
a short, concluding scene in a film in which characters (sometimes older) reflect on the preceding events
epiphany
a moment of sudden spiritual insight for the protagonist of a film, usually occurs just before or after the climax
episode
a self-contained segment or part of an anthology film orserial; a number of separate and complete episodes make up an episode film
episodic
a film that is composed of a series of loosely-related segments, sections, or episodes, with the same character(s)
establishing shot
usually a long (wide-angle or full) shot at the beginning of a scene (or a sequence) that is intended to show things from a distance (often an aerial shot), and to inform the audience with an overview in order to help identify and orient the locale or time for the scene and action that follows; this kind of shot is usually followed by a more detailed shot that brings characters, objects, or other figures closer; a re-establishing shot repeats an establishing shot near the end of a sequence.
exec or exex
abbreviations for ‘executive’ or ‘executives’
executive producer
the person who is responsible for a film’s financing, or for arranging the film’s production elements (stars, screenwriter, etc.)
exhibitor
term meaning ‘movie theatre owner’; aka known as exhib(shortened term)
experimental film
refers to a film, usually a low-budget or indie film not oriented toward profit-making, that challenges conventional filmmaking by using camera techniques, imagery, sound, editing, and/or acting in unusual or never-before-seen ways; sometimes akaavante-garde, art films
exploitation film
a sensational, often trashy B-film aimed at a particular audience and designed to succeed commercially and profitably by appealing to specific psychological traits or needs in that audience without any fuller analysis or exposition; often refers to films with extremely violent or sexual scenes; not necessarily a derogatory term; various types includeblaxploitation, sexploitation, splatter films.
exposition
the conveyance (usually by dialogue or action) of important background information for the events of a story; or the set upof a film’s story, including what’s at stake for the characters, the initial problem, and other main problems.
expressionism(and expressionist)
refers to the distortion of reality through lighting, editing, and costumes, to reflect the inner feelings and emotions of the characters and/or the filmmaker; a cinematic style of fantasy film common in post-WWI Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by dramatic lighting, dark visual images and shadows, grotesque and fantastic shots, distorted sets and angles, heavy makeup, highly stylized acting, and symbolic mime-like action and characters; opposed to realism.
extra(s)
a person who appears in a movie in a non-specific, non-speaking, unnoticed, or unrecognized character role, such as part of a crowd or background, e.g., a patron in a restaurant, a soldier on a battlefield; usually without any screen credit; also termed atmosphere people; contrast with walk-on and non-speaking role, bit players, or principals; also see cast of thousands
eyeline match
a cut between two shots that creates the illusion of the character (in the first shot) looking at an object (in the second shot).
fade
a transitional device consisting of a gradual change in the intensity of an image or sound, such as from a normally-lit scene to darkness (fade out, fade-to-black) or vice versa, from complete black to full exposure (fade in), or from silence to sound or vice versa; a ‘fade in’ is often at the beginning of a sequence, and a ‘fade out’ at the end of a sequence.
farce
refers to a light-hearted, gleeful, often fast-paced, crudely humorous, contrived and ‘over-the-top’ comedy that broadly satirizes, pokes fun, exaggerates, or gleefully presents an unlikely or improbable stock situation (e.g., a tale of mistaken identity, cross-dressing, etc.) often characterized by slapstick, pratfalls, and other physical antics; types of farces includescrewball comedy, bedroom/sex farce/comedy; contrast toparody and satire.
fast motion (or accelerated motion)
a camera device or effect to compress reality and highlight a scene or cause a dramatic effect, created by filming a scene with the film running at a rate less than the normal 24 frames per second and then projecting it back at standard speed, thereby creating the effect of moving faster than normal; generally used for comic effect; contrast to slow-motion ortime-compression.
feature (film)
a “full-length” motion picture, one greater than 60 minutes in length - but usually about 90-120 minutes on one particular topic; also known as a theatrical; contrast to shorts.
featurette
a term often used before the 1970s to refer to a 20 to 45 minute film (longer than a short subject but shorter than afeature film), usually a “making of” or “behind the scenes” mini-documentary, or an extended trailer, which was usually displayed by theater owners to “sell” a film for exhibition in their movie house – nowadays, featurettes are commonly run on premium cable stations, or offered as a ‘bonus feature’ as part of a DVD’s extras; see also “Making of…”
“feel good” film (or movie)
usually a light-hearted, upbeat comedy or romance that ends with an audience-pleasing conclusion; sometimes used derogatively; compare to tearjerker
festival
an event at which films can often be premiered, exhibited, awarded, and engaged in distribution deals, such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance, etc.; also known as fest
fifteen minutes of fame’
a cliched term popularized by pop artist/painter Andy Warhol in the late 60s, who predicted that everyone could be famous for 15 minutes and experience a moment of ‘crowning glory’; aka one-hit wonders; due to today’s increasing demands for pseudo-celebrities or ‘personalities’, headline-grabbers, and the widespread dissemination of information by cable TV, talk radio, and the WWW, it may be possible for everyone to ‘bask in the limelight’ for a fleeting moment (a flash in the pan).
film
(1) as a verb, to record a scene or make (or lense) a motion picture; (2) as a noun, refers to a motion picture, or (3) the thin strip of material on the film negative (with a base and light-sensitive coating of emulsion) that is used to create images - through light exposure.
film aesthetics
the examination or study of film as an art form
film artifact
unwanted film damage that could be a defect or error - dust, hair, specks, emulsion scratches, splices, reel-change marks, a hiss, crackle or pop on the soundtrack, mottling of the image, scratches on the negative being printed positive, etc.; film preservation, restoration, and archival efforts help to keep older, decomposing, and endangered films from deteriorating and acquiring artifacts, through painstaking processes (oftendigital restoration)
film clip
a short section of film removed from a movie and often exhibited; a part of a film, and sometimes a complete scene or sequence, taken from a film; similar to an excerpt.
film(ic) codes (or conventions)
many elements within a film (the use of music, audio, costuming, scripting, camera angles, framing, shot duration, a character’s actions, etc.) speak a ‘language,’ ‘grammar,’ or code that when used by the filmmaker help the viewer to understand more about the plot and its characters
film d’art
an early movement in French cinema to film more respectable stage productions
film form
refers to various technical or logistical aspects which make up, compose, or produce a finished film, including Cinematography (Camera Movement), Sound and Editing, Lighting, Framing, Acting, and the Narrative itself
film gauge
refers to the measurement of a width of a film strip (in millimeters) used in a camera; see 35mm, film stock, Cinerama, Cinemascope, etc.; see also digital video
film grain
the amount of light-sensitive material in the film’s coating oremulsion; results can either be fine-grained (or sharp) - that requires more light for filming, or excessively grainy (or coarse) - best for low-light situations.
filmmaker(s)
a collective term used to refer to a person(s) who have a significant degree of control over the creation of a film:directors, producers, screenwriters, and editors.
film noir
a French phrase literally meaning “black film” that developed in the early 40s; refers to a genre of mostly black/white films that blossomed in the post-war era in American cinema, with bleak subject matter and a somber, downbeat tone; the plot (often a quest), low-key lighting (harsh shadows andchiaroscuro) often in night scenes, camera angles (oftencanted or high angle shots), the setting (the gloomy underworld of crime and corruption), iconography (guns, urban settings), characters (disillusioned, jaded), and other elements (voice-overs and flashbacks) combined to present a dark atmosphere of pessimism, tension, cynicism, or oppression. Film noirs, often crime films, were usually set in grim and seedy cities, with characters including criminals, anti-heroes, private detectives, and duplicitous femme fatales; see alsotech-noir
filmography
a comprehensive (often chronological by year) listing of films featuring the work of an actor/actress, director, or other crew member; may also be a list of films for a specific genre or topic; a filmographer is another term for a film-maker or a person who studies film
film review
an evaluative oral or written judgment about the quality of a movie, based upon various assumptions, facts, biases, etc; professional film reviewers are known as critics; a film review usually includes a brief synopsis (avoiding spoilers, usually), a balanced notation of both the film’s plusses and minuses, quotable wording, and some judgments; more extensive, in-depth film evaluations are called analytical essays.
film stock
refers to film size or gauge (8mm, 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, 105mm, for example), and film speed, among other things; also refers to raw unused, unexposed film; various kinds of film stock include tungsten (for use with artificial light, usually indoors) and daylight film stock (for use with natural light, usually outdoors)
film within a film
a particular story-telling approach, literally, to have one film within another; in some cases, the characters are aware of the ‘film-within-a-film,’ and break the fourth wall and enter into or interact with it; aka subset film or picture within a picture
filter
glass, plastic, or gelatinous substance placed before or behind a camera lens to change the effect and character of the lighting within the film’s frame
final cut
the last edited version of a film as it will be released; see alsorough cut
fish-eye(lens)
an extreme type of super wide-angle lens with a very shortfocal point (and nearly infinite depth-of-field), that exaggerates and distorts the linear dimensions of the image, giving it a sense of curvature
fish-out-of-water’ tale
a film (usually humorous) in which the main character(s) faces ‘culture shock’ by being placed in unfamiliar or new surroundings or situations
flashback
a filmic technique that alters the natural order of the narrative; a flashback may often be the entire film; it takes the story order back chronologically in time to a previous or past event, scene, or sequence that took place prior to the present time frame of the film; the flashbacked story that provides background on action and events is often called thebackstory; contrast to flash-forward
flash-forward (or flash-ahead)
simply put, the opposite of flashback; a filmic technique that depicts a scene, event or shot taking place (or imagined) or expected that is projected into a future time beyond the present time of the film, or it can be a flashforward from the past to the present
flash frame (or shot)
a single clear frame that is inserted between two shots that can barely be perceived, giving the appearance of a flash of white when viewed, and for the intention of producing a shock or sudden dramatic effect
flash in the pan
transitory, impermanent success or recognition; derived from panning for gold experience; see fifteen minutes of fame
flat
a section of a studio’s set, consisting of a constructed wooden frame covered with materials (such as plywood that is treated or covered with fabric, metal, paint, wallpaper, etc.)
flick
the flickering image in early films gave rise to the generic termflicks when referring to the movies; often used in a condescending way, such as stating that a film is a ‘horror flick’ or ‘chick-flick’
flicker
refers to the unsteady, stroboscopic, fluctuating effect perceived by the viewer, often produced by an improperly-photographed or projected film; similar to the old-time movie effect
flood
a lamp that provides general diffuse lighting on a studio set
flop
a film that is a failure at the box-office; also known asfloppola, bomb, turkey. See Greatest All-Time Film Flops.
focus
refers to the degree of sharpness or distinctness of an image (or an element of an image such as a person, object, etc.); as a verb, it refers to the manipulation or adjustment of the lens to create a sharper image; terms related are deep focus,shallow focus (very common in close-ups), soft focus, andrack focusing
foil
an acting role that is used for personality comparison or contrast, usually with the protagonist or main character, as a means to show and highlight a character trait
foley artist
in the post-production and editing stage of a film’s production, the foley artist (named after pioneer Jack Foley) creates or adds sound effects/noises (e.g., footsteps, gunshots, kisses, punches, storm noises, slamming doors, explosions, etc.) to the film as it is projected, often with props that mimic the action
follow (or following shot)
a shot with framing that shifts to follow and keep a moving figure or subject onscreen; also known as a type of tracking shot
follow-up
refers to a cinematic work that comes after, regardless of whether it is a sequel or a prequel; contrast to a prequel,serial, series, sequel, spin-off or remake
footage
any length, portion or sequence of film (either shot or to be shot) measured in feet; also refers to a particular sequence of events depicted in a motion picture
foreground (abbreviated as f.g.)
objects or action closest to the camera; contrast tobackground (abbreviated as b.g.)
foreign film
a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue track
foreshadow-ing
to supply hints (in the form of symbols, images, motifs, repetition, dialogue or mood) within a film about the outcome of the plot, or about an upcoming action that will take place, in order to prepare the viewer for later events, revelations, or plot developments; also, ominous music often foreshadows danger or builds suspense
“for your consideration”
a phrase often used in special trade advertisements (in publications such as Variety) that are paid for by studios to promote “Oscar-worthy” films (and their actors) and createOscar buzz for Academy Award nominations, especially for borderline films and/or lesser known indie efforts and lesser-known performers that would probably be overlooked without the additional publicity, aka FYC
format
the size or aspect ratio of a film frame
fourth wall
refers to the imaginary, illusory invisible plane through which the film viewer or audience is thought to look through toward the action; the fourth wall that separates the audience from the characters is ‘broken through’ when the barrier between the fictional world of the film’s story and the “real world” of the audience is shattered - when an actor speaks directly to the viewers by making an aside
frame
refers to a single image, the smallest compositional unit of a film’s structure, captured by the camera on a strip of motion picture film - similar to an individual slide in still photography; a series of frames juxtaposed and shown in rapid succession make up a motion (or moving) picture; also refers to the rectangular area within which the film image is composed by the film-maker - in other words, a frame is what we see (within the screen); see fps and framing below.
frames per second or fps
present-day films are usually run through a camera or projector at a frame rate (running speed or camera speed) of 24 fps (frames per second); older films, made at 18 fps, appear jerky and sped-up when played back at 24 fps - this technique is referred to as undercranking; overcrankingrefers to changing the frame rate (i.e., shooting at 48 or 96 fps), thereby producing slow-motion action when viewed at 24 fps.
framing (or framed shot)
refers to the way a shot is composed, and the manner in which subjects and objects are surrounded (‘framed’) by the boundaries or perimeter of the film image, or by the use of a rectangle or enclosing shape (such as a shadow, mirror, door or hallway) within the film image; also, camera angles such aslow-angle and high-angle shots contribute to the framing;reframing refers to short panning or tilting movements of the camera to adjust to the character’s movements and keep them onscreen, centered, and in the frame.
freeze(or freeze-frame)
an optical printing effect in which a single frame image is identically repeated, reprinted or replicated over several frames; when projected, a freeze frame gives the illusion of a still photograph in which the action has ceased; often used at the end of a film to indicate death or ambiguity, and to provide an iconic lasting image
front projection
a film process developed in the 1950s in which actors and foreground objects were filmed in front of a projection screen, with a previously-filmed background projected onto it
f-stop
the scale measurement of the size of the opening of the iris (the opening that lets light in) on a lens; common f-stops are 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, and 22; the smaller the number, the larger the opening, and the more light that is allowed
f/x
abbreviation for special (or visual) effects
FYC
abbreviation for ‘For Your Consideration’ (see above)
gaffer
the chief or head electrician or supervisory lighting technician in the film/photography crew on a movie set, responsible for the design and execution of a production’s lighting on the set; the gaffer’s right-hand assistant is known as the best boy;gaffer tape refers to multi-purpose, sticky and wide black cloth tape, used to mark studio floors, to hold things together, etc.
gag-based comedies
these are comedy films that are often non-sensical and literally filled with multiple gags (i.e., jokes, one-liners, pratfalls, slapstick, etc.), are designed to produce laughter in any way possible, and often with comic or spoofing references to other films
gate
the aperture assembly of a camera, printer, or projector at which the film is exposed
gel
a transparent, tinted colored sheet of plastic used as a filter for a movie light to create a colored glow over a scene, usually to evoke a desired mood. Black-and-white silent films would often physically tint film stock to achieve the same effect (seetint)
gender-bending role
usually, a cross-dressing role in which a male or female plays a character of the opposite sex
gender twist
a role traditionally played by a male or female that is switched and played by a member of the opposite sex; see also non-traditional casting
general release
refers to the widespread simultaneous exhibition of a film
generation
usually refers to the number of times a videotape has been copied; third generation means three steps away from the original media master
genre
originally a French word meaning “kind”, “sort” or “type”; refers to a class or type of film (i.e., westerns, sci-fi, etc.) that shares common, predictable or distinctive artistic and thematic elements or iconography (e.g., bad guys in Westerns wear black hats), narrative content, plot, and subject matter, mood and milieu (or setting) or characters. Film genres are distinct from film styles (a recognizable group of conventions used by filmmakers to add visual appeal, meaning, or depth to their work) that can be applied to any genre; also see hybrid; anti-genre films present an apparent genre stereotype and then subvert or challenge it - see revisionistic films
gothic
a literary or film style characterized by dark and dreary influences, such as ghouls, the supernatural, the grotesque, deathly forces, and the mysterious. Settings include old mansions, castles, and a threatened heroine. Often used in reference to horror films with these characteristics, to increase the film’s prestige
Grand Guignol
literally meaning ‘large puppet’ in French; originally a reference to the famous classic shock Parisian theatre (during the 1900s) which specialized in gruesome melodramas with gory special effects; the term now refers to a play/film with sensational, macabre, horrifying, dramatic, and gothic content
greenlight or “greenlighting”
a term denoting the ‘go-ahead’ for a film to be made; contrasted to being redlighted; shouldn’t be confused withgreen-screening
grindhouse film
a grindhouse originally signified a burlesque, strip-tease theatre (for “bumps and grinds”) in a red-light district, or a blue-collar downtown cinema-house that featured racy films, chopsocky films, or other marginal fare; as a film, it first referred to a cheap, low-budget, non-mainstream, sleazy, hard-core film that played in an ‘adults-only’ venue, scruffy downtown area or drive-in in the 60s or 70s; early topics included nudist pictures, kung-fu flicks, and cheesy/sexy potboilers, but then branched out to refer to any genre of film with little plot, but with lots of action, sex and nudity, violence, taboo drug-use, lewdness, atrocities, Hong Kong martial arts content, or just plain weirdness; see also B-movies,exploitation or trash films, slasher films, blaxploitationfilms
grip
the crew member responsible for setting up dolly tracks and camera cranes, erecting scaffolding, moving props or scenery, or the adjustment or maintenance of any other production equipment on the set - a physically demanding job; the key grip is the head grip who coordinates all of the other grips in the crew, and receives direction from the gaffer or head lighting technician; the key grip’s right-hand assistant is known as the best boy grip
gross
refers to the box-office take - the total amount of money taken in during theatrical release, not including earnings from film rentals or sales, or the entire profit made by a film
grotesque
a term originally coined by Federico Fellini to describe the bizarre-looking or deformed background characters in his films; a grotesque is a live-action caricature with exaggerated features, but not necessarily to be viewed as frightening or sinister
guerrilla film
a low-budget film usually shot without seeking location permits, using non-SAG (Screen Actors Guild) actors, etc.
guilty pleasure’ films
an escapist film that engenders low expectations (usually an awful B-movie or a critically-lambasted film) that the public enjoys despite or, more likely, because of its flaws; these are often quite personal film choices that are sometimes embarrassing to admit. Universally-loved ‘guilty pleasure’ films become cult films. See also flop and B-movie
handheld shot
a shot taken with a handheld camera or deliberately made to appear unstable, shaky or wobbly; often used to suggest either documentary footage, ‘realism,’ news reporting,cinema verite, or amateur cinematography; contrast withSteadicam
Hays Code
named after Will Hays, a series of rigid censorship restrictions imposed on films by the Motion Picture Production Code (MPPC) beginning in mid-1934, and enforced/administered by Joseph Breen (in the Breen Office); the code had existed since the late 1920s but wasn’t vigorously enforced, and it basically lasted until the late 1960s; the Code explicitly prescribed what couldn’t be shown in films, i.e., “nakedness and suggestive dances,” “methods of crime,” “alleged sex perversion,” “illegal drug use,” “scenes of passion,” “excessive and lustful kissing…”, “miscegenation,” “pointed profanity,” etc.
head-on shot
a shot in which the action moves or comes directly toward or at the camera, to enhance the audience’s feelings of participation; works well with 3-D films; also may refer to ahead shot
helicopter shot
a moving shot, often breathtaking; an establishing shot from a bird’s eye view or from overhead, usually taken from a helicopter - due to its maneuverability, the shot may pan, arc, or sweep through a landscape; many films open with a helicopter shot (often under the credits)
helm
terms used to refer to the director (aka helmer) of a film
hero/heroine
refers to the major male and female protagonists in a film with whom the audience identifies and sympathizes. Character traits often include being young, virtuous, handsome, pretty, etc.; contrast with the antagonist or heavy (the villain or evil force).
high-angle shot
a shot in which the subject or scene is filmed from above and the camera points down on the action, often to make the subject(s) small, weak and vulnerable; contrast to low-angle shot
high-concept’
refers to the saleable or marketable elements of a film; a high concept (actually low-concept in practice) refers to a film’s main premise expressed as a simple formula in just a few words (as a one-liner) that can be easily understood by all; this idea portrays a shallow, condescending attitude toward undiscriminating film audiences by Hollywood’s marketers and often results in having film content controlled by what appeals to the lowest common denominator type market; see alsologline (also known as premise)
high-definition
an on screen television image that will appear in a ratio of 16:9 compared to today’s analog signal ratio of 4:3; the image will be ‘high-def’ due to increased lines of resolution (e.g., 1080 lines rather than the 525 of analog)
highlighting
the use of thin beams of light to illuminate selected or limited parts of the subject (e.g., an actress’ eyes)
hike
slang term for the following verbs, meaning “to increase”, “to raise” or “to promote”
hitting a mark
an actor’s term for moving to the correct, predetermined position during rehearsals and during camera takes so that the camera can smoothly record the action; ‘mark’ refers to pieces of crossed tape on the floor to signify positions
hold over
the term used by a director for an actor used for an extra day
homage
usually a respectful tribute to someone or something; this often occurs within one movie when a reference is made to another film’s scene, image, etc.
hoofer
a slang term denoting a dancer
horror (films)
a popular film genre designed to frighten and thrill with familiar elements (monsters, killers, vampires, zombies, aliens, mad scientists, the devil or demons, etc.), gothic qualities or settings (e.g., castles), psychological terror, etc.; initially influenced by German expressionism; subgenre types include slasher films, occult films, and gore-fests; often combined with the sci-fi genre
horse opera
general slang for a western film, not for a “singing cowboy” film; also known as an oater (for the food that horses eat)
hybrid (film)
a film or production that combines or intersects two or more distinct genre types, and cannot be categorized by a single genre type; see also cross-over
hype
the abbreviation for hyperbole; refers to manufactured promotional buzz and excessive advertising/marketing for a film or project, including celebrity appearances, radio and TV spots or interviews, and other ploys; a similar word - hypo - means to increase or boost
iconography (or icon)
the use of a well-known symbol or icon; a means to analyze the themes and various styles in a film
image
generally refers to the picture that is the result of the photographic process
IMAX
a specialized, big-screen film format about ten times larger than the traditional cinema format (35mm) and three times larger than the standard 70 mm widescreen format; debuted in Osaka Japan at the 1970 Exposition; IMAX films, often short documentaries, ‘educational,’ travelogue or nature films, are shot and projected on 15 perforation/70mm gauge film - “15/70”, the largest film format in existence, which produces incredible high-definition sharpness in films projected on up to eight-story high screens in theatres equipped with advanced digital surround-sound systems; IMAX projection onto a domed screen is called Omnimax
in-camera editing
refers to filming in the exact order required for the final product, thereby eliminating the post-production editing stage; a fast, albeit unprofessional way to produce a film, often employed by student or amateur film-makers; requires advanced planning to tell the desired story in order; aka in-camera effects, such as double-exposures, split-screen shots, rear-screen and front-projection process shots, etc.
independents(indie and independent films)
small independent, low-budget companies, mini-majors, or entities for financing, producing, and distributing films (i.e., Miramax, New Line Cinema, Polygram) working outside of the system or a major Hollywood studio; however, an indie maylose its independent status when its grows large and powerful; also refers to a movie, director, distributor or producer (sometimes unconventional) not associated with or produced by a major Hollywood film studio; often with groundbreaking subject matter designed for sophisticated audiences, and not necessarily produced with commercial success as the goal, unlike mainstream films
industry, the
another name for the film or entertainment industry; also referred to as the biz, show business, show-biz, Hollywood, or the town.
ingenue
a young, teenaged female actress often in an important or lead role in a film; usually portrays an innocent, sometimes naive, and attractive character; also refers to an actress sometimes known as a starlet; the male counterpart is known as a juvenile.
ink
slang term meaning to ‘sign’ a contract
insert shot
a shot that occurs in the middle of a larger scene or shot, usually a close-up of some detail or object, that draws audience attention, provides specific information, or simply breaks up the film sequence (e.g., a quivering hand above a gun holster in a Western, a wristwatch face, a letter, a doorbell button, a newspaper headline, a calendar, a clock face); an insert shot is filmed from a different angle and/or focal length from the master shot and is different from a cutaway shot(that includes action not covered in the master shot); also known as cut-in.
inside joke
in a film, an obscure, show-biz related joke that is understood (or realized) only by those who know the reference (outside the context of the film)
intercut shots
usually refers to a series of shots, consisting of two simultaneous events, that are alternated together to create suspense; intercutting can also consist of shots of two people involved in a telephone conversation
interlude
a brief, intervening film scene or sequence, not specifically tied to the plot, that appears within a film.
intermission
a break in the middle of a film, normally in a feature-length film of three hours or more (although rare in current-day films); originally, intermissions served as a ‘stretch-restroom’ opportunity, or provided time for the projectionist to change reels; they often were accompanied by a medley of the film’s score - or a song score for musicals; the strategy of film theaters nowadays is to show a film as many times as possible during the day
in the can
a term for an entire film or a subset of shots that are all finished shooting; also denotes when a director has the takethat he wanted
iris(or irising)
an earlier cinematographic technique or wipe effect, in the form of an expanding or diminishing circle, in which a part of the screen is blacked out so that only a portion of the image can be seen by the viewer; usually the lens aperture is circular or oval shaped and is often expanded or contracted as the film rolls, often from one scene to the next; known also asdiaphragm. The camera movment is often termed iris wipe,circle-in/circle-out, or iris-in/iris-out; also refers to the adjustable opening in the lens that allows light to pass through - the measurement for the iris opening is f-stop
“It” List
refers to the tendency in show business to prioritize individuals (stars, writers, would-be celebrities, or up-and-comers) as ‘hot’ or ‘watchable’ - highlighting those who have suddenly ‘burst onto the scene’ and are either notable and bankable; those who had some transient success or ‘brush with greatness, but then were demoted from the list are called forgotten, has-beens, shooting stars, or flashes in the pan (after “fifteen minutes of fame” - an Andy Warhol expression); aka “A” List
J-cut
see L-cut (below); aka split edit
jukebox musical
a filmed musical (drama, or animation, etc.) that uses pre-existing popular songs (usually from a variety of artistic sources) as its song score; the songs are often re-imagined with different song styles; aka karaoke musical
jump cut
an abrupt, disorienting transitional device in the middle of a continuous shot in which the action is noticeably advanced in time and/or cut between two similar scenes, either done accidentally (a technical flaw or the result of bad editing) or purposefully (to create discontinuity for artistic effect); also contrast with an ellipsis and match cut
juvenile
the role of a young, teenaged male character; the female counterpart is known as an ingenue.
juxtaposition
in a film, the contiguous positioning of either two images, characters, objects, or two scenes in sequence, in order to compare and contrast them, or establish a relationship between them; see also sequence, symmetry, andcomposition.
key light
the main or primary light on a subject, often angled and off-center (or from above) that selectively illuminates various prominent features of the image to produce depth, shadows, etc.; high-key lighting (with everything evenly and brightly lit, with a minimum of shadows) is termed realistic (and often used in musicals and comedies), while low-key lighting (with less illumination, more shadows, and many grayish, dark areas) is termed expressionistic (and often used in film noir);three-point lighting uses: (1) a fill (or filler) light - an auxiliary light to soften shadows and areas not covered by the key light, (2) a back light behind to add depth to a subject, and (3) a bright key light
kick-off
a term denoting the start of production or principal photography
Klieglight
a type of powerful carbon-arc lamp that produces an intense light, often used in film-making; also used for promotional purposes at film premieres
kudocast
another term for an awards show; see Academy Awards
landmark film
a revolutionary film, due to either its technical or performance artistry; those films recognized by the National Film Registry
lavalier (microphone)
a miniature type of microphone, usually omni-directional and wireless, and small enough to be taped or clipped to an actor, to record dialogue; aka lav, lapel or lap microphones
L-cut
a digital film editing term, also known as a split edit, J-cut ordelayed edit; it refers to a transitional edit in which the audio and video edit do not start at the same time; the audio starts before (or after) the picture cut
lead role
refers to the most important, main character in a film, often distinguished by gender; usually there is at least one male and female lead role; also usually known as protagonist; contrasted to supporting roles or characters.
legs’
a film that has ‘legs’ has strong and profitable box-office, stamina and audience drawing power far beyond the opening weekend; the term usually applies to films that last many months
leitmotif
an intentionally-repeated, recurring element or themeassociated with a particular person, idea, milieu, or action; the element presents itself as a repeated sound, shot, bit of dialogue, piece of music, etc., that helps unify a film by reminding the viewer of its earlier appearance; sometimes presented along with a film’s tag line on a film poster.
lens
a piece of glass in a camera through which light passes before hitting the film stock inside; various types include wide-angle lens, telephoto lens, normal, etc.; to lense means to film a motion picture
letterboxing(or letterboxed)
the technique of shrinking the film image just enough so that its entire width appears on TV screen, with black areas above and below the image; refers to the way that videos emulate the widescreen format on television screens; if a widescreen film is not in the letterbox format it is often in pan-and-scanformat.
library shot
a stock shot, often unimaginative or commonplace
lighting
refers to the illumination of a scene, and the manipulation of light and shadows by the cinematographer.
lines
refers to the spoken dialogue belonging to a single performer; also refers to the full complement of spoken words in a film or stage script; also known simply as dialogue.
the Lion (Leo)
a slang term that refers to Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (MGM)Studios – with the legendary “Leo the Lion” logo
lip sync
refers to synchronization between mouth movement and the words on the film’s soundtrack
location (or on location)
the properties or places (interior or exterior) used for filming away from the studio, set, or (back)lot, often to increase the authenticity and realism of the film’s appearance; exteriors are abbreviated as ext., and interiors as int.
location sound
refers to recording background sound on location, to improve the film’s realism; see also buzz track
locked-down shot
refers to a camera shot in which the camera remains immobile, while something happens off-screen (e.g., an off-screen death) - a technique to create suspense
logline
a short, introductory summary of a film, usually found on the first page of the screenplay, to be read by executives, judges, agents, producers and script-readers; all screenwriters use loglines to sell their scripts; also known as premise; see alsohigh concept hook
long-shot (LS)
a camera view of an object or character from a considerable distance so that it appears relatively small in the frame, e.g., a person standing in a crowd of people or a horse in a vast landscape; variations are the medium long-shot (or mid-shot) (MS) and the extreme long-shot (ELS or XLS); also called a wide shot; a long shot often serves as anestablishing shot; contrast to close-up (CU); a full-shot is a type of long shot that includes a subject’s entire body (head to feet).
long take(or lengthy take)
a shot of lengthy duration; see also mise-en-scene
looping
refers to the process in which dialogue is re-recorded by actors in the studio during post-production, matching the actor’s voice to lip movements on screen; aka ADR(Automated Dialogue Replacement); contrast with dubbing;loop refers to a length of film joined from beginning to end for repeated continuous running
low-angle shot
a shot in which the subject is filmed directly from below and the camera tilts up at the action or character, to make the subject appear larger than life, more formidable, taller and more menacing; contrast to a high-angle shot
madcap comedy
a fast-paced, wild, and reckless humorous work, usually with plenty of slapstick humor, goofy and farcical action, and crazy characters; also see screwball comedy
made-fors
short for movies filmed or made-for-television, often mid-way in style between a short drama and a cinematic release
magic hour
the optimum time for filming romantic or magical scenes due to ‘warm’ and ‘soft’ lighting conditions, characterized by a golden-orange hue color; occurs for about 30 minutes around the time of sunset and sunrise; aka golden hour
mainstream
a Hollywood-made film with major stars, big budgets, and bighype; compare to independents; its extreme opposite is termed counter-cinema (forms of alternative cinema, such asavant-garde, art films, Third World cinema, etc.)
majors
refers to the major Hollywood motion picture producer/distributor studios at the present time (i.e., DreamWorks SKG, MGM/UA, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Sony (Columbia/TriStar), Warner Bros, Universal, and Disney); contrast to the smaller, mini-majorproduction-distribution companies (i.e., Miramax, New Line Cinema, and Polygram) that compete directly with the bigger studios
makeup
refers to the materials that are used to prepare the performer for his/her respective role(s) before the camera, anywhere from facial pancake to elaborate costuming, latex masks, and other ghastly transformations; the makeup department is headed by a makeup artist
making of…
a specialized documentary that focuses on the production of a specific film; most “making of…” documentaries are extended promotional advertisements before the release of the film, and almost all of them are shot while the film is in production; some specialized documentaries of classic films (called retrospectives), made years after the film was released, gather interviews and behind the scenes clips, etc.
mark
(1) the name for the clapping of the sticks to sync up the sound and the picture; and (2) something on the ground (tape, a stick, chalk, etc.) that lets the talent know where they should be for the shot
mask(or blackout)
refers to covering up or blocking out a portion of the frame with blackness or opaqueness; most masks are black, but they could be white or some other color
master shot
a continuous shot or long take that shows the main action or setting of an entire scene (most scenes are shot with one or two master angles and then broken up into a series of smaller or tighter angles during editing (such as one-shots, two-shots, close-ups, and reaction shots)); a master refers to a positive print made especially for duplication purposes
match cut
a transitional technique, in which there’s a cut between two shots (outgoing and incoming) that are joined, matched, or linked by visual, aural, or metaphorical parallelism or similarities; there can be audio matches, segues (a seguerefers to a smooth, uninterrupted transition), and visualmatch-cuts of various kinds; see also audio bridge andbridging shot
matte shot
the optical process of combining (or compositing) separately-photographed shots (usually actors in the foreground and the setting in the background) onto one print through a double exposure that does not meld two images on top of each other, but masks off (or makes opaque and blank) part of the frame area for one exposure and the opposite area for another exposure; the second image is printed in the masked-off area; it is a photographic technique whereby a matte painting or artwork from a matte artist - usually painted on glass - is combined with live action footage to provide a convincing setting for the action; also sometimes known as split-screen.
McGuffin(or MacGuffin)
Alfred Hitchcock’s term for the device or plot element (an item, object, goal, event, or piece of knowledge) that catches the viewer’s attention or drives the logic or action of the plot and appears extremely important to the film characters, but often turns out to be insignificant or is to be ignored after it has served its purpose; its derivation is Scottish, meaning a “lion trap” for trapping lions in the lion-less Scottish Highlands (i.e., a trap that means nothing, since it is for an animal where there is no such animal).
medium shot
refers to a conventional camera shot filmed from a medium distance; although it is difficult to precisely define, it usually refers to a human figure from the waist (or knees) up; between a close shot and a long shot; abbreviated as m.s.
megaplex(multiplex)
both refer to movie chains (i.e., Loews, AMC Theatres) with movie theatres that screen more than one film at a time, as opposed to single-screen theatres. A multiplex has from 2 up to 16 screens, a megaplex has 16 or more screens; plex is the abbreviation for a multiplex theatre.
melodrama
originally referred to “a drama accompanied by music”; a film characterized by expressive plots with strong and intensified emotion, often with elements of pathos, illness and hardship; called ‘women’s films’ or ‘weepies’ (tearjerkers) during the 1940s; aka meller; sometimes used disparagingly to describe films that are manipulative and crudely appeal to emotions; see also ‘chick flicks’
metaphor
a filmic device in which a scene, character, object, and/or action may be associated, identified, or interpreted as an implied representation of something else (that is unrelated)
method acting
a style of acting first expounded by Konstantine Stanislavsky in the early 1900s, and popularized by Lee Strasberg (1899-1982) in the US in his Actors Studio; refers to actors who gave realistic performances based upon and drawn from their own personal experiences and emotions; refers to not emoting in the traditional manner of stage conventions, but to speak and gesture in a manner used in private life.
midnight movies
offbeat, often independent (non-Hollywood) counter-culturalcult films exhibited at theatres for late-night shows - sometimes involving audience participation; appealed to various small segments of niche audiences with different tastes; these films (originally sexual thrillers, slasher flicks, etc.) were often box-office bombs upon initial release, but then gained a faithful following; the phenomenon began in the early 70s, then mostly disappeared in the 80s, but has recently been revived.
mime
or pantomime
acting without words, emphasizing facial expressions, body movements, and gestures; common during the silent film era.
miniatures
small-scale models photographed to give the illusion that they are full-scale objects; also known as model or miniature shots.
miscast
refers to an actor/actress who is completely wrong, untalented, or unbelievable for the role he or she has been cast in.
mise en scène
a French term for “staging,” or “putting into the scene or shot”; in film theory, it refers to all the elements placed (by thedirector) before the camera and within the frame of the film – including their visual arrangement and composition; elements include settings, decor, props, actors, costumes, makeup, lighting, performances, and character movements and positioning; lengthy, un-cut, unedited and uninterrupted sequences shot in real-time are often cited as examples ofmise-en-scene; contrast to montage
mix (mixing)
the electrical combination of different sounds, dialogue, music, and sound effects from microphones, tape, and other sources onto the film’s master soundtrack during post-production;dubbing (or re-recording) refers to the mixing of all soundtracks into a single composite track; the soundtrack is blended by a mixer (chief sound recording technician)
mockumentary
a fictional, farcical film that has the style, ‘look and feel’ of a documentary, with irreverent humor, parody, or slapstick, that is deliberately designed to ‘mock’ the documentary or subject that it features; related to docudrama (a film that depicts real people and actual events in their lives)
modern’ (or modern-day) classic
a popular, critically-acclaimed film in recent years destined (possibly?) to ultimately become an all-time classic
mogul
refers to a domineering, autocratic head of a major film studio; most commonly used when the studio systemdominated film-making; now popularly called a studio chief
money shot
aka payoff shot; a term originally borrowed from the pornographic film industry; referring to a scene, image, revelation, or climactic moment that gives the audience “their money’s worth,” may have cost the most money to produce - and may be the key to the movie’s success
monitor
refers to a small television screen hooked up to the camera and/or recording device that allows crew other than the camera operator to check the quality of a scene as it is being shot or to check and see if it needs to be reshot
monologue
a scene or a portion of a script in which an actor gives a lengthy, unbroken speech without interruption by another character; see also soliloquy. See Best Film Speeches and Monologues
montage
a French word literally meaning “editing”, “putting together” or “assembling shots”; refers to a filming technique, editing style, or form of movie collage consisting of a series of short shots or images that are rapidly put together into a coherent sequence to create a composite picture, or to suggest meaning or a larger idea; in simple terms, the structure of editing within a film; a montage is usually not accompanied with dialogue; dissolves, cuts, fades, super-impositions, and wipes are often used to link the images in a montage sequence; an accelerated montage is composed of shots of increasingly-shorter lengths; contrast to mise-en-scene
moppet
the term for a child, or pre-teen child actor
morality tale (or play)
a literary term mostly, but used also to refer to a film (often heavy-handed and obvious in tone) that presents a judgment on the goodness/badness of human behavior and character, and emphasizes the struggle between good and evil
morph
the transformation of one digital image into another with computer animation.
motif
refers to a recurrent thematic element in a film that is repeated in a significant way or pattern; examples of motifs - a symbol, stylistic device, image, object, word, spoken phrase, line, or sentence within a film that points to a theme.
motion pictures(movies, pic(s), pix, or “moving pictures”)
a length of film (with or without sound) with a sequence of images that create an illusion of movement when projected; originally referred to the motion or movement (due to the principle of persistence of vision) perceived when a string of celluloid-recorded images were projected at a rate of 16 or more frames per second; an art form, and one of the most popular forms of entertainment, known archaically as aphotoplay during the silent era.
motivated and unmotivated lighting
refers to lighting (or a light source) that is naturally existing in the real world, i.e., from a lamp post, table lamp, sunlight shining through a window, etc., that appears in a scene; for the lighting to appear natural in a film scene, it should seem to be coming from light sources that are visible or implied within the scene; the opposite effect is unmotivated lighting
Mouse (House)
a slang term for the Walt Disney Co. or any division thereof – refers to the company’s most famous animated character: Mickey Mouse
MPAA
acronym-initials meaning ‘Motion Picture Association of America’ - an organization that represents the interests of the major motion picture studios
MTV style editing
refers to the style of filming and editing first found on the MTV cable channel in the 1980s and its music videos, consisting of rapidly-cut shots, fast-paced action, jump-cuts, fast-edits, numerous camera angles
musical (film)
a major film genre category denoting a film that emphasizes segments of song and dance interspersed within the action and dialogue; known for its distinctive artists, stars, singers, and dancers; two major types are ‘backstage’ musicals and ‘music-integrated’ musicals.
mute
a print with only the picture image (minus the sound track)
narration
the telling of a story, and the supplemental information given to the film audience by an off-screen voice; sometimes the narrator is a character in the film, who provides information in a flashback; see also voice-over.
narrative film
a structured series of events, linked by cause and effect, that provide the plot of a film; a film that tells a chronological or linear story (with a beginning, middle, and end), as opposed to non-narrative films, such as poetic or abstract films.
naturalism
naturalistic
a stage, artistic, philosophical, or literary term as well as a film term, signifying an extreme form of realism in which life is depicted in a stoic, unbiased way; see also Neo-Realism.
negative
refers to film that has an inverted record of the light and dark areas of the photographed scene
Neo-Realism
an influential movement of the late 1940s and 1950s that originated in Italy; inaugurated by Jean Renoir, but associated with Italian post-war directors (Rossellini, Visconti, and De Sica); refers to films made outside the studio, with shooting on real locations, sometimes the absence of a script and/or non-professional casts and actors - all designed simultaneously to cut costs and increase the impression of spontaneity; neo-realistic films often deal with contemporary social and political issues; see alsonaturalism.
network TV
originally referred to the “Big Three” (ABC, NBC and CBS), but now with additional competitors, including Fox Channel, often known as ‘free-TV’
New Wave
also known as Nouvelle Vague; originally referred to a group of individualistic, innovative, and non-traditional French filmmakers, directors and producers in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including Francois Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Eric Rohmer, and Alain Resnais, who began as critics on Cahiers du Cinema and espoused the principles of auteur theory; the New Wave film style was characterized by a cinema verite style with the use of the jump cut, the hand-held camera, non-linear storytelling, and loose, improvised direction; now used to generally refer to any new movement in a national cinema.
newsreel
refers to a filmed cinema news report
nickelodeon
the term for a makeshift motion picture theater, often a converted store, which proliferated all over the US, mostly in working-class areas of metropolitan centers, during the first decade of the 20th century. The name was derived from the 5 cents/nickel charged to patrons.
nihilistic (nihilism)
a dark and brooding film that features a downbeat, depressing, dreary, cynical, gloomy or bleak tone; often doom-laden and concerned with the subjects of death, suffering, tragedy, unhappiness, and existential despair; the protagonist often meets with death or tragedy in a film’s conclusion; see also dystopia.
nitrate film base
a highly-flammable kind of film base, composed of cellulose nitrate, used up until the late 1940s when it was then supplanted by acetate base.
noir
see film noir, tech-noir
non-speaking role
a small role in a film, usually a brief appearance on screen, that has no dialogue but where the individual is clearly identifiable and usually appears in the credits; see alsoextra, cameo, bit, and walk-on.
non-sync
non-synchronized
refers to a scene shot without synchronized sound - and sounds must be added later during the editing stage; sync sound is its opposite; also refers to a mis-matched soundtrack; aka asynchronous
non-traditional casting
a movement, now officially headed by the Non-Traditional Casting Project (NTCP) to “promote inclusive hiring practices and standards, diversity in leadership and balanced portrayals of persons of color and persons with disabilities”; not to be confused with cast against type or miscast
nostalgia film
A film that wistfully looks back at an earlier past time, often depicting it as more innocent and uncomplicated than it actually was, historically; nostalgia films usually look back on the protagonist’s or narrator’s childhood. See also coming of age film.
novelization
refers to making a novel from a film or screenplay
NTSC
an abbreviation, refers specifically to National TelevisionSystem Committee that sets TV and video standards; also refers to the US and Japanese video systems that have 525 horizontal scan lines, 16 million different colors, and 30 frames per second (or 60 half-frames (interlaced) per second); competing systems in Europe and worldwide arePAL (Phase Alternating Line) and SECAM (Sequential Color with Memory)
nudie (or nudie flick)
an old term for a pornographic movie, often used during the age of the Hayes Code when nudity was forbidden by censors in mainstream films on the silver screen; an era of nudie films was generated by filmmaker Russ Meyer in the late 50s; also see porn.
nut
in the movie-theatre business, refers to operating expenses associated with a film (the exhibitor’s calculation of what it takes to lease his theater, to staff and run it, etc.); aka house nut
obligatory scene
a cliched and expected scene for a particular genre, e.g., a love scene in a romance or dramatic film, a shoot-out in a Western, the solving of a crime in a mystery, a rescue in an action film, etc.
off or offstage (or off-camera)
refers to action or dialogue off the visible stage, or beyond the boundaries of the camera’s field of vision or depicted frame; aka off-screen
omniscient point-of-view(POV)
a film in which the narrator knows (and sees) everything occurring in a story, including character thoughts, action, places, conversations, and events; contrast to subjective point-of-view
on or onstage (or on-camera)
on the visible stage, or within the boundaries of the camera’s field of vision
one-liner
a term for a short, one-line joke (that contains its own punchline); also the term may refer to the ‘high concept’ description of a film - a few words used to describe a script, storyline or a film’s premise that a person can easily understand with a simple one-liner
one man (or woman) show
a scripted or filmed narrative (or an avant-garde or experimentalfilm) featuring a solo performance piece with only one actor or actress who sometimes plays multiple roles or characters; often presented by a stand-up comedian; contrast with concert film
one-reeler
refers to a film 10-12 minutes long
one-sheet
refers to the typical size of a movie poster
opening credits or title (sequence)
the presentation of the ‘opening credits’ (as an introduction to the audience about the film and including selected important members of the production) is known as the opening credits sequence; sometimes it is superimposed on the action, but often exists as static letters on a solid background; since the closing or end creditsusually list the entire cast and production crew, the opening credits sequence is usually positioned to set the mood of the film, and sometimes even lacks any credits except the film’s title; aka front credits or beginning titles
optical(s)(or optical effects)
in film-making, refers to a visual device, e.g., a fade, wipe, dissolve,superimposition, freeze-frame, split-screen, composite (a train reflection in a car window), or another effect, some of which can be created in the camera, and others that have to be achieved in post-production by mixers or other specialized techniques
Oscar(s)
the name given to the awards of AMPAS (the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) given each year to various performers and others in the film industry; officially known as the “Academy Award of Merit”
Oscar bait
Often used in a derogatory way to describe studio-invented pre-release PR buzz that a film (usually an epic or serious biopic released late in the year) is worthy, meaningful, and deserving of Oscar awards; the term was reportedly first used by Hedda Hopper in a “Looking at Hollywood” column on June 1, 1948; the term either refers to (1) a self-proclaimed, “important”, often over-produced film, undercut by its attempt to appeal to all demographics, or (2) a showy acting performance designed to draw attention to itself; these kinds of films and performances were the sort that used to guarantee an Oscar from Academy voters during the film industry’s adolescent years of the 1950’s and early 1960’s, but are now considered either pretentious and/or cheesy in the modern age, and ironically often hurt the film’s or actor’s chances at winning an Oscar, though some films still succeed; aka Oscarbation
out-takes
refers to camera shots that are not included (literally, they are ‘taken out’) in the final cut or print of a film, often retrieved from thecutting room floor, and shown during the closing credits; also seeblooper
overacting
poor, overly-broad, or ‘over-the-top’ acting by a ‘ham’ actor; aka “hamming it up” or ‘chewing up the scenery’; sometimes considered in a positive light as ‘campy’; contrast with underacting
overcrank
to speed up a camera - to shoot at more than the normal 24 fps, so that the resulting image appears in slow-motion; this technique is often used to shoot miniatures; the term “cranking’ refers to the old technique of having to turn or crank a camera by hand
overexposed
refers to a film shot that has more light than normal, causing a blinding, washed-out, whitish, glaring effect; deliberately used for flashbacked or dream scenes; aka flared or bleached; the opposite of underexposed
overlap
the carry-over of dialogue, sounds, or music from one scene to another; occurs when the cut in the soundtrack is not at the same time as the cut in the image; can also refer to two or more characters speaking at the same time; aka overlap sound
over-the-shoulder (OTS) shot
a very commonly-used medium camera angle or view in a dialogue scene, mostly with alternating shot/reverse-shot editing, in which the camera records the action from behind the shoulder and/or head of one of the characters, thus framing the image; the two characters are thus linked or connected to each other, and their positions are established
overture
in film terms, a pre-credits or opening credits musical selection that sets the mood and theme for the upcoming film
ozoner
slang term for a drive-in movie theater; aka passion pit; see alsohard-top (indoor movie theater)
