A Brief Glossary of Film Terms

Glossary of Film Terms
Winter Quarter 2001
English 417, "Contemporary Horror Films"

We will use the following terms in class to discuss how the camera tells us the narrative in the films we will view. Familiarize yourself with these terms early in the course.

Term Definitions

Auteur The directorial interpretation of a film; the construction of a film in such a manner that it conveys the particular perspective and imprint of a director (i.e. Hitchcock, Cronenberg, etc.)

Camera Angle POV how the camera will see a character.

Cross-fade Gradually muting one sound while increasing another.

ECU Extreme close up

Establishing shot Long or full shot used to establish location or mood.

Flash pan (Whip or swish) a rapid pan that causes an almost complete blur.

Follow shot Camera tracks the subject and appears to go where the subject goes.

Full shot Subject head to toe.

Head shot Actor's head; (e.g. resume shot).

Jump Cut A cut between scenes while action changes abruptly and naturally (quick cut).

Long shot Wide shot of the principle subject from so far away that details are not seen (also called an "establishing shot" or "master shot").

Medium close up Subject is in a middle distance from the camera.

Mirror shot A shot using a reflective surface for effect

Mise en scene All the elements of a shot that create mood, tone, and atmosphere; often contributes to genre or the perspective of a particular director (auteur)

Montage Creating a dialectic by juxtaposing two contrasting or conflicting scenes; the combination of scenes is more powerful than either single scene alone; creates a sense of time and space; (much more than just an editing technique).

One-shot Shot showing a single person in the frame

Out-of-frame shot Anything outside the camera’s field of view (i.e. the child stabbing her mother in Night of the Living Dead).

Overhead shot Covers action from above the subject.

Over the shoulder shot Shot from behind the actor’s head; part of the shoulder or head is in the frame.

Passing shot No pan; the camera is stationary and the subject moves or vice versa.

Process shot Rear projection shot; moving automobile or train shots on which the background is projected through a transparent screen.

Pull back Backward movement of the camera, close up to long shot.

Pull focus Object in the foreground is in focus then switches as the reverse occurs .

Reaction shot Close up of someone’s reaction to something off the camera.

Reveal shot Opens up or pulls back to reveal something not previously visible

Reverse angle shot Shot taken from an angle about 180 degrees from the preceding shot (often used when two actors are talking to each other; or when going through a doorway).

Run-by A shot in which a moving car (or other vehicle) travels past a stationary camera

Running shot Camera keeps pace with a moving object.

Soft wipe A wipe with blurred edges.

Subjective camera Point of view in which we see out of someone’s eyes.

Straight cut A cut film; one shot to another with no optical effects.

Tag A short scene, almost like an afterthought, at the end of a short film.

Tight shot Close up; the subject is the only image on the screen.

Two-shot A shot just wide enough for two people in the frame.

Tracking shot A dolly follows the action in a scene (traveling shot).

Transition effects Dissolves, wipes, fades.

Upstage Background farthest away from the camera.

Wide angle shot objects in the foreground seem large; background objects smaller

Sources:
Corrigan, Timothy. A Short Guide to Writing About Film, 4th edition. Longman, 2001.
Konigsberg, Ira. The Complete Film Dictionary. Penguin,1989
Singleton, Ralph S. Filmmaker’s Directory. Lone Eagle Publishing, Los Angeles, CA. 1990.

Term	Definitions
Auteur	The directorial interpretation of a film; the construction of a film in such a manner that it conveys the particular perspective and imprint of a director (i.e. Hitchcock, Cronenberg, etc.)
Camera Angle	POV how the camera will see a character.
Cross-fade	Gradually muting one sound while increasing another.
ECU	Extreme close up
Establishing shot	Long or full shot used to establish location or mood.
Flash pan	(Whip or swish) a rapid pan that causes an almost complete blur.
Follow shot	Camera tracks the subject and appears to go where the subject goes.
Full shot	Subject head to toe.
Head shot	Actor's head; (e.g. resume shot).
Jump Cut	A cut between scenes while action changes abruptly and naturally (quick cut).
Long shot	Wide shot of the principle subject from so far away that details are not seen (also called an "establishing shot" or "master shot").
Medium close up	Subject is in a middle distance from the camera.
Mirror shot	A shot using a reflective surface for effect
Mise en scene	All the elements of a shot that create mood, tone, and atmosphere; often contributes to genre or the perspective of a particular director (auteur)
Montage	Creating a dialectic by juxtaposing two contrasting or conflicting scenes; the combination of scenes is more powerful than either single scene alone; creates a sense of time and space; (much more than just an editing technique).
One-shot	Shot showing a single person in the frame
Out-of-frame shot	Anything outside the camera’s field of view (i.e. the child stabbing her mother in Night of the Living Dead).
Overhead shot	Covers action from above the subject.
Over the shoulder shot	Shot from behind the actor’s head; part of the shoulder or head is in the frame.
Passing shot	No pan; the camera is stationary and the subject moves or vice versa.
Process shot	Rear projection shot; moving automobile or train shots on which the background is projected through a transparent screen.
Pull back	Backward movement of the camera, close up to long shot.
Pull focus	Object in the foreground is in focus then switches as the reverse occurs .
Reaction shot	Close up of someone’s reaction to something off the camera.
Reveal shot	Opens up or pulls back to reveal something not previously visible
Reverse angle shot	Shot taken from an angle about 180 degrees from the preceding shot (often used when two actors are talking to each other; or when going through a doorway).
Run-by	A shot in which a moving car (or other vehicle) travels past a stationary camera
Running shot	Camera keeps pace with a moving object.
Soft wipe	A wipe with blurred edges.
Subjective camera	Point of view in which we see out of someone’s eyes.
Straight cut	A cut film; one shot to another with no optical effects.
Tag	A short scene, almost like an afterthought, at the end of a short film.
Tight shot	Close up; the subject is the only image on the screen.
Two-shot	A shot just wide enough for two people in the frame.
Tracking shot	A dolly follows the action in a scene (traveling shot).
Transition effects	Dissolves, wipes, fades.
Upstage	Background farthest away from the camera.
Wide angle shot	objects in the foreground seem large; background objects smaller