Film Techniques Vocabulary and Descriptions

Kelechi Anyanwu P-2

Instructions:
1. Research to find the various techniques used in film making.
2. You should NOT copy/paste, but include information in your own words to show comprehension.
3. Visit several websites and documents to collect comprehensive information.

Category

Technique and Description

1. Diegetic sound- The sound is visible or implied in a movie. This is heard by
characters in the film.

Sound

2. Non-Diegetic sound- Sound that is not visible or implied in a movie. This is only
heard by the audience.
3. Internal Diegetic- The audience hearing a characters inner thoughts.
4. Voice Over- This is off-camera with narration from a character or a commentator.
1. Soft Focus- The scene is slightly out of focus

Focus

2. Deep Focus- All objects (Background and foreground) stay in focus.

3. Rack Focus- Brings background or foreground in to a sudden focus.

Framing
(Shots)

1. (establishing)Long-Shot (full shot) The object seems small or is seen from a

distance. If a person is in the shot, it is the entire body and a great deal of
background visible. Establishes a scene identifies location.
2. Close-up Actors head shown from the neck up and usually takes up entire screen
(approximately 80%).
3. Extreme Close Up: A shot that focuses on a single body part or object, a
monogram. Contains one part of character of object.
4. Medium (mid) shot The actor is seen from the waist and above.
5. Extreme Long shot- Where scene is so far away that result is a broad panoramic
view.
6. Over the shoulder- A shot with the actors shoulder in the foreground.
7. Two-Shot/Three-Shot: A shot with two or three characters.
8. Panning shots- Horizontal shot similar to a tilt shot.

What is the purpose of the technique? Why is it useful?

How does it enhance the viewers perception of a scene
or character?
Allows viewers to listen to the characters dialogue and
other implied sounds; this offers
Permits viewers into listening to background music; this
can help set the scene with music playing in the
background.
Lets viewers know a characters most inner thoughts and
feelings; which offers viewers a more clear perception
of the character.
It can come from more than one character.
This is to create a lighter mood, for the scene be show.
That allows viewer to choose which object they view in the
scene.
This makes viewer to focus attention on one thing present
at the scene.
Offers viewers a sense of time and place; also offers the
viewer a choice of where to focus.
Forces viewer to see what director intends along with it
being intimating and revealing. Also to show reaction
or to focus on an object.
Used to draw attention to that object.
This is the normal way a character is often viewed by the
viewer. It brings viewer closer to the action.
A Scene that is from far away.
This is for viewer to feel that something important is
happening.
Used to show equality or equal interaction.
They are seen as simple and overly used.

9. Crane Shots- To achieve vertical transitional motion.

1. Low-angle This is positioning camera below the subject while looking up.
Camera
Angles

2. High-angle That is positioning camera above an object and looking down.

3. Eye-level When angle position is even with character or object. ( most common
and natural angle)
4. Dutch (slanted) Angle- The camera is slightly tilted.
1. Side Lighting lighting from the side that leaves the subject half in light and half
in the shadows.
2. Low-key lighting shadows that contrast between light and dark with it being
mainly dark.

Lighting

3. High- key lighting lighting that is bright and contains much light; scene is
flooded with light.
4. Front lighting A character being brightly lit without there being any shadows
present.
5. Back Lighting- Lighting from the back
6. Neutral- When the lighting is evenly balanced.
7. Bottom Lighting- Lighting from below; half in light and half in shadows.
1. Pan Stationary camera moving left to tight or vice versa on horizontal axis.

Camera
Movement
and
Transitions

Editing

2. Tilt Stationary Camera moving up and down on Vertical axis.

3. Zoom The Focus of a stationary camera changing in one shot. The lens moves to
or farther away from the subject.
4. (mobile camera) This refers to any time camera itself begins to move.
Dolly( Mounted on a dolly) and Tracking(moves on track)
5. Evangelion shot- Begins close up and then zooms out.
6. Full shot- This is a complete view of the characters.
7. Crane/Boom-The camera is mounted on a crane enabling the camera to take
overhead shots.
1. Fade A scene fades to black (or any other color) for a very short time as is slowly
replaced with another image; may start the next scene or change subjects
2. Cut An abrupt move from one scene to another. Two pieces of film are spliced
together.
3. Dissolve An image slowly fading away while another image taking its place.

Allows viewer to see something vertical.

Allows characters to be seen as powerful individuals and
thus even commanding.
Allows characters to be seen as weak individuals and seen
to be vulnerable.
This is considered to be a neutral stance.
This is to indicate tension in a scene.
It can indicate a split personality or a secret/something
hidden by a character.
This creates moods of suspension and danger.
This makes characters of situations seem less threatening
than they are. This also creates a natural looking
scene. Creates suspense, mystery, danger, or
suspicion.
This is to show how the character is good without any evil
intentions.
Creates a sense of depth, produce a halo-like aura, or
distort the identity of the subject.
This is a normal scene for viewer to view.
This makes subject appear threating and sinister.
Can be used to introduce a new setting from a characters
point of view.
This communicates size, distance, or strength.
Directs viewers attention to an object, the director feels to
be important. Focus attention or subject or obb
Brings action into the scene and makes audience feel like
they are no longer spectators.
This emphasizes the speed and size of an object.
That makes us viewers understand who is all in the scene.
This is also called the birds eye.
It indicates a passage of time or the end of a segment.
That gives a transaction to the next scene and to show that
something is ending.
This is too make a connection between two objects that

4. Eye-Line Match- Cut from a person to an object and back to the person.
5. Parallel editing (cross- cutting) cut between scenes happening at the same time,
but not the same place.
6. Point-of-view This is the characters point opinion is seen in their viewpoint.
7. Shot-Reverse shot- Switching back and forth between two characters.

8. Duration The length of time each shot has in video.

9. Wipe transition- A new image wipes off the previous image.
10. Long take This makes you feel that the scene is happening in real time.
11. Short take Quick video that could be under one second.
12. Flashback/Flash-Forward Showing a scene that happened in the past or future.
This is also a segment of a film that dramatizes what happened.

viewer might have not noticed.

To focus on what character is looking at.
This is to show to pieces of action or to compare each
scene with each other.
This gives us the viewpoint of one character and helps
viewers to understand them. Also makes audience feel
a part of the scene.
This is usually used to show an intense conversation.
This is so the director knows how much should be in a
video.
Can move vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, for
audience to view.
Allows viewer to feel a part of the scene.
Gives viewer a quick scene which could hold great
importance.
This tells viewer of an important event which occurred or
will occur.