A

Aerial Shot – a shot filmed from above, typically using drones, helicopters, or cranes.
Ambient Sound – natural background noises present in a location.
Animatic – an animated storyboard sequence with temporary sound.
Angle of View – the amount of a scene captured by a camera lens.
Answer Print – first full version of a film with picture and sound synched.
Antagonist – the opposing character or force to the protagonist.
Aperture – opening in a camera lens regulating light exposure.
Apple Box – a sturdy wooden box used to raise actors, props, or equipment.
Art Director – person responsible for the look of sets and physical elements.
Artifact – unwanted visual error in digital images or compression.
Aspect Ratio – width-to-height ratio of an image frame.
Assembly Cut – a rough first edit combining all scenes in order.
Atmos – recorded background sounds of a space.
Audience Surrogate – character reflecting the audience’s viewpoint.
Axis of Action (180° Rule) – rule maintaining consistent spatial orientation by not crossing an imaginary line during a scene.

B

Back Projection – technique of projecting a background behind live actors.
Backlight – light placed behind a subject to separate them from the background.
Balance – even distribution of visual elements within a frame.
Barndoors – adjustable metal flaps on light fixtures controlling light spread.
Best Boy – chief assistant to the gaffer or key grip.
Bit Part – a small acting role with minimal lines.
Blocking – pre-planned movement and positioning of actors within a scene.
Blue Screen – blue background for chroma key compositing (less common than green screen).
Boom Microphone – directional microphone mounted on a long pole.
Boom Operator – crew member handling the boom mic.
Bracketing – capturing multiple exposures of the same shot for safety.
Breaking the Fourth Wall – character directly addressing the audience.
Bridge Shot – a transitional shot linking sequences.
B-Roll – supplementary footage used for cutaways or context.
Bullet Time – visual effect slowing down action while the camera moves around it.

C

Call Sheet – document listing the cast, crew, locations, and schedule for a shooting day.
Camera Angle – the position and orientation of the camera relative to the subject.
Camera Movement – physical movement of the camera (tilt, pan, dolly, handheld).
Camera Operator – person physically operating the camera on set.
Canted Angle (Dutch Tilt) – a shot with a tilted camera to create unease.
Casting – selecting actors for roles in a film.
C-Stand – versatile adjustable stand for lights, flags, or equipment.
CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) – visual effects made digitally.
Cheat Shot – a deliberately adjusted shot to improve continuity or practicality.
Chiaroscuro – dramatic lighting using strong contrasts between light and shadow.
Chroma Key – technique for replacing a solid-color background in post-production.
Cinematographer – another term for the Director of Photography (DoP).
Clapper Loader (2nd AC) – crew member managing slates and loading film media.
Clapperboard – tool used to mark scene and take details for syncing sound and picture.
Close-Up (CU) – a tightly framed shot, usually of a face or object.
Color Correction – adjusting shot color and exposure for visual consistency.
Color Grading – enhancing or stylizing color tones for mood or story.
Compositing – combining multiple visual elements into a single image.
Continuity – maintaining visual and narrative consistency between shots.
Coverage – total number and type of shots filmed for a scene.
Crane Shot – moving shot from a camera mounted on a crane.
Crash Zoom – quick, sudden zoom in or out for emphasis.
Cross-Cutting – alternating between different scenes happening at the same time.
Cue – a prompt for action, dialogue, or technical element.
Cut – direct edit between two shots.
Cutaway – a shot interrupting the main scene to show something related.
C-47 – slang for a wooden clothes peg used to attach gels to lights.

D

Dailies (Rushes) – raw, unedited footage shot each day for review.
Day-for-Night – technique of shooting during the day and making it appear as night through filters or grading.
Deep Focus – a cinematography technique where both foreground and background remain in sharp focus.
Depth of Field – the range within a shot that appears acceptably sharp.
Diegesis – the fictional world within a film’s story.
Diegetic Sound – sound that originates within the film’s world (dialogue, car engines, etc.).
Diffusion – material placed in front of lights to soften their quality.
Digital Intermediate (DI) – the digital version of a film used for color grading and effects.
Director – the creative lead responsible for overseeing the artistic and dramatic aspects of a film.
Director of Photography (DoP/DP) – head of the camera and lighting departments, responsible for a film’s visual look.
Dissolve – a gradual transition between two images.
Dolly – a wheeled platform for moving a camera smoothly.
Dolly Grip – crew member who operates the dolly.
Dolly Shot – a moving shot achieved with a dolly.
Dolly Zoom (Vertigo Shot) – a zoom combined with dolly movement creating a distorted perspective.
Double Exposure – superimposing two images onto the same film strip.
Downstage – area of the stage or set closest to the audience or camera.
Dubbing (ADR) – re-recording dialogue or sound in post-production.
Dutch Tilt (Canted Shot) – a shot with a tilted horizon for dramatic effect.

E

Edge Light – a light placed behind a subject to create a rim of light outlining them.
Editing – the process of selecting and combining shots into a coherent sequence.
Editor – person who assembles and refines the footage into the final cut.
Establishing Shot – a wide shot introducing a location or setting.
Executive Producer – person overseeing financing, contracts, and high-level decisions.
Exposure – the amount of light reaching the camera sensor or film.
Extreme Close-Up (ECU) – a very tight shot focusing on a small detail (eyes, mouth, object).
Extreme Long Shot (ELS) – a shot showing a subject at a great distance, often for scale.

F

Fade In – a transition from a black screen to an image.
Fade Out – a transition from an image to a black screen.
Foley – sound effects created in post-production to match on-screen actions.
Follow Focus – technique of adjusting focus to keep a moving subject sharp.
Follow Shot – a shot that physically follows a subject’s movement.
Foreground – the area of the image closest to the camera.
Frame – a single still image in a film or the boundaries of the visible screen.
Framing – the composition of elements within the frame.
Freeze Frame – a single frame repeated on screen to create a still image.
French Over – a shot taken over the back of a character’s head facing away from camera.
F-Stop – a setting controlling the aperture size of a lens and exposure.
Fast Motion – when action is sped up on screen.
Flashback – a scene set earlier than the present story timeline.
Flash-Forward – a scene set later than the present story timeline.
Flat Lighting – even lighting with little contrast, often used for comedy or documentaries.
Flare – light artifact caused by bright light hitting the camera lens.
Flag – a light modifier used to block or shape light.
Focal Length – the distance between the lens and image sensor, determining field of view.
Focus Puller (1st AC) – assistant responsible for maintaining sharp focus.
Foreground Elements – objects positioned between the camera and subject for depth.
Format – the medium used for shooting (digital, 35mm, etc.).
Frame Rate – the number of frames captured or projected per second (fps).
Frames Per Second (FPS) – the number of images displayed each second in a film.

G

Gaffer – the chief lighting technician, head of the electrical department.
Gag Reel – a compilation of humorous mistakes and outtakes from filming.
Gate – the camera opening through which light reaches the film or sensor.
Gearhead – a geared camera head offering precise pan and tilt movements.
Gel – a colored, heat-resistant filter placed over lights to alter color or quality.
Generator (Genny) – portable power source for location shoots.
Grip – technician responsible for rigging, lighting setups, and camera movement equipment.
Green Screen – a green background used for chroma key compositing in post-production.
Ground Glass – a focusing screen in a camera viewfinder or eyepiece.
Guerrilla Filmmaking – shooting quickly, often without permits or official permission.

H

Handheld Shot – a shot taken with a camera held by the operator, creating a shaky, immersive look.
Hard Light – light that casts strong, defined shadows.
Head Room – the space between the top of a subject’s head and the frame’s upper edge.
High Angle Shot – a shot taken from above looking down on a subject.
High-Key Lighting – lighting style with bright, even illumination and minimal shadows.
Honeywagon – mobile trailer providing restrooms and dressing rooms on set.
Hot Set – a set where props and positions must remain undisturbed for continuity.
Hydraulic Crane – a crane with fluid-controlled movements for smooth camera motion.

I

In-Camera Effects – practical effects created during filming rather than in post-production.
Insert Shot – a close-up detail shot inserted into a larger scene.
Interior (INT) – script abbreviation indicating a scene takes place indoors.
Intertitle – text displayed between shots in silent films or to convey information.
ISO – a camera setting determining sensitivity to light (higher ISO = brighter image, more grain).
In Point – the starting frame of a clip or edit.
Iris – adjustable diaphragm in a lens controlling light exposure.
Iris Shot – a shot that opens or closes to a circle, often for dramatic emphasis in old cinema.
Invisible Cut – an edit designed to look like a continuous shot, hiding the transition between takes.

J

J-Cut – an edit where the audio from the next scene begins before the image changes.
Jack-in-the-Box Shot – a reveal shot where a character or object suddenly enters frame.
Juxtaposition – placing two shots or elements side by side to create meaning through contrast.

K

Key Grip – the head grip in charge of rigging, dollies, cranes, and camera movement gear.
Key Light – the main source of light illuminating a subject in a scene.
Kill the Lights – instruction to turn off specific lights.
Kicker Light – a light placed behind or to the side of a subject to create a highlight or outline.

L

L-Cut – an edit where the image changes before the audio does.
Lab Roll – the numbered roll of developed film sent to the lab.
Lens Flare – streaks or circles of light caused by direct bright light hitting the lens.
Lens Whacking – intentionally detaching the lens while filming for light leaks and softness.
Letterbox – black bars above and below a widescreen image on a standard screen.
Line Producer – the person managing the budget, scheduling, and daily operations of a film shoot.
Location Scout – a crew member responsible for finding suitable shooting locations.
Lock It Off – instruction to secure a camera or object in position.
Locked Cut – the final, approved version of a film’s edit before color and sound work.
Logline – a one- or two-sentence summary of a film’s plot.
Long Shot (LS) – a shot showing a subject’s full body in frame, often for spatial context.
Long Take – a continuous, uninterrupted shot lasting significantly longer than usual.
Low Angle Shot – a shot taken from below, looking up at the subject.
Low-Key Lighting – a high-contrast lighting style using shadows for dramatic effect.

M

Magic Hour – the period shortly after sunrise or before sunset with soft, warm natural light.
Mark – a precise spot on the floor indicating where an actor or camera should land.
Martini Shot – the final shot of the day’s filming.
Match Cut – an edit joining two similar-looking scenes or objects for continuity or symbolism.
Matte Painting – a painted representation of a landscape, set, or location, composited with live footage.
Medium Close-Up (MCU) – a shot framing a subject from roughly the chest up.
Medium Shot (MS) – a shot framing a subject from the waist up.
Miniature – a scaled-down physical model used to simulate large sets or environments.
Montage – a sequence of shots edited together to condense space, time, or information.
MoCo (Motion Control) – a robotic system for repeating precise camera movements.
MOS – shooting picture without recording sound (from "Mit Out Sound").
Motion Blur – the streaking of moving objects in a frame, often due to slow shutter speed.
Moviola – an early machine used for film editing.

N

Narration – spoken commentary in a film, often by an off-screen voice.
Negative Space – empty areas around the subject in a frame, used to emphasize isolation or mood.
Non-Diegetic Sound – sound that the characters in the film’s world cannot hear (e.g. musical score).
Non-Linear Editing (NLE) – digital editing where scenes can be rearranged without affecting others.
Nose Room – the space in front of a subject’s face when looking toward one side of the frame.

O

Off-Screen Space – areas outside the camera frame, implied or referenced in the story.
One-Liner – a single line of impactful or witty dialogue.
Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS) – a shot taken from behind a character’s shoulder, often used in dialogue scenes.
Overexposure – when too much light hits the camera sensor, resulting in a washed-out image.
Overhead Shot – a shot taken from directly above the subject.
Overlapping Dialogue – characters speaking over one another in a scene.
Outtake – a shot or scene not used in the final film.
Opening Shot – the first image or sequence in a film, setting the tone and establishing the world.

P

Pan – a horizontal camera movement from a fixed point.
Pan and Scan – cropping widescreen images to fit a 4:3 frame, moving across the image to follow action.
Parallel Editing – another term for cross-cutting between simultaneous events.
Picture Lock – the stage when editing is finalized and no further changes to the cut will be made.
Pickup Shot – a small shot filmed after principal photography to fix or enhance the edit.
Pitch – a verbal or written presentation of a film idea to potential backers.
POV Shot (Point of View) – a shot from a character’s visual perspective.
Post-Production – the phase after filming where editing, sound, effects, and color correction occur.
Practical Effect – an effect created on set in real life, without digital intervention.
Practical Light – a visible light source within the scene, like a lamp or TV screen.
Pre-Production – the planning phase before shooting begins.
Producer – the person overseeing production logistics, financing, and management.
Production Designer – head of the art department, responsible for the visual concept of a film’s world.
Production Sound Mixer – the crew member responsible for recording clean sound on set.
Protagonist – the main character of a film’s narrative.
Pull Focus (Rack Focus) – a technique shifting focus from one subject to another within a shot.

Q

Quad Split – a monitor view dividing the screen into four camera feeds simultaneously.
Quick Release Plate – a mounting plate allowing a camera to be easily detached from a tripod.
Quote Reel – a promotional video highlighting positive critic quotes for marketing.

R

Rack Focus (Pull Focus) – shifting focus from one plane of depth to another in a shot.
Raw Footage – unedited, original footage straight from the camera.
Reaction Shot – a cutaway to a character’s emotional response.
Rear Projection – an in-camera effect where backgrounds are projected behind actors on set.
Reel – a physical spool of film or a selection of edited footage for presentation.
Reset – returning actors and props to starting positions for another take.
Resolution – the number of pixels in an image (e.g. 1920x1080, 4K).
Reverse Shot – a shot taken from the opposite angle of the previous shot, often in conversations.
Rigger – a technician responsible for setting up and securing lighting, scenery, and camera supports.
Rim Light – light placed behind a subject to create a halo effect along edges.
Rough Cut – the first assembled version of a film with scenes roughly ordered but unfinished.
Rushes (Dailies) – the raw, unedited footage from each shooting day.
Rotoscoping – frame-by-frame tracing or cutting out of elements for compositing.

S

Scene – a section of a film taking place in a continuous time and location.
Score – original instrumental music composed for a film.
Screen Direction – the consistent left-right movement of characters or objects within a scene.
Screenplay – the script containing dialogue, scene headings, and action descriptions.
Script Supervisor (Continuity) – the person ensuring visual and narrative consistency between takes and scenes.
Second Unit – a separate crew filming supplementary footage like stunts, inserts, or establishing shots.
Sequence – a series of related shots forming a distinct narrative segment.
Set – a constructed environment where scenes are filmed.
Set Dressing – objects and props used to decorate a set.
Shot List – a document listing every planned camera setup for a scene or shoot day.
Shot Reverse Shot – a technique alternating between two characters’ viewpoints in a conversation.
Shutter Speed – the amount of time each frame is exposed to light.
Sizzle Reel – a highlight video promoting a film, concept, or company.
Slate – the clapperboard device marking scenes, takes, and sync for editing.
Slow Motion – a technique of filming or playing back at a slower-than-normal speed.
Soft Light – diffused light producing gentle, undefined shadows.
Sound Design – the creative process of creating and selecting sounds for a film.
Soundstage – a large, soundproofed indoor studio space for filming.
Spec Script – a screenplay written without prior commitment from a buyer or studio.
Spike Mark – tape or mark on the floor indicating actor or object positions.
Spill – unwanted light hitting areas of a set unintentionally.
Split Diopter Shot – a shot using a special lens to keep both foreground and background in sharp focus.
Stand-In – a person taking the place of an actor for lighting and camera setups.
Static Shot – a shot with a stationary camera.
Steadicam – a stabilizing system worn by a camera operator for smooth handheld shots.
Stinger – industry slang for an extension power cable.
Stock Footage – previously shot footage reused in a new film.
Storyboard – a series of drawings mapping out shots visually before filming.
Strike – to dismantle or turn off equipment.
Subtext – underlying meaning not explicitly stated in dialogue or action.
Swish Pan – a rapid horizontal pan creating a blurred motion effect.
Sync Sound – sound recorded on set in perfect sync with the picture.

T

Take – a single filmed version of a shot.
Talent – collective term for the actors on set.
Telephoto Lens – a long lens compressing distance and isolating subjects.
Three-Point Lighting – a standard lighting setup using key, fill, and backlights.
Tilt – a vertical camera movement up or down from a fixed point.
Timecode – digital time reference for syncing picture and sound.
Tracking Shot – a shot following a subject, typically moving on a dolly or gimbal.
Treatment – a prose summary of a film’s plot, characters, and tone.
Two-Shot – a shot featuring two characters in the same frame.

U

Underexposure – when too little light reaches the sensor, resulting in a dark image.
Unmotivated Camera Movement – camera movement without an apparent reason in the story.
Upstage – the area of a set farthest from the camera or audience.
Upper Third (Title Safe) – the top area of a screen commonly used for on-screen titles or names.
Utility Stand (C-Stand) – a multipurpose stand for lights, flags, or gear.

V

Video Assist – a system allowing the director and crew to watch a live video feed of what the camera is recording.
VFX (Visual Effects) – digital enhancements or alterations made to footage in post-production.
Vignette – a gradual darkening of a frame’s edges to focus attention on the center.
Voiceover (VO) – narration spoken by an off-screen character or narrator.
Visual Metaphor – an image or visual motif symbolizing a larger idea or theme.

W

Walk and Talk – a moving shot following characters as they walk and converse.
Wardrobe – all clothing and accessories worn by characters in a film.
Whip Pan (Swish Pan) – a rapid pan creating a blur effect.
White Balance – a camera setting ensuring colors appear natural under different lighting.
Wide Shot (WS) – a shot capturing a subject’s full body or a large environment.
Wild Track – sound recorded separately from picture, typically for clean ambience or dialogue.
Wrap – the official end of filming for the day or production.
Wrap Party – a celebratory party held after a film’s completion.

X

Xenon Light – a type of extremely bright light used in projectors and film lighting.
XCU (Extreme Close-Up) – a very tight shot focusing on a specific feature or object detail.

Y

Yellow Screen – an older chroma key technique using a yellow backdrop, largely replaced by green or blue screens.
Yield – the number of usable takes or shots achieved during a day’s shoot.
Young Talent – industry slang for up-and-coming or early-career actors.

Z

Zoom – a change in focal length during a shot, enlarging or reducing the image.
Zoom Lens – a lens with adjustable focal length.
Zolly (Dolly Zoom) – a combined zoom and dolly move creating a perspective distortion.
Zone System – a photographic technique for determining optimal exposure and development (from still photography, occasionally adapted for film cinematography).

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