Film Techniques Vocabulary and Descriptions

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- music in background
2. Non-Diegetic-sound heard by audience. Music used to create a mood

Sound

3. Voice over- Off- camera narration. A voice over can be done by more than one
character.
4. Internal diegetic- internal monologue, supernatural voices

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 hear the exact actions and sounds.
Narrator viewpoint for viewers allowing them to hear
whats going on outside of just the frame
To show narration
Show a supreme being inside a character

Focus

1. Soft focus- scene is soft, somewhat blurred or diffused.

2. Rack Focus- brings background or foreground into sudden focus.
3. Deep focus- all objects remain in focus, give viewers freedom to choose what they
want to look at.

The scene is slightly out of focused.

Brings the background or foreground into sudden focus
Shows that something is a little more important in the
background than right in front

Framing
(Shots)

1. Long-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.
2. Establishing shot- a long-shot sets up scene or location
3. Medium shot- a shot from the waist up, most natural look and most natural view
that brings audience closer to the action.
4. Close-up- takes up 80% of the screen can conclude a head and shoulders. Used to
show reaction or to focus on an object.
5. Extreme close-up- a shot that focuses on a single body part or object. Used to draw
attention
6. Two shot/ three shot- a shot with two or three character, used to show equality.

Offers viewers a sense of time and place; also offers the

viewer a choice of where to focus.
Narrator reveals more of setting
Shows a good part of the body to capture the character in
scene
This shows the best display of details for the viewers
catching all emotion and actions.

1. High angle- camera is above or angle above the subject.

2. Low- angle- camera is below the subject. Used to make subject look strong or
powerful.
3. Eye level- shot from the characters eye level.
4. Dutch angle- camera is slightly tilted, indicates tension or danger.

Makes the object look weak or more vulnerable.

1. Side Lighting lighting from the side that leaves the subject half in light and half
in the shadows.
2. Bottom lighting- lighting from below

It can indicate a split personality or a secret/something

hidden by a character.
Makes the subject appear threatening

Camera
Angles
Lighting

Makes tension tighter showing specific details.

Used to show more than one person
Used to make subject look strong or powerful.
To show an equal plain
Indicates tension uncertainty or danger.

3. High-key lightning- lighting that produces uniform brightness

4. Low-key lighting- lighting that produces dark shadows
5. Back lighting- lighting from back
6. Front lighting- lighting from the front.
1. Pan- camera moves across scene to show whole setting or action.
2. Tilt- camera moves up and down, shows a point of view or to reveal a person or
object.
Camera
Movement
and
Transitions

3. Zoom- the camera is stationary lens move further or closer

4. Mobile camera- general term for the camera in a moving state
5. Crane/boom- the camera is on crane letting camera take overhead shots.
6. Dolly- slowly fades away and distances the camera away from the character
7. Handheld- held in hand and moved how a normal person would shift a camera

Editing

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- joining of two separate shots so that the first is instantaneously replaced by the
second
3. Point of view- a shot from the characters point of view
4. Dissolve transition5. Wipe transition- a new image wipes off the previous image.
6. Flashback- part of film that dramatizes what was happened in the past
7. Shot reverse shot- switching back and forth between characters.
8. Crosscut- switching back and forth between two actions taking place at the same
time
9. Eyeline match- cut from a person to an object and back to the person

Create a natural scene, so character or situations may be

seen without misunderstanding.
Creates suspense, mystery, or suspicion
Can create a sense of depth
Can create a softening effect
Shows the distance between two objects or to get a better
panoramic type of viewpoint of something.
Showing there may be more to meet the eye in a different
angle
Inches in on the face the define questions shows emotion
and distinct features.
To follow a subject
To get higher views (birds eye view)
Shows the characters full shape slowly unveiling more than
just what was in the frame
Can show human like movements that will make the
audience feel more at warmth with it.
It indicates a passage of time or the end of a segment.
To go from one scene to another to show something is
ending or to show closer.
Makes the audience feel a part of the scene
Switch scenes
To transition scenes
To give additional information of the character or in the
story.
To show reaction in a conversation
To show back and forth of action to compare morals or
ethics
To focus on what the character is looking at