Filmmaking Definitions

By Darryl Green

  • Important Film-Making Definitions

    Depth of Field
    The additional that comes in focus when a lens is focused on a single plane of depth. The more the iris of the lens is closed, the greater the depth of field

    Edit
    Editing refers to the process where shots are sorted, arranged or cut to produce the finished product

    Fade
    Fading of a shot could either be in or out. A “fade-in” refers to the transition whereby an image goes from black and slowly begins to become brighter and more visible. A “fade-out” is the transition whereby an image goes from being bright but slowly begins to become darker until the screen/image is blackened

    Frame
    A frame is an image or series of images on film.

    Head Room
    The head room is the space between the top of the actor’s head and the top of the frame. Think of a picture you might take with a camera where you cut the person’s head of accidentally. Head Room in a film is important for this same reason.

    Master Shot
    The master shot is a wide shot that includes the whole scene in one shot. Once the master shot is taken, close-ups are then filmed.

    Outtakes
    Outtakes, as the name implies, are the scenes which are taken out in the final editing process.

    Pan
    Pan refers to the horizontal shift of the camera from left to right, as in “pan to the left”.

    Rough cut
    The rough cut is a film that has been edited but has not been completed as a final cut.

    Scene
    A scene is a single shot or several shots

    Take
    A take is the segment in which a scene is performed, as in “Take 1!”

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