Diana Cestoni

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

Sound

Technique and Description

What is the purpose of the technique? Why is it

useful? How does it enhance the viewers
perception of a scene or character?

Diegetic- The actual sound in films, it refers to the sound whose source is visible
on the screen, or whose source is implied to be present by the action.
Extra Diegetic- Sound that are extra in films that dont originate from a prominent
source.
Non-Diegetic- (commentary sound) sound whose source is neither visible or on
the screen.

Effects in films are artificially or enhanced sound that

emphasize or improve scenes.
Sound like birds tweeting and music coming from the
radio of the car or a door slamming are extra-diegetic.
Such things as voiceovers, theme music and
background music are all non-diegetic.

Theme Music- this music is recognizable which is often written specifically for a
film, it is repeated throughout the film.

It is used to establish a mood for the film.

Soft Focus- it puts a hazy touch over the picture.

Focus

Framing
(Shots)

Camera

Sharp Focus (rack focus)- every item in the film, is clearly visible.
Deep Focus- with long depth of field, an entire scene may be in focus, allowing
only one segment of the scene to be clear and the rest hazy.
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.
Extreme Long Shot- the items look small in the fame, all or major parts of
buildings appear.
Medium Shot- the character shown from waist up, medium sized architectural
details.
Close-up- head and neck of character is shown, objects about the size of a
computer fill the frame.
Extreme Close-up- the frame filled with just part of a character or very small
objects.

It gives appearance of blurring while retaining sharp

edges.
It keeps the viewers attention in one shot.
It gives the viewer the freedom to see whatever they
want.
Offers viewers a sense of time and place; also offers
the viewer a choice of where to focus.
It stablishes physical context of action, shows
landscapes and architectural exteriors.
Small groups such as two or three people can be seen.
It focuses on one character and its facial expressions.
It focuses on facial features of the character(s).

Full-shot- contains a complete overview of the characters.

It helps to demonstrate the relationship between

characters.

Birds-eye Angle-angles in which the film looks directly down upon a scene.

It is often used to establish angle and stablish a setting.

Diana Cestoni
High angle- the camera looks down upon a subject.
Angles

Low Angle- the camera looks up at the character.

Eye-level Angle- it puts the audience on an equal footing with the characters.

Lighting

Side Lighting lighting from the side that leaves the subject half in light and half
in the shadows.
High-key lighting- light the produces a uniform look.
Low-key lighting- light the produces shadows.
Bottom lighting- it puts the character in half-light half shadow.
Front lighting- lighting from the front.
Back lighting- light from the back.
Caren Shot- used to signify the end of a film.

Camera
Movement
and
Transition
s

Editing

Tracking Shot- it moves on tracks/Dolly Shot- it is mounted on a trolley

Evangelion Shot- it movement begin with an extreme close-up and zooms out
abruptly.
Dissolve- the film seems to dissolve, or fade in the next scene.
Wipe- the scene dissolves and it draws attention to itself.
Cutaway- this happen when the filmmaker moves from the action to something
else, then returns back to the action.
The L Cut- also known as the split edit, the filmmakers usually cuts the picture
frame, in strips but leaves narrow audio track intact.
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
Cut- instantaneous change from one image to another.
Dissolve- slow change from shot to shot, blending two images together.
Defocus- one shot ends out of focus.
Montage- many images are put together to create a single impact.
Zoom in/out- a character photographed in a long shot suddenly is zoomed into
close up or vice versa.
Slow Motion- character seems to move away slowly.
Speed up Motion- characters move fast in jerky sequence.
Metric Montage- images change with the music beat.

Often used to the perspective of a particular character.

This make the audience feel vulnerable and small, by
looking up at the character.
It is the most commonly use angle, for it allows
viewers to feel comfortable with the characters.
It can indicate a split personality or a secret/something
hidden by a character.
It help the scene to look natural.
It creates suspense and danger.
Creates an evil look for the subject or character.
This makes the character look vulnerable.
Creates a sense of depth, produces a halo-like aura.
It is used to achieve the effect of the closing scene by
putting the camera on arcane and moving upwards.
It gives the viewer a detailed tour of the situation.
It creates a blurring effect to emphasize the speed and
size of an object.
This process happens fairly quickly, the viewer is not
aware of the transition.
This is usually happens in silent movies.
They are usually used to edit out boring shots.
The L cut allows viewers to read the emotion on the
listeners face, as the dialogue continues.
It indicates a passage of time or the end of a segment.
It helps the scene move to another scene.
It replaces the image for another.
It gives a sense of emotion.
It allows for you to see several scenes.
It helps to focus on one scene.
It gives the sense of fast motion.