Huffman HUM130 Cinematic terms assignment Please look up the following terms, either on the internet or in a book, and provide concise definitions. Aerial view shot  A shot taken from an airborne device, generally while moving. Backlighting (lighting design) The main source of light is behind the subject, silhouetting it, and directed toward the camera. Ambient sound Ambient sound (AKA ambient audio, ambience, atmosphere, atmos or backgroundnoise) means the background sounds which are present in a scene or location. Common ambient sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic, etc. Ambient sound is very important in video and film work. Asynchronous sound are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen. Such sounds are included so as to provide an appropriate emotional nuance, and they may also add to the realism of the film. Axis of action also commonly referred to as the "180° line," is an imaginary line which defines the spatial relations of all the elements of a scene, correlating them to the right or left. The camera is not supposed to cross the axis at a cut, as that would reverse those specific spatial relations. Backlight Illumination from behind Bird’s eye view shot A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object from above, with a perspective as though the observer were a bird, often used in the making of blueprints, floor plans, and maps. It can be an aerial photograph, but also a drawing. Closed frame "Closed frames refer to shots that do not acknowledge or require the existence of off-screen space to convey their narrative meaning, since all the information necessary for this purpose is contained within the edges of theframe Cover shot  a wide-angle photographic shot including a whole scene. Crane shot In filmmaking and video production, a crane shot is a shot taken by a camera on a moving crane or jib. Crosscutting Alternating (one sequence) with another when editing a movie. Cut In the post-production process of film editing and video editing, a cut is an abrupt, but usually trivial film transition from one sequence to another. It is synonymous with the term edit, though "edit" can imply any number of transitions or effects. The cut, dissolve and wipe serve as the three primary transitions. Deep-focus cinematography Deep focus is a photographic and cinematographic technique using a large depth of field. Depth of field is the front-to-back range of focus in an image — that is, how much of it appears sharp and clear. In deep focusthe foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus. Deep-space composition a significant distance seems to separate planes Depth of field In optics, particularly as it relates to film and photography, depth of field (DOF), also called focus range or effective focus range, is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image. Diegesis a narrative or plot, typically in a movie. Diegetic element An elem ...

1. Huffman
HUM130
Cinematic terms assignment
Please look up the following terms, either on the internet or in a
book, and provide concise definitions.
Aerial view shot
A shot taken from an airborne device, generally while moving.
Backlighting (lighting design) The main source of light is
behind the subject, silhouetting it, and directed toward the
camera.
Ambient sound
Ambient sound (AKA ambient audio, ambience, atmosphere,
atmos or backgroundnoise) means the background sounds which
are present in a scene or location. Common ambient
sounds include wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises, traffic,
etc. Ambient sound is very important in video and film work.
Asynchronous sound
are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen.
Such sounds are included so as to provide an appropriate
emotional nuance, and they may also add to the realism of the
film.
Axis of action
also commonly referred to as the "180° line," is an imaginary
line which defines the spatial relations of all the elements of a
scene, correlating them to the right or left. The camera is not
supposed to cross the axis at a cut, as that would reverse those
specific spatial relations.
Backlight
Illumination from behind
Bird’s eye view shot
A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object from above,
with a perspective as though the observer were a bird, often

2. used in the making of blueprints, floor plans, and maps. It can
be an aerial photograph, but also a drawing.
Closed frame
"Closed frames refer to shots that do not acknowledge or
require the existence of off-screen space to convey their
narrative meaning, since all the information necessary for this
purpose is contained within the edges of theframe
Cover shot
a wide-angle photographic shot including a whole scene.
Crane shot
In filmmaking and video production, a crane shot is a shot taken
by a camera on a moving crane or jib.
Crosscutting
Alternating (one sequence) with another when editing a movie.
Cut
In the post-production process of film editing and video editing,
a cut is an abrupt, but usually trivial film transition from one
sequence to another. It is synonymous with the term edit,
though "edit" can imply any number of transitions or effects.
The cut, dissolve and wipe serve as the three primary
transitions.
Deep-focus cinematography
Deep focus is a photographic and cinematographic technique
using a large depth of field. Depth of field is the front-to-back
range of focus in an image — that is, how much of it appears
sharp and clear. In deep focusthe foreground, middle-ground
and background are all in focus.
Deep-space composition
a significant distance seems to separate planes
Depth of field
In optics, particularly as it relates to film and photography,
depth of field (DOF), also called focus range or effective focus
range, is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in
a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image.
Diegesis

3. a narrative or plot, typically in a movie.
Diegetic element
An element of the plot or narrative
Discontinuity editing
Discontinuous editing is a unique editing style in film that is
antithetical to that of normal cinema, or continuous editing. In a
discontinuous sequence, the filmmaker will deliberately use an
arrangement of shots that seem out of place or confusing
relative to a traditional narrative.
Dissolve
In the post-production process of film editing and video editing,
a dissolve is a gradual transition from one image to another.
Dolly in
A dolly in moves the shot in using a camera dolly
Dolly out
A dolly out moves the shot out using a camera dolly
Dolly shot
A camera dolly is a wheeled cart or similar device used in
filmmaking and television production to create smooth
horizontal camera movements. The camera is mounted to the
dolly and the camera operator and focus puller or camera
assistant usually ride on the dolly to push the dolly back and
forth.
Down shot
Locked-Down Shot. A shot where the camera is fixed in one
position while the action continues off-screen
Dutch-angle shot
The Dutch angle, also known as Dutch tilt, canted angle, or
oblique angle, is a type of camera shot where the camera is set
at an angle on its roll axis so that the shot is composed with
vertical lines at an angle to the side of the frame, or so that the
horizon line of the shot is not parallel with the bottom
Establishing shot
In film, a camera shot that establishes a scene, often as a long
shot. This is a common maneuver at the beginning of
Hollywood films, especially if the setting plays a significant

4. role
Extreme close up
Extreme Close Up (ECU, XCU) The ECU (also known as XCU)
gets right in and shows extreme detail. You would normally
need a specific reason to get this close. It is too close to show
general reactions or emotion except in very dramatic scenes. A
variation of this shot is the choker.
Extreme long shot
In film, a view of a scene that is shot from a considerable
distance, so that people appear as indistinct shapes. An extreme
long shot is a view from an even greater distance, in which
people appear as small dots in the landscape if at all (eg. a shot
of New York's skyline).
Eye level shot
An eyelevel angle is the one in which the camera is placed at
the subject's height, so if the actor is looking at the lens, he
wouldn't have to look up or down. Eyelevel shots are incredibly
common because they are neutral.
Eye-line match cut
An eyeline match is a film editing technique associated with the
continuity editing system. It is based on the premise that an
audience will want to see what the character on-screen is
seeing.
Fade in/out
The terms fade-out (also called fade to black) and fade-in are
used to describe a transition to and from a blank image. This is
in contrast to a cut where there is no such transition.
Fill light
In television, film, stage, or photographic lighting, a fill light
(often simply fill) may be used to reduce the contrast of a scene
to match the dynamic range of the recording media and record
the same amount of detail typically seen by eye in average
lighting and considered normal.
First person narration
First Person Narrator: Definition. First person narrative is a
point of view (who is telling a story) where the story is narrated

5. by one character at a time. This character may be speaking
about him or herself or sharing events that he or she is
experiencing.
Focal length
Without getting too technical, focal length can be defined as the
distance between the optical center of the lens and the image
plane (the sensor or film) when the lens is focused at infinity.
Focal length is typically measured in millimeters, and is the
primary defining trait of a lens.
Frame
In filmmaking, video production, animation, and related fields,
a frame is one of the many still images which compose the
complete moving picture. ... The term may also be used more
generally as a noun or verb to refer to the edges of the image as
seen in a camera viewfinder or projected on a screen.
Full body shot
A type of long shot which includes the human body in full, with
the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom.
High angle shot. A shot in which the subject is photographed
from above.
Group point of view
The point of view of multiple characters or people
High angle shot
A high-angle shot is a cinematic technique where the camera
looks down on the subject from a high angle and the point of
focus often gets "swallowed up." High-angle shots can make the
subject seem vulnerable or powerless when applied with the
correct mood, setting, and effects.
High key lighting
High-key lighting is a style of lighting for film, television, or
photography that aims to reduce the lighting ratio present in the
scene. This was originally done partly for technological
reasons, since early film and television did not deal well with
high contrast ratios, but now is used to suggest an upbeat mood.
Intercutting
alternate (scenes or shots) with contrasting scenes or shots to

6. make one composite scene in a film.
Iris shot
An iris shot is a technique frequently used in silent film in
which a black circle closes to end a scene. ... Some non-silent
era slapstick comedy, such as that of Red Skelton, Benny Hill,
and Warner Bros.' Road Runner cartoons, employ the iris shot
as an homage to the silent film era.
Jump cut
an abrupt transition from one scene to another.
Key light
the main source of light in a photograph or film.
Lap dissolve
a fade-out of a scene in a movie that overlaps with a fade-in of
a new scene, so that one appears to dissolve into the other.
Lighting ration
Lighting ratio in photography refers to the comparison of key
light (the main source of light from which shadows fall) to the
fill light (the light that fills in the shadow areas).
Long focal length lends
The focal length of the lens is the distance between the lens and
the image sensor when the subject is in focus, usually stated in
millimeters (e.g., 28 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm). In the case of
zoom lenses, both the minimum and maximum focal lengths are
stated, for example 18–55 mm.
Long shot
a venture or guess that has only the slightest chance of
succeeding or being accurate.
Long take
In filmmaking, a long take is a shot lasting much longer than
the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films
in general. Significant camera movement and elaborate blocking
are often elements in long takes, but not necessarily so.
Low angle shot
In cinematography, a low-angle shot, is a shot from a camera
angle positioned low on the vertical axis, anywhere below the
eye line, looking up. Sometimes, it is even directly below the

7. subject's feet. Psychologically, the effect of the low-angle shot
is that it makes the subject look strong and powerful.
Master shot
A master shot is a film recording of an entire dramatized scene,
from start to finish, from an angle that keeps all the players in
view. It is often a long shot and can sometimes perform a
double function as an establishing shot.
Match cut
Match cuts are any cuts that emphasizes spatio-temporal
continuity and it is the basis for continuity editing. ... It is a cut
within a scene that makes sense spatially. This can be between
two different objects, two different spaces, or two different
compositions in which an object in two shots graphically match.
Medium close up
Between a close up and a mid shot. Of a person, this camera
shot shows from the mid-chest up to the top of the head.
Medium long shot
Also known as a three-quarters shot. Frames the whole subject
from the knees up. An intermediate shot between the long shot
and the medium shot. Shows the subject in relation to the
surroundings. May be used when you have 2 or 3 persons in the
frame
Medium shot
In film, a medium shot, mid shot (MS), or waist shot is a
camera angle shot from a medium distance.
Middle focal length lens
When parallel rays of light strike a lens focused at infinity, they
converge to a point called the focal point. The focal length of
the lens is then defined as the distance from the middle of the
lens to its focal point.
Mise-en-scène
the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play.
the setting or surroundings of an event or action.
Montage
the process or technique of selecting, editing, and piecing

8. together separate sections of film to form a continuous whole.
Narration
the action or process of narrating a story.
"the style of narration in the novel"
a commentary delivered to accompany a movie, broadcast, etc.
Narrative
a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
Narrator
a person who narrates something, especially a character who
recounts the events of a novel or narrative poem.
Nondiegetic element
These terms are most commonly used in reference to sound in a
film, but can apply to other elements. For example, an insert
shot that depicts something that is neither taking place in the
world of the film, nor is seen, imagined, or thought by a
character, is a non-diegetic insert.
Oblique angle shot
oblique angle. noun. An angle, such as an acute or obtuse angle,
that is not a right angle or a multiple of a right angle. oblique
angle. Angles 1 and 2 are oblique
Omniscient point of view
Third person omniscient is a point of view where the narrator
knows all the thoughts, actions, and feelings of all characters.
The author may move from character to character to show how
each one contributes to the plot.
180 degree rule
The 180 degree rule is a cinematography guideline that states
that two characters in a scene should maintain the same
left/right relationship to one another. When the camera passes
over the invisible axis connecting the two subjects, it is called
crossing the line and the shot becomes what is called a reverse
angle.
Onscreen space
Offscreen space is space in the diegesis that is not physically

9. present in the frame. The viewer becomes aware of something
outside of the frame through either a character's response to a
person, thing, or event offscreen, or offscreen sound.
Pan shot
to photograph or televise while rotating a camera on its vertical
or horizontal axis in order to keep a moving person or object in
view or allow the film to record a panorama : to pan from one
end of the playing field to the other during the opening of the
football game. 2.
Parallel editing
Parallel editing (cross cutting) is the technique of alternating
two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in
different locations. If the scenes are simultaneous, they
occasionally culminate in a single place, where the relevant
parties confront each other.
Point of view
(in fictional writing) the narrator's position in relation to the
story being told.
Point of view editing
See point of view
Rack focus
A rack focus in filmmaking and television production is the
practice of changing the focus of the lens during a shot. The
term can refer to small or large changes of focus. If the focus is
shallow, then the technique becomes more noticeable.
Reverse angle shot
a shot that views the action from the opposite side of the
previous shot, as during a conversation between two actors,
giving the effect of looking from one actor to the other. Expand.
Also called reverse angle shot. Origin of reverse shot.
Rule of thirds
The rule of thirds is applied by aligning a subject with the guide
lines and their intersection points, placing the horizon on the
top or bottom line, or allowing linear features in the image to
flow from section to section.
Shooting angle

10. a picture taken with the camera pointed at an angle from the
horizontal.
Short focal length lens
Lens focal length is the most important characteristic of a lens.
One of the prime advantages of a single. ... Lenses of short
focal length are also called wide-angle or sometimes wide-field
lenses, which describes their most important feature they view a
wider angle of a scene than normal.
Shot
In filmmaking and video production, a shot is a series of
frames, that runs for an uninterrupted period of time. Film shots
are an essential aspect of a movie where angles, transitions and
cuts are used to further express emotion, ideas and movement.
Shot/reverse shot
Shot reverse shot (or shot/countershot) is a film technique
where one character is shown looking at another character
(often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking
back at the first character.
Single character’s point of view
The point of view from a single character’s perspective
Take
In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a
particular shot or "setup". Takes of each shot are generally
numbered starting with "take one" and the number of each
successive take is increased (with the director calling for "take
two" or "take eighteen") until the filming of the shot is
completed.
Three point system
Three-point lighting is a standard method used in visual media
such as theatre, video, film, still photography and computer-
generated imagery.
Tilt shot
Tilting is a cinematographic technique in which the camera
stays in a fixed position but rotates up/down in a vertical plane.
Tilting the camera results in a motion similar to someone
raising or lowering their head to look up or down.

11. Two shot
A two shot is a type of shot in which the frame encompasses a
view of two people (the subjects). The subjects do not have to
be next to each other, and there are many common two-shots
which have one subject in the foreground and the other subject
in the background. It is very useful if the film is about two
people.
Voice over narration
the voice of an unseen narrator speaking (as in a motion picture
or television commercial) b : the voice of a visible character (as
in a motion picture) expressing unspoken thoughts.