directing and acting
The director tells the actors where to stand, when to move and where to enter or leave the frame.
block the actors
Two shots are gradually mixed or visually combined so that one image changes into another.
blend two shots
The cinematographer moves from showing the whole environment to showing a character's face in much greater detail.
build from a wide shot to a close-up
The sound engineer makes the music, dialogue and other audio elements fit together at appropriate volume levels.
balance the soundtrack
The filmmaker combines physical effects created on set with effects added digitally in post-production.
blend practical and digital effects
Before shooting, the director decides where the actors, camera and important objects will be positioned during the scene.
block the scene
An editor uses a shot or sound to connect one scene to the next, making the transition feel natural.
bridge two scenes
The cinematographer arranges people and objects so that the image feels visually stable rather than too heavy on one side.
balance the frame
The sound engineer increases the volume of a character's voice so that the audience can hear the words more clearly.
boost the dialogue
The filmmakers use an additional recording of events occurring in the background to make the world of the film feel more active and three-dimensional.
background action creates depth
A good director gives an actor enough freedom and direction to make the performance stronger and more convincing.
bring out an actor’s performance
a character holds a cup in one shot and the cup suddenly disappears in the next.
break continuity
The cinematographer directs a lamp towards a wall, ceiling or reflector so that the light returns softly onto the subject.
bounce light off a surface
The editor increases or decreases the volume of a particular sound.
bring the sound up/down
The writers give the audience information about a character's past, often through what the character says.
backstory revealed through dialogue
An actor uses voice, gestures, movement and emotion to make a fictional person seem like a real human being.
bring a character to life
The editor deliberately divides a long series of actions into smaller sections, perhaps using cuts, inserts or another visual device.
break up a sequence
The exposure is so high that the brightest parts of the image lose detail and become almost completely white.
blow out the highlights
The dialogue is technically present in the soundtrack, but music, effects or ambience are so loud that the audience struggles to understand what the characters are saying.
bury the dialogue in the mix
The filmmakers organise the dramatic action so that everything gradually leads to the most important or emotionally intense moment.
build towards a climax
an actor speask directly to the viewer, destroying the invisible barrier between film and audience.
break the fourth wall
secondary footage cut in over your main recording
B-roll
The main camera shoots the principal action, while another camera simultaneously records the same scene from another position.
B-camera captures a different angle
The sound of traffic, wind, rain, distant voices or other environmental noises helps establish the mood of a location.
background sound adds atmosphere
A film deliberately makes viewers question whether what they are watching is actually happening or is part of the fictional world.
blur the line between reality and fiction