Framing
This type of shot is often used to establish the setting of a scene or to show isolation or loneliness. The camera is far from the subject.
What is an extreme wide shot or establishing shot?
This rule is best explained by dividing the frame into three equal parts horizontally and three equal parts vertically.
What is the rule of thirds?
This type of movement is typically used with a static subject or scene and moves toward or away from the subject or scene.
What is a dolly shot?
This term refers to the point of view held by the focal point of the camera when it is positioned for shooting.
What is camera angle?
Rather than simply telling the audience where a new scene is taking place, a film maker will use this to show us the setting.
What is an establishing shot?
When a film maker wants to show an emotion or specific detail, they will have the camera show only part of a subject's face such as they eyes or mouth in this type of shot.
What is an extreme close-up?
This compositional technique draws the viewers' attention by using light to show a subject against an otherwise dark background, or color to show a subject against an otherwise colorless background, for example.
What is contrast?
This is when the camera appears to follow the subject. The camera might move in the same direction as the subject while filming the subject from the side.
What is a tracking shot?
This term is used to describe the area covered in the viewfinder of the camera.
What is camera framing or field of view?
In order to show that one character has power or dominance over another, this type of angled shot is often used.
What is a high angle shot?
This type of shot is often used to show dialogue between two characters and focuses specifically on the face of one character while only showing the edge of the other character's head and/or shoulder.
What is an over the shoulder shot?
Wes Anderson is arguably best known for using this compositional technique often in his films
What is symmetry?
When a character turns their head to the right or left or if they look up or down in a close up shot, these types of camera movement are often used to show us what the character is looking at.
What are pan and tilt?
This term refers to the arrangement of all the elements of a shot in relation to the frame
What is composition?
When a filmmaker wants to show us a subject's focus, make a character appear pinned down, or perhaps show us that a character is taking a new path, this compositional tool can be used by having lines converge on the focus of the subject, converge on the subject, or highlight the subject but converge away from them respectively.
What are leading lines?
This is when a whole scene (or movie!) is filmed without cutting the camera.
What is a one shot (or one-er)
This compositional rule says that an object or subject that takes up the most space in a shot is the most important element in the shot.
What is size equals power?
This type of camera movement gives the illusion of movement by adjusting the focal length of a shot.
What is zoom?
When we talk about a story structure that usually involves an introduction to a situation, a series of events and a conclusion, we use this term.
What is narrative?
This compositional tool can be used to show a character feeling confused or disoriented within a scene.
What is a dutch angle or canted angle?
This type of shot is favored in westerns for showing a subject from just below the waist to the head.
What is a cowboy shot or two shot?
This rule is "disorienting" when you break it
What is the 180 degree rule?
Also known as the Vertigo Effect, this shot involves a continuous perspective distortion, the most directly noticeable feature being that the background appears to change size relative to the subject.
What is dolly zoom?
This is the overall, general depiction of the entire filming sequence showing the artistic choices for camera angle, camera movement and framing, drawn on paper.
What is a storyboard?
When a character feels as though they have nowhere to go and they are trapped, a filmmaker will often reduce or remove this from the composition.
What is leading room?