Camera techniques
This type of camera shot captures a character from the waist up, focusing on their body language and facial expressions.
Medium shot
This is when an actor uses their face to show how their character feels
Facial expressions
This type of sound is recorded during filming, directly from the scene being shot.
Diagetic sound
This editing technique is used to create the illusion of continuous time, even if shots are filmed out of order.
Continuity editing
This lighting style creates sharp contrasts between light and dark, often used in film noir.
Low-lit lighting
This camera angle is often used to make the subject appear small or vulnerable.
High angle
The way an actor moves to show how their character is feeling or acting.
Body language
Music or sounds that characters cannot hear but are added for the audience’s emotional response.
Non-diegetic sound
A transition where one shot fades out as another shot fades in.
Dissolve
The technique of illuminating a subject from behind, creating a silhouette.
A smooth, horizontal movement of the camera from left to right or vice versa.
Pan
When an actor changes their voice to sound happy, sad, or excited.
Tone or vocal inflection
A character's inner thoughts, shared with the audience through this technique.
Voiceover
This type of cut takes the audience from one place or time to another instantaneously.
Jump cut
The lighting setup that uses three sources—key light, fill light, and backlight—to create balanced illumination.
Three-point lighting
A rapid sequence of images shown in quick succession to indicate urgency or chaos.
Fast zoom or crash zoom
This acting technique is when an actor pauses or waits before speaking, making a scene more dramatic.
Pause
The ambient sounds in a scene, such as birds chirping or traffic noise, that add realism.
Background sound
An editing technique used to show two events happening at the same time in different places.
Cross-cutting or parallel editing
Bright, even lighting without shadows, often used in comedies or romance films.
High-key lighting
This shot moves towards or away from the subject, giving the impression of advancing or retreating.
Dolly shot
This technique is when an actor subtly reacts to another character’s dialogue or actions, adding depth to their performance without speaking.
This sound effect is used to emphasize a particular moment, often for dramatic or comic effect.
Stinger or sound cue
When scenes are assembled in an order that creates meaning beyond what is shown in each shot.
Montage
Lighting from below that creates eerie or unnatural shadows on a subject's face.