Film Slates
This term refers to each recorded version of a performance from a specific camera setup.
What is a "take"?
Shots like WS, MS, and CU describe this fundamental quality of a shot.
What is: How much of the character and location is seen?
In this angle, the camera is leveled with the character’s eyes.
What is Eye-Level?
This shot shows one character in the frame, focusing attention solely on them.
What is a Single Shot?
The collection of all the different angles filmed for the same scene is called this.
What is Coverage?
Clapping the sticks softly is done when the slate is positioned very close to an actor, to not startle or disturb them as they prepare for the scene.
What is "soft sticks"?
This shot shows the character’s face and head filling most of the frame.
What is a Close-Up (CU)?
When the camera looks up at the subject, it makes them appear powerful.
What is a Low Angle?
A shot taken from behind someone’s shoulder, often used in conversational scenes.
What is an Over The Shoulder (OTS) Shot?
If you want more options in the edit, you do this — filming the same moment from multiple angles.
What is "covering the scene"?
This is the main purpose of a film slate.
What is: to identify and organize footage?
This shot frames a character from about the waist up, showing setting and emotion.
What is: a Medium Shot (MS)?
This angle goes from above, making the subject look small or vulnerable.
What is a High Angle?
This shot lets us “see what the character sees.”
What is a Point of View (POV) Shot?
This shot helps editors establish location and context at the start of a sequence.
What is a Wide Shot?
When the slate is shown at the beginning of a take and the clapper is snapped, that snap helps editors do this.
What is: sync audio and video?
Called FS, this wide shot has the subject’s whole body filling most of the frame.
What is a Full Shot?
The camera is placed directly in front of the subject for a flat view.
What is "Frontal"?
Close-ups focused on objects important to the story are called this.
What is an Insert Shot?
A shot when there are two characters in the frame. This shot lets you see the orientation, meaning where they stand, and the interaction between the two characters.
What is a "Two-Shot"?
If a slate is recorded at the end of a take instead of the beginning, it is called this.
What is a tail slate?
This very wide shot shows a lot of space around characters, making them look small.
What is an Extreme Long Shot (ELS)?
This angle shows only the side profile of the subject’s face.
What is "Profile"?
This shot type cuts away from the main action to show detail or environment.
What is a Cutaway Shot?
The camera physically moves or changes position during this kind shot. There are many different types of these shots.
What is a "dynamic shot"?