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A guide to key filmic terms
Location, set design, costume and props
All help to establish and reinforce character and plot. Often referred to as mise en scène.
Location
Where the scene is taking place.
This may be an interior or exterior location, or a studio set designed to replicate a location.
Set design
How the scene is designed in accordance with
the story and themes.
Whether on location or in a studio, decisions will be made about what props, costume, colours
and lighting are appropriate for how the scene should look. Also, the set will be designed to
establish time and place.
Props
Visual aids to enhance storytelling or clues to
help develop the plot.
Props include a variety of things so they can be categorised as follows:
Hand props: items that are handled by the actor. Examples might be a cup of tea or a gun.
Costume props: items that are handled by the actor associated with their costume. Examples
of costume props are hats, bags and umbrellas.
Set props: items used to dress the set. Examples of set props are furniture, pictures and
curtains.
Lighting and Colour
Lighting and colour can be used as visual tools to create meaning, and to create a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. Both help to
establish mood and atmosphere and can highlight and define certain objects and characters to code a story.
Types of lighting
Different light sources and positioning create
different effects.
Key light: this is the main source of light that will ensure the subject of the shot is lit, usually
from the front.
Back light: a light source positioned behind the subject. Used without a key light, this creates
a silhouette, shrouding the subject in darkness for dramatic effect.
Fill light: to fill in other parts of the shot with light as appropriate, usually from a side angle.
Source light: lighting that is visible in the shot, like a window or lamp.
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A guide to key filmic terms
Contrast range
The range of lighting in a shot can be altered
for effect.
High key: full use of key, back and fill light to create a flat, even range of light with little use of
shadows or depth. For example, a Hollywood musical utilises this type of lighting.
Low key: noticeable contrast between light and dark, shadows and light. Creates depth in a
shot. Commonly this will be achieved by using key light and little use of back and fill light. Film
Noir is a classic example of this lighting.
Colour temperature
Combined with the quality of light in the scene,
colour temperature can establish a tone
of either warmth or coldness. This is done
by using light filters, diffusers and different
coloured gels fixed over the camera lens.
Warm colours such as red and amber often provide an image or shot with a sense of warmth,
with blues and greys used to create a sense of coldness. The colour temperature will not
always be consciously noticed by viewers making it an effective tool for creating mood,
atmosphere and to code a story so that it has greater dramatic clarity.
Colour palette
The predominant colour scheme. Used for
dramatic and emotional effect as well as story
and character definition.
Colours are often used for their associations. Darker colours like red and black suggest
passion, danger and evil; lighter colours like white suggest purity and innocence, while
historical films might use a brown, yellow or sepia colour palette. The colour palette will be
emphasised through costume, set design, location, lighting and temperature.
Sound
Everything that can be heard in a scene.
Music
Music is used to create a number of effects,
usually emotion, drama and story coding.
Music can:
•	determine the mood or genre of a film
•	build up or release tension
•	change the emotional or physical status of a character
•	smooth out transitions in the edit to allow a film to flow/link the scenes together
•	highlight or code a theme or message
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A guide to key filmic terms
Dialogue
The words spoken by the characters within the
scene.
Dialogue can be scripted or improvised and is spoken by the characters. Dialogue can be
used to establish character definition and relationships, and to provide plot information and
back-story.
Voiceover
When the story is narrated over the image.
This is when an omniscient narrator or a character is heard talking over the images you are
seeing on the screen. Voiceovers are often used to provide back-story and either a subjective
or objective perspective of the story as it unfolds.
Diegetic/non-diegetic sound
Where the sound comes from.
Diegetic sound comes from within the film (the diegesis). It is implied by the action in the
scene or storyline. Diegetic sound is most commonly the voices of the characters speaking
or the sound made by movements and objects either seen or implied in the film. Another term
used for diegetic sound is actual sound.
Example of diegetic sound: music heard coming from a radio that can be seen on the screen.
Non-diegetic sound comes from a source that is not visible to the audience. This is most
commonly sound effects, music and voiceover. Another term used for non-diegetic sound is
commentary sound.
Example of non-diegetic sound: music played over a scene for effect that does not have a
source within the film.
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Editing
The changing shots within a scene. The speed at which this happens will help to establish tone and mood. For instance, a screen car chase
might feature fast-paced editing, with short takes and frequent cutting to convey drama and excitement. A countryside picnic scene, on the
other hand, might be slow-paced, featuring long takes and infrequent cutting, to establish a relaxed mood.
Continuity editing
The matching of shots to create the illusion of
linear time and space. This allows the action
to flow smoothly and seamlessly so that the
viewer will not notice the transition between
shots.
Shot/reverse shot: a shot is immediately reversed to give the effect of continuous, linear
action. Example: if there is a shot of character one talking to someone off-screen, the shot is
then reversed to show character two talking to someone off-screen. Because the shots are
reversed they are standing in opposite positions creating the illusion that the two characters
are having a conversation.
180-degree rule (or, crossing the line): the camera must always film on the same 180
degree ‘axis of action’ to allow for continuity. Example: If a footballer is running towards his
goal to the right and then the shot changes and ‘crosses the line’ to film from the opposite
angle, he is now seen running to the left. This makes the viewer confused as to which way he
is actually running.
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Non-continuity editing
When shots are mismatched to disrupt linear
time and space. This will often confuse or
disturb the illusion of ‘reality’ on the screen by
drawing attention to the process of cutting.
Jump cut: two different camera angles, or shots, of the same subject edited together. The
subject is not in the same position as in the previous shot, so they appear to have jumped.
This can disrupt linear time, as it will appear like there is a period of time missing between the
two shots.
Cross-cutting: cutting between various shots of action in different settings/locations, creating
the effect that they are happening at the same time. This is often used to create suspense.
Montage: shots from a variety of different locations, settings, or time periods in the film,
edited into one short sequence. A common use of montage is to convey a passage of time, for
example, to show a character growing older, or to summarise a sequence of events during a
flashback.
Flashback/forward: a shot or scene inserted into the narrative that takes
the viewer out of the current point in film time, and into another. Often
used to recount events, fill in back-story, or represent events that are yet
to come in the narrative.
Other cut types
These are various cutting techniques, often
signalling the end of one scene and the
beginning of the next.
Dissolve: a gradual scene transition where the end of one shot overlaps with the beginning of
the next shot.
Wipe: a line or bar visible on screen that pushes away the current shot and pulls in the next
shot.
Fade shots: Often referred to as fade-ins or fade-outs. A fade-in starts from a black screen,
as the shot gradually gets lighter. A fade-out ends with the screen gradually fading to black.
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Camera Technique
How the camera is positioned and how each shot is composed and set up.
Position and Framing
How the camera is positioned in relation to the
subject or action. Framing is the process of
deciding what will be seen within the frame.
Long shots: used to show background and establish space and setting.
Mid shots: used to show the torso and some background. Often used in scenes of
conversation.
Close-ups: show the head and shoulders, and allows the audience to engage emotionally
with a character. Used to convey expression or draw attention to an object.
Point-of-view: the camera allows us to adopt a character’s viewpoint (see what they are
seeing) and thus sympathise with their perspective of events.
Establishing shots: often the first shot you see in a film or a new scene. These are often
long shots or wide-angled to establish to the audience the location and setting.
Aerial shots: are extreme high angle shots often filmed from a helicopter or a crane. These
not only establish the location and surroundings but can also give the effect of the character
being small and vulnerable.
Movement
The camera’s movement can be used to follow
the action or convey a mood or viewpoint.
Panning: the camera moves slowly across from side to side on a fixed axis.
Tracking shots: when the camera follows the action, moving along tracks laid for that
purpose, often pulling backwards from a scene.
Tilt shots: the camera moves up and down from a fixed axis.
Crane shots: the camera, mounted on a crane, moves around at a distance above ground
level.
Hand-held: the camera is not positioned on a tripod or a fixed axis. The ‘shaky’ nature of this
is often used to suggest greater authenticity, or to convey realism.
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Angle Low angle: when the camera is anywhere below the eye line and is positioned pointing
upwards. This is commonly used to convey a sense of inferiority from the camera’s
perspective, making the subject appear more powerful.
High angle: when the camera is positioned above the eye line and is pointing downwards at
the subject. In contrast, this gives a superior perspective with the subject seeming smaller or
less powerful.
Canted angle: where the camera is positioned so it is not level with the horizon. Canted shots
are used to create an effect of uneasiness with the viewers and to also allow the tension to
build.
Animation and Visual Effects
Moving images created from sequences made up of 2D or 3D artwork, computer graphics or models. Many films now feature a combination of
both animation and live action.
Hand-drawn animation Traditional animation created from thousands of still drawings put together in sequence to
form moving images.
Stop motion Photographing real-life objects, with incremental changes made from one frame to the next to
create the illusion of movement.
Computer generated imaging (CGI) The art of creating moving images with the use of computer technology. CGI can be used to
create isolated effects, characters or backgrounds within a film; it can also be used to create a
film in its entirety.
CGI includes motion capture, a technique where actors wear specially designed suits that
capture their movements and facial expression. This ‘animation data’ is then used as the basis
for creating and animating a computer-generated model.
Rotoscope Animators trace over live-action movement, frame by frame, resulting in a hand-drawn effect,
sometimes with the original film footage visible behind.