Important Film-Making Definitions

Depth of Field

The additional that comes in focus when a lens is focused on a single plane of depth. The more the iris of the lens is closed, the greater the depth of field

Edit

Editing refers to the process where shots are sorted, arranged or cut to produce the finished product

Fade

Fading of a shot could either be in or out. A “fade-in” refers to the transition whereby an image goes from black and slowly begins to become brighter and more visible. A “fade-out” is the transition whereby an image goes from being bright but slowly begins to become darker until the screen/image is blackened

Frame

A frame is an image or series of images on film.

Head Room

The head room is the space between the top of the actor’s head and the top of the frame. Think of a picture you might take with a camera where you cut the person’s head of accidentally. Head Room in a film is important for this same reason.

Master Shot

The master shot is a wide shot that includes the whole scene in one shot. Once the master shot is taken, close-ups are then filmed.

Outtakes

Outtakes, as the name implies, are the scenes which are taken out in the final editing process.

Pan

Pan refers to the horizontal shift of the camera from left to right, as in “pan to the left”.

Rough cut

The rough cut is a film that has been edited but has not been completed as a final cut.

Scene

A scene is a single shot or several shots

Take

A take is the segment in which a scene is performed, as in “Take 1!”