Film techniques

 
Provided in this list of film techniques is a categorised (and then alphabetised) list of techniques used in film (motion pictures).

Contents

Camera view, angle, movement, shot

Aerial shot
American shot
Bird's eye shot
Close up
Crane shot
Dolly shot
Dutch angle
Establishing shot
"Evangelion" shot
Follow shot
Forced perspective
Video frame
Freeze frame shot
Full shot
Head-on shot
High-angle shot
Long shot
Low-angle shot
Master shot
Medium shot
Pan shot
Point of view shot
Reaction shot
Sequence shot
Shot
Shot reverse shot
Talking head
Tracking shot
Trunk shot
Two Shot
Vertigo shot
Whip pan

Lighting technique and aesthetics

Background lighting
Cameo lighting
Fill light
High-key lighting
Key lighting
Mood lighting
Pool hall lighting
Rembrandt lighting
Stage lighting
Soft light

Editing and transitional devices

  • A Roll
    B Roll
    A and B editing
    Cross cutting
    Cutaway
    Cut in
    Cut out
    Dissolve
  • Editing
  • Establishing shot
    Fast cutting
    Hairy Arm
    Insert
    Jump cut
    Keying
    L cut ("split edit")
    Master shot
    Match cut
  • Montage
  • Point of view shot
    Screen direction
    Sequence shot
    Slow cutting
    Split screen
    SMPTE time code
    Shot reverse shot
    Talking head
  • Wipe
    • Clock wipe
      Heart wipe
      Matrix wipe
      Star wipe

Special effects (FX)

Other

Film stock
Movie projector
Widescreen

See also

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