Chapter 1 Motion Picture Language 37Glossary
Axis – In fi lmmaking, “the axis” is an imaginary line perceived between two
or more characters in a scene used for purposes of continuity editing.
Background – In relation to the depth of space depicted in the frame, the
background is made up of the visible elements (people, spatial elements,
walls, and so forth) that are the farthest from the camera.
Close shot (CS) – Shot of a subject’s face and upper body in which the lower
frame line crosses the person’s chest.
Composition – Th e arrangement of visual elements in a motion picture frame. Th is
includes all people, objects, settings, and other visuals as they are seen in terms
of width, height, and depth, and as they move in the space of the screen.
Computer-generated imagery – Also known as CGI, this term refers to moving
images created by the manipulation of digital information generated using
computer graphics programs.
Continuity editing – Th e cutting and arrangement of shots designed to make
sequences feel continuous in time and space.
Crane shot – A shot in which the camera is mounted on a device that raises
or lowers the camera signifi cantly, such as a crane or a jib arm.
Dissolve – A transition between two shots or sequences whereby the fi rst
gradually fades out as the second fades in with some overlap.
Dolly shot – A shot in which the camera is on a moving device, such as a
dolly with wheels, either independently mobile or on tracks. If the camera is
moving on a dolly mounted on tracks, it is oft en called a tracking shot.
Editing – Th e process of selecting and cutting shots (separating them and
altering their length), then moving them and determining their proper
arrangement in sequences.
Extreme close-up (ECU) – A shot that features a portion or very close view of
a subject, such as a detail of a face or a small object.
Fade in – An image gradually appearing from a black or monochromatic
screen or other image.
Fade out – Process in which an image gradually fades away to a black or
monochromatic screen or other image.
Feature – A motion picture intended as a prime attraction for theatrical distribution
(as opposed to short fi lms or media for other formats, such as television or the
Internet), generally from eighty minutes to three hours in length.
Focus pull – A change in the distance at which the image is sharp during a
shot, which can be done manually on the lens, through the camera, or by a
remote device.
Footage – Th is term can refer to: (1) the numerical measurement of fi lm in
feet or time; (2) the length of moving images recorded by a camera, in an
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