Film Terms

1. Film Terms Using Abbreviations for Taking Notes

2. Close-up (cu) • Focuses on a character’s face or an object • In the case of a face, most of the face is shown • Helps convey character’s reaction to a situation Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

3. Extreme close-up (ecu) • Shows a detail close-up, such as a tear in an eye • Makes the object or facial very obvious Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

4. Medium shot (ms) • Between a close-up and a full shot, showing most but not all of a figure or several objects in close proximity • Can show part of a person’s body against a backdrop, showing some props in the frame with the character Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

5. Full or long shot (fs) • Reveals a character’s entire body in the frame • Can show more than one character • Will show some background behind the character • Could be a shot without characters if just part of a setting is shown in closer range than in an extreme long shot would show Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

6. Three-quarter shot (3/4s) • Shows only about three-quarters of the characters’ bodies • Is somewhere between a full shot and a medium shot Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

7. Pan shot (ps) • The point of view pivots from the left to the right, or vice versa, but without changing its vertical axis • The shot continues without a cut to show additional people or objects in the scene with the camera pivoting to capture additional details • The camera is usually affixed to a tripod and pivots to show more of the action Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

8. Shot/reverse shot pattern (r/rs) • S/rs gives both characters’ views in conversation scenes • The camera shows the face of one person talking and then shifts to show the face of the other person when he or she starts talking Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

9. Cut (ct) • The film changes from one image to another • In most contemporary films, a straight cut is used • “Editing continuity” makes consecutive cuts seem seamless so viewers do not notice a change Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

10. Long take (lt) • The camera stays on one action without cutting for an unusually long time Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

11. Crane shot (crs) • The point of view is from above, often of an outdoor scene shown from high above • The camera is mounted on a crane above the scene to capture the expanse Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

12. Tracking shot (ts) • The entire point of view moves, on tracks or a dolly, following, for instance, a walking figure • The direction that the camera tracks can be indicated by using an arrow Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

13. Low angle (la) • The point of view is low, tilted upward • The exact angle can be made clear by using arrows when taking notes • There are numerous reasons for using a la, including trying to make a character look powerful or domineering Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3

14. High angle (ha) • The point of view is above, tilted downward • The exact angle can be made clear by using arrows when taking notes • A ha can make a character look small and inferior Notes taken from A Short Guide to Writing About Film, Carrigan, Chapter 3