Filmic tropes and language

Shorthand expressions that are used when creating a film:

Distances:

XLS – extreme long shot (establishing shot). A shot in which the scale of the object shown is very small; a landscaper a cityscape, or a crowd. Such an image is often used as an establishing shot.

VLS – very long shot. Shows a lot of scenery and location, however a character is now a little bit more visible.

LS – long shot. A shot that shows a character in his or her entirety, filling most of the frame.

MLS – medium long shot. The shot that shows character from the knees upwards.  

MS – mid shot. Shows the character from the waist up.

   

MSCU – medium close up. Shows a character from the chest upwards.

CU – close up. A shot in which the head of a person, or the entirety of a small object is shown.

   

BCU – big close up. A shot, where characters top of the head and bottom of the chin are cut.

    

ECU – extreme close up shots. A shot that shows only a small portion or detail of a character’s body (eyes, ears, mouth) or a tiny object. 

   

POV’S – point of view:

·       1^st person perspective – looking directly through somebody’s eyes

·       3^rd person perspective – over the shoulder shot

Camera movements:

TILT – using a camera on a tripod, the camera moves up and down to follow the action.

PAN – A shot taken when the camera stays in one place (on a tripod, for example) but rotates or swivels horizontally.

TRACKING –  A shot taken from a moving dolly (a platform on a set of wheels) that follows the subject. 

      

Camera angles:

High camera angle – makes the subject look weak and vulnerable

Low camera angle – makes the subject look important and powerful

Medium camera angle – camera placed at same height as the subject (eye level)

Transitions:

DISSOLVE - a transition between two shots, where one shot fades away and simultaneously another shot fades in.    

FADE – a transition from a shot to black where the image gradually becomes darker is Fade Out; or from black were the image gradually becomes brighter is a Fade In.

   

JUMPSCUT - A rapid, jerky transition from one frame to the next, either disrupting the flow of time or movement within a scene or making an abrupt transition from one scene to another.