CONCEPTS / CONCEPTOS / KONZEPTE / CONCEPTS / CONCETTI

TRANSLATED / TRADUCIDO / ÜBERSETZT / TRADUIT / TRADOTTO

2/S: Two shot; shot of two characters.

Action code: Pattern of characters that provides the viewer with information through actions.

Analog sound: Sound recorded on magnetic tapes.

Axis: Imaginary line between the different characters in a scene.

Back lighting: Light directly from behind; part of three-point lighting.

BCU: Extreme Close Up; shot of the head or part of the head.

Body mice: See channels.

Breakdown Meeting: Meeting of heads towards the end of the pre-production period where plans are discussed scene by scene.

Cash flow schedule: Calendar on which the financial transactions for a production are planned.

Casting: Testing and selecting actors.

Connotation: Unintended psychological connotation of a sign.

Connotation code: Pattern of characters that provides information to the viewer through connotation.

Crane: Crane on which the camera is moved; term indicating that the camera is moving diagonally.

CU: Close up; shot of the head and shoulders.

Cultural code: Pattern of characters that provides the viewer with information based on cultural connotations.

DAT recorder: digital audio tapes; recording equipment.

Day For Night: Effect that makes daytime images with filters look like nighttime.

Decoupage: Dividing a scenario into shots.

Denotation: Intended psychological meaning of a sign.

Deep focus: Wide depth of field.

Goal: That which a character wants to achieve.

Dolly: Rails on which the camera is moved; term to indicate that the camera is moving horizontally.

Three-point lighting: Standard technique for illuminating a scene, with light from the left, right and back.

Dutch angle: Shot from an intentionally skewed angle.

Enigma Code: Narrative structure that drives the plot; based on a pattern of dramatic questions.

Establishing shot: See WS. F-stops: Unit in which the opening of the iris is measured.

Fill light: See fill light. First Assistant Director: See Recording Director.

Front lighting: Light directly from the front.

Physical Meaning: That which a sign is literally.

Gaffer: Head of the light team. Lined Script: Scenario in which lines indicate which portion of a scene will be filmed by a camera angle.

Sound Blankets: Pieces of cloth that dampen sound.

Greenlight: The moment when it is definitively certain that a film will be made.

Guide track: Audio tape under a film that is used as a guide for sound post-processing.

Handheld: Camera is operated manually.

Heads: Head of a department on a movie set.

High angle: Camera films the character from above eye level.

High-key: Variation on three-point lighting with strong fill light.

Main light: Dominant light in a shot; coming from a motivated source; part of three-point lighting.

Ins: Insert; close-up of an object in the place of the face.

Iris: Hole in the camera that lets light through on the film

Key light: See main light. Color Temperature: Heat that radiates light; measured in degrees Kelvin.

Lecture: Moment during rehearsals where the actors read the scenario aloud together.

Site Manager: Person who manages the site on behalf of the production.

Location Scout: Person looking for locations for a movie. Low angle: Camera is below eye level.

Low-key: Variation on three-point lighting with strong main light and back lighting.

LS: Long shot; full body shot. Master shot: See WS. MCU: Medium close-up; shot of the head.

Metaphorical Meaning: Psychological meaning of a sign based on an equation.

Metonymic meaning: Psychological meaning of a sign based on an association.

Mise-en-scene: The way in which actors relate to each other and their environment in a scene.

MLS: Medium long shot; shot to the knees.

Mood board: Board on which the production designer gives an impression of the atmosphere he wants to evoke in a film by means of a collation of images, sketches and colors.

MS: Mid shot or medium shot; shot to the waist.

ND filters: Filter that dims the amount of light entering the lens.

Non-actors: Actors with no experience or professional training who are cast based on their similarities to the character.

Normal lens: Lens that creates an image similar to the human eye.

O/S: Over the shoulder; shot that is rotated over the character's shoulder.

Omni Microphone: Microphone that records sound over a wide area.

Shooting director: Person with practical guidance on a film set.

Shooting Schedule: Scheduling the order in which scenes of a movie are recorded.

Fill light: Light in the shot intended to soften the main light.

Pan: Camera moves sideways from fixed point.

POV: Point of view; shot from a character's perspective.

Property master: Manager of the props on set.

Props: See props. Psychological Meaning: Meaning