Cinema Glossary

Art and set of techniques for creating works from moving images, usually accompanied by sound, and presenting them to an audience.

Audiovisual work conceived as a unit, whether shot on film stock or produced digitally.

Film of less than 60 minutes in the general CNC classification in France; festival criteria may differ.

Common designation for a film of intermediate duration between short and feature, without a standalone CNC category.

Film of at least 60 minutes in the general CNC classification in France; other bodies may use different thresholds.

Sequence of titles identifying the film and its contributors, placed at the beginning, the end or both.

Text presented between images or on a dedicated card, historically important in silent cinema for dialogue and indications.

Introductory segment preparing the stakes or the world before the main development of the story.

Concluding segment after the main resolution, showing a consequence or providing a final perspective.

Individual still image forming part of the moving image sequence on film or in a video file.

Portion of film recorded or presented as a continuous unit of images between two cuts; the term may also refer to a framing scale.

Recording of a given execution of a shot; several takes can be made to obtain the desired result.

Dramatic unit occurring within a relatively continuous place and time; it may include several shots.

Set of shots or scenes forming a narrative or expressive unit; its scope depends on the film's breakdown.

Shot long enough to develop a complete action or dramatic unit without a visible cut.

Limits of the image that determine what the camera shows and what it excludes.

Portion of space represented within the frame.

Part of the filmed universe lying beyond the visible edges of the frame, but possibly suggested by action, gaze or sound.

Shot taken from an axis opposite or complementary to a previous shot, often in a conversation.

Editing pattern alternating complementary views, typically of two characters in conversation.

Partially visible element in the foreground that helps locate the eye; in film, also refers to the leader at the head or tail of a reel.

Organization of characters, volumes, lines, colors and movements within a frame.

Expressive organization of actors, movements, sets, props, costumes, light and space in front of and for the camera.

Position from which a situation is given to be perceived; it may belong to a character's gaze or to the narrative construction.

Framing that approximates the character's point of view, without covering every aspect of narrative viewpoint.

Shot that is not presented explicitly as a character's subjective view.

World to which the characters and events of the fiction belong, including those that remain off-screen.

Classification of framings by how much of the body or setting is visible, from extreme wide to extreme close-up.

Direction in which the camera points at the subject; crossing the axis changes spatial relationships on screen.

Orientation of the camera's view relative to the subject — eye level, high angle or low angle, among others.

Extent of the scene perceived as acceptably sharp, between a near limit and a far limit.

Impression of distance and space built through perspective, relative sizes, sharpness, light and arrangement of subjects.

Visual, sound or narrative link ensuring the relation between two shots; the word also refers to the consistency of details from one take to another.

Consistency of actions, positions, props, axes and references from one shot to another within a scene.

Narrative leap that omits a stretch of time or action without necessarily recounting it.

Recurring shape, color, gesture or object that acquires expressive value over the course of the film.

Starting point of a project, before it is developed into story, characters and scenes.

Very brief presentation highlighting a film's situation, protagonist, stakes and singularity.

One- or two-sentence formulation of a story's central dramatic premise.

Narrative summary of a film's essential events, more or less detailed depending on the professional use.

Prose document developing a story, its characters and progression before the full screenplay is written.

Document ordering and summarizing a story's sequences before dialogue writing.

Reference text presenting scenes, actions and dialogue for the production of a film.

Version of the script detailing the scenes in order, with action descriptions and dialogue.

Passage that provides necessary information about the world, the characters or the initial situation.

Provision of the information needed to understand the story, distributed through action or dialogue.

Event that disturbs the initial situation and sets the story in motion.

Result a character seeks to obtain and which organizes their choices in the action.

What characters risk gaining, losing or transforming over the course of the story.

Opposition between desires, characters, constraints or values that produces narrative tension.

Difficulty opposed to a character's goal, capable of transforming their decisions.

Evolution of a character through the narrative — moral, emotional or behavioral.

Organized chain of actions and causal relations composing a story.

Secondary narrative line that accompanies or contrasts with the main plot.

Major division of a dramatic structure, defined by its function and turning points rather than by a fixed duration.

Event that significantly changes the story's direction and opens a new dramatic stage.

Moment of maximum tension or decisive confrontation in the dramatic progression.

Part where the story's major conflicts are resolved or reconfigured.

Conclusion that deliberately leaves a significant share of events or their meaning unresolved.

Revelation or event that significantly changes the interpretation of what came before.

Tense anticipation tied to a danger, a decision or an outcome still uncertain.

Effect produced by an event the viewer was not prepared for.

Situation in which the viewer possesses decisive information that a character ignores.

Clue placed earlier to discreetly or overtly set up a later event.

Return or resolution of an element prepared earlier in the narrative.

Object or objective that sets the plot in motion while potentially being of little intrinsic importance to the film's meaning.

Clue designed to temporarily steer the viewer's interpretation in the wrong direction.

Narrative return showing events prior to the story's current point.

Narrative anticipation showing an event located after the present moment of the story.

Narration that does not present events in chronological order.

Narrating instance whose statements or perceptions must be questioned by the viewer.

Instance that narrates or verbally organizes events; it is not necessarily the author nor the voice-over.

Convention separating the world of the fiction from the audience; breaking it means explicitly addressing or acknowledging the viewer.

Intentions, emotions or ideas suggested beneath the explicit words and actions of a scene.

Verbal exchange between characters as planned in the script, before interpretation and recording.

Extended utterance by a single character, addressed to someone else, to themselves or to the viewer.

Translation of an existing work into cinema with choices specific to the new medium.

New production of a previous film, distinct from a restoration or a re-edit of that film.

Restart of a universe or franchise redefining all or part of its continuity.

Work telling events that take place before those of an already released film.

Work continuing a story or universe after a previous film, not necessarily fully chronologically later.

Film centered on a character, location or aspect of an already established universe.

Project maturation phase: writing, research, initial financing and preparation for production.

Text in which the filmmaker sets out their approach to story, image, sound and artistic choices.

Document gathering the rules of a universe, characters and reference material for a project, notably a series or franchise.

Documents presenting a project's concept, vision, proposed team and sometimes visual references.

Assembly of images, colors and textures intended to share an aesthetic direction.

Series of drawings previsualizing the shots, their framings and sometimes their movements.

Storyboard assembled as video with timings, simple motion and optional sound, used to test a scene's pacing.

Shot-by-shot description of the shooting intentions: framing, axis, movement and relevant requirements.

Operational inventory of the shots to be filmed, often with priorities and equipment indications.

Visit and assessment of potential locations with regard to creative, technical, logistical needs and authorizations.

Scene-by-scene analysis of the script to inventory characters, sets, costumes, props, effects and constraints.

Sheet grouping the elements needed to prepare a given scene.

Shooting calendar distributing scenes across locations, availabilities and production constraints.

Daily document listing schedules, calls, locations, planned scenes, weather and useful contacts.

Meeting between department heads to resolve practical constraints and coordinate intentions.

Process of searching for and selecting performers for the roles of a film.

Session used to evaluate an interpretation or performance proposal for a role.

Recording testing a performer, makeup, costume or visual setup under filming conditions.

Group reading of the script to test the dialogue, pacing and relationships between characters.

Prior work on movement, text, performance and coordination before recording a take.

Organization of the positions and movements of performers and their relationship to the camera.

Digital or filmed simulation of a scene before shooting, common for complex sequences and visual effects.

Technical preparation computing positions, lenses, dimensions or camera paths from a previsualization.

Test to verify the appearance, hold and compatibility of makeup with lighting, wardrobe and shooting conditions.

Filmed comparison of the rendering of several lenses: sharpness, contrast, distortion, flares and depth of field.

Structured estimate of costs across development, prep, shoot, post-production and delivery.

Overall chronology of the film's stages, milestones and resources.

Authorization required to film in certain locations or under certain conditions; its nature depends on the regulations and the site.

Very wide framing situating a location and its spatial relationships, in which characters may occupy only a small part.

Wide view presenting characters and environment in a single composition; usages vary by school.

Intermediate framing showing part of the set while giving more presence to the characters.

Framing in which the character is generally visible from head to toe.

Framing of a character from roughly head to mid-thigh, historically associated with the western.

Framing of a character roughly from head to calves; a denomination less systematically used.

Framing of a character approximately from the waist up.

Framing of a character approximately from the chest up.

Framing that isolates a face or important detail to focus attention.

Very tight framing on a detail; more broadly, an insert is a shot inserted to show a specific element.

Close view of an object or body part with informational or expressive value.

Shot inserted in the edit to show a detail or secondary action, hide a cut or provide context.

Shot showing how a character reacts to a line of dialogue or an event.

View that geographically situates a scene or clarifies the spatial relations between its elements.

Take covering the entire action of a scene, used as a possible editing base.

Set of complementary shots filmed to allow multiple editing options in post.

Framing including two characters in the same image.

Framing past a shoulder or head in the foreground to show the interlocutor or action.

Framing in which a subject looks directly into the lens, by staging choice or by accident.

Angle in which the camera looks down at the subject from an elevated position.

Angle in which the camera looks up at the subject from a low position.

Shot aimed vertically downward at the ground, above the subject.

Shot aimed vertically upward from below the subject.

Framing with a deliberately canted horizon achieved by rotating the camera around its optical axis.

Camera placement approximately at a character's eye height.

Composition guide dividing the image into three horizontal and vertical bands to place visual elements.

Image directions that lead the eye toward one or several points of perspective convergence.

Relatively empty area around a subject, used for balance, anticipation or compositional meaning.

Balanced and mirrored arrangement of elements around an axis in the image.

Use of an inner frame — such as a door or a window — to frame a subject inside the image.

Relation of visibility and contrast between the main subject and what surrounds it.

Direct gaze addressed to the lens, capable of producing complicity, confrontation or a break of convention.

Main body of the camera that accepts the lens, captures or advances the image and manages recording parameters.

Photosensitive electronic surface that converts incoming light into a digital signal.

Charge-coupled device: an electronic sensor technology used in many historic cameras.

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor: an addressable-pixel sensor technology widely used in contemporary digital cameras.

Optical assembly that forms the image on the sensor or film.

Focal distance of a lens, expressed in millimeters, which together with the capture format determines the angle of view.

Lens providing a wide angle of view for a given capture format.

Long-focal-length lens providing a narrow angle of view and magnifying subjects in frame.

Lens whose focal length does not vary during use.

Variable-focal-length lens allowing framing to change without physically moving the camera.

Setting of the lens opening size, which influences the amount of light and depth of field.

Ratio between focal length and the diameter of the entrance pupil; a smaller number corresponds to a wider aperture.

Aperture rating accounting for the light actually transmitted by the lens, useful to match multiple optics.

Shortest distance at which a lens can render a sharp image of the subject.

Adjustment determining the distance at which the subject appears sharp.

Deliberate shift of focus from one subject or depth plane to another during a take.

Focus distance that, for a given aperture and circle of confusion, extends depth of field to infinity.

Aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas, linked notably to lens design and aperture.

Apparent variation of framing when the focus distance is changed.

Geometric deformation produced by a lens, for example barrel or pincushion distortion.

Color fringing caused by different wavelengths of light focusing at different distances.

Stray reflections and veiling glare — sometimes used aesthetically — caused by strong light sources inside the lens.

Progressive darkening of the corners of an image, optical in origin or added in post.

Sensitivity index or setting used to determine exposure and signal amplification according to the capture system.

Amount of light received by the sensitive surface, determined by aperture, shutter speed and illumination.

Capture insufficiently exposed relative to intent, resulting in dark areas and sometimes loss of detail.

Capture excessively exposed relative to intent, possibly clipping highlights.

Tolerance of a stock or sensor to exposure variations while preserving a usable image.

Range of luminance levels that a device can record or display with usable detail.

Device or setting determining the duration during which each frame receives light.

Way of expressing per-frame exposure time in degrees, inherited from the rotary shutter of film cameras.

Line-by-line sensor readout that can distort fast subjects or movements.

Capture mode that exposes or reads pixels within a common time window, limiting rolling-shutter distortions.

Filter that reduces the amount of light without altering color, used to control exposure and aperture.

Filter that reduces certain reflections and modifies saturation or the appearance of the sky depending on the light orientation.

Optical accessory that softens local contrast, highlights or detail.

Device placed in front of the lens holding filters and limiting stray light.

Display used to evaluate framing, sharpness, exposure and image rendering on set.

Instrument showing the distribution of video signal levels to help set exposure and contrast.

Display mode that encodes brightness levels using colors to quickly identify exposure zones.

Graph showing the distribution of pixels by their brightness or color values.

Assist pattern overlaid on areas reaching a defined luminance threshold.

Rotation of the camera on its vertical axis, left to right or right to left, without moving its position.

Rotation of the camera on its horizontal axis, looking up or down without moving its pivot.

Physical displacement of the camera in space — forward, backward or laterally.

Camera movement toward the subject, capable of changing the depth relationships in the image.

Camera movement away from the subject, widening the visible spatial relations.

Sideways translation of the camera following a subject or exploring a set.

Move in which the camera travels in an arc around a subject.

Combination of a camera move and an opposite zoom producing a perceptible change of perspective with the subject's size remaining relatively constant.

Change of focal length modifying the angle of view without necessarily moving the camera.

Particularly fast focal-length change used to grab attention abruptly.

Very fast horizontal rotation creating motion blur, sometimes used as a transition.

Shot made with a camera supported directly by the operator, allowing more or less organic movement to show through.

Configuration where the camera body rests on the operator's shoulder for mobility.

Shot made without intentional camera movement or rotation during the take.

Camera attached to a vehicle, object or body to record from its motion.

Mechanically stabilized body-worn system allowing smooth camera moves; Steadicam is a brand name.

Motorized multi-axis support that compensates certain camera rotations during movement.

Cart that allows controlled camera movement, on wheels or on tracks.

Elements forming a regular path intended for the movement of a camera dolly.

Device lifting and moving the camera along three-dimensional trajectories.

Small crane or counterweighted arm used for vertical and arc-shaped camera moves.

Motorized support that remotely controls camera orientation and sometimes settings.

Robotic system capable of precisely reproducing a camera move for multiple takes or composite effects.

Harness fixing the camera to a performer's body so they remain stable in frame while the background moves.

Remotely piloted aircraft carrying a camera for aerial shots, subject to applicable regulations.

Small portable rail on which a camera can perform limited translational moves.

Mount allowing a camera to be fixed to a suitable surface, for example a prepared vehicle.

All the supports, mounts and devices used to move and stabilize the camera; "grip" can also refer to the professionals handling them.

Design and supervision of the lighting and photographic aesthetic, in collaboration with the director and other departments.

Artistic and technical head of the image — lighting, exposure, camera and lens choices.

Device or natural element emitting the light that illuminates the set or the subject.

Light from natural sources — primarily the sun and the sky — direct or reflected.

Light already present at a location, used without systematically adding artificial lighting.

Source that primarily structures the lighting of a subject and establishes the dominant direction.

Light used to reduce or control the shadows created by the key light.

Light placed behind the subject relative to the camera, used to rim or silhouette.

Light producing a luminous outline along the edges of a subject.

Common method combining key light, fill and back light to shape the subject.

Lighting aesthetic favoring dark areas and pronounced contrast; it is not simply underexposure.

Aesthetic with extended lighting and rather moderate contrast, associated with many bright moods.

Lighting producing sharp-edged shadows, typically from an apparently small source.

Lighting producing gradual transitions between light and shadow, typically from an apparently large source.

Material placed in front of a light source to spread or soften its output.

Surface that bounces light toward a subject without itself producing the originating light.

Opaque panel used to cut a portion of a light beam or to cast shadow.

Placement of dark surfaces to reduce bounced light on one side of the subject and increase contrast.

Sheet placed in front of a light to modify its color, diffusion or sometimes intensity.

Quantity expressed in kelvins characterizing the warmer or cooler appearance of a light source.

Adjustment or processing that interprets a reference light as neutral and balances the colors.

Conventional measure of how faithfully a light source renders colors under defined conditions.

Fixture using a concentric-ring lens to direct an adjustable beam.

Light source made of light-emitting diodes, often adjustable in intensity and sometimes in color.

Family of discharge lamps used to obtain powerful lighting close to certain daylight color temperatures.

Lamp visible on camera and integrated into the set, sometimes reinforced by off-camera lighting.

Lighting designed to appear to come from a plausible source within the scene.

Difference in luminance between areas of a scene or a face, used to shape the image.

Ratio between the luminance levels of chosen areas, for example between the lit and shadow side of a face.

Predefined transformation of colorimetric values used to view, convert or stylize an image; it does not replace full color grading.

Coherent set of choices in exposure, contrast, color, texture and light giving a work its visual identity.

Phase during which the images and sounds planned for the film are recorded.

Working space in which a team prepares and shoots takes.

Script indication specifying that a scene takes place indoors.

Script indication specifying that a scene takes place outdoors.

Script or call sheet indications describing the time of a scene, without imposing the actual shooting time.

Technique of filming by day while seeking a nocturnal appearance through light, exposure and grading.

Board identifying scene, shot and take, and providing a sync reference between image and sound.

Clapperboard displaying or receiving a timecode to ease media identification and synchronization.

Verbal statement of the shot and take identifiers, usually given alongside the clapper.

Cue to start the recording devices in certain on-set protocols.

Cue that starts performance or movement at the beginning of a take.

Cue signaling the end of the take and the expected stop of recording according to the team's protocol.

Take deemed usable or preferred by the director, without prejudging final selection in the edit.

Additional recording kept as an alternative in case the chosen take proves problematic.

Targeted re-shoot of a fragment of performance or action rather than of the whole scene.

New execution of an already shot take to correct or modify its result.

Additional shooting of a scene or shots already recorded, often decided after evaluation of the footage.

Detail shot recorded separately to complete or clarify a scene.

Maintained consistency of gestures, positions and intentions from one take to another.

Consistency of the direction of gazes between shots in order to clarify relations between characters and objects.

Convention keeping the camera axes on the same side of an axis of action to preserve screen direction of gazes and movement.

Guideline inviting a sufficient change of angle on the same subject to avoid an unintentional jump cut in editing.

Person responsible for continuity tracking, timing and information about takes useful to editing.

Document recording notably shots, takes, continuity and notes for the crew and post-production.

System allowing images captured by the camera to be viewed on monitors during the shoot.

Video monitoring station where the director and certain departments view the on-set image.

Area gathering monitors and the people watching the take at a distance from the camera.

Technician who organizes the offloading, copying and verification of recorded media according to the shoot's workflow.

Specialist in the on-set digital imaging chain, contributing notably to monitoring, on-set grading and media management.

Data copy verified, ideally by checksum comparison, to reduce the risk of corruption or loss.

Log of shooting information, media, settings and notes used to locate recorded material.

Person leading the artistic design and execution of the film, coordinating performance and staging in particular.

Person or entity initiating, organizing and assuming the production of a work according to their contractual and financial role.

Producer exercising delegated responsibility for the project's manufacture and execution within the relevant production.

Responsible for the practical and operational execution of a production, depending on usage and contracts; the English sense of "executive producer" can differ.

Responsible for the physical organization, manufacturing budget and operational follow-up of the shoot.

Professional assisting the administrative, logistical and financial preparation and follow-up of a project.

Coordinates the operational preparation and running of the set, notably calls and adherence to the shooting schedule.

Supports the practical coordination of crews and performers, notably calls and logistics.

Organizes the logistics of locations, transport, facilities and practical needs of the shoot.

Assists the location manager in carrying out and coordinating logistical tasks.

Searches for, proposes and organizes the selection of performers with the director and production.

Designs and supervises the material universe of the sets — their construction, transformation or adaptation.

Selects and arranges furniture and decorative elements in keeping with the art direction.

Prepares, sources and tracks the objects handled or used in scenes, including their continuity matches.

Designs or supervises the characters' clothing, its making, upkeep and continuity.

Designs and leads the makeup work, from natural looks to complex transformations depending on the project.

Supervises hairstyles and wigs, and their continuity between takes.

Handles the camera and composes the frame during the take under agreed artistic direction.

Primarily handles focus and contributes to camera preparation and technical support.

Handles camera equipment management, media changes and often slate identification.

Coordinates the crews and equipment needed to support and move the camera.

Head of the lighting electrical crew, executing the Director of Photography's lighting choices.

Member of the lighting crew in charge of installing, adjusting and ensuring the safety of light sources.

Responsible for sound capture on set and for the technical quality of direct recordings.

Technician who positions and moves a microphone on a pole to capture voices and sounds outside the camera frame.

Professional who assembles takes and builds the rhythm, continuity and structure of the film.

Professional who selects, cleans and organizes dialogue, ambiences and sound effects before mixing.

Professional who balances and spatializes the various sound components in the final version.

Specialist who harmonizes and shapes the colorimetric and tonal rendering of shots.

Coordinates the design and execution of visual effects from the set through post-production.

Person who embodies a character on screen — through the voice or through a captured performance.

Person appearing on screen to populate a location or situation without carrying a major individualized dramatic role.

Performer identifiable on screen whose contractual classification depends on professional practice.

Professional who prepares and executes specific physical actions under controlled safety conditions.

Person who temporarily replaces a performer for an action, presence or shooting need.

Person who substitutes for a performer to set up lighting and framing before the actor arrives.

Professional supporting the preparation or interpretation of a role according to the production's needs.

Person who prepares and oversees intimate scenes in consultation with the team and performers.

Coordination of the film's visual choices — sets, objects, materials and sometimes costumes — within the responsibilities defined by production.

Real place used as a filming location, interior or exterior.

Environment fabricated or assembled to meet the needs of a scene.

Facility designed to host shoots in a technically controllable environment.

Set of permanent or modular outdoor standing sets owned by a studio.

Shoot in front of a uniform green surface intended to be replaced through keying.

Blue surface filmed to ease background extraction and replacement in post-production.

Large curved or seamless background that gives the impression of a space without visible corners.

Painted or digital image representing all or part of an environment, integrated with live action or animation.

Object handled by a performer during the action and subject to continuity constraints.

Object installed to compose the environment without necessarily being handled in the action.

Installation of objects, textiles and details that give the set its personality and believability.

Tracking of wardrobe and its condition to keep consistency between out-of-order takes.

Transformation of the face or body using applied pieces, foams, silicones or appropriate materials.

Mechanized character or element capable of controlled physical movement on set.

Effect achieved physically during the shoot — rain, smoke, mechanism, controlled explosion, etc.

Supervised professional use of fire or explosion effects on a shoot.

Practical effect using smoke, haze, dust or rain to alter the appearance of the filmed space.

Reduced or physical reproduction of a set or object filmed to represent an element difficult to build full size.

Arrangement of subjects at different distances to create deceptive proportions in the image.

Projection of an image behind the actors to simulate an environment during the shoot.

Array of LED display surfaces showing an environment synchronized with the camera, used to film subjects against a virtual set.

Visual effect achieved or finalized directly in the captured image, rather than only created after the shoot.

Recording of voices and noises during the shoot, synchronized or synchronizable with picture.

Sound whose timing corresponds to the action or image being recorded.

Reference recording used to ease synchronization or editing, not necessarily kept in the final mix.

Rod holding a microphone near the source while keeping it out of frame.

Highly directional microphone used to isolate a sound source in the direction it is pointed.

Small microphone placed on wardrobe or body, often concealed, used to record dialogue.

Microphone-transmitter and receiver set transmitting audio without a cable linking the performer to the recorder.

Protection that reduces wind effect on a microphone, from foam to synthetic fur systems.

Recording of a location's sound without main action, used to reconstruct or match its atmosphere in the edit.

Sound recorded independently of the main image, intended to complete the soundtrack.

Cue asking to limit background noise during a sound take.

Words of the characters captured on set or reconstructed in post-production.

Re-recording of dialogue in studio while synchronizing it to the visible lips or gestures on screen.

Replacement of original voices by an interpretation recorded in another language or for another need.

Voice heard without its speaking source being visible in frame; its source may or may not belong to the diegesis.

Vocal narration superimposed on the images, often external to the depicted scene; terminology varies.

Sound emitted by a source visible on screen at the moment it is heard.

Sound from the represented universe whose source lies outside the frame.

Sound that does not belong to the characters' world, such as comment music not heard by them.

Sound whose source belongs to the world of the story, whether shown on screen or not.

Sound crossing a cut to link two shots or two scenes and prepare a transition.

Added or processed sound representing an action, object or phenomenon.

Synchronized recreation of action, footstep and prop sounds, usually performed to picture in post-production.

Creation of a film's sonic identity through the choice, transformation and organization of sounds.

All the sound elements of a work: voices, noises, ambiences, effects and music.

Music composed specifically for a film; "bande originale" may also refer to the album of music and songs.

Track already composed and integrated into the film after obtaining the necessary rights for the use.

Recurring musical motif associated with a character, idea, place or situation.

Provisional music placed in the edit to test pacing or guide the final composition.

Working meeting determining the points in the film that will receive specific music or sound treatments.

Sound version containing music and effects without the main dialogue, used notably for dubbing.

Separate sub-mixes of the final mix, e.g. dialogue, music and effects, delivered to ease adaptations and versions.

Balancing and processing of dialogue, music and effects to obtain a coherent soundtrack.

Distribution of sound across several playback channels, such as 5.1 or 7.1.

Delivery format that may combine channels and sound objects carrying spatial metadata.

Standardized measure of perceived sound level over time, used to control deliverables.

Digital reference combining hours, minutes, seconds and frames to precisely identify a moment in media.

Time alignment of sound tracks and images of the same take or scene.

Selection, organization and adjustment of takes to build the story, its associations of ideas and the film's rhythm.

Viewing and sorting of recorded takes to identify usable material.

Raw images and sounds from the shoot, before selection and final editing.

Storage area for clips, sounds and other media within an editing system.

Lighter working copy of a source media, used to ease editing and later relinked to the originals.

Input and preparation of media into an editing environment — copying, verification and logging according to the workflow.

Correct matching of images with their corresponding sound tracks using timecode, slate or waveform.

Chronological representation of the tracks and clips of an editing project.

First approximate assembly of takes in narrative order, before refining cuts and pacing.

Already structured but still provisional edit, leaving major changes open.

Edit whose shot choices, cuts and pacing are nearly final, awaiting final sign-off.

Validation of shot durations and positions, used as a stable reference for further sound and picture work.

Immediate transition from one shot to another, without a gradual effect.

Edit creating a perceptible temporal or spatial break, often between two similar framings of the same subject.

Transition based on a similarity of shape, movement or composition between two shots.

Cut made on a movement to preserve its fluidity or to connect two camera positions.

Maintenance or controlled transformation of a subject's direction of travel between two shots.

Consistency of the placement of subjects or objects from one shot to the next.

Consistency or intentional evolution of lighting between shots of the same situation.

Continuity of tones or intentional colorimetric change between adjacent shots.

Link ensuring the continuity of an ambience, a line of dialogue or a sound event between images.

Edit in which the audio of the following shot starts before its picture appears.

Edit in which the audio of the previous shot continues after the next picture has begun.

Transition that gradually darkens the image to black; the reverse is a fade up from black.

Transition in which two images progressively overlap, one replacing the other.

Transition in which one shot reveals or pushes out another along a moving boundary.

Transition that opens or closes the image through a circular shape or other evolving mask.

Simultaneous presentation of several images in distinct portions of the frame.

Visible overlapping of several images within the same shot or as a transition effect.

Alternation between several actions often close in time that may converge narratively.

Relation of two image series to create comparison, opposition or resonance, without requiring simultaneity.

Assembly that omits intermediate durations or actions to accelerate the narrative.

Approach to cuts and spatial organization that minimizes the viewer's attention to the editing itself.

Juxtaposition of images evoking a new idea through their relation rather than literal continuity.

Organization of durations and cuts according to a deliberate visual or sound cadence.

Editing approach based primarily on the measurable duration of shots, notably in certain Soviet theories.

Phenomenon by which the meaning attributed to a face or image depends strongly on the surrounding shots.

Condensed series of shots that summarizes an evolution, a learning or a passage of time.

Sustained still image held within the running film.

Playback of an action at an apparent speed slower than its real-time unfolding.

Playback of an action at an apparent speed faster than its real-time unfolding.

Recording of images at spaced intervals to condense long phenomena on playback.

Progressive or segmented variation of playback speed within a single shot.

Playback of a shot in the reverse temporal order from its recording.

Editing that synchronizes several filmed angles to choose the views within a single continuity.

List describing the essential editing decisions to reconstruct a sequence between compatible systems.

Structured file conveying part of the editing information between software, depending on a given schema and capabilities.

Sequence and media reference exchange format used notably to transfer a timeline to sound post-production.

All steps after the shoot: editing, sound work, visual effects, color grading and creation of final versions.

Reconstruction of the edited sequence with original files and their parameters for finishing.

Finishing on full-quality media, notably conform, retouching and master preparation.

Editing on working — often lightweight — media, before re-cutting with original elements.

Correction, harmonization and stylization of a film's colors and tonal values.

Technical adjustment of balance, exposure and contrast before or during the creation of the final look.

Correction applied to the whole image, as opposed to adjustments on selected areas or colors.

Targeted modification of part of the image using color selections, masks or tracking.

Development of a coherent visual rendering that can guide shooting, effects and final grading.

Set of methods intended to preserve coherent color transforms between sources, software and displays.

Model and reference that defines the representation of colors across capture, post and delivery.

Set of colors that a system or color space can represent.

Transfer function describing how coded values translate into luminance levels, depending on the technical context.

Logarithmic image encoding intended to efficiently distribute a wide range of luminance values.

Capture data kept in a relatively unfinished processing state, offering variable flexibility depending on format and camera.

Recommendation used as a major reference for SDR high-definition television imagery.

Color space widely used for digital cinema projection and certain reference displays.

Recommendation describing notably an extended color space for ultra-high-definition systems.

Image pipeline with standard dynamic range, with defined luminance levels and delivery parameters.

Pipeline enabling, on compatible devices, greater luminance range and levels than usual SDR references.

HDR format notably using a PQ curve, static metadata and a defined colorimetric representation.

Proprietary HDR ecosystem using metadata to adapt rendering to compatible display capabilities.

Standardized HDR transfer curve designed to encode luminance levels in a way suited to human perception.

HDR transfer curve designed notably to ease certain broadcast uses.

Academy Color Encoding System: a color management framework designed to organize color transforms from capture to deliverables.

Input transform translating camera data into a defined working space within a compatible pipeline.

Output transform adapting a working image to the characteristics of a display or delivery medium.

Instruments displaying signal levels and distributions, such as waveform, RGB parade or vectorscope.

Graphic visualizing the chrominance or the hue and saturation relations of a video signal.

Side-by-side display of red, green and blue levels useful for analyzing color casts.

Processing that reduces electronic noise or unwanted grain while limiting loss of detail.

Processing that enhances the perceived sharpness of edges, with a risk of artifacts if excessive.

Random texture characteristic of photographic emulsions, which can also be simulated digitally.

Reference file or set of files from which distribution and archival versions are derived.

Technical verification of deliverables: image, sound, subtitles, synchronization, file integrity and required compliance.

Set of image or sound materials prepared to allow linguistic adaptations without remaking the entire film.

Creation and time-alignment of texts transcribing or translating dialogue and useful information on screen.

Subtitles adapted for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, including depending on format sound and speaker identification.

Narration of essential visual information inserted into available portions of the soundtrack to improve access for blind and partially sighted audiences.

Images or elements created, modified or combined in post-production to achieve results impossible or difficult to capture directly.

Assembly of several image layers into a single visually coherent shot.

Extraction of a defined color, usually green or blue, to isolate a subject and replace the background.

Calculation of a transparency mask based on criteria such as color, luminance or dedicated information.

Per-pixel data representing transparency in compositing operations.

Mask defining a region of an image that is visible, transparent or to be processed.

Manual or assisted cutout of silhouettes and objects in a sequence to produce tracked mattes.

Tracking of positions of points or patterns in the image to attach a graphic element or treatment.

Reconstruction of camera motion and sometimes scene geometry from filmed footage.

Tracking of a surface through its perspective transformations, useful for integrating screens and textures.

Cutting out a subject using animated curves following its contours frame by frame.

Image of a set without the element to be removed or recomposited, used for VFX cleanup.

Base footage shot serving as a support for visual effects integration.

Removal of a cable, object or flaw by retouching and background reconstruction.

Digital removal of cables or rigging devices visible in a shot.

Digital extension of an existing set beyond what was actually built or filmed.

Images generated by computer, in 2D or 3D, integrated into a film or forming its entire image.

Construction of a digital geometric representation of an object, character or environment.

Image or data applied to the surface of a 3D model to define its visual details.

Program or model describing how the appearance of a surface is computed, notably its reactions to light.

Calculation of final images from a virtual scene and its lighting, camera and material parameters.

Render layers separating information such as reflections, shadows or depth to ease compositing.

Image encoding the distance of elements from the camera, usable for depth-based treatments.

Visual trail produced by motion integrated during exposure, or simulated at render time.

Computation of systems made of many elements, used for smoke, dust, sparks or similar phenomena.

Computation of the visual behavior of liquids or gases for animation and effects.

Digital representation of a performer or character used for specific shots or moves.

Procedural or assisted animation of a large number of characters or agents in a shot.

Recording of a subject's movements to drive a digital character or object.

Combined recording of body, face or other performance components to transfer them onto a digital character.

Reconstruction of shapes or surfaces from multiple photographs taken at different angles.

Optical distance measurement used notably to obtain geometric scans of a set.

Use of a real-time engine to previsualize or produce environments, sometimes synchronized with an LED volume.

Cinema whose motion is built through a succession of produced or transformed images rather than the continuous capture of live action.

Frame-by-frame drawn or painted animation, historically on paper then on cels and now also digital.

Creation of movement from graphic elements organized primarily in a two-dimensional space.

Creation of movement from characters and objects defined in a digital three-dimensional space.

Animation achieved by successively photographing physical objects moved between exposures.

Stop-motion animation using malleable characters or objects.

Frame-by-frame animation of real people photographed in successive poses.

Animation of flat shapes that are cut out and moved frame by frame, either physically or digitally.

Animation technique drawing over filmed images used as references for movement or outlines.

Historic transparent sheet on which animated elements are painted to be composited over a background.

Preparation of composition, sets and character placements for each animated shot.

Essential state of a motion or transformation to which intermediate positions are tied.

Frame or pose created between key poses to build the continuity of motion.

Technique of holding a drawing for one or two frames of projection, depending on the chosen frame rate.

Frame-by-frame chart listing drawings, durations, dialogue, movements and production information for an animated sequence.

Reference sheet fixing a character's proportions, expressions and angles for visual consistency.

Conception of a character's visual appearance, from silhouette to expressions and accessories.

Control structure used to animate and deform two-dimensional graphic elements.

Setup of a skeleton and controllers used to deform and animate a digital model.

Binding of a 3D model's geometry to a skeleton so that deformations propagate correctly.

Alternative shape of a model used to interpolate between expressions or transformations.

Adjustment of mouth movements to recorded or planned speech.

Drawing deliberately stretched or distorted in a fast phase to convey motion.

Animation principle consisting of squashing and stretching volumes to suggest mass, flexibility and dynamics.

Preparatory movement that signals or emphasizes the main action to come.

Continuation of certain parts of a character's motion after the main movement has stopped.

Device separating layers of artwork to create depth and parallax effects through their relative movement.

Flexible photosensitive medium on which the images of a film are recorded successively.

Photosensitive layer of film stock whose properties determine speed and grain among other characteristics.

Stock exposed during the shoot, carrying a negative image and serving as the source for further printing or scanning.

Film print intended for theatrical screening with positively rendered colors and values.

Chemical process that reveals and stabilizes the images recorded on the film stock.

Intermediate positive element made from a negative to preserve the original and prepare duplicates.

Intermediate negative element made notably from an interpositive to produce release prints.

Transfer of film images to a video signal, historically using specialized devices.

Frame-by-frame digitization of a film stock for restoration, editing or digital distribution.

Historic film gauge widely used in professional cinema, supporting several image formats.

Narrow-gauge film format widely used in documentary, experimental and some fiction filmmaking.

Variant of 16 mm using a wider image area suited notably to widescreen framings.

Family of small-gauge film formats associated with amateur filmmaking and contemporary artistic practices.

Family of large formats where the camera negative may be 65 mm and certain prints distributed in 70 mm.

Large-format film system using 70 mm stock running horizontally with fifteen perforations per frame.

Number of frames displayed or captured per second; 24 fps is a common cinema rate but not the only one.

Number of frames recorded each second by the camera.

Number of frames displayed each second during playback or projection.

Ratio of an image's width to its height, such as 1.85:1, 2.39:1 or 16:9.

Ratio of approximately four units of width to three of height, historically common.

Widescreen ratio widely used for television, web and digital media.

Widescreen aspect ratio common in theatrical cinema projection.

Very wide ratio common in so-called "scope" theatrical presentations.

Optical horizontal compression of the image at capture, followed by de-squeezing during playback.

Lens using optical elements to produce a squeezed image, with characteristic visual effects.

Version using a taller image area than the originally intended framing, when the capture allows it.

Presentation of a wide image with horizontal bars inside a narrower frame.

Presentation of a narrower image with vertical bars inside a wider frame.

Number of pixels composing a digital image, to be distinguished from its actual sharpness or perceived quality.

Family of digital cinema projection resolutions of approximately 2,000 pixels wide, depending on the container used.

Family of digital cinema projection resolutions of approximately 4,000 pixels wide, distinct from consumer-grade UHD designations.

Consumer video format commonly referring to an image of 3,840 × 2,160 pixels.

Method for encoding and decoding image or audio data, lossy or lossless depending on the technology.

File structure holding encoded tracks and metadata, such as MOV or MP4.

Amount of data used per second to represent a stream, influencing file size and compression constraints.

Data reduction that discards information deemed less necessary to reconstruction.

Data reduction that allows exact reconstruction of the original data.

Reduction of the resolution of chromatic information relative to luminance, e.g. 4:2:2 or 4:2:0.

Number of bits used to encode pixel components, influencing the fineness of possible gradations.

Standardized bundle of files and metadata intended for digital cinema distribution and theatrical projection.

Message containing the information and keys authorizing the playback of an encrypted DCP on a defined device over a defined period.

Projector using digital micro-mirrors to modulate the light and produce the image.

Projection whose light source relies on laser technology, which alone does not define the film format.

Presentation of distinct images to each eye to produce an impression of depth.

Presentation at a frame rate higher than a chosen reference, often above 24 fps in cinema.

Entity that carries the manufacture of a film and brings together the necessary artistic, material and financial resources.

Association of several partners that finance or produce a work under conditions fixed by contract.

Assembly of resources used to develop, prepare, shoot and finish a film.

Financial contribution effectively paid into a production project.

Provision of know-how, services or non-cash resources under defined contractual conditions.

Commitment to acquire broadcast or exploitation rights before the film is finished.

Contractual sum advanced against revenues or for the acquisition of distribution rights, depending on the contract.

All planned or committed expenses to manufacture a film up to agreed deliverables.

Document itemizing expenses line by line, before or during production.

Table of confirmed or pursued financing sources and their allocation.

Expense exceeding the approved or estimated cost for a line item or the whole film.

Schedule of incoming and outgoing funds needed to actually pay production expenses.

Contract covering defined risks during production; coverage and exclusions vary by policy.

Contractual mechanism securing the completion and delivery of a financed work.

Identifiable integration of a brand or product into the work under given editorial and contractual conditions.

Set of rights granted to creators over their works, whose regime and ownership depend on the country and contracts.

Rights that may benefit notably performing artists and producers over given performances or recordings.

Contract transferring or authorizing the exploitation of defined economic rights within agreed limits and conditions.

Agreement reserving, for a defined period, the possibility of acquiring certain adaptation or exploitation rights.

Set of contracts and supporting documents demonstrating that a production holds the rights needed to exploit the work.

Set of prerogatives concerning the use of a person's image, whose application depends on context and applicable law.

Verification and acquisition of the rights needed to use a composition and, when relevant, its recording in a film.

Authorizations to transform and exploit a pre-existing work in a new medium within a defined scope.

Contract defining the rights granted to the distributor, its territories, durations, expenses, revenues and obligations.

Geographic area in which a partner is authorized to exploit the granted rights.

Period or stage during which a given form of distribution is authorized or prioritized by contract or regulation.

Priority recovery of certain advances or expenses from revenues in the order set by contracts.

Recorded income before deduction of defined expenses and levies.

Amounts remaining after the deductions defined by accounting or contractual rules; the definition must be specified.

Compensation based on a defined share of revenues or proceeds under contractual conditions.

Administrative authorization framing the public theatrical exhibition of a film in France, with a classification where applicable.

System assigning age ratings or advisory notices to a work according to the rules of the territory.

Company acquiring or managing rights and organizing the commercial availability of a film in given markets.

Company or organization running screenings and welcoming audiences in one or more cinemas.

Professional selecting the films and screenings offered by a cinema, festival or specialized programming.

Intermediary in charge of commercializing a film's rights in given territories or with given broadcasters.

Professional gathering where sellers, buyers and producers negotiate projects and rights.

Event presenting a selection of films, sometimes in competition, with artistic and professional objectives.

All films chosen by a festival within a defined editorial or competitive framework.

Festival section whose films are eligible for one or more awards according to its rules.

Public or professional showing of a film before its usual release in the territory.

First announced public screening of a film at international level under the event's rules.

Beginning of the commercial run of a film across all or an organized part of a national territory.

Initial distribution on a small number of theaters or geographic areas.

Release of a film on a large number of screens or cinemas in a territory.

Period during which the theatrical window benefits from exclusive treatment defined by applicable contracts or rules.

Organization of the delays before works are made available through their various windows of exploitation in a territory; mechanisms evolve over time.

Measure of a film's theatrical run, expressed by market as revenue or admissions.

Number of tickets sold or attendances counted for a film's screenings.

Amounts collected from cinema ticket sales before distribution among stakeholders.

Proportion of a market attributed to a film, company or category over a defined period and indicator.

Ratio of occupied seats to available seats for given screenings.

Screening of a film or program at a given time in a theater or other venue.

Category of theaters and film recommendations supported in France under the schemes and criteria of the CNC.

Expression denoting a more autonomous production or distribution relative to the major studios or groups, under variable criteria.

Cinema complex with several auditoriums, generally aimed at frequent and varied programming.

Programming that highlights catalogue films, classics and works already in release.

Presentation keeping the original voices and adding subtitles in the target language.

Sound version performed in French, which may be the film's original language or a dubbed adaptation.

Version presenting dialogue in the work's reference language or languages.

Access to a catalog of content in exchange for a subscription, under the service's rights and conditions.

Access to a work through individual purchase or rental.

Video access model whose financing relies notably on advertising.

Linear channels streamed over the internet and financed mainly by advertising.

Digital sales model granting access rights to a work under the platform's conditions.

Promotional edit presenting a film ahead of its release or during its run.

Short promotional content intended to spark interest without necessarily presenting the story in detail.

Promotional visual identifying a film and presenting its world, talent or release.

Press kit: documents and media intended for journalists and partners — information, photos, excerpts and biographical material.

Documentary or content retracing the production process of a film.

Category built from narrative, iconographic or emotional conventions recognized by audiences and the industry.

Work giving a structural place to confrontations, races, chases or other physical actions.

Story organized around a quest, journey or exploration that exposes characters to new environments and dangers.

Film aimed primarily at producing comic effects through situations, characters or staging.

Story centered on human conflicts and emotional stakes, often treated on a serious register.

Dramatic form emphasizing emotional conflicts, dilemmas and the expression of feelings.

Narrative form confronting characters with a conflict that may lead to a destructive or irreversible outcome.

Film whose main axis rests on romantic relationships and their evolution.

Story pairing the development of a romantic relationship with comic conventions.

Genre built on tension, threat, uncertainty and the expectation of a resolution.

Story centered on crime, investigation or police institutions, with variable points of view.

Historic and stylistic category associated notably with certain 1940s–1950s American crime films, their pronounced shadows and fatalistic worlds.

Later reinterpretation of the narrative or aesthetic conventions of film noir.

Work building fear, unease or dread through real, supernatural or psychological threats.

Horror subgenre generally based on a succession of murders and the threat of a recurring attacker.

Device presenting images as recovered recordings or as captured by the characters themselves.

Narrative imagining scientific, technological or social transformations and their consequences.

Genre set in a world where the supernatural and the imaginary structure the world and events.

Category in which an apparently supernatural event disturbs a familiar frame, according to variable critical traditions.

Genre tied notably to the myths, conflicts and spaces of the North American westward expansion.

Film whose narrative and representation are structured by an armed conflict and its consequences.

Film depicting an era or past events, with variable degrees of reconstruction and fiction.

Work dramatizing the life or a period in the life of a real person.

Genre of historical or mythological spectacles frequently set in Antiquity.

Work centered on characters with extraordinary abilities, identities or missions, drawing notably on comics conventions.

Story organized around a natural, technical or collective disaster and the survival of the characters.

Film whose plot is structured by the practice, competitions or milieu of a sport.

Work integrating sequences of music, and often song or dance, into its narrative or form.

Cinema form in which song and dance play an essential role in the narrative or spectacle.

Film made primarily with animation techniques; it may belong to any narrative genre.

Work engaging with the real world — situations, testimony, archives — through an authored approach and form.

Approach favoring the recording of situations and behaviors without continuous explanatory commentary.

Approach in which the filmmaker's presence and interventions are part of how the film is constructed.

Form combining documentary treatment with acknowledged dramatized reconstruction or fictional narrative.

Fiction adopting the presentation codes of documentary to produce a real or satirical effect.

Set of practices exploring cinema's forms, supports, perceptions and conventions beyond usual narrative structures.

Work developing a subjective reflection through the association of images, sounds and sometimes essayistic speech.

Work composed of distinct stories linked by a theme, frame or shared construction.

Story multiplying protagonists and crossing several trajectories without necessarily following a single hero.

Film built around a geographical journey that transforms the characters and the narrative.

Story centered on the transition to a new stage of life and the inner transformation of a character.

Story giving a central place to a legal proceeding, its arguments or its consequences.

Work organized around intelligence, secret missions and conflicts of loyalty.

Story set after a major upheaval that has durably disorganized the depicted world.

Historic apparatus capable of filming and projecting moving images; the term is associated notably with the Lumière brothers.

Period and forms of cinema without synchronized dialogue tracks recorded on the film, often accompanied by music or live commentary.

Cinema incorporating synchronized recording and playback of speech, progressively generalized from the late 1920s.

Mode of storytelling and production historically associated with the American studios, often favoring causality, continuity and spatial clarity.

Industrial organization integrating film production and, historically, parts of talent and distribution within major studios.

Historic film movement favoring stylized sets, distortions and expressive contrasts.

Set of 1920s practices and theories granting creative power to the association of shots.

Post-war movement attentive to social realities, real locations and sometimes non-professional performers.

French movement from the late 1950s linked to new shooting and editing practices and a strong conception of authorship.

Period of renewal in American cinema — roughly late 1960s to early 1980s — marked by new voices and narrative forms.

Documentary current in which the relationship between filmmaker, apparatus and subjects may become an explicit component of the work.

Documentary approach attentive to recording events in situ, with variable practices of intervention.

Expression emphasizing the stylistic and thematic singularity of a filmmaker, without constituting a genre or a single financing model.

Critical perspective developed notably in 1950s France, analyzing certain directors as authors of a coherent body of work.

Device in which a work contains a representation or reflection of its own making, form or story.

Film taking cinema, its conventions or its production as the object of its representation and reflection.

Relations a film establishes with other works through quotation, reuse, allusion or transformation.

Deliberate and recognizable reuse of an image, device or scene from another work.

Reference intended to salute an artist, a work or a cinematographic tradition.

Recognizable imitation of a style or form, not necessarily critical.

Imitation that transforms a work or convention to produce a comic or critical effect.

Critical representation of behaviors or institutions, notably using irony, caricature or humor.

Use of objects, gestures, colors or shapes beyond their literal function to suggest ideas.

Image or composition expressing an idea through analogy rather than direct statement.

Expressive opposition between shots that builds meaning through their difference.

Methodical study of form, narrative, sound and their effects from a work or excerpts.

Detailed shot-by-shot description of an excerpt, with durations, framings, movements and sound.

Approach studying how film produces signs and constructs meaning through its forms.

Study of the sensitive and formal choices of image, sound, rhythm and staging.

Set of strategies producing a particular relation to reality; it is not reducible to documentary capture or to the absence of artifice.

Viewer's provisional agreement with the conventions of a fictional universe despite its implausible elements.

Detailed analysis of specific choices in a shot or sequence to understand how they function.