Filmmaking Glossary
Action - After pressing record, and after the shot has been marked, wait a few moments before saying ‘ACTION’ to prompt your talent to say their lines
Angle - This is the position of the camera in relation to the subject it is showing. Straight-on angle is the most common view, along with high-angle or low-angle shots. Click here for examples of each and other types of angles.
Aspect Ratio - This is the ratio of the width to height of the film image on a camera or onscreen. For the Blue Heeler Film Festival you need to use a 16:9 aspect ratio which you can adjust in your camera or phone camera settings.
Assemble - You assemble your film by putting shots together in a video editing software.
Cast - Casting means to select actors to bring film characters to life.
Closeup (CU) - A shot type in which the camera is close to a subject but they do not fill the entire frame. A CU generally shows a character from the shoulders up.
Angle - This is the position of the camera in relation to the subject it is showing. Straight-on angle is the most common view, along with high-angle or low-angle shots. Click here for examples of each and other types of angles.
Aspect Ratio - This is the ratio of the width to height of the film image on a camera or onscreen. For the Blue Heeler Film Festival you need to use a 16:9 aspect ratio which you can adjust in your camera or phone camera settings.
Assemble - You assemble your film by putting shots together in a video editing software.
Cast - Casting means to select actors to bring film characters to life.
Closeup (CU) - A shot type in which the camera is close to a subject but they do not fill the entire frame. A CU generally shows a character from the shoulders up.
Copyright Free Music And Sound - All music and sound is protected by copyright. If you want to use a piece of copyrighted material, like a song, you must have permission from the owner to do so. There are however, a number of copyright free music and sound libraries from which you can download and use sounds like Epidemic or Free Music Archive. It is also good practice to credit the owners and creators of these free-to-use sound and music tracks in your credits.
Costumes - Costumes are the clothing or props worn by an actor. Costumes are a neat visual way to introduce the audience to a character without saying anything at all. For example, the image below shows you how different costumes can visually create a different character for the same actor.
Costumes - Costumes are the clothing or props worn by an actor. Costumes are a neat visual way to introduce the audience to a character without saying anything at all. For example, the image below shows you how different costumes can visually create a different character for the same actor.
Diegetic Sound - Diegetic sound is sound that occurs in the world of a film. The cause of this sound can appear on or off screen. For example in this scene in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), some of the diegetic sounds you hear are the swords clanging and the undead soldiers roaring. Can you hear anymore? If you’re unsure, ask yourself this: can the characters in the film hear it? If so it is diegetic.
Editing - Editing is undertaken using a video editing software to arrange shots into scenes and sequences. If you have never used a video editing software please refer to the ‘Resource Pack’ page in the ‘Short Film Guide' tab on our website for free and paid video editing softwares.
Extreme Closeup (XCU or ECU) - a shot in which the camera is so close to the subject (actor or object) that it fills the entire frame.
Editing - Editing is undertaken using a video editing software to arrange shots into scenes and sequences. If you have never used a video editing software please refer to the ‘Resource Pack’ page in the ‘Short Film Guide' tab on our website for free and paid video editing softwares.
Extreme Closeup (XCU or ECU) - a shot in which the camera is so close to the subject (actor or object) that it fills the entire frame.
Extreme Wide Shot (XWS or EWS) - a shot in which the camera is extremely far away from the subject. Generally only a subject’s silhouette can be seen in this shot type.
File Format - the file type of your film when you download it from your editing software. For the Blue Heeler Film Festival you will need to download your filming H264 MPEG (high bit-rate) OR Apple Pro Res 422
Final Cut - The refined final version of your film in an editing software that runs smoothly from start to finish.
Framing - the arrangement and composition of elements within a film frame. Here is an awesome video that goes through some of the most important parts of framing a shot.
Log - Log your shots by writing the clip name, a description of the shot and any additional comments. This makes it easier to find your best takes of a shot and shots you may need to film again. You can find our free to use film log here.
Mark It - If you are recording audio and video from two different devices it is important to mark your shots so that the sound and visuals can easily be synced up in post-production. This video goes over this in much more detail. If you are recording video and audio together, marking or slating your shots as you film makes the post-production process a lot smoother. You can use a small whiteboard and marker to record the shot number and take, read this out aloud and show it clearly to the camera. The director will say ‘ACTION’ after the shot has been marked and the clapper is out of the shot.
Medium Shots (MS) - a shot type in which the subject can be seen from the waist up.
Final Cut - The refined final version of your film in an editing software that runs smoothly from start to finish.
Framing - the arrangement and composition of elements within a film frame. Here is an awesome video that goes through some of the most important parts of framing a shot.
Log - Log your shots by writing the clip name, a description of the shot and any additional comments. This makes it easier to find your best takes of a shot and shots you may need to film again. You can find our free to use film log here.
Mark It - If you are recording audio and video from two different devices it is important to mark your shots so that the sound and visuals can easily be synced up in post-production. This video goes over this in much more detail. If you are recording video and audio together, marking or slating your shots as you film makes the post-production process a lot smoother. You can use a small whiteboard and marker to record the shot number and take, read this out aloud and show it clearly to the camera. The director will say ‘ACTION’ after the shot has been marked and the clapper is out of the shot.
Medium Shots (MS) - a shot type in which the subject can be seen from the waist up.
Non Diegetic - Non-diegetic sound is sound that does not occur within the film world such as a musical score or soundtrack. If we go back to this scene in Thor: Ragnarok (2017), one non-diegetic sound we hear is Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ which plays towards the end of the clip. Can you hear anymore? If you’re unsure, ask yourself this: can the characters in the film hear it? If not, it is non-diegetic.
Post-Production - The third and final stage of filmmaking that involves editing together footage taken during production. Check out our Filmmaking Checklists [link to page] for a complete rundown of what you need to do during this stage.
Pre-Production - The first stage of filmmaking in which all the planning of your film is completed. Check out our Filmmaking Checklists [link to page] for a complete rundown of what you need to do during this stage.
Production - The second stage of filmmaking in which you shoot your film and collect any other footage that you want to be used in your film. Check out our free Filmmaking Checklist [link to page] for a complete rundown of what you need to do during this stage.
Props - Items that are essential to the story of your film and are handled by characters.
Resolution - This refers to the number of pixels in your camera frame. The more pixels the clearer and better quality the image will be. For the Blue Heeler Film Festival, your film must be shot in 1920w x 1080h pixels. If you are using your phone to capture footage be sure to check you are filming in this resolution. This setting might also be called HD (High definition) or UHD (Ultra high definition).
Rolling credits - A rolling credits appears at the end of a film. It is a comprehensive list of those responsible for helping to make a film including the actors and crew that appears at the end of the film rising from the bottom and disappearing off the top of a screen.
Rule of thirds - a basic rule of composition in which the film frame is divided into thirds using two horizontal and two vertical lines. On or near where the lines intersect is where you are recommended to place your subject to create a more visually pleasing shot. You can also ‘break’ the rule of thirds to create an unsettling or uncanny feeling.
Post-Production - The third and final stage of filmmaking that involves editing together footage taken during production. Check out our Filmmaking Checklists [link to page] for a complete rundown of what you need to do during this stage.
Pre-Production - The first stage of filmmaking in which all the planning of your film is completed. Check out our Filmmaking Checklists [link to page] for a complete rundown of what you need to do during this stage.
Production - The second stage of filmmaking in which you shoot your film and collect any other footage that you want to be used in your film. Check out our free Filmmaking Checklist [link to page] for a complete rundown of what you need to do during this stage.
Props - Items that are essential to the story of your film and are handled by characters.
Resolution - This refers to the number of pixels in your camera frame. The more pixels the clearer and better quality the image will be. For the Blue Heeler Film Festival, your film must be shot in 1920w x 1080h pixels. If you are using your phone to capture footage be sure to check you are filming in this resolution. This setting might also be called HD (High definition) or UHD (Ultra high definition).
Rolling credits - A rolling credits appears at the end of a film. It is a comprehensive list of those responsible for helping to make a film including the actors and crew that appears at the end of the film rising from the bottom and disappearing off the top of a screen.
Rule of thirds - a basic rule of composition in which the film frame is divided into thirds using two horizontal and two vertical lines. On or near where the lines intersect is where you are recommended to place your subject to create a more visually pleasing shot. You can also ‘break’ the rule of thirds to create an unsettling or uncanny feeling.
Shot List - a shot list is a pre-production document that you can use to keep track of what parts of your story you have and have not filmed. You can find a simplified shot list template here [insert link], and a quick rundown on how to use a shot list here.
Shot-Type - the type of shot taken of the subject by the camera. Wide shot, medium shot and closeup shot are all examples of a shot type. Here is a comprehensive list of shot types.
Storyboard - is a visual representation of your story that can be used alongside your shot list to help you decide what your story will look like.
Theme - a message or idea that can be found in a story, film, artwork and various other creative and non-creative mediums.
Title-Card - a graphic card with the title of a film that can be been at the very beginning of a movie.
Wide Shots (WS) - is a shot in which the camera is positioned at some distance from the subject. Generally you can see the subject in full and some of the world around them.
Shot-Type - the type of shot taken of the subject by the camera. Wide shot, medium shot and closeup shot are all examples of a shot type. Here is a comprehensive list of shot types.
Storyboard - is a visual representation of your story that can be used alongside your shot list to help you decide what your story will look like.
Theme - a message or idea that can be found in a story, film, artwork and various other creative and non-creative mediums.
Title-Card - a graphic card with the title of a film that can be been at the very beginning of a movie.
Wide Shots (WS) - is a shot in which the camera is positioned at some distance from the subject. Generally you can see the subject in full and some of the world around them.
180-Degree Rule - The 180-degree rule is a filmmaking guideline that helps the viewer keep their orientation and understand where everything is on screen. How this rule works is that an imaginary straight line is drawn between two subjects, and all camera placement is kept on one side of the line. If you cross the line, the viewer may get disoriented. Watch this video to see how this works for yourself.
