Glossary
Comprehensive glossary of filmmaking terms, concepts, and techniques.
Showing 17 terms
A
2Ambient Light
The non-directional background light present in an environment from all surrounding sources combined.
Animation
The art and technique of creating the illusion of movement from a sequence of still images, drawings, or computer-generated frames.
C
2Catchlight
A small specular highlight reflected in a subject's eye from a light source, which gives the eyes depth, life, and vitality on camera.
CGI
Computer-generated imagery — the use of computer graphics software to create or enhance visual elements in film and television.
D
4Day-for-Night Shot
A cinematographic technique in which daytime footage is processed or graded to simulate nighttime lighting conditions.
Depth of Focus
The range of distances the camera's image plane can shift while keeping a focused subject acceptably sharp.
Dolly Shot
A tracking shot achieved by moving the camera on a wheeled dolly along laid track.
Double Exposure
A technique in which two separate images are recorded on the same film frame or combined digitally, creating a translucent overlay of both images.
R
2Rear Screen Projection
A practical in-camera compositing technique where pre-filmed background footage is projected onto a translucent screen behind live actors.
Rotoscoping
An animation and visual effects technique in which animators trace over live-action footage frame by frame to create realistic movement or isolate subjects.
S
2Stop Motion
An animation technique in which physical objects are photographed frame by frame with incremental movements between frames to create the illusion of motion.
Superimposition
The optical or digital combination of two images so that both are simultaneously visible, one placed over the other.