A Glossary Of Screenwriting Terms & Filmmaking Definitions
A Glossary Of Screenwriting Terms & Filmmaking Definitions
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The scene description, character
movement, and sounds as described in a screenplay. |
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AERIAL SHOT |
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Use only when necessary. This suggests
a shot be taken from a plane or helicopter (not a crane). For example, if a
scene takes place on a tall building, you may want to have an aerial shot of
the floor the action takes place on. |
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ANGLE ON |
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A type of shot. This usually
occurs in scenes taking place in large settings. |
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Many scripts will use the
parenthetical (beat) to interrupt a line of dialogue. A "beat"
suggests the actor should pause a moment, in silence, before continuing the
scene. "Beats" are often interchangeable with ellipses
"..." |
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b.g. (background) |
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Used to describe anything occuring
in a rear plane of action (the background as opposed to the main action or
attention is focused in the foreground). Always use this term in lower case
initials or written in full ("background"). For example: two people
talk as Bill and Ted fight in the b.g. |
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In a screenplay, the name appears
in all caps the first time a character is introduced in the
"Action." The character's name can then be written normally, in the
action, the rest of the script.
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CLOSE ON |
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See also INSERT and Shot. |
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CLOSER ANGLE |
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We move in for a new angle nearer
to the subject. This is more of an editing term, but can be mentioned in the
screenplay when necessary. |
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CONTINUOUS |
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Sometimes, instead of DAY or NIGHT
at the end of a SLUGLINE/Location Description, you'll see CONTINUOUS. |
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CONTRAZOOM |
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The Hitchcock zoom, also known as
the contra-zoom or the Vertigo effect is an unsettling in-camera special
effect that appears to undermine normal visual perception in a way that is
difficult to describe. This effect was used by Alfred Hitchcock in his film
Vertigo. It rarely appears in a screenplay. |
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CRAWL |
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This is a term used for
superimposed titles or text intended to move across/up/down/diagonally on
screen. For example, the text at the beginning of Star Wars movies
"Crawls" up into infinity. Or, the written words
"(crawl)" in Unforgiven. |
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CROSSFADE: |
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This is like a "Fade to black
then Fade to next scene." In other words, as one scene fades out, a
moment of black interrupts before the next scene fades in. It is not to be
confused with DISSOLVE, since CROSSFADE always involves a black or blank
screen. |
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CUT TO: |
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The most simple and common
transition. Since this transition is implied by a change of scene, it may be
used sparingly to help intensify character changes and emotional shifts. The
transition describes a change of scene over the course of one frame. |
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Very simply, this is what people
are supposed to say according to the script. |
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Director |
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The person who visualizes the
movie based on the script, creates shots, suggests how the actors should
portray their characters, and helps to edit the final cut. Basically, the
person in charge of putting converting a script into a movie. |
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DISSOLVE TO: |
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A common transition. As one scene
fades out, the next scene fades into place. This type of transition is
generally used to convey some passage of time and is very commonly used in
montages such as seen in Bugsy. |
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Dolly |
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A mechanism on which a camera can
be moved around a scene or location. Simple dollies involve a tripod on
wheels. Dolly shots are moving shots. |
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A shot, usually from a distance,
that shows us where we are. A shot that suggests location. Often used at the
beginning of a film to suggest where the story takes place. For example, if
our story takes place in New York, we might use a shot of the Manhattan
skyline as an establishing shot. |
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EXT. |
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Exterior. This scene takes place
out of doors. This is mostly for producers to figure out the probable cost of
a film project. |
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EXTREMELY LONG SHOT (XLS): |
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Means the camera is placed a very
long distance from the subject or action. Generally, this term would be left
out of a screenplay and left to the director to decide. Use only when
necessary. |
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See also DISSOLVE TO:
BLACK |
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FAVOR ON |
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A particular character or action
is highlighted or "favored" in a shot. The focus is basically
centered on someone or something in particular. Use only when necessary. |
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Feature Film |
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In the olden days of cinema,
people watched a series of short films. Then, as films became longer, they
would watch some short films and one long film. The long film became the main
attraction, hence the term feature film. Today, feature films are generally
defined as any film at least one hour long that people pay to see. |
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FLASH CUT: |
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An extremely brief shot, sometimes
as short as one frame, which is nearly subliminal in effect. Also a series of
short staccato shots that create a rhythmic effect. |
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FLASHBACK: |
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Sometimes used as a transition or
at the start of slugline to denote a sequence that happened in the past. This
can be followed by BACK TO PRESENT DAY if required or the writer can use
PRESENT DAY as the time of day at the end of the proceeding slugline instead
of just DAY. |
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FREEZE FRAME: |
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The picture stops moving, becoming
a still photograph, and holds for a period of time. |
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When a writer pictures a certain
close-up at a certain moment in the film, he or she may use an insert shot.
This describes a shot of some important detail in a scene that must be given
the camera's full attention for a moment. Inserts are mainly used in
reference to objects, a clock, or actions, putting a key in a car's ignition. |
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INT. |
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Interior. This scene takes place
indoors. This is mostly for producers to figure out the probable cost of a
film project. |
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INTERCUT: / Intercutting |
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Some scripts may use the term
INTERCUT: as a transition or INTERCUT BETWEEN. At this point, two scenes will
be shown a few moments each, back and forth. For example, if Laura is stuck
in her flaming house and the fire department in on the way, a screenplay may
call for intercutting between the flames closing in on Laura and the fire
fighters riding across town to save her. |
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INTO FRAME: |
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See also: INTO VIEW: |
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INTO VIEW: |
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See also: INTO FRAME: |
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Iris Out |
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See also WIPE TO: |
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A transition which denotes a
linkage of shots in a scene in which the appearance of real continuous time has
been interrupted by omission. Imagine setting a camera down to film a person.
You record him for five minutes. But as it turns out, you have only a one
minute time limit on your project. You have no special editing tools, just a
couple of VCRs. But you realize that most of the important stuff is said in a
few short moments. If you cut out the unimportant parts and edit together the
parts you want based on a single camera angle, you will have what are called
jump cuts. Transitions from one moment to the next within a scene that appear
jarring because they break the direct flow of filmic time and space. This
transition is usually used to show a very brief ellipsis of time. |
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See also DISSOLVE: |
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A transition often used to compare
two completely unrelated objects. It's film's version of metaphor. This
involves cutting from one object of certain color, shape, and/or movement, to
another object of similar color, shape, and/or movement. For example, a
circular saw to a child's merry-go-round. |
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MATCH DISSOLVE TO: |
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See also MATCH CUT TO: /
DISSOLVE TO: |
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Montage |
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From the French term "to
assemble". In film, a series of images showing a theme, a contradiction,
or the passage of time. This film style became common in Russia in the early
years of cinema. Russians were the first to truly use editing to tell a
story. Some early examples of montage include City Symphony's and Man
With a Movie Camera. Modern day examples can be seen in Goodfellas and Bugsy. |
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MOS |
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Mit Out Sound (Original German)
Moment of Silence (Made up English memory device). Now hardly ever used. |
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Off-Camera or Off-Screen. This is
the abbreviation sometimes seen next to the CHARACTER'S name before certain
bits of dialogue. It means the writer specifically wants the voice to come
from somewhere unseen. |
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See Also: Swish Pan |
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Parenthetical |
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If an actor should deliver his or
her lines in a particular way, a screenplay will contain a description in
parentheses to illustrate the point. Parentheticals should be used only in
cases where a line of dialogue should be read in some way contrary to logic.
If used too often, actor's and director's egos get hurt, and things get
messy. It should not be used for action decription.
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POV |
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Point of View. The camera replaces
the eyes (sometimes the ears) of a character, monster, machine, surveillance
camera, etc. As a result, we get to see the world through the sensory devices
of some creature. This can be used to bring out the personal aspects of a
scene, or it can be used to build horror and suspense. An example of horror
and suspense in POV can be scene in the opening shot of Halloween. |
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PULL BACK: |
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The camera physically moves away
from a subject, usually through a zoom or dolly action. |
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PULL FOCUS: |
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The camera focus changes from one
object or subject to another. |
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PUSH IN: |
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The camera physically moves
towards a subject. |
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Often used to reveal things for
comic or dramatic effect. Could be described as a counter POV shot.
Basically, the script suggests the camera come around 180 degrees to get a
shot from the "other side" of a scene. For example, in the There's
Something About Mary script, Tucker is playing a joke on Mary in her
office in one scene that the writers didn't want to reveal right away. They
use a REVERSE ANGLE to show that he's got two tongue depressors in his upper
lip to represent teeth. This reverse angle is used for comic effect. |
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An event that takes place entirely
in one location or time. If we go outside from inside, it's a new scene. If
we cut to five minutes later, it's a new scene. If both, it's a new scene.
Scenes can range from one shot to infinity and are distinguished by slug
lines. |
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Shooting Script |
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This is the truly final draft used
on set by the production people, actors, and director to make the movie from
the screenplay. |
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Shot |
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One image. If there's a cut,
you've changed shots. Shots can range from split seconds to several minutes.
Shots are generally chosen by the director although the writer can use
capital letters to suggest where the camera should be. When a writer
absolutely must have a certain shot at a certain moment in a film, he has a
few options each described in detail elsewhere in this list: INSERT, ANGLE
ON, and CLOSE ON. |
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Slug Line |
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The text in all CAPS at the
beginning of a scene that briefly describes the location and time of day. |
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SMASH CUT TO: |
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An especially sharp transition.
This style of cut is usually used to convey destruction or quick emotional
changes. For example: If you were writing a horror movie but wanted to
lighten the gore at the beginning, you might have:
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Spec Script / Screenplay |
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If a writer finishes his/her own
screenplay outside the studio system (it isn't an assignment) then sends it
to the studios for consideration, it is a spec script. |
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SPLIT SCREEN SHOT: |
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The space of the frame is split
into two, three, or more frames each with their own subject. Usually the
events shown in each section of the split screen are simultaneous. But Split
screen can also be used to show flashbacks or other events. For example, two
people are talking on the phone. They're in different locations, but you wish
to show the reactions of both simultaneously. Split Screen is used
prominently in 24 to show simultaneous action and events
unfolding. |
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Steadicam |
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A camera built to remain stable
while being moved, usually by human hands. Occasionally, seen in scripts to
suggest a handheld shot be used in a scene, although a steadicam is smoother
than a regular handheld shot and as such produces a different result. |
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STOCK SHOT: |
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Footage of events in history, from
other films, etc. Basically, anything that's already filmed and you intend to
be edited into the movie. For example, the Austin Powers movies use stock
footage for comic effect. Some old B films use stock footage to keep their
budgets low. |
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SUPER: |
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Abbreviation for superimpose. The
superimposition of one thing over another in the same shot. Sometimes TITLES
are superimposed over scenes. Or a face can be superimposed over a
stream-of-consciousness montage shot. |
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Swish Pan |
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A quick snap of the camera from
one object to another that blurs the frame and is often used as a transition.
Sometimes called a FLASH PAN. Cuts are often hidden in swish pans, or they
can be used to disorient or shock the audience. |
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A close-up of a person or thing
used for dramatic effect. A tight frame encloses a subject with very little
space surrounding it. Not in common use. Use only when necessary. |
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TIME CUT |
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When you want to cut to later in a
scene, you have the option of writing TIME CUT as the transition. For
example, if two people walk into a restaurant and their conversation is
important at first then veers off into topics not important to your story, then
you might want to time cut from the drinks to the main course and then again
to paying the check. |
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Tracking Shot (Track, Tracking,
Travelling) |
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A tracking shot involves a camera
following a person or an object. As long as the camera isn't locked down in
place by a tripod, for example, and is following (tracking) a subject, then
it's a tracking shot. For good examples of tracking shots, watch the one take
episode of The X-Files, any episode of ER or the
first shots of Touch of Evil and The Player. |
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Trailer |
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In the olden days of cinema, the
advertisements for upcoming attractions were usually played after the end of
the movie. Hence, they became known as trailers. But, as credits reels have
grown in size over the years, audiences would often leave before watching
these advertisements and "trailers" became "previews."
But the name is still in common use. A trailer is a theatrical advertisement
for an upcoming film attraction. |
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Transition |
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These describe the style in which
one scene becomes the next. Used appropriately, these can be used to convey
shifts in character development and emotion. In other words, a CUT TO: is not
required at every scene change. Some major transitions include CUT TO:,
DISSOLVE TO:, MATCH CUT TO:, JUMP CUT TO:, SMASH CUT TO:, WIPE TO:, and FADE
TO:. Occasionally a writer will make up his own transition. In these cases,
the transition is usually self-defined (such as BRIGHT WHITE FLASH TO:
suggests whiteness will fill the screen for a brief moment as we pass into
the next scene). |
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Voice Over. This abbreviation
often appears beside a CHARACTER'S name before their dialogue. This means the
character voices that dialogue but his or her moving lips are not present in
the scene. Voice-over is generally used for narration, such as in the beginning
of The Mummy. Or a character's inner thoughts said out loud such that only
the audience will hear. |
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A transition in which one scene
"wipes away" for the next. Imagine Scene A is water and Scene B is
the substance underneath. A wipe would look like a squeegee pulling Scene A
off of Scene B. These usually suggest a passage of time from one scene to the
next. The most common and obvious example of wipes is in the Star
Wars franchise. |
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The image seems to close in on a
person or object making the person or object appear larger (or smaller) on
screen. Technically, the lens mechanically changes from wide angle to
telephoto or vice versa. Notice and recognize the difference between a zoom
and a push in (camera moves closer to subject). Use zoom only when necessary. |
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