Published: August 21, 2025 | Last Updated: December 19, 2025
This glossary covers all fundamental cinematography terms used on set and in postproduction. Use it to understand camera shots, lighting setups, lens choices, in-camera techniques, and workflow roles, everything a cinematographer needs to know.
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Camera Shots & Framing
Close-up (CU): tight frame on the face. Emphasizes emotion and detail.
Extreme Close-up (ECU): isolates a single detail (eye, mouth, object) for intensity.
Medium Shot (MS): frames waist up. Balances gesture and expression.
Medium Close-up (MCU): frames chest up. Adds emotion with some context.
See also our guide to camera shots, angles, and movements, which includes examples:
Wide/Long Shot (WS/LS): shows the full body in space. Useful for staging.
Extreme Wide/Extreme Long Shot (EWS/ELS): subject very small or absent. Sells scale or isolation.
Full Shot (FS): head to toe with minimal background. Highlights posture and movement.
Medium Full/Medium Long Shot (MFS/MLS): frames knees up. Mixes body language with detail.
Over-the-Shoulder (OTS): looks past one character to another. Dialogue staple.
Reverse Shot: the counter angle in a shot-reverse-shot. Builds dialogue rhythm.
POV Shot: mimics a character’s view. Creates immersion.
Establishing Shot (ES): sets place or time, often wide. Opens a scene.
Master Shot: records the whole scene for coverage and continuity.
Bird’s-eye/Overhead Shot: straight down from above. Maps geography and scale.
Camera Movement
Pan: horizontal pivot from a fixed point.
Tilt: vertical pivot from a fixed point.
Dolly Shot: camera moves in or out on wheels or track.
Tracking/Trucking Shot: lateral move that follows the subject.
Crane/Jib Shot: camera rises or dips on an arm. Adds height and sweep.
Steadicam Shot: stabilized body-mounted move. Smooth and mobile.
Handheld Shot: operator holds the camera. Feels raw and immediate.
Whip Pan: very fast pan with motion blur. Adds energy.
Whip Tilt: very fast tilt with motion blur. Punchy vertical accent.
Dolly Zoom: dolly and zoom in opposite directions. Warps perspective.
Push-in (Dolly-in): slow move toward a subject. Highlights emotion or detail.
Arc Shot: camera circles the subject. Reveals shifting context.
Crab Shot: sideways track parallel to subject. Keeps center framing.
Focus & Depth
Depth of Field (DOF): the range that appears sharp in the image.
Shallow Focus: subject sharp with a soft background. Isolates attention.
Deep Focus: foreground to background sharp. Maximizes detail across depth.
Rack Focus: shifts focus between subjects in one shot.
Focus Pull: manual focus adjustment that keeps a moving subject sharp.
Lighting Techniques
Key Light: main source that shapes the subject.
Fill Light: softens shadows from the key.
Backlight: creates rim light that separates subject from background.
Practical Light: visible light source inside the frame.
Ambient Light: existing light in the location.
See also our comprehensive guides to lighting types and setups:
High-key Lighting: bright look with low contrast.
Low-key Lighting: dark look with strong contrast.
Soft Light: diffused light with gentle shadows.
Hard Light: direct light with sharp shadows.
Silhouette Lighting: backlight only. Subject reads as dark shape.
Composition & Framing
See also the FilmDaft comprehensive guide to visual composition in film:
Rule of Thirds: 3×3 grid that guides balanced placement.
Leading Lines: lines that direct the eye to the subject.
Negative Space: empty areas that emphasize the subject.
Framing: placement of people and objects inside the borders.
Symmetry: mirrored balance across the frame.
Asymmetry: off-center balance that adds tension.
Headroom: space above the head.
Lead Room: space in front of gaze or movement.
Depth Composition: foreground, midground, and background used in layers.
Lenses & Exposure
Aperture (Iris): opening in the lens that controls light and DOF.
F-stop (f/): number for aperture size. Lower number lets in more light.
T-stop (T): measures actual transmission. Cinema standard for exposure. See also:
Focal Length: determines field of view. Short is wide, long is telephoto.
Zoom Lens: variable focal length.
Prime Lens: fixed focal length. Often faster and sharper.
Anamorphic Lens: squeezes a wide image for later stretch in post.
Bokeh: quality of out-of-focus blur.
Depth Compression: telephoto lens look that flattens distance.
In-Camera Techniques
Dutch Angle (Canted Angle): tilted horizon that signals unease.
Slow Motion: extra fps played back normal speed. Action looks slower.
Time-lapse: low fps over time. Action looks faster.
Zoom: changes focal length during a shot. Magnifies or widens view.
Crash Zoom: rapid zoom-in for a punchy effect.
Whip Zoom: fast zoom with blur used as a transition.
Workflow & Set Language
Cinematographer (DP): leads camera and lighting with the director.
Camera Operator: operates the camera to match the DP’s framing.
Focus Puller (1st AC): keeps focus sharp during takes.
Gaffer: head of lighting department.
Grip: builds rigs and supports camera movement.
Slate (Clapper): used to sync sound and picture and keep track of scenes, shots, takes, and rolls.
Blocking: plans actor and camera positions before shooting.
Coverage: captures multiple angles and shot sizes for the edit.
Martini Shot: last shot of the day.
Abby Singer Shot: second-to-last shot. Crew prepares to wrap.
Digital & Postproduction Terms
Effects (FX): umbrella term for SFX and VFX.
SFX (Special Effects): physical effects created on set.
VFX (Visual Effects): digital effects added in post.
Chroma Key: replaces green or blue backgrounds in post.
Aspect Ratio: width to height of the frame.
Shutter Angle: controls motion blur by exposure time.
Sensor Size: physical sensor size that affects crop and DOF.
Film Stock: photochemical film with its own color, grain, and ISO.
ISO: sensor or stock sensitivity to light.
Color Temperature (K): light warmth or coolness measured in Kelvin.
Color Grading: stylizes color and contrast in post.
LUT: preset that remaps color and tone.
White Balance: corrects color to make whites neutral.
Neutral Density (ND) Filter: darkens the image to allow wider apertures.
Polarizing Filter: cuts glare and reflections.
Overexposure: highlights clip from too much light.
Underexposure: shadows lose detail from too little light. See also:
Dynamic Range: span between darkest and brightest recordable values.
Compression: reduces file size at the cost of quality.
Bit Depth: amount of color data per channel.
Frame Rate (fps): frames captured per second.
Resolution: pixel dimensions that define detail.
RAW: unprocessed sensor data with maximum latitude.
Summing Up
This glossary gives you clear, short definitions for the core language of cinematography. You can find every major shot size, camera move, focus term, lighting setup, composition idea, lens/exposure control, in-camera technique, set role, and post term.
Keep the common abbreviations close: ECU, CU, MCU, MS, FS, MFS/MLS, WS/LS, EWS/ELS, CS, 2S, OTS, POV, ES, DOF, SFX, VFX, ND, fps. Some terms have two names. Both appear here, so you can match the set language fast.
Bookmark this page. Use it to plan coverage, brief your crew, and label notes. When a term feels new, open the linked deep dives for quick examples.
Read Next: Want to understand the logic behind every shot you choose?
Start with the FilmDaft Guide to Camera Shots & Angles for clear definitions, visual examples, and tips on how each shot affects tone and space.
Then browse all camera shot types and angle techniques — from extreme close-ups and OTS shots to bird’s-eye views and low angles.
Or return to the Cinematography section to explore lenses, lighting, movement, and composition.
