film stock or simply film, the strip of material upon which a series of still photographs is registered; it consists of a clear base coated on one side with light-sensitive emulsion.

filter a piece of glass or geltain placed in front of camera or printer lens to alter the quality(color) or quantity of light strking the film in aperture.

focal length the distance from the center of lens to the point at which the light rays meet in sharp focus. The focal length determines the perspective relations of the space represented on the flat screen.

focus the degree to which light rays coming from the same part of an object through different parts of the lens re-converge at the same point on the film frame, creating sharp outlines and distinct textures. focus in, out a punctuation device in which the image gradually comes into focus or goes out of the

forelengthening the linear distortion caused by wide-angle lens; the perception of depth is exaggerated. foreshortening the distortion caused by a telephoto lens; the illusion of depth is compressed.

frame 0. a single image on the strip of film frame 0. a single image on the strip of film. When a series of frames are projected onto a screen in quick succession (currently 24 frames per second), an illusion of movement is created. 0. the size and shape of the image on the screen when projected. 0. the compositional unit fo film design.

framing the use of edges of the film to select and to compose what will be visible onscreen. freeze frame a freeze shot, which is achieved by printing a single frame many times in succession to give the illusion of a still photograph when projected.

frontal lighting lighting directed into the scene from a position near the camera.

full shot a shot of a subject that includes the entire body and not much else.

gauge The width of the film strip, measured in millimeters gauge The width of the film strip, measured in millimeters. 35mm is most commonly used filmstock, 65mm and 70mm are used for major epic productions.

hard lighting lighting that creates sharp-edged shadows hard lighting lighting that creates sharp-edged shadows. hard-key lighting lighting that creates comparatively little contrast between the light and dark areas of the shot. Shadows are fairly transparent and brightened by fill light.

height of framing the height of the camera above the ground, regardless of camera angle

iris a round, moving mask that contracts to close down to end an scene (iris-out) or emphasize a detail, or opens to begin a scene (iris-in) or to reveal more space around a detail.

key light in the three-point lighting system, the brightest light coming into the scene. See also backlighting and fill light

long shot a framing in which the scale of the object shown is small; a standing human figure would appear nearly the height of the screen.

low-key lighting lighting tht creates strong contrast between light and dark areas of the shot, with deep shadows and little fill light

matte shot a type of process shot in which different areas of the image (usually actors and setting) are photographed separately and combined in laboratory work.

medium close-up a framing in which the scale of the object shown is fairly large; a human figure seen from the chest up fill most of the screen.

medium long shot a framing at a distance which makes an object about 4 or 5 feet high appear to fill most of the screen vertically. See plan americain, the special term for a medium long shot depicting human figures.

medium shot a framing in which the sclae of the object is of moderate size; a human figure seen from the waist up would fill most of the screen.

mise-en-scene all the elements placed in front of the camera to be photographed, that is, part of the cinematic process that take place on the set, as opposed to montage, which takes place afterward. It includes the settings and props, lighting, costumes and make-up, and figure behavior.

Mise-en-scene tends to be very important to realists, montage to expressionists. mise-en-shot the design of an entire shot, in time as well as space.

mobile frame the effect on the screen of moving camera, a zoom lens, or special effects shifting the frame in relation to the scene being photographed.