Glossary

Dance Terminology A B C D E F G K L M N O P Q R S T U V
Actions	What the body is doing. Includes locomotor and non-locomotor movements; for example, running, jumping, twisting, gesturing, turning.
Alignment	Body placement or posture. Proper alignment lessens body strain and promotes the development of dance skills.
Asymmetry	Uneven, irregular design.
Body bases	Body parts which support the rest of the body. For example, when a person is standing, the feet are the body base; when kneeling, the knees are the body base.
Body parts	Arms, legs, head, torso, etc.
Body zones	Body areas of right side, left side, front, back, upper half, lower half.
Binary form	Two-part structure; AB.
Chance form	A choreographic form which is determined randomly; for example, by the roll of dice.
Choreographic form	See form.
Collage form	A choreographic form which unifies assorted fragments into a whole.
Contrast	A principle of composition. Refer to "Principles of Composition in Dance" for a detailed description.
Dance phrase	A logical sequence of movements with an observable beginning, middle and end.
Directions	Forward, backward, sideways, up and down.
Duration	The length of time needed to do a movement; very short to very long.
Dynamics	The dance element which relates to how a movement is done.
Even rhythm	Movements of equal duration; for example, walking.
Energy	Muscular tension used to move; ranges from a little to a lot.
Form	Structure of dance compositions.
General space	The dance area.
Kinesphere	See personal space.
Levels	Movements might take place on three levels: high level, middle level, and low or deep level.
Locomotor movements	Movements which travel from one location to another.
Metric rhythm	The grouping of beats in a recurring pattern.
Motif symbols	Symbols that represent movements.
Movement vocabulary	All the actions the body can make.
Narrative form	A choreographic form that tells a story.
Non-locomotor movements	Also called axial. Movements that do not travel; moving or balancing on the spot.
Organic form	A choreographic form in which the dance grows naturally out of itself.
Pathways	Spatial patterns or designs created on the floor or in the air by movements of the body.
Personal space	Also called kinesphere; the space in which a person can reach while stationary.
Principles of composition	Devices that help sequence movements into a whole.
Qualities	Characteristics of a movement.
Relationships	The body's position relative to something or someone.
Repetition	A principle of composition. Refer to "Principles of Composition in Dance" for a detailed description.
Rondo form	A dance structure with three or more themes where one theme is repeated; ABACAD ...
Sequencing	A principle of composition. Refer to "Principles of Composition in Dance" for a detailed description.
Shape	The design of a body's position.
Size	Magnitude of a body shape or movement; from small to large.
Speed	Velocity of movements; from slow to fast.
Symmetry	A balanced, even design.
Ternary form	Three-part structure; ABA.
Theme and variations	A A1 A2 A3 ... A choreographic form which begins with an original idea or theme and then in a series of sections departs or deviates from the original.
Time signature	A symbol that denotes a metric rhythm; for example, 3/4 or 4/4.
Transition	A principle of composition. Refer to "Principles of Composition in Dance" for a detailed description.
Uneven rhythms	Movements of unequal duration; for example, skipping.
Unity	A principle of composition. Refer to "Principles of Composition in Dance" for a detailed description.
Variety	A principle of composition. Refer to "Principles of Composition in Dance" for a detailed description.

Drama Terminology A B C D E F I J M N P R S T V W
Acting styles	A particular manner of acting which reflects cultural and historical influences.
Belief	The commitment of students to the work.
Brainstorming	A method of generating a large number of ideas.
Blocking	The placement and movement of actors in a dramatic presentation.
Blocking maps	A director's preliminary sketches of the placement and movement of actors for a dramatic presentation.
Character analysis	A description of one's understanding of a character.
Characterization	The process of developing and portraying a character.
Choral speaking	A means by which literature (including poetry, chants, raps, scripts, short stories, fairy tales, fables and legends) is interpreted and communicated vocally by a group. Choral speaking can be based on either student-written or published works.
Collective creation	A play or a collection of episodes or scenes which is developed and performed by a group.
Commitment	The ability to sustain belief for as long as the drama demands. A recognition and understanding of the purpose of the work.
Consensus	A group decision that everyone in the group agrees to support.
Consensus building	The process through which a consensus is reached.
Contrasts	Dynamic use of such things as movement/stillness, sound/silence and light/darkness.
Costume design	Illustrations showing the concept and details for stage apparel to be worn by actors.
Dance drama	Expressive movement through which ideas, stories, sounds and music can be interpreted. It can be used to express such episodes as dream sequences, flashbacks and flashforwards, and parts of celebrations.
Directing	Assuming overall responsibility for the artistic interpretation and presentation of a dramatic work.
Director's book	The planning book developed by a director to guide the development of a dramatic presentation, including interpretative notations, schedules, scene breakdowns, preliminary blocking, etc.
Drama	An art form that is concerned with the representation of people in time and space, their actions and consequences of their actions.
Drama in context	Dramas are structured to provide a context, a situation or a metaphoric framework in which students and teacher assume roles and enter into a fictional world prepared to accept and "live through" an imagined situation.
Dramatic processes	Includes the processes involved in creating works of dramatic art, whether they be original works by students or re-creations of scripted materials. Dramatic processes include such things as choosing a topic, researching, synthesizing, identifying the focus of the work, translating ideas into dramatic form, reflecting, refining, scripting, rehearsing and performing.
Episodes	Parts of the whole drama work. A series of events which may be sporadically or irregularly occurring.
Flashbacks and flashforwards	Moving back and forward in time in order to extend students' understanding of themes and characters.
Focus	Knowing what the drama and collective creations are about and structuring each step of the work so that the students are able to explore and make new discoveries about that particular concern.
Imaging	A technique which allows the students to slow down and focus individually on an issue. The students, sitting quietly with eyes closed, allow pictures to form in their minds. These images may be motivated by bits of narration, music, sounds, smells, etc.
Improvisation	Any unscripted work in drama.
Interviews	A drama strategy in which students are involved in any kind of fictional interview situation.
Journeys	Can provide not only a strategy but, if focused, a context in itself. Students can explore different kinds of journeys ranging from journeys into space, to journeys to new lands, to journeys into battle, etc.
Meetings	An effective strategy by which the whole group can establish focus and begin to build belief in a fictional situation.
Mime	A highly sophisticated silent art form in which the body is used as the instrument of communication. In drama, mime enables the students to explore and represent ideas and events through movement and gesture.
Monologue	A piece of oral or written literature (for example, a story, poem or part of a play) spoken by one person who exposes inner thoughts and provides insights into his or her character.
Narration	Bits of narration prepared or created spontaneously by the teacher or chosen from prose, poetry or song lyrics. Used to establish mood, bridge gaps in time, and register decisions made by the students within the drama.
Negotiation	A purposeful discussion aimed at leading the group to clarify ideas, summarize individual points of view and agree upon a course of action.
Parallel play	A situation in which all of the students work simultaneously, but separately, in their own space.
Play review	A written description and interpretation of a dramatic presentation based on informed judgement.
Prepared improvisation	An improvisation which is planned, shaped and rehearsed.
Prompt book	A copy of the play that contains notes about business, blocking, cues and plots needed for dramatic presentation; for example, director's book, play book, stage manager's book.
Reader's theatre	A dramatic form of expression in which actors read and interpret text for an audience.
Refining	A step in the collective creation process during which choices are made and episodes are shaped and connected.
Reflection	Recalling, reacting to and describing one's drama experiences, both in and out of role.
Ritual	A technique in which one action is repeated by many individuals to formalize or provide specific significance to a situation.
Role	The basic ingredient of work in drama. When the students and teacher assume roles in a drama, they are acting "as if" they are someone else.
Script	The text of a dramatic work.
Script analysis	The critical interpretation of a script to achieve an understanding of it.
Spontaneous improvisation	An improvisation which is immediate and unrehearsed.
Set design	A visual representation of the concept, form and arrangement of scenery and properties.
Stage business	Small actions performed by an actor, such as picking up coffee cups or straightening a picture on the wall.
Stage movement	The purposeful movement of an actor on the stage.
Status	The relative importance of one character to another.
Storyboard	A visual representation of a "story" or organization of episodes. Storyboards are often used in the organization of collective creations.
Storytelling	A means of creating (or re-creating) and sharing stories. The stories may be familiar or unfamiliar, the stories of others or the students' own. In drama, storytelling is a means of sharing and reflecting on each other's experiences and the experiences of the group.
Story theatre	Techniques which may be used in drama as stories are told. The story may be told by a narrator while others act it out by speaking the dialogue or miming, or the narration may be provided by those who are acting out the characters, animals or inanimate objects.
Symbol	Something which stands for or represents something else; broadly defined, dramas and collective creations are symbolic or metaphoric representations of human experience.
Tableau	A still image, a frozen moment, or "a photograph." It is created by posing still bodies and communicates a living representation of an event, an idea, or a feeling.
Tapping-in	A means by which those individuals represented in a tableau may be prompted to express their response to that particular moment which is captured in time and space by the tableau. The teacher places a hand on the shoulder of one of the students in role in the tableau and poses questions which are designed to reveal the actor's thinking about the situation represented by the tableau.
Teacher in role	By taking on roles themselves, teachers are able to provide students with a model for working in role through the use of appropriate language and apparent commitment to the process and the work. This is the most effective way for teachers to work in drama, enabling them to work with the students close to what is happening and to facilitate the shaping of the work from within. See "Teacher in Role" in the drama section of this Planning Guide for more information on various kinds of roles.
Technical components of theatre	Those components of a dramatic presentation, aside from the acting and directing, which contribute to the overall impression communicated to the audience (lighting, sound, etc.).
Tension	The "pressure for response" that can take the form of a challenge, a surprise, a time constraint or the suspense of not knowing. Tension is what works in a drama to impel students to respond and take action and what works in a play to make the audience want to know what happens next.
Voice projection	The ability to make the voice carry clearly and audibly.
Voting	A familiar strategy not necessarily associated with the arts. However, one of the basic processes used within dramas is negotiation. Through negotiation, the teacher and students strive toward, and will often achieve, consensus. At times, when consensus is not achieved, voting is the next best option.
Writing in role	Any written work done in role (for example, monologues, family histories, letters, newspaper headlines, etc.).

Music Terminology A B C D F G H I J M N O P R S T W
Absolute music	Instrumental music based upon abstract principles of music theory and form.
Accent	A strong sound. Accents may be achieved by stress, duration or position of a tone.
Acoustics	Pertains to the properties or qualities of sound transmission in a space -- the way something "sounds" in a particular room or hall.
Aleatoric music (chance music)	Music where some aspects are created in a chance manner, such as by throwing dice.
Avante-garde	New and unconventional.
Beat	The regular, repeated pulsation in music.
Binary form	A form or structure in music that has two distinct sections: part A and part B (AB form). "Greensleeves" is an example.
Blue notes	Also called blue tones. Lowered third and seventh degrees of the major scale (and sometimes the fifth) often used in popular music and jazz.
Blues	A style that grew out of southern Black folk music, elements of which are used in pure blues singing, jazz, rhythm and blues, and other types of popular music. Often has 3 lines and 12 bars in each verse.
Boogie-woogie	An energetic piano style derived from the formal and harmonic structure of the blues, but bright in mood and fast in tempo. Plays on a pattern of eight eighth notes to the 4/4 bar (called eight to the bar style).
Bob (bebop)	A complex, highly improvised style of jazz. Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were important performers of this style.
Canon	A polyphonic composition in which all of the voices perform the same melody, beginning at different times.
Chant	Vocal form used by various cultures. Melodic and rhythmic phrase or phrases are repeated using words, syllables or vocal utterances.
Chest voice	The chest voice produces a heavier sound than the head voice. The singer uses the chest as the resonating cavity.
Classical style	The emotionally restrained, formally balanced style of music from about 1750 - 1825. Typified in the works of Haydn and Mozart, as well as earlier works of Beethoven.
Consonance	When there is a feeling of restfulness in the texture of a piece of music.
Contour	Shape or outline of a melody formed by its notes.
Crescendo	A gradual increase in the volume.
Decrescendo	A gradual decrease in the volume.
Descant	An ornamental part where the pitch lies above the main melody.
Dissonance	When there is a feeling of instability or tension in the texture of a piece of music.
Duration	The length of a sound or silence.
Dynamics	The degree of loudness or softness at which music is performed.
Folk music	Usually, music of unknown origin that is transmitted orally and enjoyed by the general population. Today the term is applied to some popular music that has the style or flavour of a folk art.
Form	Refers to the organizational structure of music.
Fugue	A form in which a theme or subject played by one instrument or voice is followed and imitated by one or more other instruments or voices.
Fusion	The combination of jazz and rock.
Gamelan	An Indonesian percussion ensemble.
Gregorian chant	Term for Roman Catholic plain chant since the sixth century A.D.
Half step	The smallest distance between pitches commonly used in western music. The distance between F and F# is an example.
Harmony	A texture created when two or more sounds are combined.
Head voice	The head voice is a light clear voice that is free of tension. The facial cavity is the resonator, rather than the chest.
Homophonic texture (homophony)	A melodic line accompanied by chordal harmony.
Improvisation	The process of simultaneously composing and performing music.
Interval	The distance between two pitches.
Jazz	A popular music with roots in Africa, which developed in early twentieth-century America.
Melody	A series of pitches and durations that combine to make a self-contained musical thought.
Metre	Recurring patterns of accented and unaccented beats that produce a rhythmic grouping.
Monophonictexture (monophony)	One unaccompanied melodic line.
Motif	A small melodic fragment repeated within a melody.
Non-pitched sounds	Sounds that have no discernable pitch, such as the sound of tapping on a desk with a pencil.
Notation, traditional	Notation commonly in use to convey music ideas.
Notation, invented	Original pictures or symbols created to convey sound messages.
Notation, stick	The use of vertical lines or "sticks" to represent rhythms.
Octave	The distance between notes of the same name and eight letter notes higher or lower; for example, A B C D E F G A.
Ostinato	A short melodic or rhythmic pattern that is repeated over and over to form an accompaniment.
Percussion	All instruments which may be played by shaking, rubbing, or striking the instrument itself.
Phrase	A natural division in the melodic line, similar to a sentence or part of a sentence.
Pitch	A term used to designate sounds as high or low. Pitch is determined by the number of vibrations per second of a sound.
Polyphonic texture (polyphony)	The simultaneous combination of two or more melodic lines.
Prepared piano	A piano whose timbre and pitches have been altered by the application of foreign materials on or between the strings.
Program music	A musical work that has been inspired by or has an association with some non-musical theme, such as nature, other art forms or history.
Push up	When the lead singer in an Aboriginal song introduces the next section of the song it is called a push up.
Raga	A melodic pattern with many connotations, including those of time, mood and colour, which provides a basis for improvisation in the music of India.
Ragtime	A popular piano style in which a syncopated melody is accompanied by a regular duple pattern in the bass. Scott Joplin is an example of a musician playing in this style.
Range	Distance from the lowest to the highest notes in a piece of music.
Rhythm	The arrangement of time or duration in music.
Rock `n' roll	A popular style emerging in the early 1950s from the combination of blues, country-western, and rhythm and blues characteristics.
Romantic style	The emotional, subjective style of art prevalent in the 19th century. Chopin, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky are examples of composers of this style.
Rondo	A form having a repeated section A, alternating with contrasting material B and C. A-B-A-C-A is an example of rondo form.
Round	A circular canon, which may be repeated any number of times.
Scale	An ascending or descending pattern of half and/or whole steps.
Scale (major)	A succession of eight notes within an octave, moving in whole steps except for two half-steps between steps three and four, and seven and eight.
Scale(minor)	A succession of eight notes within an octave, moving in a specified pattern of whole steps and half steps. The half steps normally occur between the second and third degree and between the sixth and seventh degree.
Scale (pentatonic)	A scale consisting of five notes resembling the black keys of the piano; for example, doh re mi sol lah.
Score	A written copy of a music composition.
Sequence	A pattern within a melody that is repeated on a higher or lower scale step.
Sitar	A string instrument prominent in much of the music of India.
Sol-fa	A series of names or syllables that can be used to designate the tones of scale pattern. For example, pentatonic: doh re mi sol lah, and major: doh re mi fah sol lah ti doh.
Soundscape	A "picture" of music created by environmental, instrumental or vocal sounds.
Style	Refers to the way the ingredients are put together to create a distinctive sound; for example, classical music versus jazz.
Swing	A type of rhythmic performance in jazz.
Symphonic poem (tone poem)	A one-movement orchestral piece where the form is based upon programmatic rather than abstract principles.
Syncopation	An occurrence in which the accent is given to some beat other than the downbeat of a measure.
Synthesizer	An electronic sound generator capable of producing and altering an infinite variety of sounds.
Tail	A short repeat of the final section in an aboriginal song.
Tempo	The rate of speed or the pace of the music.
Ternary	Designates a form or structure in music that has three sections with the first section being repeated after the second section (ABA form).
Texture	The weave of the music: dense or transparent, heavy or light, thin or thick.
Theme	A melodic or rhythmic idea that a piece or section of music is built around.
Time signature	A symbol that denotes a metric rhythm; for example, 3/4 or 4/4.
Timbre	The tone color or the characteristics of a sound that help us distinguish that sound from another.
Tonality	A function of texture. The sense that the music is gravitating towards certain pitches in a key. Different scales can be said to have different tonality (major tonality, minor tonality, etc.).
Whole step	The equivalent of two half steps; for example, the distance between C and D is a whole step .

Visual Art Terminology A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T U V
After-image	Weak image of the complementary colour created by the brain as a reaction to prolonged looking at a colour. (After looking at red the after-image is green.)
Alternating rhythm	Repeating motifs but changing the position, content or spaces between them.
Analogous colour	Colours that are beside each other on the colour wheel.
Art critism	The process and result of critical thinking about art. It usually involves the description, analysis and interpretation of art, as well as some kind of judgement.
Assemblage	Sculpture consisting of many objects and materials that have been put together.
Asymmetrical balance	Informal balance in which unlike objects have equal visual weight.
Background	Part of the picture plane that seems to be farthest from the viewer.
Balance	Principle of design that deals with arranging the visual elements in a work of art for harmony of design and proportion.
Bas-relief	Sculpture in which part of the surface projects from a flat plane.
Chiaroscuro	Using contrast of light and dark to create the illusion of three-dimensional form on a two-dimensional surface.
Clustering	In design, creating a focal point by grouping different objects or shapes together.
Colour wheel	A tool for organizing colour.
Complementary colour	Colours that are directly opposite each other on the colour wheel (for example, blue and orange).
Composition	Arrangements of elements in a work of art.
Continuation (continuity)	In design, arranging shapes so that the line or edge of one shape leads into another (technique for creating unity).
Contour lines	Contour lines define edges, ridges or the outline of a shape or form.
Contrast	A large difference between two things. It is a technique often used to create a focal point.
Crafts	Arts works that are both decorative and functional. (Weaving, fabric design, jewellery-making and pottery.)
Crosshatch	Technique for shading using two or more crossed sets of parallel lines.
Culture	Behaviours, ideas, skills and customs of a group of people.
Distortion	Changing an object's usual shape to communicate ideas and feelings.
Dominant element	Element in a work of art that is noticed first (elements noticed later are subordinate).
Emphasis	Principle of design where the artist stresses one element or area to attract the viewer's attention first.
Exaggeration	Increasing or enlarging an object or figure to communicate ideas or feelings.
Flowing rhythm	Visual rhythm that is created by repeating wavy lines.
Focal point	Area of an art work that attracts the viewer's attention first. Contrast, location, isolation, convergence and the unusual are used to create focal points.
Foreground	Part of a picture which appears closest to the viewer and often is at the bottom of the picture.
Foreshortening	A form of perspective where the nearest parts of an object or form are enlarged so that the rest of the form appears to go back in space.
Gesture drawing	A drawing done quickly to capture a movement.
Hue	Another word for colour (colour has three properties: hue, value and intensity).
Intensity	Brightness or dullness of a colour. Intensity can be reduced by adding the colour's complement.
Linear perspective	Technique of creating the illusion of depth on a flat surface. The lines of buildings and other objects converge to a vanishing point on a horizon line (viewer's eye level).
Logo	A visual symbol that identifies a business, club, individual or group.
Medium	Any material and technique used to produce a work of art (paint, glass, clay, fibre, etc.). It may also refer to the liquid with which powdered pigments are mixed to make paint.
Middleground	Area in a picture between the foreground and the background.
Mixed media	Any art work which uses more than one medium.
Monocromatic colour	Colour scheme which uses one hue and all its tints and shades for a unifying effect.
Motif	Repeated unit to create visual rhythm.
Negative space	Space around an object or form.
Neutral colours	Black, white and grey.
Opaque	Quality of a material that does not let any light pass through.
Organic form	Shapes or forms that are free-flowing and non-geometric.
Path of movement	The path along which the viewer's eye moves from one part of an art work to another.
Pattern	Lines, colours or shapes repeated in a planned way.
Perspective	Method used to create the illusion of space on a two-dimensional surface. Can be created by overlapping, placement, detail, colour, converging lines and size variations.
Picture plane	The surface of a drawing or painting.
Point of view	Angle from which the viewer sees the object.
Positive space	Shapes or forms on a two-dimensional surface.
Principles of design	Guidelines that artists use in composing designs and controlling how viewers are likely to react to the image. Balance, contrast, proportion, movement, emphasis, variety, unity and repetition are examples of the principles of design.
Proportion	Principle of design concerned with the relationship of one object to another with respect to size, amount, number and degree.
Radial balance	Kind of balance where the elements branch out from a central point.
Random rhythm	Visual rhythm in which a motif is repeated in no apparent order.
Regular rhythm	Visual rhythm created through repeating the same motif with the same distance between placements.
Repetition	Technique for creating unity and rhythm in which a single element or motif is used over and over again.
Reproduction	Copy of a work of art.
Rhythm	Principle of design that repeats elements to create the illusion of movement. There are five kinds of rhythm: random, regular, alternating, progressive and flowing.
Scale	The proportion between two sets of dimensions.
Shade	Dark value of a colour made by adding black.
Space	Space can be the area around, within or between images or elements. Space can be created on a two-dimensional surface by using such techniques as overlapping, object size, placement, colour intensity and value, detail and diagonal lines.
Split complementary	A colour scheme based on one hue plus the hues on either side of its complement on the colour wheel.
Style	Style is the artist's ways of presenting things. Use of materials, methods of working, design qualities, choice of subject matter, etc. reflect the style of the individual, culture or time period.
Subject	A topic or idea represented in an art work.
Subordinate element	Element in an art work noticed after the dominant element.
Subtractive method	Sculpture that is made by cutting, carving or otherwise removing material.
Symbol	Visual image that represents something else.
Symmetrical balance	Formal balance where two sides of a design are identical.
Tint	Light value of a colour made by adding white.
Translucent	Quality of material which allows diffused light to pass through it.
Transparent	Quality of a material which allows light to pass through it.
Trompe-l'oeil	Means "fool the eye". Style of painting where the artist creates the illusion of three-dimensional objects.
Unity	Principle of design that gives the feeling that all parts are working together.
Value	The lightness or darkness of a colour.
Vanishing point	In perspective drawing, a point or points on the horizon where receding parallel lines seem to meet
Variety	Principle of design concerned with difference or contrasts.
Visual weight	The interest or attraction that certain elements in an art work have upon the viewer.
Film and Video Terminology A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W Z (Adapted from the following sources: Analyzing Films: A Practical Guide, Constructing Reality: Exploring Media Issues in Documentary, Understanding Movies and Flashback: A Brief History of Film)
Aerial shot	A variation of the crane shot, though restricted to exterior locations. Usually taken from a helicopter.
Aleatory techniques	Techniques of filmmaking that depend on the element of chance. Images are not planned out in advance, but must be composed on the spot by a director who often acts as his or her own camera operator. Usually employed in documentary situations.
Allegory	A symbolic technique in which stylized characters and situations represent ideas such as Justice, Death and Society.
Allusion	A reference to an event, person or work of art, usually well-known.
Angle	The camera's angle of view relative to the subject being photographed. A high angle shot is photographed from above, a low angle from below the subject.
Animation	A form of filmmaking characterized by photographing inanimate subjects or individual drawings frame by frame, with each frame differing minutely from its predecessor. When such images are projected at the standard speed of 24 frames per second, the result is that the objects or drawings appear to move. They seem "animated."
Art director	Also called production designer. The individual responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of sets for a movie, and sometimes its interior decoration and overall visual style.
Avant-garde	From the French, meaning "in the front ranks." Those artists whose works are characterized by an unconventional daring and by obscure, controversial or highly personal ideas.
Backlighting	When the lights for a shot come from the rear of the set, thus throwing the foreground figures into semidarkness or silhouette.
Back lot	During the studio era, standing exterior sets of such common locales as a frontier town, a turn-of-the-century city block, a European village, and so on.
Blocking	The movements of the actors within a given playing area.
Boom, mike boom	An overhead telescoping pole that carries a microphone, permitting the synchronous recording of sound without restricting the movements of the actors.
Chiaroscuro lighting	Dramatic use of light and dark, with little use for mid-range greys. Often used for intense, dramatic subjects, or by particularly visual directors.
Cinematographer	Also director of photography. The artist or technician responsible for the lighting of a shot and the quality of the photography.
Cinéma vérité	A method of documentary filming involving lightweight portable equipment and very small crews (often only camera and sound), in which the filmmakers act as participants in the film's events.
Close up	Also referred to as close shot. A detailed view of a person or object. A close up of an actor usually includes only the head.
Continuity	Smooth transitions between shots, in which time and space are unobtrusively condensed.
Coverage	Also referred to as covering shots or cover shots. Extra shots of a scene that can be used to bridge transitions in case the planned footage fails to edit as planned. Usually long shots that preserve the overall continuity of a scene.
Crane shot	A shot taken from a special device called a crane, which resembles a huge mechanical arm. The crane carries the camera and the cinematographer, and can move in virtually any direction.
Creative producer	A producer who supervises the making of a movie in such detail that he is virtually its artistic creator. During the studio era in America, the most famous creative producers were David O. Selznick and Walt Disney.
Cross cutting	Also called intercutting. The alternating of shots from two sequences, often in different locales, suggesting that they are taking place at the same time.
Dadaism	An avant-garde movement in the arts stressing unconscious elements, irrationalism, irreverent wit, and spontaneity. Dadaist films were produced mostly in France in the early twentieth century.
Deep focus	Photography in which objects near the camera and those in the distant background and in between are all in sharp focus. Achieved in photography by use of wide-angle lenses or small camera aperture, or both. Opposite of shallow focus.
Depth of field	The distances in front of the camera in which all objects are in sharp focus. Citizen Kane was much admired for its great depth of field, whereas most earlier films had shallow depth of field. If the subject in the foreground was in focus, the background was not, and vice versa.
Direct cinema	A style of documentary similar to cinéma vérité. The filmmakers use lightweight portable equipment, but they remain only observers of the action rather than participants, as in cinéma vérité. Direct cinema often lacks narration.
Dissolve	Also called lap dissolve. The slow fading out of one shot and the gradual fading in of its successor, with a superimposition of images, usually at the midpoint.
Distributor	Those individuals who arrange for the distribution of films to theatres.
Documentary film	Film that seems to have as its primary aim the presentation or re-creation of events, historical or contemporary.
Docudrama	A semi-fictionalized film or program that mixes documentary footage with dramatic scenes or re-enactments.
Dolly shot	Also called tracking shot or trucking shot. A shot taken from a moving vehicle. Originally tracks were laid on the set to permit a smoother movement of the camera.
Double exposure	The superimposition of two unrelated images on film.
Dubbing	The addition of sound after the visuals have been photographed. The language in movies is often dubbed for release in other countries.
Editing	The joining of one shot (strip of film) with another. In Europe, editing is called montage.
Epic	A film genre characterized by bold and sweeping themes, usually in heroic, larger than life proportions.
Establishing shot	Usually an extreme long or long shot offered at the beginning of a scene, providing the viewer with the context of the subsequent closer shots.
Expressionism	A style of filmmaking that distorts time and space as ordinarily perceived in reality. Emphasis is placed on the essential characteristics of objects and people, not necessarily on their superficial appearance. Typical expressionist techniques are fragmentary editing, extreme angles and lighting effects, and the use of distorting lenses and special effects.
Extreme close up	A minutely detailed view of an object or person; for example, including only the eyes or mouth.
Extreme long shot	A panoramic view of an exterior location, photographed from a great distance.
Fade	The fade-out is the snuffing of an image from normal brightness to a black screen. A fade-in is the slow brightening of the image from a black screen to normal.
Faithful adaptation	A film based on another medium (usually a work of literature) which captures the essence of the original, and uses cinematic equivalents for specific literary techniques.
Film noir	A French term -- literally, black cinema -- referring to a kind of urban American genre that sprang up during World War II, emphasizing a fatalistic, despairing universe where there is no escape from mean city streets, loneliness, and death. Stylistically, noir emphasizes low-key and high-contrast lighting, complex compositions, and a strong atmosphere of dread and paranoia. Examples include: The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Double Indemnity (1944).
Final cut	Also called release print. The sequence of shots in a movie as it will be released to the public.
First cut	Also called rough cut. The initial sequence of shots in a movie, often constructed by the director.
Flashback	An editing technique that suggests the interruption of the present by a shot or series of shots representing the past.
Flash-forward	An editing technique that suggests the interruption of the present by a shot or series of shots representing the future.
Focus	The degree of acceptable sharpness of a film image. "Out of focus" means the images are blurred and lack acceptable linear definition.
Foley artist	A person who creates sound effects with props in a specially equipped studio, by acting out scenes in time to the picture.
Footage	Exposed film stock.
Formalism	Also called formalist. A style of filmmaking in which aesthetic forms take precedence over the subject matter as content. Time and space as ordinarily perceived are forgotten or distorted. Emphasis is placed on the essential symbolic characteristics of objects and people, not necessarily on their superficial appearance. Formalists are often lyrical, self-consciously heightening their style in order to call attention to it as a value for its own sake.
Frame	The dividing line between the edges of the screen image and the enclosing darkness of the theatre. Can also refer to a single photograph from the filmstrip.
Freeze frame	Also called freeze shot. A shot composed of a single frame that is reprinted a number of times on the filmstrip; when projected, it gives the illusion of a still photograph.
Full shot	A type of long shot which includes the human body in full, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom.
Genre	A recognizable type of movie, characterized by certain pre-established conventions. Some common American genres are westerns, musicals, thrillers, comedies, sci-fi movies, etc.
High-angle shot	A shot in which the subject is photographed from above.
High contrast	A style of lighting emphasizing dramatic use of lights and darks. Often used in thrillers and melodramas.
High key	A style of lighting emphasizing bright, even illumination, with few conspicuous shadows. Used in comedies, musicals and light entertainment films.
Independent producer	A producer not affiliated with a studio or large commercial firm. Many directors choose to be independent producers to ensure their artistic control.
Key light	Main source of illumination for a shot.
Kinetoscope	An early device for viewing films under a minute in length. The film was a continuous loop encased in a cabinet which could be used by only one person at a time.
Literal adaptation	A movie based on a stage play, in which the dialogue and actions are preserved more or less intact.
Long shot	A shot taken from a distance.
Loose adaptation	A movie based on another medium in which only a superficial resemblance exists between the two versions.
Low-angle shot	A shot in which the subject is photographed from below.
Low key	A style of lighting that emphasizes diffused shadows and atmospheric pools of light. Often used in mysteries and thrillers.
Masking	A technique whereby a portion of the movie image is blocked out.
Master shot	An uninterrupted shot, usually taken from a long or full shot range, that contains an entire scene. The closer shots are photographed later, and an edited sequence, composed of a variety of shots, is constructed on the editor's bench.
Matte shot	A process of combining two separate shots on one print, resulting in an image that looks as though it had been photographed normally. Used mostly for special effects, such as combining a human figure with giant dinosaurs, etc.
Medium shot	A relatively close shot, revealing a moderate amount of detail. A human figure might be shot from the knees or waist up.
Miniatures	Also called model or miniature shots. Small-scale models are photographed to give the illusion that they are full-scale objects; for example, ships sinking at sea, giant dinosaurs, airplanes colliding, etc.
Minimalism	A style of filmmaking characterized by austerity and restraint, in which cinematic elements are reduced to the barest minimum of information.
Mise-en-scène	The arrangement of visual weights and movements within a given space. In the live theatre, the space is usually defined by the proscenium arch; in movies, it is defined by the frame that encloses the images. Cinematic mise-en-scène encompasses both the staging of the action and the way that it's photographed.
Mix	The process of combining separately recorded sounds from individual soundtracks onto a master track.
Montage	Transitional sequences of rapidly edited images, used to suggest the lapse of time or the passing of events. Often employs dissolves and multiple exposures. In Europe, montage means the art of editing.
Motif	Any unobtrusive technique, object or thematic idea that's systematically repeated throughout a film.
Multiple exposure	A special effect produced by the optical printer, which permits the superimposition of many images simultaneously.
New Wave	Also called nouvelle vague. A group of young French filmmakers who came to prominence during the late 1950s. The most widely known are François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and Alain Resnais.
Non-synchronous sound	Sounds and images that are not recorded simultaneously or that are detached from their source in the film image. Music is usually non-synchronous in a movie.
Optical printer	An elaborate machine used to create special effects in movies; for example, fades, dissolves, multiple exposures, etc.
Out-takes	Shots or pieces of shots that are not used in the final cut of a film. Leftover footage.
Overexposure	Too much light enters the aperture of a camera lens, bleaching out the image. Useful for fantasy and nightmare scenes.
Pan	Also called panning shot. Short for panorama, this is a revolving horizontal movement of the camera.
Point of view shot	Also called POV shot, first person camera or subjective camera. Any shot that is taken from the vantage point of a character in the film, showing what the character sees.
Process shot	Also called rear projection. A technique in which a background scene is projected onto a translucent screen behind the actors so it appears that the actors are on location in the final image.
Producer	An ambiguous term referring to the individual or company that controls the financing of a film, and often the way it's made. The producer can concern himself or herself solely with business matters, or with putting together a package deal (such as script, actors, and director) or can function as a team leader, smoothing over problems during production.
Producer-director	A filmmaker who finances projects independently, to allow maximum creative freedom.
Production values	The box office appeal of the physical mounting of a film, such as sets, costumes, special effects, etc.
Prop	Any movable item which is included in a movie: tables, guns, books, etc.
Pull-back dolly	When the camera withdraws from a scene to reveal an object or character that was previously out of frame.
Reaction shot	A cut to a shot of a character's reaction to the contents of the preceding shot.
Realism	A style of filmmaking that attempts to duplicate the look of objective reality as it's ordinarily perceived, with emphasis on authentic locations and details, long shots, lengthy takes, and a minimum of editing and special effects.
Rear projection	See process shot.
Reprinting	A special effects technique in which two or more separately photographed images are rephotographed onto one strip of film.
Reverse angle shot	A shot taken from an angle opposite to the previous shot.
Rough cut	See first cut.
Rushes, dailies	The selected footage of the previous day's shooting, which is usually evaluated by the director and cinematographer before the start of the next day's shooting.
Scene	An imprecise unit of film, composed of a number of interrelated shots, unified usually by a central concern -- a location, an incident or a minor dramatic climax.
Screenplay	A dramatic script for a film or television program that includes both dialogue and action descriptions; it may include some general descriptions of camera movements.
Script	Also called screenplay or scenario. A written description of a movie's dialogue and action, which occasionally includes camera direction.
Setup	The positioning of the camera and lights for a specific shot.
Sequence	An imprecise structural unit of film, composed of a number of interrelated scenes, and leading to a major climax.
Shot	An uninterrupted strip of exposed motion picture film. It depicts some action or objects during an uninterrupted segment of time.
Shooting ratio	The amount of film stock used in photographing a movie in relation to what's finally included in the finished product. A shooting ratio of 20/1 means that twenty feet of film were shot for every one used in the final cut.
Shooting script	A written breakdown of a movie story into its individual shots, often containing technical instructions. Used by the director and his or her staff during production.
Shot	Those images that are recorded continuously from the time the camera starts to the time it stops. That is, an unedited strip of film.
Slow motion	Shots of a subject photographed at a faster rate than 24 frames per second, which when projected at the standard rate produce a dreamy dancelike slowness of action.
Social realism	A loose term encompassing films that point out flaws in the social structure.
Soft focus	The blurring out of focus of all except one desired distance range. Can also refer to a glamorizing technique which softens the sharpness of definition so that facial wrinkles can be smoothed over.
Special effects	Trick photography and optical effects, often employed in action films, fantasy films, and science fiction.
Stop-motion photography	A staple of trick and animation photography. Models (King Kong, for example) are shaped over metal armatures and photographed one frame at a time, with the model being moved slightly between exposures. When the filmstrip is projected at the standard rate of 24 frames per second, the model seems to move realistically.
Storyboard	Also called storyboarding. A pre-visualization technique in which shots are sketched in advance and in sequence, like a comic strip, thus allowing the filmmaker to outline his or her mise-en-scéne and construct the editing continuity before production begins.
Subtext	A term used in drama and film to signify the dramatic implications beneath the language of a play or movie. Often the subtext concerns ideas and emotions that are totally independent of the language of a text.
Surrealism	An avant-garde movement in the arts stressing unconscious elements, irrationalism and the symbolic association of ideas. Dreamlike and bizarre, Surrealist movies were produced roughly from 1924 to 1931, primarily in France. There are surrealistic elements in the works of many directors and in music videos.
Swish pan	Also called flash or zip pan. A horizontal movement of the camera at such a rapid rate that the subject photographed blurs on the screen.
Synchronous sound	The agreement or correspondence between image and sound, which are recorded simultaneously, or seem so in the finished print. Synchronous sounds appear to derive from an obvious source in the visuals.
Symbol, symbolic	A figurative device in which an object, event, or cinematic technique has significance beyond its literal meaning. Symbolism is always determined by the dramatic context.
Take	A variation of a specific shot. The final shot is often selected from a number of possible takes.
Tight framing	Usually in close shots. The mise-en-scéne is so carefully balanced and harmonized that the people photographed have little or no freedom of movement.
Tilt shot	Also called oblique angle. A shot photographed by a tilted camera. When the image is projected on the screen, the subject seems to be tilted on a diagonal.
Titles	In silent films, titles were used to set a scene, create a mood with language and provide the dialogue for the characters.
Telephoto lens	Also called long lens. A lens that acts as a telescope, magnifying the size of objects at a great distance. A side effect is its tendency to flatten perspective.
Thematic montage	A type of editing in which separate shots are linked together, not by their literal continuity in reality, but by symbolic association.
Underscoring	Music behind film action, usually a live orchestra or, in more modest circumstances, an organist or piano player. A staple of silent films. Modern movies use underscoring to create mood or indicate emotion.
Viewfinder	An eyepiece on the camera which defines the playing area and the framing of the action to be photographed.
Voice-over	A non-synchronous spoken commentary in a movie, often used to convey a character's thoughts or memories.
Wide-angle lens	Also called short lens. A lens that permits the camera to photograph a wider area than a normal lens. A side effect is its tendency to exaggerate perspective.
Wipe	An editing device, usually a line that travels across the screen, "pushing off" one image and revealing another.
Zoom lens	Also zoom shot. A lens of variable focal length that permits the cinematographer to smoothly zoom in or out on a scene in one continuous movement (from medium shot to close up, for example).