A Tray Shot is a type of low-angle tracking shot where the camera is placed on a simple, flat platform or 'tray,' often with wheels, to achieve a smooth gliding motion just above the floor.
Filmmaking
Filmmaking Terms, A to Z
Go behind the camera and explore the art and craft of filmmaking. This category breaks down the technical and creative processes involved in bringing a movie to life — from cinematography and directing to editing, sound design, production roles, and special effects. Whether you're curious about how a scene is shot or how a film crew operates, dive into the world of practical movie-making knowledge.
- filmmaking terms
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- starting letters
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Page 15 of 16
All 913 Filmmaking Terms
Listed alphabetically, each with its one-line answer first. This page runs from Tray Shot to Wipe To. S is the busiest letter here, with 146 entries. Jump to a letter to see only the filmmaking terms that start with it.
Filmmaking terms starting with T
10 of 44 on this page · all T entries
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A trend forecast is a predictive analysis of future aesthetics, colors, and themes that heavily influences the visual direction of a film, particularly in costume and production design.
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In sound design, a trigger is a specific visual or narrative event on-screen that initiates or motivates the start of a sound cue.
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A trim pass is a crucial and efficient final step in audio post-production where a main theatrical mix is adjusted to create versions suitable for different playback formats like home theater and stereo.
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A lateral camera move performed by mounting on a wheeled platform or dolly
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A measurement technique that gauges the absolute maximum peak levels in film and broadcast audio.
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Tungsten lighting refers to a class of incandescent lamps that create light by heating a tungsten filament, known for producing a warm, high-quality light.
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A slow-motion technique used to capture fluid movement in delicate or underwater scenes.
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The process of generating intermediate frames between keyframes to produce smooth animation.
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A camera boom system using two counterbalanced poles for extended reach and stability.
Filmmaking terms starting with U
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A technique of shooting at reduced frame rates to speed up action for a stylized effect.
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Recording below standard frame rate accelerates on-screen motion when played back at normal speed.
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A waterproof enclosure that allows cameras to operate safely underwater.
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The official still photographer assigned to a film’s production unit.
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A unit production manager translates script pages into logistical reality, controlling costs without stifling creativity.
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Unit stills are the professional, high-resolution photographs taken on a film set during production for use in marketing, publicity, and archival purposes.
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A Unity build is a compiled, standalone version of a project from the Unity game engine, used in filmmaking for previsualization and creating interactive experiences.
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Real-time engine widely used to render virtual sets, previs, and in-camera effects for film workflows.
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An Unreal Engine artist is a digital artist who specializes in creating and operating the real-time 3D environments for virtual production, VFX, and animation.
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An Unreal Engine demo is a real-time showcase of the engine's graphical capabilities, a technology that is revolutionizing virtual production in filmmaking.
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A camera cue indicating a sudden upward boom or tilt movement for dramatic emphasis.
Filmmaking terms starting with V
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"V.O." is the screenplay abbreviation for "Voice-Over," indicating dialogue from a character or narrator who is not physically present in the scene.
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A basic, unembellished shot recorded without special effects or creative flourishes.
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A Vectorscope is a circular video scope that displays the color information of an image, showing the hue and saturation of every pixel on a circular graph.
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A skilled technician who creates digital visual effects elements for film and television
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A VFX cue is a specific instruction in a film's post-production workflow that marks the exact point where a visual effect is required.
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VFX notes are specific, detailed instructions and feedback provided by a director or supervisor for the creation or revision of visual effects shots.
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An on-set area where the director and crew monitor live camera feeds during shooting.
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A gradual darkening or softening at image edges used for aesthetic emphasis
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Team that builds and maintains digital sets, props, and environments for real-time visualization and in-camera use.
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Workflow that fuses real-time engines with in-camera VFX to visualize final shots on set.
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A Virtual Production Operator is a specialized technician responsible for managing and operating the complex real-time rendering systems used in virtual production environments.
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A virtual-tracking marker is a physical reference point placed on set that allows a camera tracking system to determine the precise position and orientation of the real-world camera in 3D space.
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An advanced widescreen film format developed by Paramount in the 1950s
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Post-production techniques that enhance or create imagery not captured on set.
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The creative lead responsible for planning and executing a film’s visual effects
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The ensemble of actors who provide vocal performances for animated or dubbed productions.
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"Voice Off" is a descriptive term for off-screen dialogue which is formally abbreviated in screenplays as "O.S." (Off-Screen).
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Process of aligning LED wall color, brightness, geometry, and sync so virtual backgrounds photograph correctly.
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Volumetric capture is a technique that records a three-dimensional, photorealistic video of a person or object.
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A VSCO filter is a photo-editing preset that serves as a simple analogy for the professional film process of color grading.
Filmmaking terms starting with W
19 of 26 on this page · all W entries
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A rehearsal-like run of scenes on the actual set without cameras rolling.
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Chalk or tape marks on set walls indicating actor and prop positions for continuity.
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A wardrobe call is a scheduled appointment for an actor to be fitted for their costumes before filming begins.
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The on-set manager overseeing costume maintenance, continuity, and distribution during filming.
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A dynamic camera move that simulates surfing or aquatic motion on land.
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A Waveform Monitor is a video scope that graphically displays the luminance levels of an image from left to right, allowing a colorist to objectively evaluate exposure and contrast.
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A production technique using real water on set for authentic wet visual effects.
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A wet-gate 8K scan is a premium archival film scanning technique that uses a fluid bath to conceal physical scratches on the film base, combined with ultra-high resolution to capture maximum detail.
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A sound effect capturing the friction noise of wheels on various surfaces for realism.
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A whip pan is an extremely fast camera movement that pans from one subject to another, causing the image to blur into a streak, and is often used as a stylized transition.
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White Balance is a camera setting that adjusts the image's color values to render white objects as pure white, thereby ensuring all other colors in the frame are accurate and free from unrealistic color casts.
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A wide-angle lens is a short focal length lens that captures an extensive field of view, exaggerating perspective.
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Monitor features that indicate out-of-gamut colors during color grading sessions.
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An aspect ratio wider than the standard Academy frame, enhancing cinematic scope.
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Wild sound refers to any audio recorded on location without the camera running, capturing specific sound effects or ambient sounds for use in post-production.
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Location sound recorded without camera to capture ambient room tone and effects
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Window Light is a lighting technique in cinematography where a real window is used as the primary (key) light source for a scene, prized for its natural, soft, and directional quality.
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A microphone windshield is a cover used to protect a microphone's sensitive diaphragm from wind noise, which would otherwise ruin an audio recording.
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A wipe is a film transition where one shot is replaced by another through a line or shape that travels across the screen to reveal the next image.
Other categories
The Other Seven Categories
The rest of the glossary, each with its own A to Z index: genres and styles, characters and tropes, storytelling, industry and awards, pop culture and fandom, general terms, and the odd ones out.
