A sweeping camera move achieved by mounting on a large, mobile boom arm
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
- 913
- of the whole glossary
- 30%
- starting letters
- 27
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All 913 Filmmaking Terms
Listed alphabetically, each with its one-line answer first. This page runs from Crane Shot to Dolby Dialog Intelligence. 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 C
13 of 84 on this page · all C entries
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A crash mag is a camera media card designated for a high-risk shot where the camera is likely to be damaged or destroyed.
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A high‑output LED orb light offering soft, even illumination
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The art of conceptualizing and realizing non-human characters.
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The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a 0-100 scale that measures a light source's ability to accurately reproduce the colors of an object compared to a perfect reference light source.
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CRMX, which stands for Cognitive Radio Multiplexer, is a premier wireless technology for transmitting DMX lighting control data with extreme reliability on signal-congested film sets.
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"CROSS FADE TO:" is a screenplay transition that is a direct synonym for "DISSOLVE TO:", indicating one scene gradually fades into another.
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A parallel editing technique that alternates between simultaneous actions in different locations.
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A CTB gel is a transparent blue filter used on lights to raise their color temperature, primarily to make a warm tungsten source appear as cool as daylight.
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A CTO gel is a transparent orange filter used on lights to lower their color temperature, primarily to make a daylight source appear as warm as a tungsten lamp.
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A cue is a signal or instruction in a screenplay or on set that prompts an action, a line of dialogue, or a technical effect like sound or music.
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A cue sheet is a detailed, time-coded document that lists all the dialogue, sound, or music cues in a film.
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An immediate edit from one shot to another to maintain pace and clarity.
Filmmaking terms starting with D
47 of 67 on this page · all D entries
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Daily raw or lightly graded footage reviewed by the creative team during production
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Dailies, also known as rushes, are the raw, unedited footage from a single day of shooting that is reviewed by the director and key crew members.
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The routine review of raw, unedited footage by the production team to assess performance and technical quality.
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A data lab is a specialized facility that securely manages the backup, processing, and distribution of a film's digital files during production.
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DaVinci Resolve is an industry-standard software application developed by Blackmagic Design that combines professional non-linear video editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production in a single program.
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"DAY" is the standard time designator in a screenplay's slugline, indicating that a scene takes place during daylight hours.
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Shooting in daylight but grading to simulate night solves logistical and safety hurdles while courting visual debate.
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Spreadsheet-style matrix tracks each talent’s work, hold, travel, and idle days across the shoot.
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The process of reversing anamorphic distortion in post‑production.
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Deep compositing is an advanced visual effects workflow that stores depth information for every pixel, allowing for more accurate and efficient integration of 3D elements.
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Deep Learning Cinematography is the application of artificial intelligence, specifically deep learning models, to analyze, assist with, or automate creative and technical decisions in the art of cinematography.
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A deleted scene is footage filmed but removed from the final theatrical cut, often included as bonus material.
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Delta E is a standard color science metric that calculates the perceived difference between two colors, serving as a critical tool for ensuring color accuracy in filmmaking.
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The distance range within which subjects appear acceptably sharp in an image
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Early-stage feedback aimed at refining concept, tone, and feasibility of a film project.
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A post‐production process converting film footage into digital for color grading and finishing
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A specialist who trains actors in accurate speech patterns and accents
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Dialog formatting is the standardized method for presenting a character's spoken lines in a screenplay, positioned centrally on the page under the character's name.
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A dialogue draft is a specific stage of the rewriting process where the writer's primary focus is on improving and refining the characters' spoken lines.
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A dialogue polish is a final, highly focused stage of rewriting where a script's dialogue is sharpened for rhythm, wit, and emotional impact, often performed by a specialized writer.
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A separate audio track containing only spoken elements for clarity and flexibility.
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Music that originates within the world of the film and is heard by the characters themselves.
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Audio whose source exists within the film’s world grounds scenes in perceived reality.
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A lens filter that softens light and reduces image contrast for a more flattering or atmospheric look.
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The capture, post-production and exhibition of motion pictures using digital technology
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A standardized set of digital files used to distribute and project movies in cinemas.
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A digital cleaning pass is a meticulous, frame-by-frame post-production process in film restoration where software tools are used to remove visible artifacts like dust, dirt, sparkle, and scratches from a scanned film.
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A digital double is a photo-realistic 3D computer-generated model of an actor, used in visual effects to perform stunts or actions that are impossible or too dangerous for a real person.
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A specialist who manages digital image quality and on‑set data workflow.
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A post-production process converting film footage into digital data for color grading and effects.
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A digital slate, or smart slate, is an advanced timecode clapperboard that wirelessly syncs timecode and shares shot metadata with cameras, sound recorders, and production apps.
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The chief cinematographer responsible for a film’s visual look.
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The director's chair is the iconic symbol of a film director's authority and creative leadership on a movie set.
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A version reflecting the director’s creative vision, often released after the theatrical edit
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A version of a film reflecting the director’s preferred cut with restored or altered scenes.
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Dirty for Dirty is an editing principle that maintains visual consistency in dialogue scenes by matching the framing of over-the-shoulder shots.
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A Disguise server is an industry-standard media server platform used to manage and play back video content for large-scale displays like LED walls.
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"DISSOLVE TO:" is a screenplay transition where one shot gradually fades out while the next shot simultaneously fades in, often used to signify a passage of time.
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A DIT cart is a mobile, customized workstation used by a Digital Imaging Technician on a film set to manage data, apply live color grades, and perform quality control.
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A DIY tutorial is an instructional guide for creating something by hand, a format that has deep ties to the film crafts of prop-making and special effects.
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The DJI Inspire 3 is a professional, high-end cinema drone equipped with an 8K full-frame camera for filmmaking applications.
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Integrated cinema camera with 4-axis stabilization and LiDAR focusing for agile, gimbal-like shots.
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A DMX network is the industry-standard protocol for controlling stage and film lighting, allowing a central console to communicate with numerous fixtures.
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A codec family designed for high-resolution post-production and preservation.
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A Dogme cut is a jarring, rule-breaking edit, typically a jump cut, that reflects the raw and anti-Hollywood ethos of the Dogme 95 film movement.
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A foundational channel‑based layer in an object‑based Dolby Atmos mix.
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Dolby Dialog Intelligence is an AI-driven toolset that helps audio engineers analyze and improve the clarity and consistency of dialogue.
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.
