Filmmaking
A 12.1 mix is a channel-based immersive audio format, associated with the Auro-3D system, that adds a distinct height layer to traditional surround sound for a three-dimensional effect.
Wiki search
Search the Movie Wiki
Type a word and the search finds it even if you only half remember it: hyphens, spaces and punctuation are ignored, and a partial word matches too. Or browse all 3,011 entries by first letter.
3,011 entries
Every Film Term, A to Z
The whole glossary in alphabetical order, 60 entries a page. Pick a letter to jump ahead.
-
-
Genres
120 fps is an extreme form of High Frame Rate (HFR) filmmaking that captures motion with unprecedented clarity and smoothness.
-
General
Sixteen-bit RAW captures the full 65 536 tonal steps per channel that high-end sensors can output, anchoring future-proof HDR workflows.
-
Industry
A historic film studio famed for landmark releases and genre‑defining classics.
-
Filmmaking
A 22.2 mix is the ultra-immersive, 24-channel surround sound format developed by NHK for Japan's 8K 'Super Hi-Vision' broadcast standard.
-
Filmmaking
A 2K scan is the process of digitizing a motion picture film frame at a standard resolution of approximately 2048 pixels horizontally, a cornerstone of the digital intermediate workflow.
-
Industry
35 mm is the most widely used film gauge for theatrical motion pictures, known for its balance of image quality and equipment portability.
-
Filmmaking
35mm is the standard gauge of photographic film that was the dominant format for motion picture photography and projection for over a century.
-
-
Filmmaking
3D, or stereoscopic, filmmaking is a technique that creates the illusion of three-dimensional depth in an image by presenting two slightly different perspectives to the viewer's eyes.
-
Genres
A 3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception, creating an immersive experience where objects appear to extend out from the screen.
-
Pop Culture
4DX augments a film with motion seats, wind, scent and environmental effects, turning passive viewing into theme-park spectacle.
-
Filmmaking
A 4K scan is the process of digitizing a physical film element at a resolution of approximately 4000 horizontal pixels to create a high-quality digital master.
-
Filmmaking
A six‑channel surround sound configuration standard in cinemas and home theaters.
-
Industry
Mobile broadband capabilities that unlock low-latency, high-bandwidth film activations and on-set workflows.
-
Industry
High-resolution film scanning at roughly 6000 horizontal pixels to future-proof restorations and VFX pulls.
-
Filmmaking
An eight‑channel surround sound system adding rear surrounds for enhanced immersion.
-
Industry
70 mm is a large‑format film gauge offering unparalleled image resolution and immersive projection quality.
-
Filmmaking
70mm is a wide, high-resolution film gauge used to create an epic, immersive cinematic experience with superior image clarity and detail.
-
Filmmaking
A nine‑channel surround configuration adding front wide channels for greater frontstage width.
-
-
Industry
The A-List is the unofficial but universally understood tier of the most bankable and globally recognized actors in the film industry.
-
Storytelling
The A-plot is the central, primary storyline of a film, focusing on the protagonist's pursuit of an external goal and driving the main narrative action.
-
Storytelling
The A-vs-B story weave is a structural technique where the external plot is interwoven with a character's internal, emotional journey.
-
Industry
An A/B thumbnail test is a marketing method used to determine which of two different thumbnail images for a video is more effective at attracting clicks.
-
Filmmaking
An A11y Pass is a comprehensive quality assurance review in film production and distribution to ensure the final product is accessible to audiences with sensory disabilities.
-
Industry
Above-the-line refers to the costs associated with the major creative and financial talent involved in a film before production begins.
-
Characters
A parental figure whose physical or emotional absence profoundly shapes the protagonist.
-
Characters
A parental figure archetype characterized by harmful and controlling behaviors.
-
Industry
Oscars night crowns artistic and technical excellence while fueling billion-dollar lobbying campaigns.
-
Industry
The Academy Film Archive is the film preservation arm of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, committed to the preservation and restoration of cinema history.
-
Industry
A prestigious screenwriting fellowship awarded annually by the Academy.
-
-
Industry
ACES AP0 is the ultra-wide, scene-referred linear color space that serves as the archival and interchange standard for the ACES workflow.
-
Industry
ACES AP1 is the primary working color space within the ACES pipeline, designed for colorists and VFX artists to perform their creative work.
-
Industry
ACES Archival is the practice of using the Academy Color Encoding System as a standardized, device-independent framework for the long-term storage of digital motion picture masters.
-
Filmmaking
An ACES Input Device Transform (IDT) is the crucial first step in a modern color workflow that converts footage from a camera's proprietary format into the standardized ACES color space.
-
Filmmaking
An ACES Output Device Transform (ODT) is the final step in the ACES color workflow that accurately converts the master image for viewing on a specific display, such as a TV or cinema projector.
-
Filmmaking
A high dynamic range, wide gamut color space for visual effects and compositing in the ACES workflow.
-
Pop Culture
An interactive challenge where fans earn badges or rewards for completing film-related tasks.
-
Pop Culture
"Achievement Unlocked" is a notification indicating that a player has completed a specific, pre-defined challenge in a video game, a concept now used metaphorically across pop culture.
-
Storytelling
An act is a major division in a screenplay's structure, composed of multiple sequences, that represents a distinct phase of the story's development.
-
Storytelling
An act break is a major turning point in a screenplay that concludes one act and propels the story into the next.
-
Storytelling
Act One is the foundational first section of a screenplay that introduces the characters, establishes their world, and sets the central conflict in motion.
-
Storytelling
An act summary is a focused synopsis that describes the main narrative movement and key turning points within a single act of a three-act structure.
-
Storytelling
Act Three is the final act of a film that brings the story to its dramatic climax and provides a resolution to the central conflict.
-
Storytelling
Act Two is the long, complex middle section of a film where the protagonist confronts escalating obstacles in pursuit of their goal.
-
Filmmaking
Action description is the component of the scene description that details the specific, observable movements, gestures, and physical actions of the characters.
-
Genres
An action film is a genre where the narrative is primarily driven by a series of spectacular and intense physical feats, including fights, chases, and large-scale stunts.
-
Filmmaking
Action formatting refers to the paragraphs of descriptive text in a screenplay that convey a character's physical actions, the setting's appearance, and key visual or auditory information.
-
Filmmaking
An action line is the descriptive text in a screenplay, written in the present tense, that details what the audience sees and hears in a scene.
-
Genres
An action-adventure film is a genre that combines the high-stakes physical conflict of action films with the exotic locations and quest-driven narratives of adventure films.
-
Characters
A performer who embodies a character on screen through speech, movement and expression.
-
-
Industry
Ad-free describes a viewing experience, typically paid for via a subscription, that contains no commercial interruptions.
-
Industry
An ad-supported business model provides content to users for free or at a reduced cost by generating revenue from advertisements.
-
-
Storytelling
A screenplay that transforms existing source material such as novels or plays into a film format.
-
Industry
ADM BWF is the open-standard file format used for delivering and archiving object-based, immersive audio programs like Dolby Atmos.
-
Industry
ADM IMF refers to the use of the Audio Definition Model as the standard for carrying immersive audio within an Interoperable Master Format package.
By category
Or Browse by Subject
Eight subject indexes, each with its own alphabetical list: filmmaking, genres and styles, characters, storytelling, industry, fandom, general terms and the rest.
