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Filmmaking Terms Starting With S
The filmmaking terms that begin with S, in alphabetical order.
61–120 of 146 entries
Definitions of Filmmaking Terms Starting With S
Open any entry for the full definition, where the term comes from and the films that show it best.
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A Sign-Language Window is a picture-in-picture overlay on a video program that displays a sign language interpreter translating the spoken audio for Deaf viewers for whom sign language is their primary language.
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A silent clap is the practice of closing a clapperboard without a sound to mark a take in a sensitive environment.
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A visual effect depicting subjects as dark shapes against a brighter background
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A translucent fabric material used to diffuse and soften light on set.
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A film processing technique that preserves metallic silver to enhance image density and contrast.
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Silverstack is the industry-standard macOS software application for on-set data management, used by media professionals to securely offload, verify, organize, and report on digital camera footage.
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Real-time compositing lets crews view live action combined with CG elements during principal photography.
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A site recce is the pre-production process of visiting, surveying, and assessing potential locations for filming.
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The process of binding a 3D model’s mesh to its underlying rig to ensure natural deformation.
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A slap mark is a piece of tape quickly placed on the floor as a temporary focus reference for the camera assistant.
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A board used to record scene information and aid synchronization in film production.
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A slate tape is an adhesive label affixed to a camera's media card that details essential information about the footage recorded on it.
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A camera slider is a portable device with a rail system that allows a camera to execute short, smooth, and controlled linear movements.
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Narrow aperture photography stretches space-time into psychedelic tunnels—immortalised by Kubrick’s star-gate.
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A slugline, also known as a scene heading, is a formatted line of capitalized text in a screenplay that marks the beginning of a new scene and establishes its location and time.
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A slugline, or scene heading, is an element in a screenplay, written in all caps, that indicates the location and time of day for a new scene.
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Smoke and mirrors is a colloquial term for the practical effects and cinematic techniques used to create illusions on screen, making the impossible appear real.
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A snag-it shot is an unplanned, opportunistic shot captured quickly by the film crew when an unexpected opportunity arises.
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A specialized lens extension that allows shooting at extreme low angles.
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A soft set is a film set constructed primarily from fabric, curtains, or drapes, which can be used to create abstract backgrounds or diffuse light.
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A full‑frame mirrorless cinema camera with advanced autofocus and color fidelity
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A full‑frame cinema camera with dual base ISO and 8.6K capture for premium productions
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A sound blanket is a heavy, dense, sound-absorbing blanket used on film sets to control unwanted echo and reverberation.
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A sound cue is a specific instruction in a script or editing timeline that indicates the exact moment a particular sound effect or atmospheric track should start, stop, or change.
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Crafting, selecting, and manipulating audio elements shapes the immersive aural world of a film.
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Sound direction in a screenplay is the writer's art of describing the overall soundscape of a scene to evoke a specific mood or environment.
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Sound editors assemble, design and refine every audio element before the final dub, shaping a film’s sonic narrative.
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A sound effects note, or sound cue, is a capitalized word in a screenplay that emphasizes a specific, story-relevant sound.
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A sound library is a vast, organized collection of pre-recorded audio clips, ranging from sound effects to ambient atmospheres, used by sound designers to create a film's soundscape.
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A sound mixer balances multiple audio sources into a cohesive track live on set or in small-crew documentaries.
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A sound recordist captures high-quality location audio, often in documentary and field environments.
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A large, soundproof studio facility designed for controlled film production.
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The curated collection of a film’s music can define its identity, brand, and after-screening life.
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Film music whose source appears on screen and is acknowledged by characters within the scene.
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A film editing theory that constructs meaning through the collision of shots.
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A filmmaking theory positing that meaning emerges from the juxtaposition of shots.
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A spark is the colloquial British and sometimes American term for an electrician in a film's lighting department who works under the Gaffer.
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A spatial audio remix is the process of re-engineering a film's original stereo or surround soundtrack into an object-based, immersive format like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.
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On-set practical techniques used to create physical illusions in film.
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Advanced makeup techniques to create creatures, wounds or aging on-screen.
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'Speed' is the on-set command called by the sound mixer and camera operator to confirm that their respective recording devices are running at the correct, stable speed.
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A rapid-cut editing style that accelerates narrative pacing through brisk montage sequences.
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A speed slate is a very fast or informal method of marking a take, used when the pace of shooting makes a formal slate impractical.
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A spike is a physical mark placed on the ground to indicate the precise position for an actor, camera, or piece of set dressing.
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To spike it on a film set means to mark the position of an actor or piece of equipment on the floor with tape.
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A split reel is a metal or plastic film reel made of two separate flanges that can be unscrewed to mount a roll of film.
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A production approach dividing filming between multiple units operating simultaneously.
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A sponsor credit is an acknowledgement in a film's credits that recognizes a person, organization, or government body that provided funding or in-kind support.
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A collaborative meeting to determine where and how music will be placed within a film.
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An SRT stream is a video feed transmitted using the Secure Reliable Transport protocol, which is designed to deliver high-quality, low-latency video securely over unpredictable public networks.
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High-profile virtual production platform using real-time engines and LED volumes for in-camera effects.
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A standby day is a day when a crew member is not actively working but must be available to be called into set on short notice.
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A state-machine script is a programming and authoring approach used in interactive narratives to manage the story's various states, choices, and branching logic.
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A specialist who operates a stabilizing rig for smooth, mobile camera shots.
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A camera stabilization system that allows smooth handheld shots while moving.
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A stealth take is a take that is filmed while the actors believe they are only rehearsing, done to capture a natural performance.
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A stem mix is a group of related audio tracks that have been mixed together to create a single stereo or multi-channel file, forming a major component of the final soundtrack.
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A step outline is a pre-writing document that breaks a story down into its core sequential steps, with each step typically describing a single scene in a short paragraph.
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A professional photographer who captures high-quality still images during a film's production.
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