Filmmaking
The C camera is a third camera used in a multi-camera setup to capture even more angles, often focusing on specific details, inserts, or wide establishing shots.
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Film Terms Starting With C
300 entries in the Movie Wiki begin with C, listed alphabetically with a one-line definition each. Open any of them for the full explanation.
1–60 of 300 entries
Definitions of Film Terms Starting With C
Open any entry for the full definition, where the term comes from and the films that show it best.
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Storytelling
A C-story is a minor subplot in a screenplay that revolves around secondary characters or a running gag, adding texture and depth to the narrative.
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Filmmaking
A C-47 is the film industry's slang term for a standard wooden spring-loaded clothespin, used ubiquitously by grips and electricians.
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Storytelling
A C-Plot is a tertiary narrative thread that complements the main and secondary storylines.
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Filmmaking
A versatile grip stand used to hold lights, flags, silks, and other equipment on set.
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Characters
The cab driver is a character archetype who acts as a guide through the urban landscape, often serving as a philosopher, a witness to the city's secrets, or a catalyst for the plot.
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Storytelling
The call to adventure is an early plot event that disrupts the protagonist's ordinary world and presents them with a challenge, a goal, or a quest.
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Pop Culture
A practice of publicly highlighting perceived wrongdoing or problematic behavior, often through social media.
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Characters
A brief appearance by a known individual, often playing themselves or a minor role.
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Characters
A brief on‑screen appearance by a notable figure playing themselves or a minor role.
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Filmmaking
A specially modified vehicle designed to mount and operate cameras for moving shots.
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Filmmaking
Specific instructions for camera placement, movement, and framing to achieve the director’s vision.
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Filmmaking
Camera projection is a visual effects technique that projects a 2D image onto simple 3D geometry to create the illusion of a three-dimensional scene.
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Filmmaking
A camera test is a series of filmed trials conducted during pre-production to evaluate the performance of cameras, lenses, and film stock, or to assess an actor's on-screen appearance.
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Filmmaking
System that measures a camera’s position, rotation, and lens state so virtual scenes align with live action.
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Genres
'Campy' describes a style that delights in theatricality, exaggeration, and bad taste, often celebrating an aesthetic of 'so bad it's good' with a knowing wink.
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Pop Culture
A social phenomenon involving public ostracization of individuals or entities deemed objectionable.
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Industry
An annual international film festival held in Cannes, France, celebrating artistic and technical achievements in cinema.
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Industry
Riviera-set showcase blends auteur prestige, yacht-deck deal-making, and staircase glamour.
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Industry
A non‑competitive showcase and networking hub for short filmmakers.
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Filmmaking
The Canon C300 Mark III is a professional Super 35 digital cinema camera known for its Dual Gain Output (DGO) sensor, exceptional dynamic range, and robust internal RAW recording capabilities.
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Filmmaking
The Canon C70 is a compact cinema camera that packs the sensor and features of the C300 Mark III into a smaller, mirrorless-style body with an RF lens mount.
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Genres
A caper film is a subgenre of crime film, and a lighter cousin of the heist film, that treats a robbery with a comedic, quirky, or lighthearted tone.
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Pop Culture
A small, curated set of products released together, often themed around a film or franchise.
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Genres
A capsule wardrobe is a minimalist collection of essential, high-quality, and interchangeable clothing items, designed to maximize outfits with a minimal number of pieces.
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Characters
The Captain is a character archetype who embodies leadership, authority, and the immense responsibility of command over a vessel, crew, or unit.
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Filmmaking
A Caption File is a time-coded text file containing the dialogue and non-speech sound transcriptions, which is loaded alongside a video file by a media player to display closed captions or subtitles.
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Industry
A carbon calculator for film is a specialized software tool used to measure, track, and analyze the total carbon footprint of a production.
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Filmmaking
A carbon fiber LED panel is a lightweight, durable display module used in virtual production and large-scale events, prized for its ease of assembly and structural integrity.
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Industry
A carbon footprint report for a film production is a detailed assessment that quantifies the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by all production activities.
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Industry
Carbon offsetting is a climate action strategy where a film production compensates for its unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions by investing in environmental projects that reduce carbon dioxide elsewhere.
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Industry
A partial refund of qualifying production expenditures provided by government bodies.
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Industry
A cash-flow schedule is a detailed financial timeline that projects when money needs to be spent throughout a film's production.
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Industry
A casting call is a public or semi-public announcement of an open audition for roles in a film, television show, or theatrical production.
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Industry
A casting director is a creative professional hired by a production to find, audition, and recommend the most suitable actors for the roles in a film or television show.
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Filmmaking
Casting notes are brief descriptions of a character included in a screenplay, typically when the character is first introduced, to guide the casting process.
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Characters
A catalyst character is a figure who enters a story to initiate a profound change or force the protagonist into action, often without changing themselves.
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Storytelling
A catchy hook is a short, memorable musical or lyrical phrase in a song designed to grab the listener's attention and be easily recalled.
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Industry
A Category III rating is a film classification in Hong Kong for content restricted to persons aged 18 or older.
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Industry
The CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) is the official government body that censors and certifies films for public exhibition in India.
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Filmmaking
A simple color‑decision specification for basic grading parameters in postproduction.
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Pop Culture
A celebrity cameo is a brief, often uncredited appearance by a well-known person in a film, typically playing themselves or a minor, surprising role.
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Filmmaking
A plastic film base derived from cellulose nitrate and camphor, used in early motion pictures.
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Industry
The Centre Pompidou in Paris is a major multidisciplinary cultural institution with a significant focus on experimental and documentary cinema.
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Industry
A Certification of Completion is a formal document in filmmaking that verifies a project has been finished and delivered according to contractual specifications.
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General
The César Awards are France’s national film awards, presented annually to honor achievements in French cinema.
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Filmmaking
An abbreviation for computer-generated imagery, denoting digital effects and animation.
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Industry
Chain of title is the documented history of ownership and rights for a film’s underlying intellectual property.
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Pop Culture
A challenge video is a genre of online content where users are prompted to record themselves performing a specific task or trend, often initiated by or co-opted for film promotion.
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Characters
The transformation of a character’s beliefs, goals, or personality over the course of a story.
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Filmmaking
A character cue is the capitalized name of a character that appears above a block of dialogue in a screenplay to indicate who is speaking.
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Storytelling
A character exit is the narrative event in which a character is permanently or temporarily written out of a story.
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Characters
A character flaw is a significant weakness, imperfection, or negative trait in a protagonist that creates internal conflict and is central to their character arc.
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Characters
A character goal is the specific, tangible objective that a character strives to achieve over the course of the story.
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Storytelling
A character introduction is the scene or sequence in which a major character is first presented to the audience, establishing their personality, status, and core traits.
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