Skip to content
What's After the Movie?

Jump to
What's After the Movie?
Filmmaking Camera, lighting, sound, editing and the crew roles behind every shot.

Gimbal: Meaning & Definition in Film

A motorized camera stabilization system that uses sensors and brushless motors to keep shots smooth.

  • 5 sections
  • 1 min read
  • Updated
On this page 5 sections

Gimbal: Overview

Modern 3-axis gimbals electronically stabilize cameras, compensating for operator movement in real time. They have become a popular alternative to Steadicams for many applications.

Gimbal: Features

  • Compact Size — Suitable for handheld use or mounting on drones, vehicles, or cranes.
  • Programmable Movement — Some gimbals can perform automated pans, tilts, and tracking.
  • Wireless Control — Operators can control movement remotely.

Uses in Filmmaking

  • Tracking shots in documentaries and indie films.
  • Action sequences requiring quick maneuverability.
  • Mounted on vehicles or drones for dynamic perspectives.

Gimbal: Advantages

  • Lightweight and highly portable.
  • Quick to set up and balance.

Gimbal: Limitations

Battery-dependent and sometimes less stable with heavy cinema cameras compared to Steadicam systems.

See the vocabulary at work in real films

Look up any movie for its ratings, cast and crew, box office run and where to watch, or read the full plot with the ending explained.

Browse movies
Filmmaking

More Filmmaking Terms

Entries filed on the same shelf as Gimbal, each with the one-line answer first. They are the words that usually come up in the same conversation.

All 913 terms

  • End Credit Crawl

    The end credit crawl is the comprehensive list of a film's cast and crew that typically scrolls vertically up the screen at the conclusion of the movie.

  • Prelight

    A prelight is the practice of setting up and programming the lighting for a scene before the main actors are required on set.

  • Manned Camera

    A 'manned camera' is a camera that is physically operated by a camera operator, as opposed to a stationary, un-manned 'lock-off' camera.

  • Scope

    Scope refers to a widescreen cinematic format characterized by an aspect ratio wider than the standard 1.85:1.

  • Night for Day

    Night for day is a cinematic technique that involves shooting a scene during the night and using powerful artificial lighting to create the illusion of it being daytime.

  • CPL

    An XML manifest defining the composition and playback instructions for a package.