The ratio of the width to the height of an image or screen.
Example: The cinematographer chose a wide aspect ratio to capture the sweeping desert landscape and emphasize the film’s epic scale.
fr: rapport d'aspect
assistant director
noun
An Assistant Director (AD) is a crucial film/TV production manager who runs the set, acts as the director's right hand, and ensures filming stays on schedule and within budget.
Example: The assistant director coordinated the cast and crew on set, making sure everyone was ready before the camera rolled.
fr: Assistant de la réalisation
call sheet
noun
A call sheet is a daily document created by the Assistant Director (1st AD) that outlines the schedule, locations, and personnel needed for a specific day of filming.
Example: The assistant director handed out the call sheet each morning so the cast and crew knew their exact call times and locations for the day’s shoot.
fr: feuille d'appel
close-up
noun
A photograph, movie, or video taken at close range and showing the subject on a large scale.
Example: The hand itself is shot in CLOSE-UP and through this shot we learn much about this character.
fr: gros plan
craft services
noun
Craft services (often called "crafty") refers to the film/TV production department responsible for supplying snacks, drinks, and refreshments to the cast and crew throughout the workday.
Example: The crew took a quick break to grab snacks and drinks from craft services before the next scene started.
fr: service de plateau
cross-fade
noun
(In sound or movie editing) make a picture or sound appear or be heard gradually as another disappears or becomes silent.
Example: The editor applied a gentle cross fade between the two scenes to create a smooth and seamless transition.
fr: fondu enchaîné
depth of field
noun
Depth of field (DoF) is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in an image.
Example: The cinematographer adjusted the lens to achieve a shallow depth of field, keeping the subject in sharp focus while blurring the background.
fr: profondeur de champ
diegetic sound
noun
(Sound in a movie, television program, etc.) occurring within the context of the story and able to be heard by the characters.
Example: The director used diegetic sound to make the scene feel more realistic, as every noise came from sources within the story itself.
fr: son diégétique
director of photography
noun phrase
The chief of camera and lighting crews, responsible for achieving the artistic and technical visual goals of a film or video production.
Example: The director of photography used soft lighting to create a warm, intimate mood in the scene.
fr: directeur de la photographie
dolly shot
noun
A dolly shot is a filmmaking technique where the camera is mounted on a wheeled cart or track, moving smoothly toward, away from, or alongside a subject.
Example: The director instructed the camera operator to execute a dolly shot, smoothly moving the camera forward to follow the actor down the hallway.
fr: travelling
film set
noun
A movie set is the constructed scenery, backdrop, and surrounding, including props, where a film or television scene is filmed.
Example: This prologue can be seen as Disney's clear declaration that this film arises from its desire to create a FILM SET in the ancient world but dealing antiquity in an innovative way that conventional classical films have never tried before.
fr: plateau de tournage
french New Wave
noun phrase
The French New Wave (La Nouvelle Vague) was a revolutionary late-1950s to mid-1960s film movement, led by young critics-turned-filmmakers (e.g., Godard, Truffaut) who rejected conventional studio filmmaking in favor of artistic experimentation.
Example: Many filmmakers in the 1960s were inspired by the French New Wave, experimenting with unconventional storytelling and camera techniques.
fr: Nouvelle Vague française
gaffer
noun
The chief electrician in a motion-picture or television production unit.
Example: Bill had worked as a 'GAFFER' on a factory floor in a paperworks and attributed his symptoms to exposure to work place toxic chemicals.
fr: chef gaffer
Montage
noun
The process or technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous whole.
Example: The director used a fast-paced montage to show the character’s transformation from an inexperienced rookie into a confident leader.
fr: Montage
storyboarding
noun
The process of creating a visual, sequential breakdown of a film, animation, commercial, or user experience (UX) project, typically using sketches arranged in panels to map out shots and action before production.
Example: Good storyboarding can save time and prevent mistakes during filming.
