Film & Video Glossary

ADR replaces dialogue in post-production for better audio quality. Learn what ADR means, examples, and how to add dialogue with LTX.

An animatic is a moving version of a storyboard that combines still images with timing, sound, and motion to pre-visualize films, animations, and videos before final production begins.

Animation brings static images to life through movement and storytelling. Learn animation types, history, and how to create animations.

An animator brings characters and objects to life through motion. Learn what animators do, required skills, and how to start an animation career.

Anime is Japanese animation known for colorful visuals, expressive characters, and storytelling that spans all ages and genres from adventure to romance.

Arthouse films prioritize artistic expression over commercial appeal. Learn what defines arthouse cinema and see examples of influential films.

Aspect ratio defines the width-to-height relationship of video frames, shaping how content appears across different screens and platforms.

A B movie is a low-budget film known for genre storytelling, campy effects, and cult appeal that often transcends modest production values.

A biopic is a biographical film dramatizing real people's lives. Learn what makes good biopics, see examples, and discover key storytelling elements.

Bollywood is India's Hindi-language film industry known for musical numbers, romance, and vibrant storytelling. Learn history and examples.

CGI creates digital visuals for films using computer software. Learn how CGI works, see examples, and create CGI content with LTX.

A cameo appearance is a brief, unexpected on-screen moment by a well-known person playing themselves or a minor role, adding surprise and connection to films.

A character actor specializes in distinctive supporting roles that bring depth and authenticity to films through memorable secondary characters.

A cinematographer creates a film's visual look through camera and lighting. Learn what cinematographers do and their essential skills.

Cinematography is the art of visual storytelling through deliberate camera and lighting choices that shape mood, guide emotion, and translate scripts into compelling visual experiences.

Claymation is stop-motion animation using clay figures. Learn the technique, see examples, and create claymation-style content

A close-up shot tightly focuses on a subject's face from the shoulders up to highlight emotion, detail, and expression for maximum visual storytelling impact.

Unlock the secret visual language of movies. Explore how master filmmakers use strategic color palettes to guide audience emotions and create memorable cinematic moments.

Comedy films use humor to entertain audiences. Learn comedy types, techniques, examples, and how to create comedic content with storytelling tools.

Compositing combines multiple visual elements into single images. Learn VFX compositing techniques and how to create them with AI tools.

A creative director leads creative vision across projects. Learn responsibilities, skills, and how creative directors differ from art directors.

A cutaway shot briefly shows something outside the main action. Learn cutaway techniques, examples, and how to use them in video editing.

Cyberpunk is a sci-fi subgenre exploring high-tech dystopias and social decay. Learn what defines cyberpunk aesthetics and see iconic examples from film.

A film director leads creative vision from script to screen. Learn what directors do, director types, and key responsibilities in filmmaking.

A Dutch angle tilts the camera for dramatic effect. Learn how this cinematic technique creates tension and how to use Dutch angles in LTX.

An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) provides promotional materials for media coverage. Learn what EPKs include and how filmmakers use them for marketing campaigns.

An epilogue reveals what happens after the main story ends. Learn what epilogues are, their purpose in storytelling, and see examples from major films.

An establishing shot orients audiences to location and context. Learn how this cinematography technique works and how to create establishing shots.

Exposition delivers essential story information to audiences. Learn what exposition is, see examples from films, and discover effective exposition techniques.

A feature film is a full-length movie typically 40+ minutes. Learn qualifications, history, and how to develop feature films with LTX.

Film composition arranges visual elements within the frame to guide viewer attention, create emotional balance, and support storytelling through strategic camera angles and placement choices.

Film grain is the textured signature of analog cinema. Learn what film grain is, how it looks, and see examples from major films like Saving Private Ryan.

Film noir is a cinematic style featuring dark themes, shadowy lighting, and morally complex characters. Learn the history and how to create noir films.

A film producer oversees all aspects of film production from development to distribution. Learn producer types, responsibilities, and workflows.

A film still is a photograph taken during production for marketing and promotion. Learn what film stills are, their uses, and how to create them.

A flat character has limited traits and minimal development. Learn what defines flat characters and see examples of effective one-dimensional characters in film.

Master the art of character contrast in storytelling. Discover how foil characters illuminate protagonist traits through opposition, from Shakespeare's classics to modern films like Batman and Harry Potter.

Foley sound recreates everyday sounds in post-production. Learn examples, techniques, and how to create sound effects with LTX.

A graphic novel is a book-length story told through sequential art. Learn types, examples, and how to visualize graphic novel concepts.

High definition video delivers superior image quality through increased resolution. Learn HD types, standards, and how to create HD content.

Horror films frighten audiences through suspense, monsters, and psychological terror. Learn horror types, techniques, and examples from cinema history.

Indie movies are independently produced films outside major studios. Learn what makes films indie and how to create them with LTX.

Intercutting alternates between scenes to show simultaneous action. Learn how this editing technique builds tension and how to use it in film.

A jump cut is an editing technique that creates jarring transitions. Learn how jump cuts work, see examples, and create them.

Keyframe animation defines specific frames to mark motion start and end points, with software automatically filling in-between frames to create smooth movement.

A leitmotif is a recurring musical theme representing characters, places or ideas. Learn what defines leitmotifs and hear iconic examples from film scores.

A live action film uses real actors and physical environments rather than animation. Learn what defines live action filmmaking and see iconic examples.

The male gaze is a film theory concept describing media from heterosexual male perspective objectifying women. Learn the theory's origin and examples.

Method acting is a performance technique emphasizing emotional authenticity and psychological engagement, using personal experience and emotional recall to create realistic character portrayals.

A mirrorless camera eliminates the reflex mirror found in DSLRs, using on-sensor autofocus and electronic viewfinders for compact, video-ready performance.

Montage is a film editing technique that pieces together separate shots to condense time and create emotional impact through strategic visual storytelling.

A film mood board is a visual collage that captures a movie's tone and atmosphere through images, colors, and textures, serving as a pre-production blueprint for creative vision.

Motion blur creates realistic movement through image streaking. Learn what motion blur is, see examples, and create natural motion with AI video tools.

Motion graphics animate graphic design elements for videos. Learn styles, see examples, and create motion graphics with AI tools.

Negative space is the empty area around subjects in a frame. Learn how filmmakers use negative space to create powerful visual compositions and mood.

Nollywood is Nigeria's booming film industry producing thousands of movies yearly. Learn history, meaning, and characteristics.

Personification gives human qualities to non-human things, transforming objects, animals, and abstract ideas into relatable characters that create emotional storytelling connections.

A pilot episode is the first episode of a TV series that sells the show concept. Learn what pilots are and how to develop them with LTX.

Plot is the sequence of events in a story. Learn plot structure, types, and how to develop compelling plots with LTX Studio's storytelling tools.

Post-production is filmmaking's final stage where raw footage transforms into complete cinematic experiences through editing, color grading, sound design, and visual effects integration.

Pre-production is the planning phase before filming begins. Learn what happens in pre-production and how to streamline the process.

A production designer is the head of the art department responsible for a film's overall visual concept, creating aesthetic blueprints that translate scripts into visual reality.

A proof of concept film demonstrates a project's viability before full production. Learn strategies, see examples, and create POC films with LTX.

A rough cut is the first assembled edit of a film showing story flow without refinement. Learn what rough cuts are and their role in post-production.

A scene is a single unit of action in one location and time. Learn what defines scenes in filmmaking and see examples of effective scene construction.

A screenplay is the written blueprint for films. Learn screenplay format, types, examples, and how to develop scripts with AI tools.

A short story is a compact narrative under 10,000 words that focuses on one central theme, character, or event, often adapted into compelling films.

A shot list is a detailed breakdown of every shot required for a project, serving as a visual blueprint that keeps directors, cinematographers, and crew aligned throughout production.

A sitcom is a situation comedy TV series featuring recurring characters in humorous scenarios. Learn what defines sitcoms and see iconic examples.

A soap opera is a serialized drama with ongoing storylines and melodramatic plots. Learn what defines soap operas and see iconic examples from television history.

Spaghetti westerns are Italian-made western films known for stylized violence and operatic storytelling. Learn history and examples.

A static shot keeps the camera completely still. Learn when to use static shots and how to create them with camera controls.

A storyboard is a visual blueprint for film and video projects. Learn how storyboards work, see examples, and create professional storyboards with the LTX Platform.

Suspense keeps audiences on edge wondering what happens next. Learn what creates suspense in storytelling and see examples from thriller films.

Learn what a tracking shot is, see examples from iconic films, and discover how to create dynamic camera movements with LTX Platform's AI-powered tools.

Tragedy depicts characters facing downfall through fatal flaws or circumstances. Learn what defines tragic storytelling and see examples from cinema history.

VFX are techniques for integrating live-action footage with digital effects during post-production to create imagery impossible to capture during filming.

A villain is the antagonist who opposes the hero and drives conflict. Learn what makes compelling villains and see examples of cinema's greatest antagonists.

A voice-over is narration spoken by an off-screen voice. Learn voice-over techniques in film, see examples, and create professional narration easily.