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Film Studies — Terminology

Key vocabulary for analyzing film and cinema

R
reel_theory 15 terms Oct 25, 2025
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Terms 15

1
Mise-en-scène
Everything visible in the frame: set, lighting, costume, actor placement
2
Montage
Editing technique combining shots to create meaning beyond individual images
3
Diegetic Sound
Sound that exists within the story world; characters can hear it
4
Non-Diegetic Sound
Sound added for audience only; e.g. film score, narration
5
Close-Up
Shot tightly framing a face or detail; conveys emotion or emphasis
6
Long Shot
Shot showing subject fully with surrounding environment
7
Point of View Shot
Camera shows what a character sees; creates subjective perspective
8
Tracking Shot
Camera physically moves to follow a subject
9
Auteur Theory
Director as primary creative author of a film; distinctive personal style
10
Genre
Category of film defined by shared conventions and audience expectations
11
Protagonist
Main character driving the story forward
12
Antagonist
Force or character opposing the protagonist
13
Three-Act Structure
Setup, confrontation, resolution; dominant narrative structure in Hollywood
14
Jump Cut
Abrupt edit between similar shots creating discontinuity; often deliberate
15
Cinematography
Art of camera operation and visual composition in film