Filming and Lighting Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide

Tracking Shot: the camera moving smoothly on tracks or dollies towards, but more commonly alongside, whatever it sees; while whatever it sees may also be moving.

Dolly: a camera platform on wheels, sometimes with a small crane as well, for slow rolling shots toward, away from, or alongside whatever is being photographed.

Crane Shot: a shot displaying a flowing or floating movement up and across short distances, apparently liberated from gravity, the camera mounted on a crane.

Shot: a take, the film from a single continuous, uninterrupted run of the camera.

Sequence: the spliced shots and scenes making up a single significant dramatic unit.

Cut: the spliced place between two frames where one shot ends abruptly and another begins; also the director's call to the crew to stop shooting.

Location: a place some distance from the studio which looks suitable for exterior scenes, or, if especially authentic, for interior scenes as well.

Steadicam: a hand-held camera that allows the operator to take relatively smooth shots while moving along with the action.

Contrast: (of image) grades of light and dark.

Back Light: lights illuminating the main image from the rear, sculpting it from the background.

Key Light: lighting which selectively illuminates from the front various prominent features of the image, such as faces or hands, and provides the reflected gleam in an actor's eye.

High-Key (Realistic) Lighting: lighting style in which all parts of the set and the screen are relatively evenly lit, suggesting a familiar world containing few surprises or mysteries.

Low-Key (Expressionistic) Lighting: lighting with strongly contrasted areas of light and shadow, often with one feature of the image lit from one side or below and the rest dark, creating a sense of lurking mystery (called low-key because the key light is turned 'low' or 'off').