An invisible cut is a type of scene transition in movies where filmmakers stitch one take into the other. The result is one long, continuous and smooth scene that seems to run on for a little longer than usual. An invisible cut, as its name implies, is meant to be disguised and hidden.  Filmmakers usually […]

In cinema, it’s often a rule of etiquette that actors ignore the camera’s presence and interact with the fictional world as if the lens were non-existent. The concept works like a two-way, interrogation room mirror. We can see what’s going on behind the screen, but characters on the other side can’t. It is considered impolite […]

A montage is a technique of video editing, where you bring together different images or shots in one fast sequence to achieve a certain objective. More specifically, a video montage refers to short video segments interlaced together to form one complete, fast-paced scene or sequence. In other words, a video montage combines a series of […]

Femme fatale is a French phrase that translates to “fatal woman.“ It refers to a stock character who is fond of using her beauty and charm, often to deceive men into fulfilling her needs. You may also know the femme fatale as the vamp, maneater, or a trickster. She may also be referred to as […]

Film noir translates to “dark film.” French critics came up with the term film noir to refer to a series of dark American crime dramas and westerns that became popular across Europe in the 1940s. The term first popped up in the journal Cahiers du cinema ­ (cinema notebooks). French critics raved about dark American […]

Film is emotion, and at the heart of it is one of cinema’s most popular: the 360-degree shot. It is a common device in the filmmaker’s tool bag, one that serves to more than just make you dizzy. But first, what does it mean? A 360-degree shot refers to any shot in film that goes […]

In the history of cinema, there have been a couple of inspiring movements that have gone on to reshape the industry. One of those was the French New Wave. It was inspired by the earlier decade’s American noir and also iconic movements like the Italian Neo-Realism as well. Somewhere around the 1950s, a group of […]

You may not know exactly what is, but you’ve probably seen it a couple of times in movies. It is sometimes overwhelming but always unforgettable.  The dolly zoom shot, otherwise known as a zolly, is a zoom shot taken from a moving dolly or during dollying. That could be toward or away from the subject. […]

A twist ending can be the difference between a good and bad movie. It is the line that often separates the mundane from the exhilarating. If your film’s ending is obvious from a mile away, chances are your audience won’t be too happy about it when their prediction comes true. Few people get excited when […]

A shot is an important building block of any scene. The cinematographer decides the types he chooses from the storyboard instructions, the director’s guidance, and what he feels will add to the power of storytelling in a particular moment.  There are numerous shots and tricks that the DoP can pull out of his hat, and […]