home → Camera Lenses → Ultra Wide Angle Lens Search for:Search Button — The — Ultra Wide Angle Lens Shot Get to know the ultra wide angle lens shot, starting with its definition, how to put it into action, and some of its best examples. Video Examples Article ULTRA WIDE ANGLE LENS SHOT DEFINITION What is an Ultra Wide Angle Lens Shot? An ultra wide angle lens shot is a shot in filmmaking that uses a type of wide angle lens with a focal length of anywhere between 18mm and 24mm. While a typical wide angle lens significantly expands the field…
home → Camera FOCUS → Rack Focus ShotSearch for:Search Button— The —Rack FocusFamiliarize yourself with the definition of rack focus in film, starting with what it means, how to use it, and some of its greatest examples.VideoExamplesArticleRack focus shot definitionWhat is a rack focus shot?A rack focus shot is an extremely common shot in film, but what is racking focus? This type of shot involves the camera changing or “racking” focus from one subject to another within the same scene, which guides the audience to focus on a character or object in the shot without having to change camera angles or start…
home → Composition Techniques → Shape in FilmSearch for:Search Button— How to Use —Shapes in FilmFamiliarize yourself with how shapes work in filmmaking, starting with what that means, how to use shape in film, and some great examples.VideoExamplesArticleGeometric shapes in film definitionWhat is line and shape in film?Filmmakers use a variety of techniques to tell their stories, from color palettes to lighting schemes to costume choices to camera shots. Shape is another tool filmmakers can use to create a visual language for their stories.For an in-depth exploration of this technique, check out our full guide to shapes in film, complete with examples…
home → Composition Techniques → Depth in FilmSearch for:Search Button— How to Use —Depth in FilmFamiliarize yourself with depth in film, starting with what it means, how to create depth in film, and some examples of the depth effect in film. VideoExamplesArticleFrame depth definitionWhat is frame depth?Film is a visual medium. Filmmakers tell their stories through a series of frames, creating different shot compositions to convey meaning, emotion, or interesting visuals. Movies are two-dimensional, but depth refers to the layers of a shot - foreground, middle ground, and background. Good shots arrange their layers to make the picture feel more three-dimensional. A shot’s…
home → Composition Techniques → Focal points Search for:Search Button— The —Focal PointFamiliarize yourself with focal points, starting with what it means, how to use it, and some of its greatest examples.VideoExamplesArticleFocal points in film definitionWhat is the focal point?What’s the point? A common phrase that can also be applied to film. In any shot you compose for your movie, you have to ask what the focal point is. What this means is addressing the idea of what you want your viewer to look at. Good directors and cinematographers want to draw the viewer’s eye to what matters, and that’s called the…
home → Composition Techniques → Contrast in FilmSearch for:Search Button— How to Use —Contrast in FilmFamiliarize yourself with contrast in both lighting and color, starting with what contrast can mean, how to use it, and some of its greatest examples.VideoExamplesArticleContrast definitionWhat is contrast?When filmmakers talk about contrast, they could be talking about a few different things. Maybe they’re referring to color contrast, which is how different colors in the frame interact with each other. Another likely meaning of contrast is in regards to lighting. Lighting contrast compares the light and shadow within a frame, and how dark or light the lights are…
home → Composition Techniques → Color in FilmSearch for:Search Button— How to Use —Color in FilmFamiliarize yourself with how color works in film, starting with what it means when filmmakers discuss color, how to use color in your films, and some examples from great films.VideoExamplesArticleColor theory for filmmakers definitionWhat is color theory in film?Film is a visual medium. Every visual cue you choose in your film can help convey the meaning and mood of your film, and choosing a deliberate color palette will help your film create its own visual world and language for the audience. When we talk about color theory…
home → Composition Techniques → Positive SpaceSearch for:Search Button— The —Positive SpaceFamiliarize yourself with the definition of positive space, starting with what it means, how to use it, and some of its greatest examples.VideoExamplesArticlePositive space definitionWhat is positive space?Believe it or not, you’ve seen thousands of shots that emphasize positive space! Why? Because every frame in a film has positive and negative space. It’s actually pretty simple to understand. When you look at a shot, whatever part of that shot shows the main subject - whether that’s a character, object, or landscape - is considered positive space. Think of positive space as…
home → Composition Techniques → Symmetrical BalanceSearch for:Search Button— Film —Symmetrical BalanceFamiliarize yourself with the concept of symmetrical balance, starting with what it means, how to use it, and some of its greatest examples.VideoExamplesArticleSymmetrical balance definitionWhat is symmetrical balance?Filmmakers use shot lists to determine how each shot or frame in their story will look. When composing shots, filmmakers consider balance - how evenly or unevenly weight is distributed in the picture. Symmetrically balanced shots are pictures where the two sides perfectly mirror each other, with each side being perfectly balanced or even with the other. Filmmakers use different techniques - like lighting,…
home → Composition Techniques → Asymmetrical balanceSearch for:Search Button— Film —Asymmetrical Balance Let's start with how to define asymmetrical balance and how to use it by studying some of the best balanced asymmetry examples.VideoExamplesArticleAsymmetrical composition definitionWhat is asymmetrical balance?Filmmakers often try to compose shots that achieve a sense of balance. While symmetrical balance would have two sides of a picture mirror each other, asymmetry creates frames where the subjects are off-center. This can still feel balanced, and can often be visually very interesting for viewers. Filmmakers use different techniques - like lighting, color, and blocking - to create asymmetrical shots. For an…
