An f-stop is a scale measurement of the size of the opening of the iris (the opening that lets light in) on a lens. Common f-stops are 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, and 22. The smaller the number, the larger the opening, and the more light that is allowed.

Fade is a transitional device consisting of a gradual change in the intensity of an image or sound, such as from a normally-lit scene to darkness (fade out, fade-to-black) or vice versa, from complete black to full exposure (fade in), or from silence to sound or vice versa. "Fade in" is often at the beginning of a sequence, and a fade out" at the end of a sequenc. A "cross-fade" means fading out from one scene and into another (often with a slight dissolve or interruption).

Farce refers to a light-hearted, gleeful, often fast-paced, crudely humorous, contrived, and "over-the-top" comedy that broadly satirizes, pokes fun, exaggerates, or gleefully presents an improbable stock situation (e.g., a tale of mistaken identity, cross-dressing, etc.), often characterized by slapstick, pratfalls, and other physical antics. Types of farce include "screwball comedy" and "bedroom/sex farce/comedy." Contrast to "parody" and "satire."

Fast-cutting refers to a film editing technique of consecutive short, staccato cuts or shots of very brief duration to create an effect.

Fast motion, or accelerated motion, refers to a camera device or effect to compress reality and highlight a scene or cause a dramatic effect, created by filming a scene with the film running at a rate less than the normal 24 frames per second and then projecting it back at standard speed, thereby creating the effect of moving faster than normal. Generally used for comic effect. Fast motion is in contrast to "slow-motion" or "time-compression."

Favor on is a term that refers to focusing on or highlighting a specific subject or action in a shot.

Feature is a term for a full-length motion picture, one greater than 60 minutes in length, but traditionally about 90-120 minutes on one particular topic. A feature is also known as a "theatrical." Contrast to a "short" or "short subject."

A featurette is a term often used before the 1970s to refer to a 20 to 45 minute film (longer than a short subject but shorter than a feature film), usually a "making of" or "behind the scenes" mini-documentary, or an extended trailer, which was usually displayed by theater owners to "sell" a film for exhibition in their movie house. Today, featurettes are commonly run on premium cable stations or offered as a "bonus feature" as part of a DVD's extras. See also "Making of..."

A feel-good film is a light-hearted, upbeat comedy or romance that ends with an audience-pleasing conclusion. Sometimes, the term feel-good film is used derogatively. Compare to "tearjerker."

A festival is an event where films are often premiered, exhibited, awarded, and engaged in distribution deals, such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance, etc. Also known as "fest."

Fi-core is short for financial core, this allows SAG-AFTRA actors to work both union and non-union jobs.

Fifteen minutes of family is a cliched term popularized by pop artist/painter Andy Warhol in the late 1960s, who predicted that everyone could be famous for 15 minutes and experience a moment of "crowning glory." Also known as a "one-hit wonder." Due to today's increasing demands for pseudo-celebrities or "personalities," headline-grabbers, and the widespread dissemination of information by cable TV, talk radio, and the WWW, it may be possible for everyone to "bask in the limelight" for their fifteen minutes of fame (a flash in the pan).

Film as a verb, to record a scene or make (or lense) a motion picture. As a noun, film refers to a motion picture or the thin strip of material on the film negative (with a base and light-sensitive coating of emulsion) that is used to create images through light exposure.

Film aesthetics is an examination or study of film as an art form.

A film artifact is an unwanted film damage that could be a defect or error, such as dust, hair, specks, emulsion scratches, splices, reel-change marks, a hiss, crackle or pop on the soundtrack, mottling of the image, scratches on the negative being printed positive, etc. Film preservation, restoration, and archival efforts help to keep older, decomposing, and endangered films from deteriorating and acquiring artifacts, through painstaking processes (often digital restoration).

A film clip is a short section of film removed from a movie and often exhibited; Similar to an excerpt.

Film d’art is an early movement in French cinema to film more respectable stage productions.

Film form refers to various technical or logistical aspects which make up, compose, or produce a finished film, including cinematography (camera movement), sound and editing, lighting, framing, acting, and the narrative itself.

Film gauge refers to the measurement of a width of a film strip (in millimeters) used in a camera. See "35mm," "film stock," "Cinerama," "Cinemascope," etc. See also "digital video."

Film grain is the amount of light-sensitive material in the film's coating or emulsion. Film grain results can either be fine-grained (or sharp), requiring more light for filming, or excessively grainy (or coarse), which is best for low-light situations.

Film noir is a French phrase literally meaning "black film" that developed in the early 40s. Film noir refers to a genre of mostly black/white films that blossomed in the post-war era in American cinema, with bleak subject matter and a somber, downbeat tone. The plot (often a quest), low-key lighting (harsh shadows and chiaroscuro) often in night scenes, camera angles (often canted or high angle shots), the setting (the gloomy underworld of crime and corruption), iconography (guns, urban settings), characters (disillusioned, jaded), and other elements (voice-overs and flashbacks) combined to present a dark atmosphere of pessimism, tension, cynicism, or oppression. Film noirs, often crime films, were usually set in grim and seedy cities, with characters including criminals, anti-heroes, private detectives, and duplicitous femme fatales. See also "tech-noir." "The Maltese Falcon" is an example of a film noir.

Film review is an evaluative oral or written judgment about the quality of a movie, based upon various assumptions, facts, biases, etc. Professional film reviewers are known as "critics." A film review usually includes a brief synopsis (avoiding spoilers, usually), a balanced notation of both the film's plusses and minuses, quotable wording, and some judgments. More extensive, in-depth film evaluations are called "analytical essays."

Film stock refers to film size or gauge (8mm, 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, 105mm, for example), and film speed, among other things. Film stock also refers to the raw unused, unexposed film medium where photographic images are stored. Various kinds of film stock include tungsten (for use with artificial light, usually indoors) and daylight film stock (for use with natural light, usually outdoors).

A film within a film is a particular story-telling approach to have one film within another. In some cases, the characters are aware of the "film-within-a-film," and break the fourth wall and enter into or interact with it. Also known as a "subset film" or "picture within a picture."

Film codes are many elements within a film (the use of music, audio, costuming, scripting, camera angles, framing, shot duration, a character's actions, etc.) speak a "language," "grammar," or code that when used by the filmmaker help the viewer to understand more about the plot and its characters.

A filmmaker is a person with a significant degree of control over creating a film, including directors, producers, screenwriters, and editors.

Filmography is a comprehensive (often chronological by year) listing of films featuring the work of an actor/actress, director, or another crew member. A filmography may also be a list of films for a specific genre or topic.

A filter is a glass, plastic, or gelatinous substance placed before or behind a camera lens to change the effect and character of the lighting within the film's frame.

The final cut is the last edited version of a film as it will be released. See also "rough cut."

A financier is any party that provides funding to the production of the film.

Financing is the act of providing funds for a film production.

Fish-eye lens is an extreme type of super wide-angle lens with a very short focal point (and nearly infinite depth-of-field) that exaggerates and distorts the linear dimensions of the image, giving it a sense of curvature.

The fish-out-of-water is the pot (usually humorous) in which the main character(s) faces "culture shock" by being placed in unfamiliar or new surroundings or situations.

A flag is a black, light-absorbing cloth (duvetine) stretched on a metal frame and used to block out light areas in all different sizes.

A flash-forward is the opposite of a flashback. A flash-forward interrupts the natural order of the story to show what will happen in the future. A flash-forward can also go from the past to the present.

The flash frame shot is a brief shot (or image), sometimes as short as a single frame, that is inserted between two other shots that can barely be perceived or is subliminal for the intention of producing a shock or sudden dramatic effect.

A flash in the pan is a transitory, impermanent success or recognition; derived from panning for gold experience. See "fifteen minutes of fame."

A flashback is a ilm technique that alters the natural order of the narrative. Takes the story order back chronologically in time to a previous or past event, scene, or sequence that took place before the present time frame of the film. The flashbacked story that provides background on action and events is often called the "backstory." Contrast to "flash-forward."

A flat is a section of a studio's set, consisting of a constructed wooden frame covered with materials (such as plywood that is treated or covered with fabric, metal, paint, wallpaper, etc.).

Flick refers to movies and comes from the flickering image in early films; often used in a condescending way, such as stating that a film is a "horror flick" or "chick flick."

Flicker refers to the unsteady, stroboscopic, fluctuating effect perceived by the viewer, often produced by an improperly photographed or projected film.

A flood is a lamp that provides general diffuse lighting on a studio set.

Flop is a term for a film that is a failure at the box-office. Also known as a "floppola," "bomb," or "turkey." See "Greatest All-Time Film Flops."

Focus refers to the degree of sharpness or distinctness of an image (or an element of an image such as a person, object, etc.). As a verb, it refers to the manipulation or adjustment of the lens to create a sharper image. Related terms include "deep focus," "shallow focus" (very common in close-ups), "soft focus," and "rack focusing."

Foil is an acting role that is used for personality comparison or contrast, usually with the protagonist or main character, as a means to show and highlight a character trait.

The Foley artist is an individual who works during the editing and post-production phase of a movie’s production. This person adds or creates incident sounds and noises, such as gunshots, footsteps, and punches, to synchronize to the finished product. Named after pioneer Jack Foley.

Follow, or following shot, is a shot with framing that shifts to follow and keep a moving figure or subject onscreen. A following shot is also known as a "tracking shot."

Follow-up refers to a cinematic work that comes after, whether it is a sequel or a prequel. Contrast to a "prequel," "serial," "series," "sequel," "spin-off," "redo," "reimagining," or "remake."

Footage refers to any length, portion or sequence of film (either shot or to be shot) measured in feet. Also refers to a particular sequence of events depicted in a motion picture.

For your consideration is a phrase often used in special trade advertisements (in publications such as Variety) that are paid for by studios to promote "Oscar-worthy" films (and their actors) and create Oscar buzz for Academy Award nominations, especially for borderline films and/or lesser known indie efforts and lesser-known performers that would probably be overlooked without the additional publicity. Often shortened to "FYC."

Foreground is any object or action closest to the camera. Abbreviated as "f.g." Contrast to background (abbreviated as "b.g.").

A foreign film is a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.

Foreign rights are the permissions to distribute or screen a film outside of North America.

Foreshadowing is a literary device utilized to give a hint or indication of a future event in the story. Foreshadowing can be an effective tool for developing curiosity, suspense, and even narrative harmony at the end of a film or novel.

Fourth wall refers to the imaginary, illusory invisible plane through which the film viewer or audience is thought to look through toward the action; separates the audience from the characters is "broken through" when the barrier between the fictional world of the film's story and the "real world" of the audience is shattered when an actor speaks directly to the viewers by making an aside.

A frame is a single image and the smallest compositional unit you can have in a film’s structure. A series of frames will be shown in rapid succession to make up the moving picture.

The frame rate is the speed at which film stock passes through the camera. Most modern films run at 24 frames per second frame rate. Older films ran at 18 frames per second (or "fps"), while some films made today run at 48 or 96 fps.

Framing, or framed shot, refers to the way a shot is composed, and how subjects and objects are surrounded by the boundaries or perimeter of the film image, or by the use of a rectangle or enclosing shape (such as a shadow, mirror, door or hallway) within the film image. Also, camera angles such as low-angle and high-angle shots contribute to the framing. "Reframing" refers to short panning or tilting movements of the camera to adjust to the character's movements and keep them onscreen, centered, and in the frame.

Freeze, or freeze-frame, refers to the optical printing effect in which a single frame image is identically repeated, reprinted or replicated over several frames. When projected, a freeze-frame gives the illusion of a still photograph in which the action has ceased; often used at the end of a film to indicate death or ambiguity and to provide an iconic lasting image.

Fresnel is a hard-lensed light that comes in different sizes. Each size has a different nickname. Pronounced “fruh-NELL.”

Front projection is a film process developed in the 1950s in which actors and foreground objects were filmed in front of a projection screen, with a previously-filmed background projected onto it.

F/x is the abbreviation for special effects or visual effects.

FYC is the abbreviation for "For Your Consideration."

Stage 32 Glossary

f-stop

fade

farce

fast-cutting

fast motion (accelerated motion)

favor on

feature (film)

featurette

feel-good (film)

festival

fi-core

fifteen minutes of fame

film

film aesthetics

film artifact

film clip

film d'art

film form

film gauge

film grain

film noir

film review

film stock

film within a film

film(ic) codes (conventions)

filmmaker(s)

filmography

filter

final cut

financier

financing

fish-eye (lens)

fish-out-of-water

flag

flash-forward

flash frame shot

flash in the pan

flashback

flat

flick

flicker

flood

flop

focus

foil

Foley artist

follow (following shot)

follow-up

footage

for your consideration

foreground

foreign film

foreign rights

foreshadowing

fourth wall

frame

frame rate

framing (framed shot)

freeze (freeze-frame)

fresnel

front projection

f/x

FYC