Glossary of TV Drama Terminology

Pull Focus:A filming technique whereby the focal point (the centre of interest or activity) is drawn towards the viewer

Tilt Down/Up:A vertical camera movement

Pan: Camera stops following your leader and pan in the specified direction

Story:A sequence of events, known currently as the plot

Narrative:The way those events are put together to be presented to and audience.

Technical Codes:All the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text

Open Text:Allows multiple or mediated interpretation by the readers

Closed Text: Content is arranged so only a limited number of interpretations are possible by the readers/audience

Mise-en scene:Arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a scene is enacted (props, styling, lighting, set design)

Extreme Wide Shot:The view is so far from the subject that it isn't even visible.

Very Wide shot: the subject if visible (barley), but the emphasis is still on placing it in his environment

Wide Shot: the subject takes up the full frame, or at least as much as comfortably possible

Mid Shot: Shows some part of the subject in more detail while still giving am impression of the whole subject

Medium Close Up: Halfway between a mid shot and a close up

Close Up:A certain feature or part of the subject takes up the whole frame

Extreme Close Up: Gets right in and shows the subject in extreme detail

Cut-In:Shows a different part of the subject in detail

Cutaway:A shot of something other than the subject

Two-Shot:A shot of two people, framed similarly to a mid shot

Over-the-Shoulder Shot:Looking from behind a person at the subject

Noddy Shot:Usually refers to a shot of the interviewer listening and reacting to the subject

Point-of-View Shot:Shows a view from the subject's perspective

Weather Shot:The subject is the weather.