Cinema explained

Acting

8 terms from the language of filmmaking and film theory, explained in plain words.

A

ADR: Automated dialogue replacement: re-recording an actor's lines in a studio after the shoot. Acting · Sound

B

Beat: The smallest unit of change in a scene, or a written pause in dialogue. Acting · Screenwriting
Blocking: The planned movement and positions of actors within a scene, worked out in relation to the camera. Acting · Directing

F

Fourth wall: The imaginary barrier between the story and the audience. Acting · Film Theory

M

Method acting: An approach in which actors draw on their own experiences and emotions to build a role. Acting
Motion capture: Recording an actor's movements to drive a digital character. Acting · VFX

S

Subtext: What characters mean or feel beneath what they actually say. Acting · Screenwriting

T

Table read: A session where the cast reads the whole script aloud together before production. Acting · Screenwriting