Melies

Cinematic techniques

A visual bible of cinematography and film technique: camera, light, time, editing, and named looks. Not a black-box preset grid. 424 techniques, each with a definition, film grammar, examples, and a prompt you can run. Open a shot, read how it works, generate it in Melies.

Camera Movement

86

Slow Zoom InSlow Zoom OutCrash Zoom InCrash Zoom OutDolly InDolly OutDolly LeftDolly RightPan LeftPan RightTilt UpTilt DownWhip PanWhip TiltPedestal UpPedestal DownCrane UpCrane DownCrane OverJib Shot360-Degree OrbitArc LeftArc RightTracking ShotFollow ShotSteadicamHandheldGimbal ShotFPV DroneAerial PullbackAerial Push InPush InPull OutStatic Locked-OffDolly ZoomDutch RollCamera RollDouble DollySnorriCamLocked-OnWalk and TalkHyperlapseSlider ShotLazy SusanBolt CamAerialArcChoreoConveyorDollyFallingFixed CamOmnidirectionalPanParallaxPass ThroughTiltTruckingWanderingZoomEyes InMouth InEating ZoomBuckle UpCar ChasingCar GripRoad RushFlying Cam TransitionThrough Object InThrough Object OutSuper Dolly InSuper Dolly OutDolly Zoom InDolly Zoom OutYoYo ZoomRapid Zoom InRapid Zoom OutHead TrackingHero CamRobo ArmWiggle3D RotationCrane Over The HeadEarth ZoomJib DownJib Up

Framing and Shot Size

25

Extreme Close-UpChoker ShotChoker ShotClose-UpClose-UpMedium Close-UpMedium Close-UpMedium ShotMedium ShotCowboy ShotCowboy ShotFull BodyFull BodyLong ShotLong ShotExtreme Long ShotExtreme Long ShotEstablishing ShotMaster ShotMaster ShotTwo-ShotThree-ShotThree-ShotGroup ShotGroup ShotInsert ShotCutawayReaction ShotOver-the-Shoulder CoverageSingleSingleCut-insCut-insGestureGestureInterviewInterviewProductProductVideo PortraitsWide ShotWide Shot

Camera Angles

19

Eye LevelEye LevelHigh AngleLow AngleBird's-Eye ViewWorm's-Eye ViewWorm's-Eye ViewOverhead Top-DownGround LevelGround LevelDutch AnglePoint of ViewProfileProfileThree-Quarter AngleThree-Quarter AngleReverse AngleTrunk ShotHip LevelShoulder LevelShoulder LevelFirst-PersonFourth WallObject POVInclineIncline

Lighting

41

Three-Point LightingThree-Point LightingKey LightKey LightFill LightFill LightBacklightRim LightRim LightKickerKickerHair LightHair LightEye LightEye LightHigh-Key LightingLow-Key LightingLow-Key LightingChiaroscuroRembrandt LightingRembrandt LightingButterfly LightingButterfly LightingLoop LightingLoop LightingSplit LightingSplit LightingShort LightingShort LightingBroad LightingBroad LightingSilhouetteMotivated LightingMotivated LightingPractical LightingAvailable LightAvailable LightNaturalistic AmbientNaturalistic AmbientBounce LightBounce LightHard LightHard LightSoft LightSoft LightSide LightingSide LightingTop LightTop LightUnderlightingUnderlightingCross LightingCross LightingWindow LightWindow LightCandlelightNeon PracticalsNeon PracticalsGolden HourGolden HourBlue HourBlue HourDappled LightDappled LightGobo LightingGobo LightingVolumetric LightVolumetric LightCameo LightingCameo LightingEpiphanySpotlightSpotlightGlamGlam

Composition

32

Rule of ThirdsRule of ThirdsGolden RatioGolden RatioCentral FramingCentral FramingCentered CompositionSymmetrySymmetryAsymmetryAsymmetryLeading LinesLeading LinesFrame within FrameNegative SpaceForeground InterestForeground InterestLayered DepthDiagonal CompositionDiagonal CompositionTriangular CompositionTriangular CompositionHeadroomHeadroomLead RoomLead RoomShort SidingShort SidingVisual WeightVisual WeightRepetition and PatternRepetition and PatternFigure-GroundFigure-GroundTonal ContrastTonal ContrastOne-Point PerspectiveVanishing PointVanishing PointDirty FrameClean FrameClean FrameLook SpaceLook SpaceArchitextureArchitextureReflectionsReflectionsScreen in ScreenScreen in ScreenTableauTableauVoidVoidVoyeurWindowsWindows

Lenses and Optics

17

14mm Ultra-Wide14mm Ultra-Wide24mm Wide35mm Moderate Wide35mm Moderate Wide50mm Normal50mm Normal85mm Portrait85mm Portrait135mm Telephoto200mm Long Telephoto200mm Long TelephotoAnamorphicSphericalSphericalFisheyeTilt-ShiftMacroProbe LensProbe LensSplit DiopterVintage Cine GlassVintage Cine GlassTelephoto CompressionTelephoto CompressionMagnificationMagnification

Color and Film Look

19

Teal and OrangeTeal and OrangeBleach BypassMonochromeSepiaSepiaDesaturationDesaturationHyper-SaturationHyper-SaturationCool BlueCool BlueWarm AmberWarm AmberFilmic FadedFilmic FadedCross ProcessCross ProcessDay for NightTungsten BalanceTungsten BalanceMoonlight GelMoonlight GelSplit ToningSplit ToningNatural GradeNatural GradeColor ShiftVintageVintagePalettePaletteOverexposedOverexposed

Time and Motion

21

Slow MotionFast MotionSpeed RampFreeze FrameTime-LapseStep PrintingReverse MotionBullet TimeLong TakeOnerMotion BlurStutter / Stop-StutterBoomerangInfinite LoopStop MotionLow ShutterTimelapse GlamTimelapse HumanTimelapse LandscapeFrozen in MotionMoonwalk

In-Camera and Optical Effects

57

Lens FlareAnamorphic FlareAnamorphic FlareHalationFilm GrainBokehBokehDouble ExposureDouble ExposureRack FocusShallow FocusDeep FocusForced PerspectiveLight LeakLight LeakVignetteVignetteChromatic AberrationChromatic AberrationInfraredInfraredNight VisionNight VisionThermalThermalSlit-ScanKaleidoscopeKaleidoscopeLight FlashProjectionsProjectionsMorphAltered StateAnthropoCinemagraphCollageCollageDatamoshDioramaDistortionsDuplicationEcho PrintFeedbackFloating UIFocal ShiftGenerativeLevitationMaskingMixed MediaMorphingObject PortalPhotogrammetryRatio SwitchScale ShiftShadow BoxTransformationTypographyWigglegramX-RayX-RayZoetropeFocus ChangeFloating FallSmash and GrabCyclopeParticlesArgusSticker PeelSelfie TwinBubbles

Editing and Transitions

23

Match CutGraphic MatchMatch on ActionJump CutSmash CutDissolveFade In / Fade OutWipeIrisCross-CuttingSplit ScreenMontageAxial CutInvisible CutJ-Cut / L-Cut (Visual Setup)Crash CutFlash CutMatch MotionMatch SplitQuick CutsSet TransitionTransitionsFragments

Atmosphere and Weather

13

RainRainFogFogMistMistAtmospheric HazeAtmospheric HazeSmokeSmokeDust MotesDust MotesSteamSteamSnowSnowWet-DownWet-DownSparks and EmbersSparks and EmbersDust and SandDust and SandUnderwaterOcean

Genre Looks

27

Film NoirFilm NoirNeo-NoirNeo-NoirGerman ExpressionismGerman ExpressionismGialloGialloSpaghetti WesternSpaghetti WesternFound FootageCinéma VéritéCinéma VéritéFrench New WaveFrench New WaveWuxiaWuxiaTech NoirTech NoirSouthern GothicSouthern GothicCosmic HorrorCosmic HorrorVaporwaveVaporwaveDocumentaryBlockbuster GlossBlockbuster GlossArthouseArthouseAnimationAnimationBTSBTSDreamcoreDreamcoreDystopianDystopianMagical RealismMagical RealismMaximalismMaximalismPhotographyPhotographyPixel ArtPixel ArtStylistic SuckVideo GameWeirdcoreWeirdcore

Viral Looks

44

AgamemnonAgamemnonInk RiotFallen AngelFallen AngelFairytale CastleFairytale CastleComicCold VisionCasual Monster SlayerMighty FighterCanvasCanvasPigeonsSuperstarPearl EarringPearl EarringLSDBlue DepthKnight's DiaryKnight's Diary2000s PaparazziDolphin RideMultiverseSkatedogSketchSketchMonet MuseMonet MuseAkrillAkrillMagazineMagazineLost in a BookPenguin Ride3D Render3D RenderAction FigureAction FigureOrbital PresenceAcidNoirNoirRace TrackFlash ComicPaperPaperRandom GlowToxicBroken MirrorHand PaintHand PaintLavaMarbleMarbleModernModernPuffin RideOrigamiOrigamiTwo ColorTwo ColorUltraviolet