Table of contents
1. What are movies?
2 Common movie terms
Special terms to describe movies
Adjectives to describe movies
Terms related to movie making processes
1. What are movies?
The terms movie and film are used interchangeably to refer to a motion picture, usually shown on TV or in a cinema as a form of entertainment.
Movies are a fun way to tell stories. We can watch them on a big screen in a cinema or at home on our TVs or computers. There are many types of movies, like action, comedy, and horror. Each movie has a story, and actors play the characters in the story. Making a movie takes a lot of work. Many people, like directors and producers, work together to make a movie. Sometimes, movies can make us feel happy, sad, excited, or scared. They can also teach us new things. Today, we can even watch movies online, so we can enjoy them anytime we want.
2 Common movie terms
Most people enjoy watching movies. Understanding common movie terms is crucial for discussing films effectively in English. In this section, we will discover essential film vocabulary that every English learner should know. For example, we talk about the plot or the story of a movie, the character who is the person represented in the film (an actor or actress may play a character representing a criminal or a funny person in a movie -- Mickey Mouse is a famous cartoon character created by Walt Disney --Homer Jay Simpson is another famous character of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons), and the genre which is the type of the movie (horror, science fiction, etc,).
Special terms to describe movies
| Movie terms | Definition |
|---|---|
| Feature film | A full-length movie, typically lasting between 90 and 120 minutes. 👉 The feature film we watched last night was 2 hours long. |
| Short film | A film that is not long enough to be considered a feature film. It typically less than 40 minutes. 👉 They showed a short film before the main movie at the theater. |
| Silent film | A film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. 👉 Charlie Chaplin was a famous actor in silent films. |
| Animation | A style of film that is drawn, painted, or digitally created, and pieced together to create movement. 👉 Disney is well known for its animation films. |
| Documentary | A nonfictional movie intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. 👉 The documentary about climate change was very informative. |
| Trailer | A preview or advertisement for a film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. 👉 The trailer for the new superhero movie looks exciting. |
| Sequel | A film that continues the story or expands upon the universe of a previous film. 👉 The sequel to the action movie will be released next year. |
| Prequel | A film that is developed based on the story of a previously released film. 👉 The prequel showed how the characters met. |
| Remake | A film that is based on an earlier work and tells the same, or a very similar, story as the previous film. 👉 The remake of the classic film did not live up to the original. |
| Soundtrack | The music that accompanies a film. 👉 The soundtrack for the movie was written by a famous composer. |
| Subtitle | The text version of the dialog or commentary in films, television programs, video games, and the like, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. 👉 I prefer to watch foreign films with subtitles. |
| Actor | A person who performs in movies. 👉 The actor played his role well in the film. |
| Actress | A female actor. 👉 The actress received an award for her performance. |
| Cast | All the actors in a movie. 👉 The cast of the movie did an excellent job. |
| Character | A person in a story or play. 👉 The main character of the movie was inspiring. |
| Cinema | Another word for movie, also a place where movies are shown. 👉 We went to the cinema to see the latest action film. |
| Credits | A list at the end of a movie showing the names of the people involved in the production. 👉 We stayed until the end of the credits to see the bonus scene. |
| Director | The person who oversees the entire process of making a movie. 👉 The director of the movie is known for his innovative storytelling. |
| Genre | A category or type of movie. 👉 I prefer movies of the comedy genre. |
| Plot | The main events or storyline of a movie. 👉 The plot of the movie was exciting and full of twists. |
| Scene | A part of a movie in which the action happens in one location. 👉 The last scene of the movie was very emotional. |
| Script | The written text of a movie that the actors follow. 👉 The script for the film was written by a famous screenwriter. |
| Screenplay | The final written version of a movie script, including directions for scenes and dialogue. 👉 The screenplay for this movie won several awards. |
| Special effects | Artificially created or enhanced sounds or visual effects in a movie. 👉 The special effects in the science fiction movie were amazing. |
Adjectives to describe movies
When people watch movies, they see stories come to life on the screen. Movies can take you to different places, make you feel excited, scared, happy, or even sad. Some movies are about love, while others are about adventures or mysteries. Some movies are so good that when we watch them, we feel like we are part of the story. Some movies make us cry because they convey a sad story. Others make us laugh because they are funny. Below, you find a list of adjectives that you can use to describe your experience after watching a movie.
| Movie terms | Definition |
|---|---|
| Exciting | An exciting movie is the one that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 👉 The action film was so exciting! |
| Boring | A boring movie is the one that doesn't hold your interest. 👉 I fell asleep during the movie - it was so boring. |
| Inspiring | An inspiring movie is the one that gives you motivation or encouragement. 👉 The story of the athlete’s determination in the face of adversity was inspiring. |
| Hilarious | A hilarious movie is the one that makes you laugh a lot. 👉 The comedy was hilarious, I laughed the whole time. |
| Scary | A scary movie is the one that frightens you, often used for horror films. 👉 I couldn’t sleep after watching that scary movie. |
| Romantic | A romantic movie is the one that focuses on love and relationships. 👉 What a wonderful love story! It was so romantic. |
| Touching | A touching movie is the one that stirs up deep feelings of sympathy or sadness. 👉 The story of the orphaned child was so touching that I ended up crying. |
| Thrilling | A thrilling movie is full of suspense and excitement. 👉 The mystery film was thrilling; I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. |
| Gripping | A gripping movie is the one that is so interesting or exciting that it holds your attention completely. 👉 The crime drama was so gripping. |
| Heartwarming | A heartwarming movie is the one that makes you feel happy and pleased. 👉 The story about the dog's journey to find its owner was heartwarming. |
| Intense | An intense movie is the one that has a strong effect and causes strong feelings. 👉 The war film was very intense, it left me feeling emotional. |
| Mind-blowing | A mind-blowing movie is the one that is extremely impressive or startling. 👉 The special effects in the science fiction movie were mind-blowing. |
Terms related to movie making processes
Every movie is made by a team of people. For example, the person who controls how the movie is made is called the director. Famous actors, like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, might play the main roles, bringing characters to life. Below is a list of commonly used terms while talking about the process of making a movie.
| Movie terms | Definition |
|---|---|
| Directed by (direct) | This term is used to tell who controlled the making of the movie. 👉 The film was directed by Steven Spielberg. |
| Starred by (star) | This term is used to tell who the main actors in the movie are. 👉 The movie was starred by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. |
| Produced by / Produced in (produce) | This term is used to tell who provided the money for the movie. 👉 The film was produced by Warner Bros. 👉 The film was produced in India. |
| Written (write) | This term is used to tell who wrote the script for the movie. 👉 The screenplay was written by Quentin Tarantino. |
| Filmed in (film) | This term is used to tell where the movie was shot. 👉 The movie was filmed in New Zealand. |
| Released (release) | This term is used to tell which company distributed the movie. 👉 The film was released by Paramount Pictures. It is also used to talk about a film that has just been made available for public viewing. 👉 Top Gun 2 was released last week. |
| Dubbed (dub) | The practice of replacing the original dialogue with a translation in a different language. 👉 The anime series was dubbed in English for international audiences. |
| Adapted (adapt) | When a movie is based on a book, play, or other work, we say it has been "adapted" from that work. 👉 The film was adapted from a popular novel. |
| Premiered (premier) | When a movie is shown for the first time, we say it premiered. 👉 The film premiered at a film festival last week. |
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