Filmlexikon.
Term of the day · June 13
Iris Out
Editing · Terms

Iris Out.

Iris schließen.

Circular wipe where the image closes from edges to a point, created via iris diaphragm or digital radial mask.

Open entry Surprise me
Murnau AI illustration
11 disciplines, one language

Topics.

One pictogram per category. Click → A–Z of that discipline.

Camera 2.354 Lighting 1.205 Editing & Post 419 Sound 404 Art Department 202 Directing & Theory 480 VFX & SFX 613 Production 1.060 Grip & Stage 136 Stunts & Action 37 General 273 Manufacturers 49 Suggest + new

V

60 terms
Camera · Terms V90 Ultra-wide lens with 90° vertical angle of view (8–16mm focal length); creates extreme depth and distinctive… Directing Vagrant Vagabund Character without stable social footing — moves through narrative, reveals others through mere presence… Camera Value Helligkeitswert The brightness or darkness of a pixel or surface — independent of hue and saturation. Determines if a… General Vamp On-set improvisation between action and cut — actor fills time while camera/sound adjusts. Saves… Sound Vamping Repeating a musical phrase — intro, bridge — while scene plays out or actor finds their mark. Buying time… VFX Vampire Effect Vampir-Effekt Digital removal of a reflection in a mirror — composited out or rotoscoped frame by frame. Horror staple, now… Theory Vampire Film Vampirfilm Genre centered on bloodsucking immortals — from Nosferatu to Near Dark. Iconography: mortality anxiety… Camera · Terms Van Diemen Van Diemen hydraulic tripod head system with three-stage cylinders and silicone damping; ±0.2° positioning… Camera · Technique Van Diemen Anamorphic Van Diemen Anamorphot Van Diemen Anamorphic: anamorphic lens attachment (1963–1975) with 2:1 compression, four glass elements, and… Manufacturers Vantage Film Vantage Film / Vantage German cinema equipment rental company and lens manufacturer known for premium camera packages, anamorphic… Camera · Terms Vantage Hawk65 Vantage anamorphic lenses with 1.5x compression for 65mm sensors. Focal lengths 25–500mm, reduced distortion… Camera · Lenses Vantage One The Vantage One is a spherical prime lens by HAWK (Germany), released in 2013, with a maximum aperture of… Production Vaporware Announced tech or software that never ships or arrives years late — kills VFX pipelines when studios bet on… Camera Variable Anamorphic Variofilm Anamorphic lens with continuously variable compression ratio — usually 1.3x to 2x. Shift between Cinemascope… Lighting Variable Density Variable Dichte Two polarized glass panes whose rotation continuously adjusts light transmission — no color shift, no filter… Camera · Technique Variable Frame Rate Variable Bildrate Camera technique that dynamically adjusts frame rate during recording (1–120 fps on systems like ARRI Alexa… Camera · Terms Variable ND Variabler ND Variable ND filter: rotatable neutral density filter using crossed polarizers, continuously adjustable ND… Lighting · Terms Variac Variac: autotransformer with toroidal core for film lights, enabling smooth dimming transitions without… General Variety American trade publication since 1905 — most influential industry outlet for film, TV, streaming. Box office… Editing Varietyese Rapid montage with ultra-short cuts and rhythmic transitions — signature technique for variety and musical… Camera · Equipment Varifocal Lens Varifokales Objektiv Zoom lens requiring manual refocusing after each focal length adjustment, as focus and zoom are mechanically… Camera Varifocal Lens / Zoom Lens Varioskop Zoom lens with continuously adjustable focal length — reframe during a single take. Standard for documentary… Camera Vario-35/Vario-35A Kodak 35mm camera with variable zoom and automatic exposure — industrial workhorse from the 1960s onward… Camera Vario-70 Kodak 70mm camera with high-speed capability and variable optics — built for prestige documentaries and… Theory Vaudeville Early 20th-century variety theater format — rapid cuts between acts, absurdist humor, visual gag timing… Camera · Terms Vaxis Chinese manufacturer of wireless monitoring systems; Storm series transmits 4K60 up to 915m range, more… Manufacturers Vazen Chinese anamorphic specialist — affordable 1.8x anamorphic primes that democratize the look. Camera · Technique Vazen 28mm 1.8x Anamorphic Vazen 28mm 1,8-fach Anamorphot A budget-friendly 1.8x anamorphic wide-angle lens from Vazen with a 28mm focal length for ambitious… Camera · Technique Vazen 40mm 1.8x Anamorphic Vazen 40mm 1,8-fach Anamorphot A budget-friendly 1.8x anamorphic lens from Vazen featuring a 40mm focal length with enhanced anamorphic… Camera · Technique Vazen 65mm 1.8x Anamorphic Vazen 65mm 1,8-fach Anamorphot A budget-friendly 1.8x anamorphic telephoto lens from Vazen with a 65mm focal length for portrait… Camera · Technique Vazen Anamorphic Vazen Anamorphot Chinese manufacturer of 1.8x anamorphic lenses for Micro Four Thirds, 28–85mm focal lengths, delivering… Camera · Technique VBR Variable Bit Rate encoding adjusts data rate per frame based on motion and image complexity. In H.264, it… Camera · Terms VCT-14 Sony quick-release camera plate (1985), 100×60mm, 15kg payload. Enables camera swap in under 5 seconds… VFX Vector Graphics Vektorgrafik Images built from mathematical curves and shapes, not pixels — infinite scalability without degradation… Camera · Technique Vectorscope Waveform monitor display showing chrominance values in YUV color space with six primary color target points… Camera · Terms Vector Star Eight infrared cameras track retroreflective markers on the camera rig, transmitting 6DOF position data to… Art Department Vedute 18th-century Italian landscape painting with documentary precision — urban and architectural scenes… Camera Veiling Glare Veil-like light scatter inside a lens that reduces contrast and softens highlights — once unwanted, now… Lighting · Equipment Velvet EVO ARRI LED panel light series in three power ratings (185W–650W) with infinitely variable color temperature and… Lighting · Terms Velvet Light Litepanels LED panel (576 LEDs, 30×30 cm, 100W max, continuously dimmable) widely used for key light and… Lighting · Equipment Velvet Mini Aputure LED panel with 256 SMD-LEDs in 15×15 cm format, delivers 12,000 lux at 1m, weighs 850g… Lighting Venetian Blind Shadows Jalousienschatten Horizontal shadow striping cast through venetian blinds or grilles—noir staple and office scenes. Creates… Camera Venetian Blind Shutter Jalousieblende Mechanical slat-based shutter in camera body—produces distinctive horizontal striping during motion and… Sound Ventriloquism Effect Bauchrednereffekt Audio out of sync with visible lip movement — creates unease or unsettling effect. Used intentionally for… Post Veo AI-based video generation system by Google that creates high-resolution videos from text descriptions. Theory Verisimilar Style Verismus-Stil Visual language that creates deceptive realism — natural lighting, unvarnished textures, minimal staging… Camera Verisope Wide-angle optical attachment for handheld cameras — extreme wide perspective without tripod setup. Doc and… VFX Vertex Single point in 3D geometry — multiple vertices form polygons and mesh structures. Every deformation… Production Vertical Integration Vertikale Integration Single entity controls production, distribution, and theatrical release — the classical Hollywood studio… Editing Vertical Montage Vertikale Montage Multiple images layered simultaneously — not sequential cutting, but spatial superposition. Creates meaning… Camera Vertical Pan Vertikalschwenk Camera tilt up or down — reveals vertical extent or transitions between planes. Keep it slow, or it reads as… Camera · Terms Vertigo Effect Vertigo-Effekt Camera dolly backward while zooming forward (or vice versa)—subject size remains constant while background… Camera Very Long Shot Sehr große Einstellung Camera so far back the subject becomes a silhouette — establishes vast landscapes or isolation. Bigger than… Lighting · Terms Very Narrow Spot Sehr enger Spot Fixture setting with a very narrow beam angle under 10° — used for precise accent lighting on details or… Directing Very Special Episode Series episode tackling serious issues — addiction, abuse, mortality — within regular comedy/drama framework… Camera · Terms Very Wide Shot Weite Totale Extreme wide shot using 14–35 mm lenses (28–50° angle of view) that renders human figures as tiny points… Theory Veteran Film Veteranenfilm War film depicting actual combat or psychological aftermath—no romance. Often shot with real veterans as… Theory Veterans Veteranen Actors or crew with 20+ years on set — they've seen every problem, solve it silently. Your secret weapon on… Lighting · Terms V-Flat Foldable reflector panel made of two 5mm foam boards with white reflective side (85-90%) and black absorption… Production VF (Version Française) VF French-language dubbed version—shot simultaneously with other language original takes. Lip-sync essential…
From the Filmfarm ecosystem

Understand visual language, budget productions, connect crew.

The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.

More about Filmfarm ›