Cinema and Theater - Verbs Related to Cinema and Theater

Here you will learn some English verbs related to cinema and theater such as "audition", "typecast", and "dramatize".

review-disable

review

flashcard-disable

flashcard

spelling-disable

spelling

quiz-disable

quiz

start-learning
Cinema and Theater
to rate [verb]

to judge the value or importance of something

Ex: The movie was rated poorly by critics .
to act [verb]

to play or perform a role in a play, movie, etc.

Ex:

to say or perform something spontaneously without prior preparation

Ex:

to have a leading role alongside another actor in a movie, TV show, or play

to act a role in an exaggerated way that is not natural

Ex: During rehearsals , he was overacting until the director intervened .
to play [verb]

to represent the role of a particular character in a play, movie, etc.

Ex: The part of James Bond was played by Sean Connery .

to play the role of a character in a movie, play, etc.

Ex: The actor 's ability to portray villains with depth and charisma has made him a sought-after talent in Hollywood .
to star [verb]

to act as a main character in a play, movie, etc.

Ex: The child actress stars in a popular TV show aimed at young audiences .

to learn and rehearse a role in a play or other performance as a substitute for the regular performer in case of need

Ex: The director asked her to understudy several roles in case of last-minute changes .

to indicate that characters leave the stage or scene

to assist someone by suggesting the next words or actions they may have forgotten or not fully learned

Ex: The supportive audience members would softly prompt the nervous singer .

to speak in a low, murmuring, and indistinct way, often with other people in the background making a similar noise, in order to create a background sound effect for a scene

to give a short performance in order to get a role in a movie, play, show, etc.

Ex: He auditioned but did n’t get the role he wanted .
to cast [verb]

to choose a performer to play a role in a movie, opera, play, etc.

Ex: The producer cast him as the villain due to his strong performance in auditions .

to assign the roles of a play, motion picture, etc. to unsuitable actors

Ex: If they had listened to the casting advice , they would n't have miscast the main character .

to practice a play, piece of music, etc. before the public performance

Ex: Before the big dance recital , the ballet troupe spent hours rehearsing their routines .

to assign the same type of role to an actor repeatedly

to give instructions to actors and organize the scenes or flow of a movie, play, etc.

Ex: The director spent hours on set , directing the actors to bring their characters to life .
to dub [verb]

to change the original language of a movie or TV show into another language

Ex: She was hired to dub the lead character in the Japanese anime series for its English release .
to edit [verb]

to choose and arrange the parts that are crucial to the story of a movie, show, etc. and cut out unnecessary ones

Ex: In the editing room , the team worked tirelessly to edit the action sequences .
to film [verb]

to capture or record moving images, typically using a camera or video recording device

Ex: The team is filming the final episode of the television series .

to stop a movie or video to look at a particular frame

Ex: The film critic would often freeze the movie at key moments to analyze the composition and cinematography .

to insert a camera shot between two scenes by cutting them

to provide money for and be in charge of the making of a movie, play, etc.

Ex: The wealthy philanthropist decided to produce a documentary on environmental conservation .
to set [verb]

to place the events of a play, movie, novel, etc. in a particular time or place

Ex: The novel is set during World War II .

to make a movie, music, etc. available to the public

Ex: The video game company released their highly anticipated game for consoles and PC .

to show a video or film in a movie theater or on TV

Ex: The film festival will screen a selection of independent movies from various genres .
to adapt [verb]

to change a book or play in a way that can be made into a movie, TV series, etc.

Ex: The producers hired a team of writers to adapt the classic play for a modern audience .

to bring characters or objects to life through movement using animation techniques or computer programs

Ex: He is animating a series of illustrations to create a dynamic storytelling experience .

to take part in a play, TV show, movie, etc.

Ex: The beloved character will appear in the final season of the television series .

to add color to a black and white movie using computer techniques

to cue [verb]

to give a hint, signal, or prompt to a performer to act, speak, or continue

Ex: The director cued the musicians to begin playing .
to cut [verb]

to stop filming or recording

Ex: The director signaled for the cameraman to cut when the actor went off-script .

to turn a book, story, or an event into a movie or play

Ex: The acclaimed director was hired to dramatize the bestselling novel into a blockbuster film .
to enact [verb]

to act a role in a motion picture or perform a play on stage

Ex: The actors rehearsed tirelessly to enact their parts in the historical drama .

to give a performance of something such as a play or a piece of music for entertainment

Ex: The magician performed an incredible trick .

to stage a play, a show, etc. for an audience

Ex:
to shoot [verb]

to film or take a photograph of something

Ex: She plans to shoot her first short film next month .
to stage [verb]

to present a play or other event to an audience

Ex: The theater group plans to stage a new production of Romeo and Juliet this summer .

to adjust the lens of a camera in a way that makes the person or thing being filmed or photographed appear closer or larger

Ex: The photographer zoomed in to capture the intricate details of the butterfly 's wings .

to adjust the lens of a camera in a way that makes the person or thing being filmed or photographed appear further away or smaller

Ex: The photographer skillfully zoomed out , revealing the breathtaking expanse of the sunset .
to flop [verb]

(of a play, motion picture, or new product) to fail to be of any success or produce the intended effect

Ex: The comedy show , once popular , began to flop in its later seasons .
to plug [verb]

to publicly praise a new book, motion picture, etc. as a way of promoting it

Ex: Celebrities often plug products on their social media platforms to endorse them to their followers .

to watch a movie, play, TV show, etc. in advance of public presentation

Ex: The director previews the final cut of the film before its premiere .
to mime [verb]

to convey a story or message using only body movements and facial expressions, without the use of words

(in a play, live performance, etc.) to forget or make errors in the delivery of one's dialogue

Ex: I had learned the speech off by heart , but I was so emotional that I started blowing my lines about halfway through .