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FILM TECHNIQUE

Reaction shot

A shot that shows a response to something seen, heard or understood.

A listener's face can alter the meaning of a line we have just heard.

See it in a scene.

This technique’s reviewed examples reveal later parts of the story. Choose a film and allow whole-film discussion to explore them.

Explore Rear Window →

Further reading

Original explanations informed by these sources.

Columbia Film Language Glossary: Editing ↗Columbia Film Language Glossary: Point of View ↗