establishing shot

noun

: a usually long shot in film or video used at the beginning of a sequence to establish an overview of the scene that follows

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web After an initial establishing shot, the camera pays less attention to the friends and more to the musically inclined Nelly and Johnny. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2021 One establishing shot lingers on a raven cawing on a tree branch. Scott Phillips, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2023 The episode featured an establishing shot of Big Ben with the joke thrown in of it now having a digital face. Mike Bloom, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Nov. 2022 While keeping the plot vague, the trailer provides a sense of the show's epic scope, with one impressive establishing shot after another. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 14 July 2022 In Aniq’s rom-com version of the event, a majority of the action is shot inside the vehicle, with a minimal establishing shot of the car leaving the driveway. Wilson Chapman, Variety, 3 Mar. 2022 After the last establishing shot of Baldwin was in the can, lunch was called. Meg James, Amy Kaufman And Julia Wick, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Nov. 2021 After the last establishing shot of Baldwin was in the can, lunch was called. Meg James, Amy Kaufman And Julia Wick, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Nov. 2021 After the last establishing shot of Baldwin was in the can, lunch was called. Meg James, Amy Kaufman And Julia Wick, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Nov. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'establishing shot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of establishing shot was circa 1948

Dictionary Entries Near establishing shot

Cite this Entry

“Establishing shot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/establishing%20shot. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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