Film Terms: M
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Master Shot
A master shot is a single take—usually a wide shot—that contains all of the action and dialogue in a scene.
MOS
To shoot a scene or take MOS is to shoot it without sound. The origin of the abbreviation is unproven, but there are two competing theories: the first is that MOS means "motor only shot," in that the camera motor runs, but not the sound equipment. The second is that in the early twentieth century, a German director shooting in Hollywood said he wanted to shoot a scene "without sound," but pronounced the phrase "mit out sound." The slate was then marked with the letters "MOS" to match his pronunciation.
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