establishing shot

American  

[ih-stab-li-shing shot] / ɪˈstæb lɪ ʃɪŋ ˈʃɒt /

noun

1. (in film and TV production) a scene-opening shot, usually very wide, that sets up the context for the scene.

   Opening a movie with an establishing shot of a city skyline was especially common in the sixties and seventies.

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Etymology

Origin of establishing shot

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

establishing shot

Instead of spending the money on a pricey establishing shot of the car driving on the 101, Wain inserts a brief vintage clip of a ’70s-era taxi, humming along the road.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

“Steven used to say, ‘What’s the establishing shot of your idea?’”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025

There is neither reprieve offered by an alternative angle nor extra knowledge gained through an establishing shot; the enemy can emerge from any direction.

From The Verge ● Aug. 5, 2022

It’s more than a prologue or an establishing shot: It’s a careful introduction of colors, an intricate staging of uncertainties that must be executed, as it was on Thursday, with extreme sensitivity.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 1, 2022

He must have seen the movie a thousand times, so he recognized this brief establishing shot before the credits.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny