Movie Terminology Glossary letter - Z

Zoom Shot
AKA: Zoom, Zoom In, Zooming, Zoom Back, Zoom Out
A shot in which the magnification of the objects by the camera's lenses is increased (zoom in) or decreased (zoom out/back). There is a subtle difference between the results of a zoom shot and a dolly shot. In a zoom, the relative positions and sizes of all objects in the frame remains the same, whereas in a dolly shot this will change as the camera moves. Alfred Hitchcock's much-imitated shot in Vertigo used a combination zoom in and dolly back, resulting in a dramatic change in perspective.
Zoopraxis
AKA: Zoopraxis-scope
An early movie process developed by Eadweard Muybridge in the 1870's, which involves a disc that includes serial pictures being rotated in front of a light source, to create a sense that the objects projected were moving.