The world of video can be confusing, especially if you’re not familiar with some of the terminology, like FPS (frames per second). Keep reading to find out everything you need to know.
Whether you’re looking to create your own short films or you’re just trying to learn more about the industry, there is a lot to learn about movies and how they are made.
That’s why we’re going to run through what FPS most movies run in, as well as explain what FPS is and how it can affect your viewing experience.
What is FPS?
FPS stands for frames per second and it counts how quickly frames are shown on screen, whether that be in a movie or a video game.
Despite movies feeling like one continuous video, they are actually made up of hundreds of images, called frames, that are played together quickly to create a moving video. Anyone who used to play with flip books as a child can remember that moving the pages quickly creates a small animation, giving the appearance of motion and movement.
This is essentially how frame rate works, with different speeds of frame rate creating a smoother or choppier experience for the viewer.
If you want a more in-depth look at what frame rate is, check out our explainer which goes into more detail about individual frame rates and how they affect different media.
What FPS do movies play in?
The majority of movies are shot at 24fps, meaning that over the span of a single second, 24 distinct images are shown on screen.
24fps is not the fastest format that a movie can be shown in, though 24fps has been shown to create realistic motion while still capturing the video in detail. Most feature films and TV shows are shot like this, and even if they’re shown at a higher frame rate they are usually produced at 24fps, too.
24fps also helps to create motion blur, which makes moving objects look slightly out of focus, adding to the optical illusion that they are moving too quickly to be seen fully by the naked eye.
While some things on television, such as sports games, can benefit from being played at a higher frame rate like 30fps, 24fps is a great balance for movies as it helps to create a seamless and realistic experience for the viewer without wasting film.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
