Money shot
Encyclopedia
A money shot is a moving or stationary visual element of a film
, video
, television broadcast, print publication, etc., that is disproportionately expensive to produce and/or is perceived as essential to the overall importance or revenue-generating potential of the work.
in pornographic films. Referring to the ejaculation
scene as a money shot has been attributed to producers paying the male actors extra for it. According to Stephen Ziplow, author of The Film Maker's Guide to Pornography , "...the cum shot, or, as some refer to it, 'the money shot', is the most important element in the movie and that everything else (if necessary) should be sacrificed at its expense." It has also been argued that this is the filmed moment that the audience has paid to see.
s, a money shot may be a highly emotional scene, expressed in visible bodily terms, such as a guest's tearful confession of a previously well-kept secret, or his dramatic retelling of a traumatic experience.
, tornado
, or explosion
. A money shot is typically a shot that would be difficult to set up or anticipate in advance. Because such shots are frequently fortuitous, amateur footage is disproportionately represented among money shots: a shot of a tsunami
rolling into a city is a rare and newsworthy money shot whether it was recorded by a professional crew or simply by an amateur who happened to be on the scene with a camera. In television news broadcasts, money shots are often repeated again and again in order to retain viewer attention.
.
, the money shot often literally refers to the footage in which a gunman enters and takes the money.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
, television broadcast, print publication, etc., that is disproportionately expensive to produce and/or is perceived as essential to the overall importance or revenue-generating potential of the work.
Cinema
Originally, in general film-making usage, the "money shot" was simply the scene that cost the most money to produce. In general, a money shot (also called a money-making shot) is a provocative, sensational, or memorable sequence in a film, on which the film's commercial performance is perceived to depend. The scene may or may not be a special-effects sequence, but may be counted on to become a selling point for the film. For example, in an action thriller, an expensive special-effects sequence of a dam bursting might be considered the money shot of the film. Many filmmakers read a script and look for the most dramatic or climactic moment—the money shot—in the proposed film. Even though the costs or technical challenges of filming such an impressive scene may be huge, producers and directors will do whatever it takes to get that shot completed. It is because of its box-office importance and expensive set-up, that this climactic scene is often referred to as a money shot.Pornographic films
A money shot has also been used as another name for a cum shotCum shot
A cum shot, cumshot, come shot, pop shot, or money shot are slang terms used to describe a person ejaculating , usually onto a person or object. It is typically used by the cinematographer within the narrative framework of a pornographic film, and since the 1970s has become a leitmotif of the...
in pornographic films. Referring to the ejaculation
Ejaculation
Ejaculation is the ejecting of semen from the male reproductory tract, and is usually accompanied by orgasm. It is usually the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. In rare cases ejaculation occurs because of prostatic disease...
scene as a money shot has been attributed to producers paying the male actors extra for it. According to Stephen Ziplow, author of The Film Maker's Guide to Pornography , "...the cum shot, or, as some refer to it, 'the money shot', is the most important element in the movie and that everything else (if necessary) should be sacrificed at its expense." It has also been argued that this is the filmed moment that the audience has paid to see.
Talk shows
In TV talk showTalk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
s, a money shot may be a highly emotional scene, expressed in visible bodily terms, such as a guest's tearful confession of a previously well-kept secret, or his dramatic retelling of a traumatic experience.
Broadcast journalism
Money shots in journalism are shots that grab and hold viewers' attention. They can include images of a person in an unusual, noteworthy, tragic, embarrassing, or incriminating situation, or news footage of a notable event, such as an earthquakeEarthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
, tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
, or explosion
Explosion
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...
. A money shot is typically a shot that would be difficult to set up or anticipate in advance. Because such shots are frequently fortuitous, amateur footage is disproportionately represented among money shots: a shot of a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
rolling into a city is a rare and newsworthy money shot whether it was recorded by a professional crew or simply by an amateur who happened to be on the scene with a camera. In television news broadcasts, money shots are often repeated again and again in order to retain viewer attention.
Print media
In printed publications, a money shot may be a photograph that in itself drives an important percentage of the sales of the publication. Photographs of celebrities in unusual situations that were not specifically intended to be photographed can sometimes be significant money shots, and the pursuit of such photographs has given rise to paparazzo journalismPaparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
.
Surveillance
In surveillanceSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
, the money shot often literally refers to the footage in which a gunman enters and takes the money.