Reaction shot

Reaction shot is a term used in motion picture film production, cinematography and video production referring to a basic unit of film grammar. It is a shot which cuts away from the main scene in order to show the reaction of a character to it.

A reaction shot usually implies the display of some sort of emotion on the face of the actor being shown, and is thus most commonly a close-up shot (although a group of actors may be shown reacting together). A reaction shot is also generally bereft of dialogue, though this is not an absolute rule. Its main purpose is to show an emotional response to the immediately preceding action or words of another character in the scene, or to an event in the immediately preceding scene which may or may not involve another actor (e.g., an explosion, monster, empty room, etc.)