Insert shots are tight shots of certain things that are already covered by a master shot -- a wider shot that shows a scene's general location and atmosphere. Shooting an insert shot typically requires zooming in or out or changing the focal length of the camera's lens to make a part of the scene look closer as it becomes the focus of the camera's framing. It can also emphasize or feature a different aspect or feel to a scene by using a different angle for the camera when shooting. For instance, after shooting a master shot of a restaurant scene, the director can shoot an insert shot of the wine glass seen on an actor's table.
A director often uses transitions to show passage of time in the story. This technique can also convey a certain mood or tone or separate specific parts of the story. It is typically used when combining scenes that have different time frames or scenes that don't have a physical or direct connection with each other. Instead of simply cutting and splicing from one shot to the next, a transition utilizes effects such as dissolves, fades and wipes, among many other possible transition effects, to make the combination of two different shots more fluid technically, creatively or thematically.
A flashback is a technique that involves altering a narrative's chronological continuity by going back at a specific point in the past. A director often uses it to recount events that happened prior to the story's primary sequence. It is based on the point of view of a character by going back in time to show key events that are crucial to the story's development. Apart from plot or character developments, a flashback can also evoke suspense when revealing certain information that can provide a better understanding of what really happens in the story.
Speed changes in a movie pertain to the technical alteration on the playback speed of a shot. The slow and fast motion effects are popularly used by directors to make a scene more dramatic or more dynamic in nature. It physically prolongs or shortens the time a shot is shown on screen. Both slow and fast motion effects can be used together to create another effect called speed ramping. This makes a shot look significantly fast and slow at specific points during its playback. A similar technique that also involves a fast motion look on a shot is called the time lapse. This requires shooting a still frame at specific time intervals and for a very long period to make a scene look like it is moving very fast. Popular time lapse shots used in movies include a shot of the sunset, the progression of time on a busy highway and the blooming of a flower.