filmed

IPA/fɪlm/
KK[fˈɪlmd]IPA/fɪlm/

filmed — verb

  • filmedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • filmeds3rd person singular
  • filmeding-ing form
  • filmededpast simple

1. to use a camera to capture moving images of people, events, or places, usually f

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to use a camera to capture moving images of people, events, or places, usually for a movie, television show, or online video

Example

Takeshi filmed his sister's wedding ceremony with a small handheld camera.

transitive: film + object (event)

The nature documentary was filmed entirely in the rainforests of Costa Rica.

passive: be filmed + location adverbial

Common collocations
  • film a scene
  • film a documentary
  • film an interview
  • film on location
  • be filmed in a studio
Synonyms
  • record

    broader term; includes audio-only capture and does not specifically imply moving images

  • shoot

    informal; the standard term used within the film and television industry

  • capture

    broader and more general; can refer to still images or video

Antonyms
  • delete

    opposite action — removing recorded footage rather than creating it

Grammar Patterns

film + object

film + adverbial

be filmed + adverbial

Usage Note

Often used in the passive voice (be filmed) when describing production details such as location or method. The verb shoot is a common informal alternative used mainly in the film industry; record is broader and covers capturing both sound and images.

Common Mistakes

She filmed the conversation without permission, but forgot to press record.
She filmed the conversation without permission, but forgot to start recording.
'Film' already implies using a camera; adding 'record' creates confusion about whether sound was also captured.
The director filmed the movie in 1999 with a digital camera.
The director shot the movie in 1999 with a digital camera.
In the film industry, shoot is the conventional verb for making a movie; film is used more for the technical recording of scenes.

filmed — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Film, record, shoot, and capture all describe making a video or taking images, but their nuance and typical contexts differ. Film is the most neutral and general term for recording moving pictures, especially for professional or creative projects (e.g., a documentary, a movie scene). Record is broader — it covers any capture of audio, video, or data, and does not specifically imply a camera ('record a voice memo', 'record the temperature'). Shoot is informal and industry-specific: film crews and photographers use it to mean 'operate a camera during production' ('We shot the opening scene at dawn'). Capture is the most flexible and can refer to still images, video, or even abstract concepts ('capture a moment', 'capture the mood'). For a learner, film is the safest choice for describing the act of making a video; shoot fits informal or professional filmmaking contexts; record works when audio is also involved or when the device is unclear; capture is ideal for emotional or artistic descriptions.

film ↗record ↗shoot ↗capture ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • beautifully filmed
  • secretly filmed
  • recently filmed
  • professionally filmed

Phrases

  • on film
  • in the film
  • a roll of film
  • film and television

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The noun film comes from Old English filmen, meaning 'a thin skin or membrane.' This original sense of a delicate covering survives in the modern meaning of a thin layer (such as a film of oil). In the late 1800s, the word was applied to the thin coated plastic strip used in photography. By the early 1900s, film had come to refer to the motion pictures recorded on that material, and soon afterward to the movies themselves. The verb meaning 'to make a motion picture' appeared in the early 1900s, shortly after the noun took on its cinematic sense.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb