Camera blocking is the process of determining where actors will be on set and how they will move in relation to the camera. It involves working out the details of an actors moves in relation to the camera, and it helps a production run smoothly and quickly. Camera blocking is important because it can direct the audiences attention, inform the viewer how to feel, and accentuate meaning in a scene. Stand-ins are often used during the camera blocking process, freeing the principal actor for other responsibilities.
Blocking can also refer to the precise staging of actors in a performance in terms of cinema, where you place your actors in the frame. It is the visual depiction of the story by actors bodies—their body language, gestures, and movement through space. Effective blocking requires a well-thought-out plan that considers the actors’ movements, camera angles, and the emotional themes the scene seeks to convey.
In TV and film, blocking can also refer to moving cameras or actors in a screen scene. Often in sitcoms, for example, one day may be set aside just for camera blocking after the cast blocking has been refined in a camera-less rehearsal hall. The term "staging" is often used in theatre to convey the same ideas as blocking.
