Offframe

Offframe is a term used in visual media studies to describe elements, actions, or information that exist outside the visible frame but influence how a scene is interpreted. The concept covers offscreen sound, offscreen action, and the broader space beyond the camera’s capture. Because it is not a standardized term, its exact meaning varies among critics and designers; some use offframe as a synonym for offscreen, while others treat it as a wider notion that includes narrative context and spatial relationships not contained within the frame.

In film, television, and video, offframe techniques can heighten suspense, imply a larger setting, or guide viewer attention toward events beyond the border of the image. Common methods include sound design that suggests activity outside the frame, lighting and framing cues that imply unseen presence, and editing that references offframe events.

In photography and visual art, offframe elements can shape composition and meaning by creating suggested space or a story beyond the edge of the picture. In interactive media, such as video games, offframe cues can signal hidden gameplay systems or story beats, contributing to immersion through implied futures or pasts.

Related terms include offscreen, off-camera, and offscreen space. The usage of offframe varies by discipline and author, making it a flexible but nonstandard descriptor for the influence of the unseen.