theatrefilm

Theatrefilm is a term used to describe works that bridge theatre and cinema, either by adapting live theatre for film or by creating cinematic works that adopt theatrical forms and aesthetics. In practice, the term covers two broad strands: filmed theatre, where a stage production is recorded on film for distribution to cinemas, television, or streaming; and theatre-inspired cinema, in which directors apply stagecraft, performance intensity, and spatial design associated with live theatre within a film medium.

Filmed theatre productions often preserve the blocking, lighting, and performance style of the stage, while using film technology to capture close-ups, editing, and varied vantage points. This approach can broaden access to performances and extend life beyond the stage, but critics sometimes argue that the immediacy of a live performance is diminished by the camera.

Theatre-inspired cinema includes adaptations of plays into film, and original films that structure narrative and space like a stage play, with limited locations, longer takes, or direct address to the audience. This strand emphasizes performance as a driving element of the storytelling rather than purely cinematic spectacle.

Origins and usage: while hybrid approaches have existed since the early days of cinema, the term gained more frequent use with the rise of live theatre broadcasts and the cross-pollination of theatrical and cinematic techniques in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Related concepts include filmed theatre, live cinema broadcasts of theatre, and film adaptations of stage plays.