Definition:
Every shot that includes a human subject has to make a decision about how much space to leave between the top of the subject's head and the upper edge of the frame. That space is headroom. Too much and the subject looks lost at the bottom of the image. Too little and they feel cramped, pressing against the top of the frame.
What It Means in Movies:
Headroom is not a creative flourish. It is a compositional fundamental. The standard convention places the subject's eyes roughly in the upper third of the frame, leaving a modest amount of space above the head. That placement feels natural and balanced. Deviations from it feel wrong immediately, even to viewers who have never heard the term.
Why It Matters:
Incorrect headroom is one of the most immediately noticeable compositional errors in any production. It signals carelessness. And because it is one of the simplest things to get right, getting it wrong costs a production credibility it should not have to spend.
Example:
In a standard news interview, the subject's eyes sit roughly one-third down from the top of the frame. There is enough space above to feel natural, but not so much that the subject appears to be sinking out of the image.