According to iMDB, an insert shot is “A close-up shot of an object, often produced by the second unit. The term probably came about to reflect the fact that this shot will be “inserted” into the final version of the movie during editing.” We use inserts constantly when making our films — when you want a good example, you need to turn to the master. David Fincher is masterful when it comes to inserts, which you can see in these examples from the film Zodiac.