sˌɪlʊwˈɛt fˈɪlmz ɑːɹ tɹɐdˈɪʃənəli mˈɑːnoʊkɹˌoʊm, wɪððə fˈɔːɹɡɹaʊnd sˈɑːlɪd blˈæk ænd ðə bˈækɡɹaʊnd bˌiːɪŋ vˈɛɹiəs ʃˈeɪdz ʌv ɡɹˈeɪ ðə mˈoːɹ dˈɪstənt ɐn ˈɛlɪmənts ɪn ɪntˈɛndᵻd tə bˈiː, ðə pˈeɪlɚ ðə ʃˈeɪd ʌv ɡɹˈeɪ, ðˈʌs kɹiːˈeɪɾɪŋ ɐn ɪlˈuːʒən ʌv dˈɛpθ.
Silhouette films are traditionally monochrome, with the foreground solid black and the background being various shades of grey – the more distant an elements in intended to be, the paler the shade of grey, thus creating an illusion of depth.