A to Z Guide to Film Terms
5th edition
By Tim Moshansky
www.filmterms.com
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A to Z Guide to Film Terms, 5th edition
by Tim Moshansky
All content © Copyright 2011 by FIRST WAVE PUBLISHING
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www.filmterms.com
ISBN 978-0-9680702-4-6 (print edition)
This book is published without the help of any government subsidies or loans.
All photos by Tim Moshansky
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Published by First Wave Publishing at Smashwords
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Foreword
I am happy to present to you the 5th edition of this guide. The start of a new decade seems to be the perfect time to release a new edition. Filmmaking evolves like a moving target, and new technologies and techniques are continually created to help tell a story in inventive and compelling ways.
This guide is intended to be an overall film production reference for those seeking a career in the industry, and want to know the "lingo" of their craft. Filmmaking is the ultimate collaborative art and it is important to have an understanding of the tools and concepts involved so we are all speaking the same language.
Or you may be someone who just enjoys watching the credits roll by and seeing how many diverse skills and talents are required to create a finished film.
Either way, I hope you enjoy the book and carry it with you wherever you go. If you read it from cover to cover I guarantee you'll sound like you know what you're talking about when you find yourself on a film set, rubbing shoulders with the crew.
"Quiet on the set. Stand by for picture. Lock it up. We're rolling! Scene 5, take 1, A and B camera, mark. Speed! And…action!"
Tim Moshansky
Vancouver, BC,
Canada, 2011
A
A/B Roll Using two video or film sources running at the same time to create editing effects such as dissolves and wipes.
Abby Singer Shot The second last shot of the day. This term supposedly comes from the 1st A.D. of the same name who would always say, “this is the last shot,” when it really wasn’t. See also window shot.
Above-the-line Production costs that involve the principal creative elements, such as the writer, director, producer and lead performers. See also below the line.
Academy Award That highly coveted honour that is bestowed upon filmmakers and actors, as voted on every year by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Also called an Oscar.
Academy Leader Eight-second countdown at the beginning of films standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Ace One thousand watt (1k) light.
AC Assistant camera. There are usually 3 assistants for each camera crew: 1st AC is also known as the focus puller, 2nd AC is the “clapper/loader” and the 3rd AC does other tasks including putting down camera and actor “marks,” getting lenses and other accessories together and doing runs to the truck.
A.C.E. American Cinematic Editors.
A.C.F.C. Association of Canadian Film Craftspeople.
Action Command for the actors or technicians to begin their performance.
Action Prop Any property or device constructed to perform an action or movement or which has any animated function. The giant squid in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is an action prop. Also called an animated prop.
A.C.T.R.A. Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Actors.
Actual Music See source music.
Actual Sound Sound that is heard by the characters in a film.
Adaptation An artistic work that has been transferred from one medium to another, and that preserves the artistic integrity of that work. These can include a movie made from a book or a stage play made into a movie and so on. Some of the greatest films of all time have been adaptations, including Gone with the Wind and The Godfather.
A.D. See assistant director.
A.D. Box Small room in the honeywagon trailer for use by the assistant directors, particularly the 3rd A.D., when on location to do paperwork, faxes to the office, etc.
The Assistant Directors' Box
Ad Lib When an actor or director improvises a scene or dialogue that is not in the script.
A.D.R. Automated Dialogue Replacement. The process of re-recording dialogue in a studio to replace or improve the sound quality. See also looping.
Aerial Shot A shot that is taken from above the ground with the help of a helicopter, blimp or plane.
AFTRA American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Agent A person that represents an actor or performer in exchange for a percentage of the actor’s wage or a flat fee. An agent typically negotiates the most money for their client because then they tend to make more.
Air Ram A charged air device that is often used for throwing a stuntman through the air at the same time as an explosion. The air ram is usually placed underneath a platform that an actor or stuntman steps or runs onto, and then is triggered to go off at the appropriate time.
A.K.S. Camera and sound term for a box that contains “all kinds of s**t,” or “all kinds of stuff.”
Alan Smithee When a director wants his or her name removed from the final credits of a production, usually because of a conflict with the producer or because the show is really awful, the name Alan Smithee is used in place of the director’s real name.
Ambient Noise On a sound recording, noise often gets picked up other than the desired dialogue and sound. When recording on location, a mixer may record several seconds of ambient noise that reflects the character of the room or space, which is used in the editing process to create a more natural soundscape. Also called room tone.
AMPAS Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group responsible for giving out the “Oscars” every spring.
Animatronics The area of special effects that deals with puppets of bears, dogs, aliens and humans that are animated with remote controlled servo motors.
Angel Investor Someone who invests money into the making of a film, but who is not involved with the actual film production process and has no creative control.
Answer Print First print of a finished film which is printed with the correct timing for each shot. Also the first print that has picture and sound combined.
Aperture The size of the hole that lets light into a lens, controlled by the iris.
Apollo A moving camera platform that is like a tulip crane mounted on the back of a truck. The truck can use electric power to move silently during a shot.
Apple Box Small rectangular box used by grips to elevate stands and other work gear. Sizes include full apple, half apple and quarter apple.
Apple Box
Aquarium The control booth or mixing room in a recording studio, named for its large window that looks into the recording room. Also called a fishbowl.
Arri Shortened trade name for Arriflex motion picture camera, taken from the first two letters of its inventors, Arnold and Richter.
Art Director Up until the 1970’s, the Art Director was the person in charge of preparing and supervising all visual elements on a production. In today’s film world, this position has been given the title Production Designer (PD). An Art Director now works in most circumstances as an assistant to the Production Designer.
A.S.C. American Society of Cinematographers. A.S.C. Is “not a labour union or guild, but an educational, cultural and professional organisation.” Membership is by invitation only.
Aside A term that originally comes from the theatre, an aside is when a character in a play talks out loud to them-selves and the audience can "listen in" on what they are saying. Other characters in the play do not hear them or notice.
Aspect Ratio The ratio of height to width in a video or film image.
Assembly The physical act of putting together a film or video.
Assistant Director (A.D.) Person(s) who acts as a liaison between the director and the rest of the crew to ensure that everything runs smoothly and on time. See first assistant director, second assistant director, third assistant director and trainee assistant director.
Assistant Locations Manager (A.L.M.) Person who oversees a location while shooting and interacts with all department heads and crew members. The A.L.M. must possess good P.R. and problem solving skills, and usually has all the relevant information regarding a location such as where to find water, electricity, washrooms and telephones or where to park crew and unit vehicles. The A.L.M. also delegates responsibility to police officers and P.A.’s on set, organises company moves, babysits grumpy crew members and ensures that a location is properly cleaned upon completion of filming. When something goes wrong on a set, the A.L.M. is usually the first person to get dumped on. See also Location Manager.
Associate Producer In the increasingly complex world of filmmaking, sometimes it is hard to understand what each producer actually does. In most cases, an Associate Producer is someone who has been involved in one or more aspects of producing a movie, but is not given full producer credit.
Audition When a performer goes to try out for a role, whether it is for a voice-over or a principal role.
Auteur The “Auteur Theory” was created by French film critics in the 1960’s. In a nutshell, it claimed that certain directors merited the title of “auteur,” literally the author of the film. Directors such as Hitchcock, Fellini and Truffaut are considered auteurs because of the way their personal style and artistic vision is stamped on every film they created.
Axis Line The imaginary line that is used when filming a scene. The “rule” used in filmmaking is that you should not cross over the Axis because it creates confusion in the viewer when edited together because the actors appear on different sides of the screen. This rule does not apply to a continuous shot that goes around the actors. Also called the 180 degree rule.
B
B-Cam When there is more than one camera on a shoot, they are usually referred to as A-cam, B-cam, and so on, to differentiate between them. A-cam usually takes the most important camera angle for any given shot, while the B-Cam is used for additional angles.
B-Gum A sap from an Olibana tree that is used by special effects personnel to create steam and smoke effects by burning it. See bee smoker.
B Movie A low quality, often low budget movie that is characterized by lowbrow subject matter, poor dialogue or script writing and unprofessional actors or crew. These movies often have a limited theatrical release and go straight to video. See also Cult Classic.
B Roll Additional non-story related shots that can be used during the editing process. B Roll can consist of any types of shots, such waves crashing on the beach, trees waving in the breeze, etc.
Babble Crowd background sound that is active and noisy. See also murmur and walla.
Baby 1) A 1000 watt Fresnel light. 2) A small stand or plate used by grips.
Baby Plate Small plate which can be screwed onto walls and ceilings to mount lights, bounce boards, etc.
Background Extras used in a scene to create a sense of realism.
Backlighting Lighting that comes from behind an actor, towards the camera. A very effective method of lighting that creates a halo effect around a person's hair or head.
Back Lot An exterior area on a film studio property where scenes are sometimes filmed, such as crowd scenes or street scenes. A back lot is more controllable and affordable than going out on location, but doesn’t always look as convincing as the “real” world.
Backlot
Ballast A device that regulates the current from a power source to an HMI light.
Bamboolah A rectangular wooden frame with black cloth wrapped around it, used for controlling large unwanted areas of light.
Banana A move performed by the actors or the camera that is in a curved line. “Do a banana as you walk by the camera.”
Barn Doors The metal doors that you see on the edges of lights, these can be adjusted to control the light from streaming out in all directions.
Barn Doors
Barney A padded cover that fits over a camera to prevent camera noise from leaking through. Sometimes a barney may have a heating element to keep the camera warm for cold conditions. Also called a sound barney.
Bazooka A long, pole-like device that is used for mounting light fixtures on catwalks.
Beachball See sandbag.
Beat A slight pause in speech or action.
Beauty Shot A shot that showcases or features a majestic nature scene such as a mountain or valley. See also money shot.
Bee Smoker A device used for creating small puffs of white smoke, or for creating a hazy, smoke-filled atmosphere on set. These are the same units that bee keepers use to narcotize the bees in an apiary to prevent themselves from being stung.
Below-the-line Production costs that are not included in above the line costs, including crew, equipment, transportation, catering, and so forth.
Best Boy Next in command to a head of department, such as a Best Boy Grip, Lighting or Special Effects.
Betacam A high quality video camera developed and produced by Sony that was used primarily for television productions, ENG and commercials now called Digital Betacam.
BFL Technical acronym for Big F#%*ing Light.
Bible The key document used for a television series that contains the character descriptions, story arcs and other key elements of the series for writers, producers and directors to refer to before and during filming.
Big Four The “Big Four” U.S. television networks, as they are often referred to, are ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.
Bigeye A 10,000 watt (10k) incandescent light.
Biopic A movie whose main plot line concerns itself with a famous person’s life story. Movies such as Chaplin, Amadeus and Ray are considered biopics.
Bird’s Eye View A camera angle or shot that is high above the set or location so the audience can see everything at once. Hitchcock used this shot in The Birds when the gas station explodes into flames. In this case it really is the “bird's eye” view of the seagulls looking down at the mayhem below.
Bird's Eye View
Bit Part A small speaking part in a movie. Many if not all actors get their start this way, and many make a career out of doing such roles.
Bit Player An actor who makes a brief appearance or has a small speaking role in a film or movie.
Biz Shortened term for the movie business.
Black Wrap A thick black aluminum foil used by grips to wrap around barn doors to prevent light from spilling out.
Blimp A hard shell case that fits over the camera to prevent camera noise from escaping. See also barney.
Blocking Before filming a new scene, the director arranges a "walk through" of a shot with the actors and key crew members such as the DP, Camera Operators, 1st AD, Gaffer, Key Grip, Set Dresser, Sound Mixer and Boom Operator. Once this "blocking" is complete, the lead actors return to their trailers while the technical crew works out their details for the shot with the stand-ins.
Blonde 2000 watt variable beam spotlight, named for its bright yellow colour.
Blue Screen An actor is filmed in front of a blue screen so that later a different background may be layered in behind him or her. This technique is also used for miniatures as well. The “Star Wars” space battle scenes were accomplished using blue screen technology. See also composite.
Body Double A performer that is dressed to look like, or double, an actor in a film. An example would be a shot where we see a character from his or her back entering a building. Often it is a body double that is filmed doing this. Also referred to as a double or photo double.
Body Mic See wire.
Bogie Someone or something (usually a pedestrian or vehicle) that gets in the way of the shot. “Get that bogie out of there now!”
Bolex Swiss-made 16mm film camera, known for its ease of operation and dependability.
Bollywood The playful nickname for the huge film industry based in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Many Indian or “Bollywood” movies feature people dancing and singing in colorful costumes.
Boned Technical term used when something is potentially screwing up and/or delaying some aspect of production. “We’re gonna be boned if we don’t get this shot before sunset.”
Boom An extendible pole that holds a microphone to record dialogue and sound effects on a set.
Boom Operator Person who operates the microphone boom, a long, extendible rod with a microphone attached to the end. A boom operator's main job is to get good dialogue recordings from a shoot.
A Boom Operator records the slate, or clapper before a take.
Boom Shot A shot where the camera rises or lowers vertically on a platform. See also crane shot.
Boot Padded cylindrical sleeve that fits over the viewfinder arm on noisy cameras to prevent sound leakage.
Bosun’s Chair A chair attached to a series of pulleys and ropes that can be hung with a camera operator inside to get shots over a river or waterfall, or anywhere a jib arm or dolly track can’t go.
Bounce Board A white piece of cardboard or Styrofoam used to “bounce” light onto a subject from a direct source, such as the sun or a powered light.
Bounce Light Like a lot of motion picture lighting, this is light that is bounced off of a reflective surface onto a subject.
Box Office The total amount of money raised by the showing of a film in theatres. Also called box office receipts or gross.
Breakaway Anything that is designed to break apart easily without causing harm to the actors. You often see breakaway chairs and tables in barroom fights in movies.
Breakaway Glass Special glass that is used for stunts and special effects, such as when you see an actor or stuntman crash through a plate glass window. It is essentially special tempered glass that breaks in small pieces rather than dangerous shards. See also sugar glass.
Breakdown 1) A term to describe the stressing of props and wardrobe to make them look aged. 2) It also refers to the breakdown of the script into its locations and scenes.
Breaking the Fourth Wall This term comes from theatre and refers to the stage and its three walls, the fourth wall being the invisible barrier at the front of the stage separating between the performers and the audience. To break the fourth wall is to address the audience directly, thereby disrupting the artificial world of the play. This also applies to television and movies, when an actor talks directly to the camera, like Bob Hope often did, or as John Cusack’s character does in the movie High Fidelity.
Break Off/Film Break If a production is shot on film, as opposed to video, there is a certain point each day called the film break where the film is sent to the lab to be processed and transferred to be watched as dailies or rushes the next day.
Break the bubble A term used to describe the tilting of a camera off of the horizontal axis. See also dutch angle.
Briefcase Dolly A small, self contained dolly that can be used as a camera or hauling dolly, and packs right up into its own case!
Brute 1) A large flag used for cutting off light. 2) A carbon arc light, broken down into a baby brute and a lite weight brute.
BTS Behind the Scenes. You may sometimes see this abbreviation on a call sheet, which refers to a small camera crew that will be on set to film documentary style footage of the cast and crew in action. It may also include EPK style interviews with the actors and film crew.
Buck A car or other vehicle that has its top removed for doing interior shots.
Buck and a Half Camera term for 150mm lens.
Buddy Film A film that highlights the relationship between two men who are often forced to work together even though they don’t like each other at first. They then go on to battle adversity together and become buddies by the end of the picture.
Buffalo Box Camera housing used to protect a camera when being hand held in rough situations, such as the camera operator riding on a skateboard. Also called a crash box.
Bumper Television term. It is the short visual segment used in a TV show before and after the commercial breaks.
Burned Location Any location (house, restaurant, park or whatever) that will not allow filming due to previous problems with film crews. Sometimes the result of just too much shooting being done there, a location can also be burned by loud and obnoxious crew members, unfulfilled cash promises, property damage not repaired, or moving trucks in or out of a neighbourhood after curfew. See also hot location.
Burn-in Titles or subtitles that are laid on top of an existing film or video image. Once done, these titles cannot be removed, hence the name.
Business The physical actions that an actor does while doing a part, such as fidgeting with a pencil or playing with their hair.
Butt Plug Small metal cylindrical peg that is used to mount small lights.
Butterfly Adjustable board of various sizes attached to two stands so it can be angled to reflect or bounce light.
Buyer A person responsible for buying props or set decorations for the art department of a production company.
Buyout The amount of money paid to an actor in addition to his or her rate that “buys out” the residual pay that would normally come with repeated showings of a tv commercial or tv show.
C
C-Stand From “Century-stand,” this is one of the most useful and used pieces of grip/lighting equipment there is. This “workhorse of the movie industry” has three staggered legs which can be folded under each other in a line for easy storage.
The C-Stand can be used for holding anything on a set.
C-47 Technical term for a clothespin. The story goes that a crew member submitted a receipt for clothespins, but it was rejected. He then submitted the receipt for “C- 47s” and it was accepted, and the term has been used ever since.
Cable Puller A person in the sound department who is in charge of microphone cables (that sometimes need to be pulled out of the way on moving shots) and wiring of actors. Also called a sound assistant or assistant sound mixer.
Cable Truck The truck that carries and distributes the thick electrical cables for the set.
Cable Truck
Call Back After a performer goes for an audition, a call back is a sign that he or she were interesting enough to be short-listed, and are requested to come for a subsequent audition. Sometimes an actor may be called back several times before securing a role.
Call Sheet Sheet given out at the end of each day outlining the crew call time for each crew member, and also contains location maps and other production requirements for the next day of shooting.
Call Time The time at which the cast and crew must show up for work on the set. Some crew members may have different call times than others. See also crew call.
Cameo A brief appearance or performance (usually by a celebrity) in a film or TV program. Alfred Hitchcock can be seen in a cameo appearance in almost every single one of his films.
Camera Jam That horrific moment when the film gets caught up, or “jammed” within the camera. Also called salad.
Camera Operator The person who physically operates or controls the camera during filming. They call out that the camera is rolling, turn the camera off and on, and set the framing for what the camera captures during filming.
Camera Set Up When shooting a scene, many camera set ups are sometimes required to cover e ch angle. Whenever the camera position changes or the lighting and other elements change, this is called a new set up. A crew may work on only one scene in a day, but they might do anywhere from one to fifty camera set ups.
Camera Truck The truck that houses all of the exposed and unexposed film in coolers, as well as various camera accessories. Usually parked as close to the set as possible.
Cans Slang term for headphones worn by boom operators and sound mixers.
Capsule Gun An air-powered gun that is used to shoot actual pellets or other small ammunition at a target to increase the realism of gunfire on film, often combined with squib charges.
Captain See transport captain.
Capture The process of transferring video footage from a camera or DV tape to a computer system.
Carps Slang for carpenters, those employed in building the sets.
Cast People portraying the characters in a movie or television program.
Casting The process of finding actors to fill the various roles in a film, usually headed by a casting director.
Casting Couch A reference to the piece of furniture that an aspiring actress or actor has sex on with a director or casting agent in order to secure a role in a film.
Cattle Call A general call for actors or extras.
Catwalk Platforms or decks that are mounted up near the ceiling in many studios. See also greens.
Cel A single sheet of celluloid that is used in animation.
Centipede A type of dolly that has a number of small wheels set at an angle to each other that move on a tubular track.
Charlie Bar A long, slender flag used by grips to shade light off a specific area.
Cheat To purposely move an object or actor in or out of the way in coverage shots that may not be exact in continuity, but done in a way so no-one will notice in the final edited version of a film. (e.g. “Cheat that table this way a bit so we can see his body more.”)
Cheater Plate A small metal plate with an angled rod welded to it. Used for mounting a light so it is at an angle.
Check the Gate The 1st A.D. asks for the camera assistant to “check the gate” when the director has gotten the shot he needs and is ready to move on to the next shot, or wrap for the day. This is done to ensure that the camera gate is clear of small hairs, film shards and other debris.
Cheese Plate A grip term for a metal plate with holes in it that can be used to mount lights, etc. onto almost any surface.
Chick Flick A romantic or heartbreaking movie that appeals specifically to female sensibilities.
Chicken Coop An overhead, box-like multiple light set, usually used for top lighting of sets.
Chimera A small, portable light in a nylon housing. This “soft” light is often used to follow an actor during a moving shot.
Chroma keying To shoot a person or thing with a coloured background so other elements may be layered in where the colour is. For film, a blue screen or green screen is used. Models of spacecraft are often shot against a red screen. of specific shots or sequences within a film. See also digital intermediate.
Cinema Verité A genre of cinema that attempts to be as realistic as possible. See also Neorealism.
Cinematographer The person responsible for getting the lighting and photographic elements prepared and shot onto film or video. Also called a director of photography (DP or DOP).
Circus The area where the majority of trucks, trailers, tents and catering trucks are set up while filming on location.
Clapper Small black and white board with spaces for the title of the production, the scene number, the take number, the director and cameraman’s name, and the name of the production company producing the film. The top of the board has a stick that is clapped together to create a sound and picture reference mark used to synchronize the two later in post production. See also slate.
Clapper Board, or Slate
Claw A device within the camera that pulls the film through by the perforations on the side of the film.