Terminology Pages 1-2

Question 1

20

Answer 1

When you want to know where someone is, don’t say ‘Where’s Joe?’ That’s the mark of a rookie. You want a ‘20’ on Joe. An alternative is to get on the walkie and ask, ‘Does anyone have eyes on Joe?’

Question 2

50-50

Answer 2

When you hear someone suggest a 50-50, it means a two-shot in which both actors share the screen equally. You can have a 50-50 head on or a profile 50-50. This term is used exclusively of an over, which is a shot over one actor’s shoulder to another, or a single. Singles can be clean (just one actor) or dirty (one actor with a bit of another in the frame).

Question 3

Abby Singer

Answer 3

The second-to-last shot of the day. Apparently from an A.D named Abby Singer who routinely announced that a shot was the last of the day, only to learn that there was one more.

Question 4

A.D

Answer 4

The Assistant Director. Directly responsible to the Director. This individual maintains optimum coordination among crew and actors in order to keep up the pace required by the shooting schedule and set by the Director. He’s the one who calls for quiet on set before giving the order to sound roll.

Question 5

Added Scenes

Answer 5

Additional filming for which the actor is called back again after the picture.

Question 6

Adjustment/Bump

Answer 6

A change in pay usually brought about by the addition of special business not contracted for in the original agreement.

Question 7

Apple Box

Answer 7

Ubiquitous crates used for everything from door stops to seats to actor-heighteners. There are full apples, half apples and quarter apples. Ask to sit on a half-apple, and you’ll be looked upon as a veteran of the trade.

Question 8

Atmos

Answer 8

An abbreviation of the term ‘atmosphere,’ meaning the extras.

Question 9

Background Action

Answer 9

Direction meaning for any extras or atmosphere to start their action before the main action is started.

Question 10

Back Stepping

Answer 10

A technique for hitting a mark for a clean entrance by stepping backward until out of the frame and then stepping back in the same amount of steps this hitting the mark without looking.

Question 11

Best Boy

Answer 11

1st assistant electrician. Works directly with the gaffer and helps supervise the lighting crew.

Question 12

Blimp

Answer 12

A covering put over the camera to cut down on camera noise so that it will not be picked up on the sound track.

Question 13

Boom Operator

Answer 13

Operates the microphone boom (or fish pole). He also attaches the proper microphone to the actors.

Question 14

Call

Answer 14

Exact time you are ‘called’ to report on set.

Question 15

Call Sheet

Answer 15

Sheet given to cast and crew at the end of each day with the next day’s shooting schedule and your call time written in. Also tells you where you are to report, and what scenes are to be shot and in what order.

Question 16

Boom Operator

Answer 16

Operates the microphone boom (or fish pole). He also attaches the proper microphone to the actors.

Question 17

Call

Answer 17

Exact time you are ‘called’ to report to set.

Question 18

Call Sheet

Answer 18

Sheet given to cast and crew at the end of each day with the next day’s shooting schedule and your call time written in. Also tells your where you are to report, and what scenes are to be shot and in what order.

Question 19

Camera Left/Right

Answer 19

When an actor is facing the camera, camera left is the actors’ right, and camera right is the actors’ left.

Question 20

Camera Operator

Answer 20

Operates the camera at all times required. Tells the second assistant cameraman when to slate a take.

Question 21

Chalks/T’s/Tape

Answer 21

The chalk marks, rubber t-shaped markers or pieces of gaffer tape placed around your feet to show the exact position you are to hit for a shot.

Question 22

Circle

Answer 22

Film is expensive to print, and it’s annoying to have to pour through endless dailies when you know there’s a particular take that was great. Directors tell the script supervisor to ‘circle that take,’ telling the editor which take the director wants printed. Happily, the un-circles takes are also developed and can be mined for hidden gold when your circled take turns out to be worthless in the cutting room.

Question 23

Clean Entrance / Exit

Answer 23

Being all the way out of a shot and CLEAN walking into it, or exiting all the way out of a scene (out of frame).

Question 24

Cheat Your Look

Answer 24

A direction meaning for an actor to angle his look a little to the left or right (or up or down) for better camera coverage of his face.

Question 25

Coverage

Answer 25

Many different angles of the same scene.

Question 26

Covering

Answer 26

An actor ‘covering’ another actor who is accidentally between the other actor and the camera lens.

Question 27

Cowboy

Answer 27

Another common shot description, denoting a frame that runs from mid-thigh to the top of the head. Taken from Westerns, where the shot was commonly used.

Question 28

Crafty

Answer 28

The typical nickname for the Craft Services, aka ‘the table with the fattening food on it.’ The locale for snacks and drinks. ‘Can you run by Crafty and get me a cookie?’

Question 29

Critical Mark

Answer 29

The exact spot an actor must hit to be in focus for the camera.

Question 30

Cut

Answer 30

The director yells ‘cut’ when a scene is complete or when he wants to stop it for some reason. The Cameraman and the Mixer can also cut a scene.

Question 31

Crew

Answer 31

The technicians (camera, sound, lights, etc…not actors.)

Question 32

Dailies/Rushes

Answer 32

Scenes that have just been shot and printed. Usually screened daily by the director, producers, editors, D.P., etc.

Question 33

Dialogue Director

Answer 33

Works with actors on lines, line reading, etc.

Question 34

Director

Answer 34

He is directly responsible to the producer for directing the cast and crew to obtain the best photographic and dramatic interpretation of the script. He blocks, directs, and rehearses all action of actors, extras and camera. He also supervises the first cut (editing) of the film.

Question 35

Dissolve

Answer 35

When the script says ‘dissolve,’ the director will have you hold or stretch out the final moment or take. Later, in processing, technically there is enough so your face can disappear slowly.

Question 36

Dolly

Answer 36

Either the moveable mount for the cameras, or, as a verb, the camera is ‘dollying’ when it is moving toward or away from you.

Question 37

Double

Answer 37

Does Stunts, or shots that it is not necessary for the actor himself to actually do as long as it looks like he did. Your double is wardrobed and made up (and cast accordingly to size being near yours) to look like you.

Question 38

Down Camera Eye

Answer 38

The actor’s eye which is closest to the camera.

Question 39

D.P

Answer 39

Director of Photography. He is directly responsible to the Director and assists him in translating the screenplay into visual images. He also supervises all lighting.

Question 40

Drift

Answer 40

An actor who ‘drifts’ from side to side and upsets the cameraman.

Question 41

Drive To Pay

Answer 41

When you are asked to drive yourself to a location, you are paid in cash each day according to mileage and gas.

Question 42

Dry Run

Answer 42

A rehearsal of a scene to be shot. This is mostly for camera, but also for performance.

Question 43

Dubbing

Answer 43

Adding music and sound not recorded when shooting, or an actor sometimes ‘dubs’ lines into scenes where they didn’t exist or where another actor didn’t speak well enough.

Question 44

Fill

Answer 44

Area lighting used to ‘fill in’ key lighting.

Question 45

First

Answer 45

Slang for first assistant director. Also called First A.D.

Question 46

First Team

Answer 46

This is called when a scene has been lit using the stand ins, and they are ready for the actors themselves to come in, replace the stand ins, and shoot the scene.

Question 47

Fitting Charge

Answer 47

An extra payment when actors have to go to the studio or elsewhere for special wardrobe fittings.