Art director the person responsible for the look and feel of the films set. Between all the people, equipment, and terminology on a film set, its easy to get overwhelmed but if you know a few basics, youll already. In the olden days of cinema, people watched a series of short films. Traditional film loaders also continue to be employed on film productions where the skills of a dit arent applicable. While we have endeavored to create as complete a resource as possible, the usage of some terms will vary depending on the. A series of drawings and captions sometimes resembling a comic strip that shows the planned shot divisions and camera movements of the film. Others say they were named after the bin in which they were stored. All furniture and props in the scene have been set into place and the set should not be disturbed or altered. Proper use of onset jargon is essential to a smooth flowing set. Its your first day on set and set and to avoid looking like a complete newb, youre going to want to have some basic film terminology down pat. The idea behind onset jargon is for speed and efficiency. Show business is full of colorful acting terminology. Film set vocabulary makeup artists should know makeup dept.
Jan 11, 2014 this episode of the film industry i talk about some of the top film set lingo that you will hear on set. Well, weve compiled a list of terms commonly used in the industry that you. There are usually four ads on each production the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and trainee ad. Many are used to suss an individuals familiarity with a department, the film set or the industry itself. Here is a short list of showbiz terms that an actor might want to be familiar with.
Producer the producer is the lead of the business side of the film. Key grip the key grip is the lead grip on a film set and in charge of all the other grips. The list below is a collection of film set terminology thats widely used throughout the uk and can also apply to american film sets. This glossary combines with highquality teaching resources to bring the excitement of the theater into the classroom.
Everything placed within the frame, including set decoration, costume, and styles of performance implies an emphasis on psychological and visual unity in a film from one frame to the next. Above the line part of a films budget reserved for major players in the production such as the director, producer, writer, main actors, etc. On most film sets there is an assistant editor who will roughly cut together the days scenes and audio. Working on a film set can be a loud experience, with a variety of terms or jargon bandied about that has developed over the past hundred and twenty years or so. Film set vocabulary makeup artists should know makeup.
Teachers and students can use the definitions and word wall printouts below to better speak the language of the stage. Knowing the jargon used by the pros as silly as it may sound sometimes is key to not only fitting in on a professional film set. A guide to understanding film production lingo on set. The director will watch over dailies to doublecheck if any pickups will be needed for tomorrow. Editing editing refers literally to how shots are put together to make up a film.
Learn all about the different crew job positions that occur on a film set. The origin of why it came to be called a c47 is somewhat fuzzy. Worried that you wont know what something is your first time on set. Apple box a wooden box used by the grip department. Film set lingo, film terminology or on set slang sydney. Also called a dutch angle gaffer the person in charge of the lighting and electrics crew honeywagons the washroom trailers. A shot taken from a moving dolly a platform on a set of wheels. Glossary of grip and gaffer terms film and video lighting. Green a term used to describe people who are new to the film industry. An adjustment in position, look, or movement by the actor for the sake of the cameras perspective or movement. Onset jargon explained its important to know your honeywagons from your dope sheets by ben kirby posted 30 jan 2014. Traditionally a film is made up of sequences or in some. Between the equipment and unique filmmaking terminology, it can be easy to get lost in the sauce. A short list of film terms carnegie mellon university.
Prior to the dit position and its focus on onset image work, several other positions, including video controllers, video shaders and video engineers performed similar functions of exposure and color control on a live video feed. Single reel in 35mm a reel is 1,000 feet of film or usually a little less. Usually a big name who ties themselves to a project that they believe in and contributes money to get it going. Here are the definitions of common film terminology that youll hear while working on set. A film maker shoots one or more takes of each shot or set up. A clapper is most notably the most iconic accessory on any movie set. These films are often lowbudget, foreign, andor independent. May 25, 2018 sometimes, there are creative executive producers who offer filmmaking input without being on set. One of the first things youll notice while working on a film set is that everyone there speaks a language that you may not be familiar with. Apparent camerasubject distance subject seen from head to toe. They use slang for just about everything, from tripods to bathroom breaks, and learning what these terms are is vital to communicating on set. This episode of the film industry i talk about some of the top film set lingo that you will hear on set. A to z guide to film terms video and film production. Mar 10, 2020 12 film set terms every actor needs to know.
Single perf 16mm film with a row of perforations along one edge. A guide to understanding film production lingo on set shutterstock. Onset terminology film production assistant flashcards. A hot set refers to when crew members have completed preparing a set for the filming of a scene.
Today, feature films are generally defined as any film at least one hour long that people pay to see. This week, i will focus on general production slang. Get ready to learn some filmmaking phrases in film set 101. On set film lingo, what does it all mean so, what exactly does being on set mean. Example if applicable abby singer shot a nickname for the secondtolast production shot of the day. No matter the origin, a c47 is one of the mostused tools on a film set. A general knowledge of film terms is necessary for moving up in any department on a film set. Start studying onset terminology film production assistant. A film set can be a confusing place for an outsider. Sets are usually built for a film, as opposed to shooting on location, where a scene is shot in the actual. Its useful to know them if you are just starting out. So called because these names used to appear above an actual line on old budget formats, separating them from the other filmmakers on the project.
Working on a film set can be a daunting, albeit exciting, opportunity. One revolution of the synchronizer equals one foot of film. The gaffer on a film crew is the head of the electrical unit. Apparent camerasubject distance camera appears far away. A term used in film production more than as a term in film analysis. Film acting terms flashcards flashcard machine create. A set of wheels and a platform upon which the camera can be mounted to give it mobility. To allow flexibility in the degree of elevation, apple boxes are available as full 8 high, half 4 high, quarter 2 high and eighth 1 high sizes. Film terminology list and film set jargon 2020 amy. Film set terminology list freelance video collective. For newcomers, it can seem like filmmakers and videographers are speaking a foreign. Apple box a small wooden box that is used on set for raising equipment, cameras and sometimes actors break the bubble to tilt the camera off axis.
Film terminology shot types shot type explanation and effect establishing shot places the characters and action in a context long shot shows the whole subject, with room to spare at the top and bottom of the frame medium shot shows the figure from the waist up two shot shows two people in mediumlong shot to show conversations. An apple box is a wooden box used to raise furniture or actors ie make a shorter actor taller. I wanted to share with you a smattering of what is said, not said, and what it all means. Curious to know the difference between a best boy and a gaffer in the movies ending credits. Check out matt webbs blog post on indie film hustle. If talent and crew dont understand what you are talking about, the making of your documentary film or video can turn out to be a disaster. New guys on set provide these to their bosses all day long, as needed. On the film can this will be indicated by 1r appearing on the label. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He or she is responsible for overseeing the lighting plans on a film. Duties include providing the correct weapons to suit the era and style of the film, advising the director on use of weapons, choosing the correct blanks, creating a safe set for the use of said weapons, teaching actors about handling and using weapons. A film set is a funny place full of strange film terminology and abbreviations. Producers hire people, organize shoot days, and generally create the films production timeline.
Like any job, there is shorthand and slang thrown about on sets, but the difference in this profession is how prevalent it truly is. Typically a clapper will have a place to write the scene, take, and shot with some other information like production title, director, and dp. Prior to the dit position and its focus on on set image work, several other positions, including video controllers, video shaders and video engineers performed similar functions of exposure and color control on a live video feed. Should you find yourself suddenly thrust on set and expected to know your way. Film terms are any words or phrases used in film and television production that have evolved over the life of the industry. The dictionary is an extensive online reference of film, video and audio terminology as applicable to production and post production. Style of editing involving rapid cutting so that one image is juxtaposed with another or one scene quickly dissolves into the next. With the powers of this glossary and your marvelous memory combined, we know you got this. Spanishdict is the worlds most popular spanishenglish dictionary, translation, and learning website. Film set terminology theres lots of words and phrases used in the film industry that sound bizarre to anyone else. The first is to work closely with the camera department to provide camera support, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane, or in an unusual position, such as the top of a ladder.
The long film became the main attraction, hence the term feature film. Film may be clamped into the gang, so that it can be measured with a footage counter on the front of the synchronizer. Download and print 51 drama terms appropriate for primary students pdf format. Film slate, clapboard, slate, clapperboard, slapperboard, time slate, board a clapper is a board used for syncing and identifying a shot in post. Limelight productions, inc 471 pleasant street lee, ma 01238. Hand signalsthese can help to reduce the noise on a set, which is a good thing, since the last thing you as a crew member want is.
The first is to work closely with the camera department to provide camera support, especially if the camera is mounted. Lets say a house is being used for filming, but you. While we have endeavored to create as complete a resource as possible, the usage of some terms will vary depending on the country and region in which it is used. As a film director, you want to make sure that your commands are understood when directing film talent and film crew pros.
There are tons of hurdles to jump including experience, pace and, of course, language. Even more important, do you know the correct terminology for a bathroom break. This refers to the team of individuals who are involved in shooting the sections of the film that are of primary importance, typically scenes. While electricians set up the lights and cabling, grips provide everything else that is built around the lights to create the quality of light that the gaffer desires. Called out by the ads to cue the extras to begin their movement. In the usual suspects, for instance, a set might be the interrogation room in the film. Sep 21, 2018 ever get lost in the lingo on a film set. Learn strange sounding movie terms and phrases such as. Jan 30, 2014 a film set can be a confusing place for an outsider, replete as it is with insider acronyms and strange vocabulary. Each department camera, lighting, props, costume, special effects etc have their own vocabulary, but it is as an actor or extra. For this to happen, using the proper terminology is crucial. Arthouse film nonmainstream films that are still thought to hold artistic value. Dont be confused and browse through our film crew glossary below. Then, as films became longer, they would watch some short films and one long film.
They constitute their own department on a film set and are directed by a key grip. This is the truly final draft used on set by the production people, actors, and director to make the movie from the. Guide to film set etiquette freelance video collective. Single system single system refers to recording, editing or projecting sound and picture together on the same piece of film. Cinematography and film terms every working filmmaker. Unfortunately, when it comes to the moviemaking biz there is a lot to learn. Crew job titles positions descriptions film in colorado. You will quickly get used to all of these film production terms, but in case it helps i wrote a list of. When you step onto a film set for the first time, its an overwhelming kaleidoscope of equipment, people and a strange array of concocted phrases an almost alien language. Only one of each group of takes appears in the final film. Mow make own way an actor or crew member will transport. They also provide a variety of special rigging, securing and safety measures on set. Some say it was named after the c47 airplane because of its versatility. On a budget sheet, there are individuals who contribute to the direction and narrative of a film.