Glossary of Motion Picture and Television Terms
Action- The business or movement by players or objects withing a scene. The command to start acting (given by a director).
Agent- A talent representative who works on behalf of a professional actor, in exchange for a commission rate of 15%-20%
Answering Machine- Goes without saying! Every actor should have one!
Assistant Director (A.D) – 1st. 2nd, 3rd and Trainee AD’s oversee the management of a production in prep and in while shooting. The AD’s are responsible for all of the on set elements during the shoot such as: Actors, the set, crew in their proper places, extras, calling “rolls” and “cuts”, administrative tasks etc.
Audition- The actor’s “job interview”. The presentation of a “character” for a specific role.
Background Action – This call is made by the 1st A.D and is meant to cue the extras on their performance within a scene. Often this is rehearsed before the decision to shoot is made.
Boom Camera- The crane like device that holds the camera and gives it complete vertical horizontal, lateral and diagonal mobility.
Boom, Mic – The adjustable pole that holds the microphone and can extend out, over or actors’ action.
Break it up – the filming of other angles of a master scene, usually the close ups and cutaways.
Call time – the term used to indicate the “start time” of cast crew and background
Camera Left – The left side of the camera from one person’s position
Camera Right – The right side of the camera from one person’s position
Casting Agent – A talent adjudicator who assesses talent for an agency for possible representation
Casting Director – A talent adjudicator employed by a production company to hire appropriate talent for the available role(s) on a given project. This involves pre-screening, auditioning, negotiating contracts and scheduling actors
Circus – The designated parking location for work trucks such as; catering, generators, honey wagons, cast and AD trailers, and shuttle vehicles
Clap Sticks (Clapboard) – Black and white striped “sticks” attached to a slate that are clapped together to make a visual and audio impression to facilitate the editor “syncing” the scene
Continuity – The detailed plan of a motion picture containing action and dialogue in the order in which they are to be shown. The Script Supervisor oversees numerous details outlining length of shots, camera angles, lenses used, actors’ dialogue and movement, etc.
Coverage – The amount of close-ups or other angles the director shoot in addition to the master scene
Credit Titles – The announcements at the beginning and the end of a film that gives the names of the various artists and craft people who worked on the show
Cut – Called by the director and AD team to indicate; 1. Stop the camera 2. Stop the action 3. To edit or shorten the scene by cutting the film 4. The end of the scene
Dailies – The processed film of the previous day’s scenes as they have come from the processing lab
Day For Night – Shooting in the daytime but resulting in night-time quality
Documentary – A film that depicts actions or events as they are, with little or on attempt towards dramatization. Usually made in natural locations with non-actors
Dolly Shot – A moving shot accomplished by pushing the camera, mounted to a dolly, about the set
Down Shot – A shot taken from a high point looking down
Dubbing – The process of re-recording sound or audio tracks onto one composite track
Exterior – Any scene shot outside the stage
Extras – A term used to refer to the non-speaking background performers working a shot
Fade-In - The beginning of a scene that gradually comes from complete black or white to full in view
Fade Out – The end of a scene that gradually disappears into black and white
Fill Light – The weaker light used to balance the shadow side of a subject
Final Cut – The final polished and re-edited film ready for dubbing and scoring
First Team – Refers to the principle actors cast in a motion picture
Frame – 1. An individual section of film that includes one separate exposure 2. To compose a scene
Gate – The two metal plate’s that hold the film in place as it receives its expose in the camera. “Checking the gate” is a phrase often said before moving on to the next scene. This is to ensure that no dust, hair or scratches were present on the film stack during shooting
Honey Wagons – On location toilet facilities
Interior – Any scene photographed inside a building or stage
Juicer – A slang name for an electrician (use term with caution)
Key Light – The strongest light illuminating a subject
Location – Any place away from the studio used as a backdrop for a shoot. A “sensitive” location refers to a site which has many terms and conditions attached to it’s usage. Ie; provincial and national parks, prisons, gas and water treatment plants, hospitals, private homes etc..
Long Shot – A shot made from a considerable distance
Master Shot – A continuous take that covers all or a great portion of a scene
Matching Action – In cutting, the act of selecting two pieces of film that contain an overlap of action, then selection of the spot where the cut will be the smoothest
Moving Shot – Any shot made while the camera is in motion, either on a dolly or in a car, or in a Stedicam bracket
Night For Day – Shooting actually in the night, but resulting in the film being lit for day
Pager – The actor’s mandatory lifeline to their agent and/or work
Pan Shot – A shot made while the camera swings on it’s tripod in a horizontal arc
Pantomime – Action in which the actors, or background performers, express themselves using gestures instead of words
Parallel Action – Two lines of action that occur simultaneously, shown to the audience via the cut back
Pick it Up – The order to continue with a scene not completed, from the same spot it went bad, with out changing the camera angle
POV – Point Of View – Usually a view seen by the actor
Print – Order given by the director when a take is satisfactory
Props – On set property such as weapons, a brief case, groceries etc.
Pulled/Pushed Call Times – A start time that has changed. Pulled call times are earlier and pushed call times are moved ahead
Reading – Trying out for a part; part of the rehearsal
Rough Cut – The first viewing of a picture after it has been put together
Scene - A unit of action. A succession of one or more shot within a sequence
Score – The music for a motion picture
Screen Play – The script which contains dialogue and action in continuity form
Second Team – Refers to the stand-ins and/or photo doubles required to take the place of the cast while the camera, lighting and blocking details are worked out
Sequence – A unit of action in which there is no lapse of time; sometimes contains several scenes
Set – The stage for shooting a particular scene
Shot – A single piece of film within a scene; a take
Slate – The numbering board held before (or after “tail slate”) a take by the assistant camera person; used to identify the film in the laboratory cutting room. Also a term used to refer to an actor identifying themselves to a camera during an audition
Slow Motion – Obtained by speeding up the camera
Special Effects (FX) – A name given almost any unusual effect used to create the illusion on film
Speed – 1. The state of things when a camera and reorder have reached their proper operation. The signal that the director can now call “ACTION”. 2. Also the sensitivity of the film
Stock Shot – A scene taken from a previous picture and placed in a film library. Use of scenic locales or hard to duplicate action, newsroom have extensive stock libraries.
Take – An individual piece of film with no cuts. A shot.
Talent Scout – An individual who seeks unique talent or acts fro a particular agency or variety show
Tape – The sound track.
Technical – In acting, playing a scene with limited emotion or genuine feeling on the actor’s part, but not necessarily giving that impression to the audience
Teleplay – A television screenplay
Tilt – Moving a camera on it’s tri pod in a vertical arc
Titles – The credit announcements that accompany a motion picture
Turnaround – The time between a cast or crew members end time and start time the following shoot day. Typically between eight and twelve hours is contractually required
Up Shot – A shot made from a low position, camera angled upwards
Whip – To quickly pan from on object to another
Wild Camera – A silent camera not in sync with the sound recorder
Wild Sound – A soundtrack made independently from the camera. Ambiance
Wrap Time – Your finish time
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