Encyclopedia

2106 entries · Page 7 of 36

• Chippy

  British and Commonwealth trade slang for a carpenter, including carpenters working in construction or scenic departments.

• Choker

  Informal name for an extremely tight close-up, commonly framed around the face from near the neck or chin upward.

• Choker hitch

  A sling configuration tightened around a load through one sling eye.

• Chroma key

  Isolation of image regions based primarily on a selected hue or color range.

• Chroma subsampling

  A representation that stores color-detail information at lower spatial resolution than luminance.

• Chrome-ball reference

  A reflective sphere photographed to record surrounding light directions and environment for visual-effects reference.

• Cinematographer

  A Cinematographer, also called a Director of Photography or DP, translates the Director’s story and visual intent into images. They design the photographic approach, select camera and lens strategies, shape lighting with the Gaffer and grip team, supervise camera work, and protect image consistency through production and finishing.

• Circle take

  A take marked in reports as a preferred or especially useful selection.

• Circuit breaker

  An overcurrent protective device that opens a circuit when current exceeds its rated conditions.

• Circuit plot

  A drawing or schedule showing electrical circuits and connection locations for entertainment lighting.

• Civilian

  Informal set slang for a person who is not working as part of the production crew or cast.

• Clapper Loader

  A Clapper Loader combines accurate slating with film-loading and camera-record duties. They prepare the slate, identify scenes and takes, maintain camera reports, load or track magazines, label exposed stock, and help the First AC keep the camera team organized and ready.

• Clean pass

  A repeat of a setup photographed without selected performers or foreground elements for post-production use.

• Clean plate

  A background-only image used to remove or replace unwanted objects during compositing.

• Clean shot

  A composition without a foreground obstruction, over-the-shoulder element, or other intentionally intruding subject; the opposite is often called dirty.

• Clean single

  A single-subject shot without another performer intruding into the intended frame.

• Clear the eyeline

  A request for off-camera people or distracting movement to leave the direction in which a performer must look during a take.

• Clear the lens

  A set instruction for crew, equipment, or unplanned movement to leave the camera’s field of view.

• Clip number

  A camera-generated or production-assigned identifier for an individual recorded media file.

• Clocking

  Rotating an object, performer, fixture, or camera around an axis to present a different face or angle without changing its general position.

• Close-up

  A tight shot that emphasizes a face, object, or detail while excluding much of the surrounding space.

• Closed captions

  Timed accessibility text carried separately so viewers or playback systems can enable it.

• Closed set

  A controlled set with attendance limited to people essential for the work, commonly used for intimate, sensitive, confidential, or safety-critical scenes.

• Clothing rustle

  Unwanted noise transmitted to a concealed microphone by fabric, body, cable, or mounting contact.

• Code of safe practices

  An employer’s documented core safety rules and responsibilities for recurring work activities.

• Codec

  An algorithm or software implementation used to encode and decode audio or video data.

• Cold open

  An opening scene or sequence presented before the main titles or regular opening credits, often used to establish a hook.

• Cold-stress prevention

  Controls used to prevent hypothermia, frostbite, impaired dexterity, and related harm in cold, wet, or windy conditions.

• Collection account

  A controlled bank account through which defined exploitation revenues are collected and distributed.

• Collection account manager

  An independent administrator appointed to receive and distribute revenues under a collection account agreement.

• Color chart shot

  A recorded chart reference made under scene lighting to support color and visual-effects interpretation.

• Color grading

  The creative and technical shaping of shot color, contrast, density, and continuity for approved outputs.

• Color Grading Specialist

  A Color Grading Specialist shapes and balances the finished image by matching shots, controlling exposure and color, supporting visual mood, managing skin tones and selective corrections, and preparing approved looks for required display formats. They work from calibrated monitoring and color-managed media, communicate with the Cinematographer and Director, track versions, and verify that creative intent survives mastering and delivery transforms.

• Color palette

  A coordinated set of colors guiding visual relationships across production design, costume, lighting, or graphics.

• Color pipeline plan

  A documented route for camera encodings, transforms, monitoring, editorial, visual effects, grading, and delivery color spaces.

• Color Scientist

  A Color Scientist designs, evaluates, and documents the color-management systems that translate camera data, visual effects, editorial media, grading decisions, displays, and delivery formats into predictable images. They characterize transforms and devices, test gamut and tone behavior, diagnose mismatches, collaborate with Cinematographers and post teams, and create technically defensible pipelines that preserve creative intent across changing software and viewing conditions.

• Color space

  A defined coordinate system for describing how color values are represented, transformed, and displayed.

• Color temperature

  A Kelvin description of the chromaticity of an ideal black-body radiator, used as a lighting reference.

• Color timing

  The shot-by-shot control of color and density, historically through photochemical printer-light decisions and now also used for digital grading.

• Colorist

  A Film Colorist balances and shapes the color, contrast, density, and visual consistency of the finished picture. Working with the Cinematographer and Director, they match shots, preserve skin tones and exposure, build creative looks, manage color spaces and HDR or SDR outputs, and render approved masters.

• Comb filtering

  Alternating peaks and cancellations caused when correlated sounds combine with a small time difference.

• Combo stand

  A heavy-duty stand with interchangeable junior and baby receivers for lighting and grip equipment.

• Combustible fuel

  A material used as fuel that can burn and create fire, explosion, vapor, or asphyxiation hazards.

• Come-along

  Informal term for a lever or cable puller used to tension or move loads.

• Comedian

  A Comedian develops and performs material designed to create laughter through point of view, writing, timing, character, improvisation, physicality, or audience interaction. For filmed work they adapt delivery to cameras, coverage, edits, standards, and repeatability; collaborate with Directors and Producers; refine material through rehearsal or live testing; and respond to the tone of each production.

• Commitment log

  A register of purchase orders, contracts, and expected costs not yet fully invoiced or paid.

• Comms

  A live-event communication system and operating practice used to coordinate departments and cues.

• Company move

  A relocation of the production unit and its equipment from one filming setup or location to another.

• Company switch

  A venue service disconnect providing a designated connection point for temporary entertainment power.

• Company wrap

  The announced end of work for the entire shooting company on a production day or unit assignment.

• Company-move plan

  A logistics plan for relocating the shooting company between locations during a workday.

• Competent authority

  The government body designated to administer and certify an official co-production arrangement.

• Competent person

  A designated person capable of identifying relevant hazards and authorized to take prompt corrective measures.

• Completion bond

  A guaranty arrangement intended to protect financiers against specified risks that a production will not be completed and delivered.

• Completion guarantor

  An entity that assesses, monitors, and may guarantee completion and delivery under agreed budget and schedule conditions.

• Complimentary ticket

  A ticket issued without a normal sale price to an authorized guest or allocation.

• Composer

  A film and television Composer writes original music that supports story, character, emotion, pace, setting, and structure. They develop themes and a musical language with the Director, create demos and cues to picture, revise through spotting and review, coordinate orchestrators, musicians, programmers, recording and mixing teams, and deliver approved score masters, stems, sessions, and documentation on schedule.

• Compositing

  The combination of multiple image elements into a single coherent shot.

• Compositing Supervisor

  A Compositing Supervisor leads the team responsible for final image integration on a project, facility, or sequence. They establish compositing methodology and templates, assign work, review shots, troubleshoot difficult keys and integrations, coordinate upstream renders and downstream delivery, and ensure that many artists produce consistent color, lens behavior, realism, and technical specifications.

• Composition playlist

  A D-cinema or IMF document defining the ordered track files that form a playable composition.

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