Production

300 entries · Page 1 of 5

• 180-degree rule

  A continuity convention keeping cameras on one side of an established action axis.

• 30-degree rule

  An editing guideline recommending a meaningful camera-angle change between similar successive shots.

• Abby Singer shot

  The second-to-last planned camera setup of the shooting day, announced so departments can prepare for wrap.

• Action

  The set call that tells performers and participating departments to begin the rehearsed action for a take.

• Action axis

  An imagined line through principal subjects or movement used to organize screen direction.

• Actor mark

  A discreet floor or spatial reference helping a performer repeat a position for camera, light, focus, or staging.

• Air mortar

  A compressed-air effects device used to propel lightweight debris or material for a controlled burst.

• Ambient light

  General illumination present in an environment apart from a specifically isolated key source.

• Animatronic effect

  A mechanized puppet, creature, prop, or body element producing controlled physical movement.

• Arm up

  A crane or jib instruction to raise the camera arm while preserving the planned move and clearances.

• Artificial snow effect

  A practical atmospheric or surface treatment used to simulate falling or accumulated snow.

• Available light

  Light already present at a location before production adds or substantially modifies sources.

• B-roll

  Supplementary footage used to illustrate, contextualize, cover edits, or provide visual alternatives to the primary action or interview material.

• Back light

  A source placed generally behind a subject to create separation, rim, or motivated illumination.

• Back to one

  An instruction for performers, camera, or moving elements to return to the established starting position for another take.

• Background action

  A cue starting background performers or environmental action separately from principal action.

• Banana

  A direction for a performer or moving camera to travel along a curved path rather than a straight line.

• Base camp

  A location-production staging area for cast facilities, production offices, catering, transport, large vehicles, and support services away from the active set.

• Bay-o’s

  Informal, uncommon slang for the conspicuous combination of automatic-weapon fire, roaring engines, and military-style sound or dialogue associated with action spectacle.

• Beef

  Informal lighting slang for output or intensity, as in asking for more light from a unit or setup.

• BG

  A common production abbreviation for background performers or for action and elements placed in the background of the frame.

• Big close-up

  A tighter-than-standard close-up emphasizing a face or a major portion of it.

• Billy Bitzer

  G. W. “Billy” Bitzer was a pioneering American cinematographer whose long collaboration with D. W. Griffith helped develop early film lighting, close-ups, mattes, tracking shots, and continuity techniques.

• Bird’s-eye shot

  A steep overhead view looking down on subjects and their spatial pattern.

• Blocking

  The rehearsal and planning of actor movement, camera position, and spatial relationships before a take.

• Blood rig

  A concealed tubing, reservoir, pump, or release system used to deliver theatrical blood on cue.

• Blown highlight

  An image area exposed or processed beyond useful highlight detail, often described as clipped or blown out.

• Bone

  Dated crew slang meaning to obstruct, inconvenience, or create a problem for another person, usually heard in a negative construction.

• Boom shadow

  An unintended microphone or pole shadow visible within the photographed image.

• Boom up

  An instruction to raise a microphone boom, camera boom, crane, or similar supported arm; the intended device must be clear from context.

• Break the neck

  Informal grip or lighting instruction to angle the top of an overhead frame so it redirects light or reduces wind loading rather than remaining flat.

• Breakaway

  A prop, scenic element, or material engineered to break predictably with less force and reduced injury risk during rehearsed action.

• Bring in the meat

  Dated and dehumanizing set slang telling the assistant-director team to bring performers to set.

• Broom it

  Informal set direction meaning remove, dismiss, or abandon an object, setup, or idea.

• Bullet-hit effect

  A practical or visual effect simulating a projectile striking a person, object, or surface.

• Bump

  Informal production term for additional pay triggered by specified work, conditions, equipment, wardrobe, hazards, or an upgraded performer classification.

• Butterfly lighting

  A frontal portrait-lighting pattern with the key placed high and near the camera axis, producing a small shadow beneath the nose.

• Call time

  The specific time a person is required to report or be ready for assigned production work.

• Camera angle

  A particular camera position and viewing direction used to photograph action.

• Camera magazine change

  The removal of an exposed or near-empty film magazine and installation of a prepared replacement.

• Camera metadata

  Recorded descriptive and technical information accompanying captured picture files or film reports.

• Camera registration test

  A photographed test used to evaluate frame steadiness and registration in a film camera.

• Camera rehearsal

  A rehearsal used to refine framing, focus, movement, timing, and technical coordination.

• Camera reload

  The replacement of recording media, film, or another finite camera recording supply.

• Camera report

  A record of camera, lens, stock or media, exposure, scene, take, and technical notes.

• Camera roll number

  The production identifier assigned to a roll, magazine load, card, or recorded media grouping.

• Camera setup

  A distinct combination of camera position, lens, support, direction, and coverage purpose.

• Camera speed

  The camera department confirmation that picture recording has reached stable operation.

• Camera strike

  The dismantling and packing of a camera setup after it is released.

• Camera tracking marker

  A visible reference placed so software can solve camera or object motion in post-production.

• Camera wedge

  A small rigid or tapered support used to level or stabilize a camera support on an approved surface.

• Camera witness mark

  A physical reference mark documenting a camera support’s exact position or orientation.

• Camera wrap

  The end-of-day process of securing camera bodies, lenses, media, batteries, reports, and accessories.

• Card rotation

  A controlled cycle for labeling, protecting, offloading, verifying, and clearing recording media.

• Cast call

  The time a performer is instructed to report for work, preparation, rehearsal, or set.

• Cheat

  To adjust a performer, eyeline, prop, set piece, or camera position away from literal spatial truth so it reads better in the frame.

• Cheat eyeline

  An adjusted off-camera look target chosen to make an on-screen relationship read correctly.

• Cheat position

  A small performer or object adjustment made primarily to improve the camera composition.

• Check the gate

  A film-camera instruction to inspect the aperture and film path for hair, dirt, emulsion, or damage that could spoil the photographed take.

• Checksum

  A calculated value used to verify that copied media matches its source byte for byte.

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