Descriptionary

cinema verite a realistic or documentary style of filming, sometimes with a handheld camera, under as natural conditions as possible and with little or no input from the director.

cinephile a person who loves movies.

cinerama a wide-screen process that employed three synchronized cameras and is now outmoded.

clapper a handheld chalkboard with data describ­ing the next shot; the sound of a clapstick on its top signals the start of the next scene. Also known as a slate.

color cards cards showing a scale of colors, used as a guide to correct colors when filming.

colorization the computerized process of trans­forming black-and-white film into color.

commissary a movie studio's cafeteria.

continuity consistency in the images presented in a movie from scene to scene. For example, an actor may be shown with unkempt hair in one shot and then perfectly combed hair in the next shot, or a prop visible on a table in one scene may mysteri­ously vanish in a following shot because someone on the set inadvertently removed it, thereby break­ing continuity. It is the script supervisor's job to monitor continuity from shot to shot and keep care­ful notes concerning every detail, including lighting, environmental conditions, positions of the actors, prop locations, etc., and have a "continuity report" available at all times.

costume supervisor one who is in charge of the cre­ation, sizing, and authenticity of costumes.

coverage a brief, written review of a script submit­ted to a producer or studio.

cover set an alternative set used when outdoor shooting is spoiled by rain.

cover shot see master shot.

craft service a company or caterer responsible for providing snack tables for the cast and crew.

crane shot an aerial shot taken from a crane or sus­pended mechanical arm.

crawl the rolling credits at the end of a movie.

credits at the beginning and end of a film, the list of all the people in the production crew, including the actors.

crosslighting lighting that originates from the sides.

cut to to switch from one scene to another.

dailies prints from a day's shooting, viewed by the director and others to determine if any shots need to be filmed again. Also known as rushes.

dialogue coach a person who teaches actors how to speak a foreign language or with an accent.

director the person who directs the action of the actors, sets scenes, coordinates other technicians, and so on.

director's cut a version of a movie as the director prefers it with complete artistic control and little or no studio input.

director of photography see cinematographer.

direct to video a movie sold only on VHS tape or DVD and not previously released in theaters.

docudrama a movie based on a real event.

dresser one who assists the actors with their costumes.

dub to record dialogue, foreign dialogue, or sound effects in a studio after the film has been shot.

editing the cutting, splicing, and final arrangement of scenes in a film.

editor one who cuts, splices, and determines the final arrangement or length of scenes in a film.

effects track the soundtrack containing sound effects, to be mixed with other soundtracks.

epic a heroic movie with a story line that frequently spans many months or years.

executive producer a producer who handles only the business and legal matters on the making of a film.

extra a person hired to play a nonspeaking part in the background of a scene, frequently as a member of a crowd.

film noir French term meaning, literally, "black film," used to describe some American movies made in the 1940s that were notable for their low-key or dark lighting effects.

final cut the edited, finished film.

flashback a scene that departs from the present and shows an event from the past.

flood short for a floodlight.

focus puller a member of the camera crew who adjusts the camera's focus during filming.

foley to reproduce the sound of a body movement, such as footsteps or rustling clothes, in a recording studio for dubbing onto film.

foley stage a large room with several different types of floor (brick, wood, tile, etc.) used to dub in the sound of footsteps in a film.

foley studio a recording studio in which the picture and soundtrack are played while sound effects are added to match the action of the actors, for example, clothes rustling or footsteps.

gaffer a set electrician and light specialist.

giraffe an adjustable boom microphone.

grip a set assistant or stagehand; one in charge of props.

handheld a handheld camera, used for natural, doc­umentary like effect.