On the Set Etiquette

Rodney Petrie

Rodney Petrie

On a film set what is the etiquette in regards to how a shoot is handled, what phrases are used during the process of filming and in general how the set is supposed to be managed?

In the behind the scenes footage I have seen from the set of a film there are only a few things I have picked up. I know of course about phrases like - "Quiet on set, camera rolling, cut, action, back to 1's (used in Australia only?), check the gate, print" but there are probably many more.
 
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Yep, "back to one" is used everywhere. It simply means go
back to the starting point of the shot.

You will hear a lot of slang terms. The key grip will often tell
the FNG, “Fly in an apple, New York it next to the turtle then
Hollywood the 18 double to kill that spread.”

FNG - fucking new guy

FLYING IN - when something needs to be on set right away. The
gaffer says, “Can I get a double here.” The best boy says, “Double
flying in.”

APPLE - wooden box with hand holes of various sizes. Apple 8"×20"×12",
Half 4"×20"×12", Quarter 2"×20"×12", Pancake 1"×20"×12"

NEW YORK - place an apple box on its side so it stands tall.

TURTLE - a detachable base for a c-stand so a light head can be
placed close to the ground

HOLLYWOOD - when a person holds something instead of using a
stand. Sometimes it’s faster to just “hollywood” a flag than to
set up a c-stand.

18 DOUBLE - a black net fabric in a frame 18x24

Okay, so here's some more set terms:

LEWINSKYS - knee pads.

BANANA - when an actor is asked to walk a curved path. Usually to
avoid blocking something in the frame.

COWBOY - a shot from the mid-thigh up

The ABBEY SINGER - the next-to-the-last shot of the day

The MARTINI - the last shot of the day

GARY COLEMAN - The smallest size of C-stand

MICKEY ROONEY - a short dolly move; sometimes called a little creep

FIVE OUT OF SEVEN -- the rearrangement of the 5 working days of
the week.

STRIKE THE BLONDE - does not mean "punch the girl with
the light hair". It means to take a specific light off the set.

BEAM SPREAD - The area that the lamp covers (the beam of light).

GATE - where the film feeds through the camera.

WORK CALL -- a time period when the crew is called to work on the
technical aspects of the project without actors or rehearsal.

MANMAKER - anything used to make an actor taller. Also used when
the boom op needs to stand on something or a rookie is asked to
“hollywood” something. *NOTE* Never say this near an actor, but
it’s fine to say it to the FNG.

FLOP - my first film

LAST LOOKS - You'll be shooting in about 1/2 hour.

PICTURE UP - the AD says this just before the cameras and audio
roll. It’s to let the cast and crew know it’s no longer a
rehearsal.

MOS - Can't find the sound guys.

DROP PICKUP - A contractual situation where the performer is
dropped and then rehired on the same production.

PICTURE UP - You'll be hearing offset 2nd 2nds yelling this at
people until you're halfway through the take.

GRACE PERIOD - Not only can I not pay you your going rate, but now
I'm going to ask to postpone lunch.

YOU'RE FIRED - I can't believe you put unleaded gasoline in the
diesel generator. For a second time!!

GAG - on set this isn’t a joke, this is stunt or effect.

SHOW - when on set don’t refer to the current one or pervious ones
as movies or films. This will tag you as a newbee. You are working
on a show. On your last show you were a PA, on the next show
you’re a second second.

CROSSING - if you need to pass in front of the camera during
lighting you call this out before doing so.

BACK IN - lunch or break is over

Then there are all the equipment terms - but I'll leave that for another post
if interested.
 
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Thanks directorik for that information. Most of those definitions would probably be similar in the Australian industry except of course the slang term associated with the definition would be an Australian one.

I would very much like to hear about all the equipment items for sure! I am definitely interested in knowing more because let's face it, at some stage or another in my career I could be dealing with a US cast, crew and studio :)
 
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Grip-to-Ground Connecter

applebox.jpg


That's all I got. :no:
 
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Rodney Petrie said:
Thanks directorik for that information. Most of those definitions would probably be similar in the Australian industry except of course the slang term associated with the definition would be an Australian one.

I would very much like to hear about all the equipment items for sure! I am definitely interested in knowing more because let's face it, at some stage or another in my career I could be dealing with a US cast, crew and studio :)
Click to expand...

I've found on Australian sets, we actually have less slang than our US counterparts. In the US, you'd be asked to 'fly in' and then 'Hollywood' a reflector, whereas in Aus, you'd be asked to 'grab the fleccy and just hold it'. In the US you'd be asked to find a C-47 or stinger, here you're more likely to be asked to grab a clothes peg or power extension.

I came back to Aus after being in the US and found that a few people thought I was a bit of a w*nker simply because I was using the terms and slang I had grown accustomed to.
 
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I can imagine there was a bit of a shock for them to hear you speaking in those slang terms.

What are some do's and don't's of a film set?

Things that will put people off aside from being abusive?
 
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Tom Hanks said there are 4 rules to succeeding in films:

1) show up on time
2) do what you're told
3) stay out of the way
4) shut the fuck up

I actually don't know if HE said this, cuz I think Tom Hanks has never actually uttered the word fuck without an ADR team recreating the word digitally in post, but, regardless, these are the golden rules of a set.

A friend of mine who's worked crew in NY and LA on quite a few big budget sets told me the hardest thing for him to learn as a newbie was to figure out which situations were the ones that HE should help out on. Like if he's an Electric and all of a sudden two grips are tipping over a flag, should the Electric jump in? That sort of thing. On bigger shoots, the union rules start to get brutal, so don't step out of your department's jurisdiction. Don't do it until you know EXACTLY how your set is being run.

For any sized shoot, if you're not the director, be careful that you NEVER give your two-cents to an actor. That's the director's job. Not even the scripty or the producer should be offering commentary.

For any emotional scenes, don't stand in a spot where the actor is looking. And especially don't stick your hand down your pants and make slow gutteral moaning noises if the actor is a woman.

On film forums like these it's neato to speak candidly about what films were good and what films blew dog. But when you're working on a gig, you never ever talk sh** about the entertainment world. Don't blurt out how much you hated Inception. Don't babble about Katie Holmes doing the right thing. Don't tell everyone how much you hate the DGA. Don't. Don't. Don't. The film world is tiny. It's gut wrenchingly tiny. Picture however tiny you THINK it is and then divide by a thousand. That's how wrong your initial tiny was. Everyone knows everyone. And everyone has worked with everyone. When you say negative shit about another show, no matter how remote and out-of-your-league you think that show is, there will be someone near you who will remember that you hated it. And that person will remember you. And they'll start talking shit about you... quietly... behind your back... without you knowing it. And soon you won't be working as much.

It happens alllllll the time.

Save your hardcore film geek opinions for forums like this. Don't be honest on set! ...except when you love something. Then... gush your heart out. But also make sure you do it while "shutting the fuck up." ; )

Shanked
 
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Shanked said:
For any sized shoot, if you're not the director, be careful that you NEVER give your two-cents to an actor. That's the director's job. Not even the scripty or the producer should be offering commentary.
Click to expand...

To add to this, and similar to your next point; don't give your two-cents worth on anything to anyone unless specifically asked, and even then do it carefully.
 
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