Terminology

[petruzzo]

I'm new at this. I have all the language to talk about photography, but almost none of it to talk about filmmaking.

I would like to make/build as much of my basic gear as possible, but I'm finding it very difficult to search for those things that I may need because I don't have the language to describe it. So, here's what I'm wondering...

Can anyone provide a comprehensive reference, or even a short-list right here, of equipment terminology often used in filmmaking. For example, what do they call the two rails that cameras are often mounted on when mounted on your shoulder? I thought they were called a 'rail system', but after searching Google for quite a while last night, I've discovered that a 'rail system' is, or is also, something like a dolly.

I'm also interested in other filmmaking terminology, as I think it would help me navigate the forums here as well.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[wheatgrinder]

welcome to the confusing world of film making terminology..

Rails? Seems right to me, but mostly you find these coupled with other parts. Two 15mm
carbon fiber tubes 34" long aren't particularly useful by themselves...

"camera support rail" will get you lots of good specific hits as will these..
"Follow Focus rail system"
"Matte Box rail system"


There is lots of fun MOVIE making specific terminology, like "C47 clamp" and similar. This should be a fun thread..

 

[wheatgrinder]

http://gripology.wordpress.com/

EDIT: actually that site seems kinda sparse on REAL info.. maybe someone has a better link for grip info?

 

[Zensteve]

I think it would help me navigate the forums here as well

Grip terminology is the best. Lots of slang terms for everything.

Probably not useful for navigating the forum, though. Much more useful for confuzzling the heck out of rookies, on set.

Grip-to-Ground Connector:

 

[Alcove Audio]

Are you looking for things like this?

This is audio stuff.

The long gray device for wind protection is a "blimp", the furry thing you put over it is a "dead cat".

If it's just the furry thing over the mic it's a softie.

 

[wheatgrinder]

Scrim =

(the screen thing being setup)

 

[Cracker Funk]

SaberRider put together a pretty sweet shopping-list for a first-time filmmaker. Unless your pockets are lined deeply, this list should keep you busy for a while. From one persective, this is a pretty basic, bare-bones list, but at the same time, it's pretty comprehensive -- pretty much everything you need to start rockin and rollin (and there are those of us who get by on less).

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=25412

Terminology? I dunno, man, where do you start? I've been doing this for years (as a part-time amateur thing, albeit), and I'm constantly learning new vocabulary. I'll do my best to come up with something basic, though. As always, please correct me if I goof, anybody (I've never pretended to know everything about everything).

Shoulder mount: That thing you put your camera on, so that you can balance it on your shoulders, with two handles up front for you to grab onto.

Follow-focus: little wheel apparatus that helps manipulate focus, while shooting

matte box: Okay, I don't know much about photography, but I'm assuming this is probably something you know, so this may sound incredibly stupid for me to tell you about, but maybe someone else will benefit from it. It's the big box in front of the lens, with flags used to control how light hits the lens. It is also a quick way to drop a filter in front of the lens, instead of having to take the time to take everything apart and mount one on.

Dolly: Tripod with wheels

Track: Some dollies need no track, but most do

Steadicam: There are steadicams, and then there are steadicams. The DIY steadicams tend to be cheap knockoffs of the real thing, but that doesn't mean they can't be of use. Basically, a steadicam works with a balanced counter-weight, to keep the camera from swaying too much, when in movement.

Jib: Camera is mounted at the end of a long pole, with a counter-weight on the opposite side to keep it balanced on a fulcrum. Allows the operator to move the camera up/down, and around in a circle.

C47 clamp: wooden clothespin (good for gels, because wood doesn't heat too easily)

Boom pole: long stick you put a mic on

XLR cable: balanced mics need the fancy monster-cable with three-prongs. Unbalanced mics are bad.

XLR adapter: allows you to use a balanced mic with a camera that only has unbalanced input (these exist for DSLR, but the common-logic is that they are best avoided, and external audio recorders can be found for less than an XLR adapter).

Basic stuff you'll need on your set:

Gaffer tape, cuz you'll wanna tape lots of stuff down, and gaffer's tape leaves no residue, and doesn't remove paint

Duct tape, cuz sometimes you just need something really fastened down, sticky residue be-damned

Extension cords, lots of them

Sand-bags, because most of your lights will be top-heavy, and you need something to anchor them

Blue gels, to make sunlight match regular light-bulbs

Water, lots and lots of water

Hmm, I dunno, that's all I've got in me at the moment. Please add to this, people. You know, we get a lot of visitors here, people who want to know more, but never post anything. This thread is a good opportunity to give those absolute newbs a basic introduction.

 

[Ernest Worthing]

A quick google search yielded this site. It seems pretty comprehensive at a quick glance. It has alphabetized links at the bottom.

http://www.filmsite.org/filmterms.html

 

[charles827]

Pardon my ignorance and lack of camera knowledge, but what does F-stop mean?

 

[Cracker Funk]

Pardon my ignorance and lack of camera knowledge, but what does F-stop mean?

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=25092

 

[dlevanchuk]

F-stop is something you say when your focus puller got distracted, and missed the focus point. Thats when you can stop "f---king stop pulling too close!"...

ba dump dump chshshshshshshsh......


uh.. that was a weak joke.. i've got nothing..

 

[directorik]

Actually that was a pretty good one.

 

[petruzzo]

Grip terminology is the best. Lots of slang terms for everything.

Probably not useful for navigating the forum, though. Much more useful for confuzzling the heck out of rookies, on set.

Grip-to-Ground Connector:

http://gripology.wordpress.com/

EDIT: actually that site seems kinda sparse on REAL info.. maybe someone has a better link for grip info?

welcome to the confusing world of film making terminology..

Rails? Seems right to me, but mostly you find these coupled with other parts. Two 15mm
carbon fiber tubes 34" long aren't particularly useful by themselves...

"camera support rail" will get you lots of good specific hits as will these..
"Follow Focus rail system"
"Matte Box rail system"


There is lots of fun MOVIE making specific terminology, like "C47 clamp" and similar. This should be a fun thread..

SaberRider put together a pretty sweet shopping-list for a first-time filmmaker. Unless your pockets are lined deeply, this list should keep you busy for a while. From one persective, this is a pretty basic, bare-bones list, but at the same time, it's pretty comprehensive -- pretty much everything you need to start rockin and rollin (and there are those of us who get by on less).

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=25412

Terminology? I dunno, man, where do you start? I've been doing this for years (as a part-time amateur thing, albeit), and I'm constantly learning new vocabulary. I'll do my best to come up with something basic, though. As always, please correct me if I goof, anybody (I've never pretended to know everything about everything).

Shoulder mount: That thing you put your camera on, so that you can balance it on your shoulders, with two handles up front for you to grab onto.

Follow-focus: little wheel apparatus that helps manipulate focus, while shooting

matte box: Okay, I don't know much about photography, but I'm assuming this is probably something you know, so this may sound incredibly stupid for me to tell you about, but maybe someone else will benefit from it. It's the big box in front of the lens, with flags used to control how light hits the lens. It is also a quick way to drop a filter in front of the lens, instead of having to take the time to take everything apart and mount one on.

Dolly: Tripod with wheels

Track: Some dollies need no track, but most do

Steadicam: There are steadicams, and then there are steadicams. The DIY steadicams tend to be cheap knockoffs of the real thing, but that doesn't mean they can't be of use. Basically, a steadicam works with a balanced counter-weight, to keep the camera from swaying too much, when in movement.

Jib: Camera is mounted at the end of a long pole, with a counter-weight on the opposite side to keep it balanced on a fulcrum. Allows the operator to move the camera up/down, and around in a circle.

C47 clamp: wooden clothespin (good for gels, because wood doesn't heat too easily)

Boom pole: long stick you put a mic on

XLR cable: balanced mics need the fancy monster-cable with three-prongs. Unbalanced mics are bad.

XLR adapter: allows you to use a balanced mic with a camera that only has unbalanced input (these exist for DSLR, but the common-logic is that they are best avoided, and external audio recorders can be found for less than an XLR adapter).

Basic stuff you'll need on your set:

Gaffer tape, cuz you'll wanna tape lots of stuff down, and gaffer's tape leaves no residue, and doesn't remove paint

Duct tape, cuz sometimes you just need something really fastened down, sticky residue be-damned

Extension cords, lots of them

Sand-bags, because most of your lights will be top-heavy, and you need something to anchor them

Blue gels, to make sunlight match regular light-bulbs

Water, lots and lots of water

Hmm, I dunno, that's all I've got in me at the moment. Please add to this, people. You know, we get a lot of visitors here, people who want to know more, but never post anything. This thread is a good opportunity to give those absolute newbs a basic introduction.

Thanks for the helpful responses so far, especially this one ^ !

I did search Google, and found some things. But I wanted to ask here because I figured it might help me graze the slightly less technical terms for things that people use all the time. Apparently I'm vain and don't want to be the guy who jumps on the forums sounding like an idiot (or worse, the ignorant, yet somehow still arrogant, newbie) because he uses hyper-technical terminology.

Pardon my ignorance and lack of camera knowledge, but what does F-stop mean?

Finally, something I can actually answer!

F-Stop is simply the size of the opening in your lens. Whereas shutter speed, in photography, refers to how long light is allowed to be exposed to film, f-stop refers to how much light is allowed to pass through at any given moment. And, of course, the ASA (or ISO/Film Speed) refers to how sensitive the film/sensor is to the light that is allowed to hit it.

 

[Dreadylocks]

Here's a great book called Technical Film and TV for Non-Technical People
http://www.amazon.com/Technical-Film-TV-Nontechnical-People/dp/1581152299

The first chapter of the introduction is called 'Fly that Stinger to the Midget on the Platypus'

The guy who wrote it is in a similar situation to yours, he worked in theatre and learned all the jargon there, but when he started working in film and television, he found that it was a whole new set of slang. I highly recommend the book

 

[directorik]

Many of these things have already been mentioned, but this is a
list I have been compiling for a while.

Much of the equipment used in a set goes by its traditional name,
but many typically used items have their own slang term when used
on a set.

You’ve got your bunjie cords, hand truck, furniture pads, fan,
Hudson Sprayer, saw horses, bull horn.

And then there are items that are only used on sets or have their
own slang.

sticks - the tripod legs.

stinger - an extenuation cord. If you say "extension cord" what are
you talking about? You could be talking about a 15amp edison
extension, a 60amp Bates, a 100amp Bates, a banded whip, a length
of 2/0 or 4/0, a cam-lok extension, a mole-pin extension. Maybe
you're talking about BNC extension or XLR...

Gang box - 60amp
Lunch box - 100amp
Cube tap

C-47 - a wood clothespin.

camera tape - paper tape that won’t leave adhesive behind. comes
in various colors and sizes to be used to mark focus point on a
lens, mark magazines and mark the floor for actors and dolly
moves.

gaffers tape - heavy duty, won’t leave adhesive behind comes in
black and white.

apple box - there are full, half, quarter and pancake.

Duvateen - a solid, heavy black fabric

c-stand - a very versatile stand with various clamps and arms used
for holding just about anything. But mostly used to hold the
equipment used to control light:

flags - a black fabric in a frame in four sizes; 4x4, 24x36, 12x18
and 18x24 they come in three flavors;
solid - has a full frame
OES - Open End Single
OED - Open End Double
floppy - a flag with a flap
scrims - an opaque black material in several sizes and flavors; double and single
silk - an opaque material used to soften light
cutters, dots and fingers - flags of various sizes.
Road Rag - is a portable flag kit that has two collapsable frames,
a solid, single, double and silk
nets - butterfly and griflon from 6x6 to 20x20
cookie or cuke - a wood panel 24x36 and 18x24 with cut outs to
cast shadows
reflectors- they come in silver and gold
12x12
6x6
4x4
showcard (shiny and dull)

There are several types of stands:
combo stand
combo super (3 riser)
low boy
wind up stand
Crank O Vator
Baby stand
Beefy Baby
Hi Roller
Mambo Combo
Turtle stand
baby plate
junior plate

sandbags - 15lbs, 25lbs, 25lbs, these are used for holding stands
in place.

Then you’ve got you smaller grip equipment like C-clamps, but
there are some strangely named items:
Spud adapter
trombone hanger
Come along
gobo head
lollipops
magic finger
Pole Cat

There are several different types of dollys:
Western
Doorway
Skateboard
Tube
Spyder
Hybird
Hustler
PeeWee

leadweights - exactly what they sound like. Usually 15lbs and
25lbs, they are used to counter balance a jib.

Jib - is a boom arm for the camera. It allows up and down motion.

hot head - remote pan and tilt for the jib



2-banger - a full size trailer with 2 dressing rooms
3-banger - a full size trailer with 3 dressing rooms
honeywagon or 6-banger - the trailer that houses 4 dressing rooms
and 2 restrooms.

Some slang you will hear:

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.”

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

MICKY 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 - apparently does not mean "punch the girl with
the light hair".

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.

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.

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.

 

[Cracker Funk]

Many of these things have already been mentioned, but this is a
list I have been compiling for a while.

Much of the equipment used in a set goes by its traditional name,
but many typically used items have their own slang term when used
on a set.

You’ve got your bunjie cords, hand truck, furniture pads, fan,
Hudson Sprayer, saw horses, bull horn.

And then there are items that are only used on sets or have their
own slang.

sticks - the tripod legs.

stinger - an extenuation cord. If you say "extension cord" what are
you talking about? You could be talking about a 15amp edison
extension, a 60amp Bates, a 100amp Bates, a banded whip, a length
of 2/0 or 4/0, a cam-lok extension, a mole-pin extension. Maybe
you're talking about BNC extension or XLR...

Gang box - 60amp
Lunch box - 100amp
Cube tap

C-47 - a wood clothespin.

camera tape - paper tape that won’t leave adhesive behind. comes
in various colors and sizes to be used to mark focus point on a
lens, mark magazines and mark the floor for actors and dolly
moves.

gaffers tape - heavy duty, won’t leave adhesive behind comes in
black and white.

apple box - there are full, half, quarter and pancake.

Duvateen - a solid, heavy black fabric

c-stand - a very versatile stand with various clamps and arms used
for holding just about anything. But mostly used to hold the
equipment used to control light:

flags - a black fabric in a frame in four sizes; 4x4, 24x36, 12x18
and 18x24 they come in three flavors;
solid - has a full frame
OES - Open End Single
OED - Open End Double
floppy - a flag with a flap
scrims - an opaque black material in several sizes and flavors; double and single
silk - an opaque material used to soften light
cutters, dots and fingers - flags of various sizes.
Road Rag - is a portable flag kit that has two collapsable frames,
a solid, single, double and silk
nets - butterfly and griflon from 6x6 to 20x20
cookie or cuke - a wood panel 24x36 and 18x24 with cut outs to
cast shadows
reflectors- they come in silver and gold
12x12
6x6
4x4
showcard (shiny and dull)

There are several types of stands:
combo stand
combo super (3 riser)
low boy
wind up stand
Crank O Vator
Baby stand
Beefy Baby
Hi Roller
Mambo Combo
Turtle stand
baby plate
junior plate

sandbags - 15lbs, 25lbs, 25lbs, these are used for holding stands
in place.

Then you’ve got you smaller grip equipment like C-clamps, but
there are some strangely named items:
Spud adapter
trombone hanger
Come along
gobo head
lollipops
magic finger
Pole Cat

There are several different types of dollys:
Western
Doorway
Skateboard
Tube
Spyder
Hybird
Hustler
PeeWee

leadweights - exactly what they sound like. Usually 15lbs and
25lbs, they are used to counter balance a jib.

Jib - is a boom arm for the camera. It allows up and down motion.

hot head - remote pan and tilt for the jib



2-banger - a full size trailer with 2 dressing rooms
3-banger - a full size trailer with 3 dressing rooms
honeywagon or 6-banger - the trailer that houses 4 dressing rooms
and 2 restrooms.

Some slang you will hear:

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.”

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

MICKY 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 - apparently does not mean "punch the girl with
the light hair".

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.

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.

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.

Sweet. Nice list. I didn't know a lot (most) of that. Thanks for sharing. And, some of those are funny!

 

[gibbo]

nice thread guys, some good info here

 

[David.rhsc]

Awesome thread. Last looks == 1/2 hour before shooting. For some reason that struck me as funny.

My favorite one of all time was "Cheesecake."

DP says to the Director, "You want to see some cheesecake, right? You're going to have to cheat her towards camera (angle her more to face camera) if you want to see the cheesecake." I'd never worked with the DP before, and on the crew only one guy had. Everyone was looking to him for some sort of explanation, but he was as confused as the rest of us. After a bit of "wtf?" the DP finally explains he's talking about the girl's cleavage. Cheesecake. Brilliant.

I can't say I recommend using it, but it was the funniest thing I'd heard in weeks at the time.

Can anyone provide a comprehensive reference, or even a short-list right here, of equipment terminology often used in filmmaking. For example, what do they call the two rails that cameras are often mounted on when mounted on your shoulder? I thought they were called a 'rail system', but after searching Google for quite a while last night, I've discovered that a 'rail system' is, or is also, something like a dolly.

Iris Rods.