This is meant mostly for fun, but it might come in handy. As filmmakers we use terms most people don't understand, so I thought it would be fun to compile a small list of some of them. A filmmaker's dictionary of sorts Also I'd like to see what people use in different areas.

I'll get us started:

Blow it out- Zoom all the way out
Bounce cards- White foam to reflect light
Clap it- Slate the scene
Clipping/Breaking Levels/Topping out- Sound levels are too loud
Dailies/Weeklies/Rushes- Reviewing the day/week's footage
Looping/ADR/VO work- Voice work
Martini Shot- The last shot of a feature
Oner- Doing a scene in one shot, usually using steady cam equipment
Striking- warning for turning a light on
Suck it in- Zoom all the way in


Add yours (hint- get a non-filmy person to help- as in tell you what they don't understand)

I've never heard "suck it in," and "blow it out" refers to over-exposing, and not zoom, but other than that, right on.

C-47 - clothespin.
Stinger - heavy-duty extension cord.
Sticks - tripod.
Spike - tape marks on the floor for actors.
Canted or dutch - tilted shot.
Craft services - food.

The Abby - is the 2nd to last set up of the day
Juicers - electricians
86 That - to cancel the last call
The Directors Special – shot added after the martini

Magic Hour- Hour of natural sunlight around dusk that is usually perfect/striking and requires little, if any extra prep.

Other than that I don't know/use lingo. Not that I'm a stickler for grammar, I just don't see the need, and can't actually picture someone calling a tripod "sticks".


Also, to "86" something is used in many fields, most notably restaurants, so I wouldn't classify it as just filmmaker lingo.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveD:
I'll get us started:

Blow it out- Zoom all the way out

Overexposed shots are often referred to as "blown out"--I've never heard of it used in reference to zooming.

EDIT: Ah, Perry beat me to it.

I've heard of "Marker" before. As far as I know it basicly means 'get in position'.

Last looks means that costume, makeup, continuity, etc, all need to take their last looks and make sure they're okay with everything before the shot goes ahead.

quote:

Originally posted by Nervous Larry:

Other than that I don't know/use lingo. Not that I'm a stickler for grammar, I just don't see the need, and can't actually picture someone calling a tripod "sticks".

I know someone who uses "sticks", and a lot of the other lingo.

When I first heard it, I thought it was silly. But I've adopted these names. It lets filmmakers feel special. The way doctors do when they talk about their bio crap.

quote:

Originally posted by titaniumdoughnut:
I've never heard "suck it in," and "blow it out" refers to over-exposing, and not zoom, but other than that, right on.

I would have thought if something was unfamiliar it would have been one of the names for clipping. Everyone I talk to seems to have their own name for that. I have heard 'blown out' about over exposing though.

But this is part of the reason I wanted to do this. As far as I know, this is Set specific lingo.

I use 'sticks' all the time. Ususally when we're using zoom we say we're shooting on the front of the lense or if we arent we are shooting on the back of the lense..

I've never used this, i just read it in Waldenbooks somewhere:

"Pull a Hughie" - To trip over your own d**k, like Hugh Grant.

But i do use Trah-pawd (that pronounciation).

In Japanese studios:

Waratte - 'Laugh it': remove it from the frame. Supposedly comes from the fact that it would seem funny for the object to have remained in the frame and show up in the final film.

Sesshu - 'Sesshuu': raise something's position in the frame. Comes from the name of the Japanese actor Sesshuu, who when working in U.S.A. was constantly made to stand on a out-of-frame box, because he was so short compared to the other actors.

Personally, I like to use the expression 'throw' when talking about D.O.P. and focus. For example, 'lets throw the foreground for this shot.'

quote:

Originally posted by titaniumdoughnut:
Spike - tape marks on the floor for actors.

Actually, my understanding is that "spike" is used if one of the actors briefly looks at the camera by mistake. For example, "whoops, I just spiked the camera."

Weird. I've never heard spike used that way. It comes from theater, and definitely means a mark on the floor to anyone in the acting profession. It's funny how these terms are actually almost useless cause no one knows what dialect of filmese a crew will be speaking.

Someone bought me "Strike the Blonde and Kill the Baby."

I never read it.

I'm fond of a phrase I heard a DP say this spring...

"Open and hopin'"

(when the light meter wants an F-stop the lens doesn't have (i.e a 1.4 when you've only got a 2.8, or even no reading at all), and you can't get it any better lit in an alley in Cleveland on a cloudy day after your genny blew, so you just go as low as you can and hope it comes out.)

this is a question not worthy of it's own thread so I decided to post it here since you talking about filmmaking vocabulary. I've written a script. And I'll like to know which character has the most lines and parts so I can know whose the "star" and for future purposes. What is considered a line? Is it the actual number of lines in the dialogue or the amount of words? And what is considerd a part? Is it each time you write a new character heading?

Future-

I would say a line is every separate instance of a character speaking. I think you may be confused as to what a part is. A part is a character, or every separate character you have in your story. So if your script calls for 3 different people speaking and 2 others who appear on screen but don't speak, your script has 5 available parts.

And if I were you, I would save myself a whole lot of trouble by skipping over the whole counting thing. It's kind of silly and typically, the "star" of a film is determined by screen time. If your lead is in every scene, then it becomes pretty clear

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MattyMac23,

Furthermore, the Star is typically the protagonist, whose identity should be obvious

Thanks. I needed to know that.

I figured counting was a waste of time. The script I'm referring to is only ten pages, five speaking parts. One is an adult and the other four are teens, the people I want the film to shine on. The adult character is more like the advisor(it's a seminar type setting where opinions can be heard) over them and the rest of the teens in the scene. I didn't want him to have so much more lines than them.

Unless you think it will be too taxing on your adult actor, have at it. Just because he has more lines doesn't mean he's the star. With 4 teens and an adult in that type of setting I would expect the adult to have as many or more lines then the protagonist (see: Buffy the Vampire Slayer seasons 1-3).