Terms & Definitions

Here are some other industry terms and jargon that you may hear thrown around while I’m working. I mainly try to keep industry jargon limited to other people in the industry.

  • AC: Assistant Camera operator (in larger productions, usually called 1st AC). Responsible for maintaining focus of the subject in filming
    • 2nd AC: typically responsible for loading the camera (memory card management), and the clapper-board, and marking actor’s pick-up spots
  • Best Boy: assistant to the Key Grip or (typically the) Gaffer
  • Bounce: a reflector used to fill light into a space passively. See also: “Hollywood”
  • Camera Operator: plain speak. The person actually operating the camera. Sometimes the DP
  • Camera Production Assistant (Camera PA): A learning position. They’re there to help, and learn
  • Clapper Board: (or slate) used to denote the scene information, take number, camera, etc. Also the “clap” when its smacked closed is used to help synchronize audio and video tracks in editing
  • Cinematographer (or Director of Photography [DP]): The chief of the camera and light crews working. Normally responsible for making artistic and technical decisions related to the image
  • Constant (Lights): the opposite of a flash. A light source that stays on throughout a shoot, or take
  • Depth of Field (bokeh): pronounced “BOH-kay”. That fancy blurred background that we all love
  • Director: Responsible for executing the creative vision for the production and also all the technical aspects of it
  • Flag: something that blocks light from spilling onto something
  • Flash: a small camera flash. Used in still photography
  • Grip (aka: Key Grip): helps with camera and lighting equipment
  • Gaffer: Chief lighting technician
  • Gobo: “Go-between” something placed in front of a light source to create a pattern
  • Hollywood: used as in “hollywood her a bit” meaning to target the bounce card on a specific actor, or subject
  • Hot Mic: the microphone is recording!
  • Modifier: usually something that we’re placing over a light or between a light and the subject
  • Motion: video
  • Producer: handles the business components of filmmaking
  • Sticks: tripod
  • Stills: standard photography. You’ll hear me refer to “catching stills”
  • Strobe: a big flash (also studio strobe) almost always mounted to a stand. Used in still photography
  • Practical Lighting (aka: practicals): a light that both appears in the scene, and also provides some or all of the light for the scene
  • Production Board: mainly used in providing a schedule that can be used to plan the production