On Set Lingo

Term or Phrase Used in a Sentence Definition 2nd Unit The second unit is shooting at the school today. The 2nd unit is an entire film crew that is filming in a 2nd location. Usually not principal filming. 90 Degree I want you to do a 90 degree on that line. Refers to a 90 degree turn. This is a place in the script where a character's emotions change drastically. A to B What do you think the A to B is here? "A" is the emotional starting point of a scene, "B" is the emotional end point. Usually opposite emotions. A-Roll This afternoon we are shooting A-roll The main scenes of the movie, with the main (principal) characters. Abby Singer This is the Abby Singer, everyone. The second to last shot of the day. Action Sound rolling. Camera Rolling. Action. The director will call "Action" when they want the actors to begin the scene. Apple Box Stand on that apple box please. A wooden box with handles for carrying. All kids of sizes. Used to stand on, sit on, etc. Arc of the Scene The arc of the scene needs to be clearer. The emotional journey the scene takes. For example, from jealous, to angry, to embarrased, to defeated. B-Roll Let's shoot B-roll after the break. Secondary footage that is used to fill in the main footage of the principal actors. Back In Back in at 2pm. When you need to return to set. Back to One Back to one everyone. Meaning to start the scene over from the beginning, including resetting all props and positions (cameras, lights etc.) Background Are you background? Actors with no lines who fill in the background of scenes. Banana I need you to banana there so we reveal the photo a bit later. To move in a curve when walking. "Take a beat" means to pause. A beat is 1 second. "End of a beat" refers to breaking the script into small sections Beat Take a beat before that line. OR Where is the end of this beat? called "beats." Each time the feel or subject changes is a new beat in a scene. Blocking Let's go over blocking. How and where to move during a scene. Boom Don't worry about volume - we will boom it. An overhead microphone that picks up the sound for the scene. BTS Do you have time for some BTS shots? An abbreviation for "Behind The Scenes." Call Sheet Have you gotten your call sheet for tomorrow? The document that lists all crew and cast on the project and when and where they need to be on the day of shooting. Call Time What is your call time in the morning? The specific time you are expected to report to set. You may be called to hair and makeup, green room, etc. Change Pages Can I have you look at these change pages? Pages of the script that have new or changed dialogue. Clapper Make sure you don't start before the clapper is out of frame. The tool used to make the "snap" sound before each take. Used in post production to sync sound. Clean Take We need a clean take of that. A run through the scene with no mistakes from cast or crew. Close Up We need to get a close up on you. When the actor is framed so their face fills the screen. Refers to everything matching up so taked can be edited together later. For example, same earrings, dishes in the Continuity The continuity isn't going to match if you move that glass. same place, the same kind of light. Continuty Shot or A photograph of the actor in full costume and makeup so the look can be recreated exactly if needed for a future day Photo Cindy needs you for a continuity shot. of filming. Crafty When you get here, go see crafty. The crew department in charge of making everything needed on set. Cross or Crossing Cross on the line, "No you didn't." To move from one place to another. Cue Your cue to drop the phone is when the phone rings. An event that happens that triggers another event. Cut Cut! The director will yell this when they want everyone to stop the scene. Dailies I saw the dailies from yesterday and we got great stuff. Unedited footage, usually from the day before, that directors and others look at to see their progress. Day Player Are you a day player? An actor hired for one day of work. This lets an actor know how far they can move in any direction and still stay in focus. In a narrow focus you can only move a tiny bit, in a wide focus you can move just about anywhere in the frame. There are many degrees in between, Depth of Focus You're in a narrow depth of focus. so be sure to ask if you are not clear. Abbreviation for "Extreme Close Up." This is a very close shot of an object, person, etc. so that the screen in filled ECU Can we get an ECU of the watch? with a small item or portion of item. Eye Line Your eyeline is off from the last take. Where or what an actor is looking at. Frame You are going out of frame on the left. The area of the set that is seen on camera. FX or SFX or SPFX That is going to be an FX we do in post. A special effect. Get You Miked We need to get you miked. The process of having your microphone and pack attached to you. Green Room If you are not in the scene, wait in the green room. An area on location, not on the set, designated for actors and crew to wait when not needed on set. Green Screen Have you ever done green screen work before? A green screen backdrop actors work in front of so special effects can be inserted in post production. Head Shot Who did your headshots? A head and shoulders photograph actors use in their official marketing to represent who they are. HMU Have you been cleared by HMU yet? Hair and Make Up Hot Points Hot point! Hot points! Crew will yell this out to warn they are carrying a hot light with the hot part sticking out in front of them. Insert There will be an insert here of the television set. A film clip that is inserted into a scene in post production. Last Looks Hold for last looks. When hair, makeup, scripty, etc... take a last look at everything before cameras roll. In this method, actors should intensify their connections to the work by imitating their character’s experiences within the context of their real lives. By doing this, one should be able to reach a greater understanding and a richer Lee Strasberg I think if you get into some Strasberg here that would help. connection to the emotional states of their characters. Local Hire This project is only for NYC local hires. No travel compensation will be provided. Location The location will have parking available in back. The entire area where filming is happening. For example, the location may be a hospital, and the set is in the ER. Mad Sad Glad What's the Mad Sad Glad here? Acting technique to quickly identify the theme in a scene. Most scenes can fit into one of these emotions. Mark I need you to hit your mark before you give the first line. A specific place an actor needs to stand. Sometimes an actual mark is present, sometimes not. Martini The crew is setting up for the Martini. The last shot of the day. Master Shot We will start with a master shot. The widest framed camera set up for the shot. Medium Shot Can we do it again so I can get a medium shot? A closer frame than a master shot, but not a close up shot or OTS shot. The Meisner Technique is based around the concept of “truthful acting.” Sanford Meisner, who pioneered this method, encouraged his students to live truthfully under any given imaginary circumstance. The approach to this training is having the actor act on their emotional impulses – essentially, leading with their heart as opposed to their Meisner Are you using Meisner techinique? brain. Method Acting I am a method actor. A technique of actually becoming the character. For example, working as a nurse to prepare to play a nurse. MOS This is going to be a quick MOS shot. Filming video without sound. Off Book I need everyone off book by Tuesday. Meaning the actor knows all the lines without having to look at the script. OTS I want to get an OTS of that from Barb's side. An abbreviation for "Over The Shoulder." Most scenes with 2 people are filmed from both sides OTS. Pace Can you pick up the pace? How fast or slow the scene moves along. Pan We have a slow pan to the bed here. When the camera moves from looking at one area to another. Pick Ups Don't worry about that missed line, we can just do a pickup. When the director wants to re-shoot part of a scene, but not the whole scene. Post We can fix that in post. The period of time after filming is complete when editing happens. "Post Production." Practical Effect We are going to use practical effects for the campfire. An effect that happens on set, as opposed to FX that are added in post. Props Do you have all your props set? Things the actors use or interact with on set. Quiet on Set Quiet on the set! Called out loudly just before filming begins so everyone knows to be silent during filming. Re-shoot No good - we will have to re-shoot. To redo an entire scene. Reader Look directly at the reader when you are speaking. A person off camera who is giving dialogue to the actor on screen. Reset Reset back to page three, please. To put everything back to how it was at the beginning of the scene. Rolling Sound rolling. Camera Rolling. Action. To start the sound recorder or camera recording. Room Tone Can we get 60 seconds of room tone, please? Recording sound of the environment with nothing else going on to use as background fill in post. Scripty Hi, I am your scripty. The person in charge of making sure all continuity is taken care of. Self Report Please only apply if you are able to self report. To get to a location on your own with no travel reimbursement or travel arrangements being made for you. Set Head over to the set and I will see you there. The actual area the scene is being filmed. Shot List We have updated the shot list. The list the director and others use to make sure they have every angle of every shot needed for each scene. Sides Do you have the new sides? The script. Slate or Slate Shot Please slate before you begin. To state your name, phone number, agency, union affiliation. The Stanislavsky method requires that an actor use his emotional memory when approaching the work. This requires an actor to recall past experiences and memories and bring them into any given scene or character they are bringing Stanislavski Did you ever learn Stanislavski? to life. Theoretically, an actor should ask themselves: “How would I react if this was really happening to me?” A person who stands on set while lighting etc. is being arranged so the actor can relax in the green room or their Stand In You will have your own stand in for this project. trailer. Subtext What is your subtext here? The meaning underneath the words being said. Take I loved the second take. One "take" is from the time the director calls Action to the time they call cut. The Talent Where is all the talent? The actors. Tighten It Up Great, just tighten it up. Leave less space between lines or don's stumble over lines. Timing Do you have good comedic timing? The pacing of when to deliver lines to make scenes funny, dramatic, etc.. Too Much Air That had too much air through the beginning. Too much of a pause between lines. Wild Sound We can do wild sound here. Sound recorded without video being recorded. Wrap That is a wrap! The end of a day or project.