425
Dance
alegrías  Spanish gypsy dance performed by a lone
female, with moves reminiscent of those made by a
bullfighter.
bamba  a Mexican dance in which a sash is thrown
on the floor and is tied together by the feet of a dancing
couple.
bambuca  the national ballroom dance of Colombia.
barn dance  any dance social held in a barn or town
hall, with various forms of square dancing.
beguine  a variation of the rumba, originating in
Cuba and Martinique.
belly dance  a Middle Eastern dance performed by a
solo female, characterized by stomach undulations.
big apple  a swing dance with a caller, originating in
South Carolina in the 1930s.
black bottom  a solo or couples dance succeeding
the Charleston in the 1920s, and characterized by
a combination of shuffling, stomping, and swaying
knees.
bolero  a lively Spanish dance in 3?4 time performed
with castanets and punctuated with sharp turns and
sudden stops.
boogie-woogie  an African-American, hip-swaying
jazz dance.
booty dancing  see freak dancing.
bossa nova  a lively, sambalike Brazilian dance for
couples.
Boston jive  a variation of the lindy hop with kicks.
break dance  American dance originating in the
1980s, characterized by spins and acrobatic moves
performed solo—often in a prostrate position—on
the floor.
bump  1970s American disco dance characterized
by dancers bumping hips.
bunny hop  congalike dance of the 1950s featuring
three hops instead of a kick.
cancan  originating in Paris in 1890, a dance performed
by women and characterized by high kicking
and skirt lifting.
cha-cha  a variation of the mambo, characterized by
a triplet beat, a quickstep, and a shuffle.
Charleston  a lively American dance of the 1920s,
made famous by many vaudeville acts.
chipaneca  Mexican dance in ¾ time in which the
dancers ask the audience to clap hands with them.
choreographer  one who designs a series of dance
steps and moves, especially for a show.
choreography  a planned progression of steps and
movements, as designed by a choreographer for a
show.
clogging  dance of the Blue Ridge Mountains, featuring
double time stomping and tap steps in woodensoled
shoes.
conga  an African-Cuban dance in 2?4 time, popularized
in the 1930s, and characterized by a long
chain of dancers performing three successive steps,
followed by a kick.
contredanse  a French square dance originating in
about 1600.
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cossack  a Russian dance featuring squatting dancers
with arms folded.
cotton-eyed Joe  a country and western dance in
which dancers move around the room and stomp,
shuffle, and kick.
fandango  a progressively accelerating Spanish
dance performed with castanets and snapping fingers,
and further characterized by the couples freezing temporarily
when the music pauses and then resuming.
faruca  a Spanish gypsy dance characterized by double
turns, falls, and heel work.
flamenco  Spanish gypsy dance characterized by foot
stomping and hand-clapping.
fox-trot  a couples ballroom dance performed in 2/4
or 4/4 time.
freak dancing  slang for any sexually explicit dancing.
Also known as booty dancing.
freak train  slang for a train of dancers dancing in a
sexually explicit manner.
freestyle  any invented form of dance, sometimes
combining elements from many other dances, as in
rock and roll dancing.
galop  a lively Hungarian dance featuring glissanding
and galloping steps, popular in the 19th century.
hornpipe  a lively sailor’s dance performed with the
music of a hornpipe.
hula  a Polynesian dance featuring undulating hips
and gestures of the hands and arms to tell a story.
hustle  a popular American disco dance of the
1970s.
jacking  rapidly rippling the torso back and forth,
especially to match the beat of the music, as part of
any disco dance.
jitterbug  a lively swing dance, a variation of the
lindy hop.
jive  a fast swing dance combining elements of the
lindy hop and jitterbug, noted for its triple step performed
on the toes.
juba  American slave dance of the 1800s, characterized
by hand-clapping and slapping of the knee and
thighs.
lambada  passionate and sensuous Brazilian couples
dance with close body contact, and combining elements
of various other Brazilian dances.
limbo  West Indies dance in which dancer tries to
bend as far back as possible while shuffling under a
progressively lowered pole.
lindy hop  named after Charles Lindbergh’s first crossing
of the Atlantic in an airplane, a popular swing dance
characterized by its high-flying, acrobatic moves.
locking  robotic-like movements through which a
dancer freezes or locks and collapses into successive
poses and moves.
mambo  a Caribbean dance in 4/4 time, resembling
the rumba.
minuet  a slow and stately dance originating in 17thcentury
France, featuring groups of dancers performing
courtly gestures.
Mexican hat dance  a Mexican folk dance featuring
a male’s dance around a sombrero.
moonwalk  a glissanding backwards walk giving
the impression of floating on air, made popular by
Michael Jackson in the 1980s.
moshing  counterculture dance form in which dancers
aggressively slam into each other, in a dance area
called a “mosh” pit, originating in the 1980s. Also
known as slamdancing.
paso doble  a Spanish march in which a male dancer
moves as a bullfighter and employs his female partner
as a “cape.”
polka  lively Bohemian dance for couples characterized
by a hop followed by three short steps.
quadrille  a French square dance performed by four
couples.
quickstep  a quick fox-trot popular in Europe.
rave  an all-night dance party.
reel  a lively, Scottish folk dance.
rumba  a Cuban dance that evolved by mimicking
the movements performed in farm labor, such as shoeing
a mare, but is now perceived as sexual.
running man  modern American dance step reminiscent
of someone running in place, originating in the
1990s.
samba  a Brazilian dance performed in 4/4 time.
shimmy  a shaking of the whole body, originally an
African-American dance of the 1880s, now incorporated
as an element of freestyle dancing.
swing  see jitterbug, jive, lindy hop.
tango  Latin American dance performed in 2/4 or
4/4 time, characterized by dips and long, glissading
steps.
tarantella  a lively and whirling Italian folk dance
performed in 6/8 time.
twist  a hip-wiggling rock and roll dance originating
with Chubby Checker in the 1960s.
two-step  a country and western dance with lots of
twirls, originating in the 1800s.
vogue  posing like a photo model while incorporating
other dance forms, such as modern jazz, gymnastics,
and yoga, so named after the song and video by
Madonna.
Ballet
arabesque  a position in which the dancer balances
on one leg, the other leg extended backward with
straight knee while the arms hold one of various
poses.
assemblé  a jump in which the dancer thrusts one leg
up and then springs off of the other.
attitude grecque  an arm position with one arm
curving overhead one way and the other arm
curving downward toward the legs in the opposite
direction.
attitude à terre  a leg position in which one foot is
pointed sharply to the side while the other leg is bent
at the knee and slanted in back with its foot bend
over and toes scraping the floor.
baisse  lowering the heel or heels to the floor after
standing en pointe.
ballerina  a female ballet dancer.
ballerina, prima  a ballet’s leading female dancer.
ballonné  a leap beginning and ending with one foot
touching the opposite leg at the knee (grand ballonné)
or at the ankle (petit ballonné).
barre  the bar at hip level that runs along the walls
of a ballet dancer’s practice room.
barre work  classroom practice of balance and
movements while the hand rests lightly on the barre.
basque, grand pas de  a movement in which the
dancer thrusts the front leg forward and springs
so that the supporting leg rises as the first leg
descends.
battlements, grand  throwing one leg up high with
knee straight and foot pointed while the body is kept
as still as possible.
battlements, tendus  sliding out one leg along the
floor until the foot is fully pointed and then returning
to the starting position.
beat  to strike or slap calves together.
bourrée, pas de  gliding across the floor on the toes
with quick, mincing steps.
cabriole  a movement in which the dancer, with one
leg raised, springs from the supporting leg and executes
a single, double, or triple beat.
cambre  bending from the waist in any direction.
chassé  sliding the foot out in any direction while
keeping the heel flush on the floor.
chat, pas de  a movement in which the dancer brings
one foot up to the opposite knee or ankle and leaps
sideways.
cheval, pas de  scraping the ground like a horse with
one foot while hopping on the other foot.
choreographer  one who creates dances and steps.
choreography  the steps and movements of a ballet.
ciseaux, pas de  leaping and splitting the legs wide
apart to the side or from front to back. Also known
as the grand écart.
collé  jumping steps in which the legs and feet are
held tightly together in the air.
coryphée  the rank below a principal dancer and
above those in the corps de ballet.
coupée  to put down one foot while lifting the other.
course, pas de  a succession of running steps.
danseur  a male ballet dancer.
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danseur, premier  the leading male ballet dancer.
défilé, le grand  on closing night of a ballet, an onstage
parade of all the members of the ballet company.
deux, pas de  any dance performed with two people.
divertissement  a ballet that shows off the talents of
its dancers but does not tell a story.
enlèvement  the act of lifting another dancer into
the air, who then strikes a pose.
en pointe  on the tip of the toe.
entrechat  a jump straight up performed with beats
and rapid changes of leg position.
fermé  a position in which the feet are closed together
in opposite directions.
gargouillade  a jump in which the legs are brought
underneath the dancer, with the feet describing small
circles in midair.
glissade  sliding or gliding by the soles of the feet.
Also known as glisse.
jeté  a leap from one foot to the other.
leotard  the form-fitting elastic garment worn in
dance practice. Also known as tights.
limbering  exercises performed to loosen up the
body.
mime  stylized gestures used to illustrate a passage
in a story.
pas  step or dance.
pas couru  running steps.
pas marché  a stylized walk, with the legs swung
wider apart than is natural.
piqué  stepping sharply onto one toe while keeping
the leg straight. Also known as jeté sur la pointe.
pirouette  whirling on the toes of one foot.
pistolet  throwing the left leg up, then springing with
the right and performing a beat followed by a change
in leg position, a second beat, and a final leg change
before landing with the left leg in the air.
plié  a bending of the knee or knees.
pointe  a dancer is en pointe when she is standing
on the tips of the toes. Also describes the specially
blocked shoes used for performing en pointe.
pose  placing an extended foot on the ground.
promenade  pivoting on the heel.
révoltade  a leap in which the dancer appears to
jump over his own raised leg.
rolling  standing with body weight centered on either
the inside or outside of the feet.
rosin  a substance used to prevent slipping on the
dance floor.
sauté  a jump in which the takeoff and landing are in
the same position.
sickle foot  when the natural line of the leg is curved
inward. Also known as serpette.
sissonne  a jump made with a landing on one foot
with the raised foot touching the supporting leg at the
knee or ankle.
soubresaut  a jump in which the legs are clung
together without a change in position.
soutenu  to be performed slowly.
spotting  when turning or spinning, leaving the head
frozen in the same position until the last possible
moment. A spin in which the head follows far behind
the body’s rotation.
taquete  small, quick steps on tiptoes.
temps de pointe  steps performed en pointe.
tiroirs, faire les  when two lines of dancers cross
and recross on the stage while performing the same
steps or movements.
toe shoes  ballet shoes.
tour en l’air  springing straight up and executing a
single, double, or triple turn in midair.
tutu  the traditional ballet skirt.
variation  solo.
Jazz Dancing
allegro  brisk movements.
arabesque  balancing on one leg with the other leg
raised high to the rear and the arms upraised.
attitude  a balancing on one leg with the other leg
extended and upraised to the front.
back bend  a standing position with the back arched
and the arms upraised toward the ceiling.
barre  warmup exercises performed in a studio at a
horizontal bar.
barrel leap turn  a leaping turn made with arms
extended.
barrel turn  a turn on one foot with arms extended.
battement  a leg kick from the hip forward or back.
body roll  a roll or flex of the body from the knees
and progressing to the thighs, pelvis, torso, and head.
catch step  two steps in any direction timed to one
and a half counts of the music.
chaine  quick turn made in two steps.
chest lift  from a supine position, the chest is lifted
forward to an upright position.
compass turn  a turn on one foot with the other leg
extended and making a full circle.
contraction  a drawing together of the body.
corkscrew turn  an ascending or descending turn
starting and ending with the legs crossed.
coupé  a brisk exchange of foot position.
dégagé  lifting and pointing a fully arched foot.
demi-plié  bending halfway at the knees.
en croix  describing the shape of a cross.
en dedans  circling into the body.
en dehors  circling away from the body.
fouetté  a sharp movement from one direction to
another.
frog position  a seated position with the legs pulled
up, bent at the knees, and the feet touching each
other.
glissade  a sliding step.
grand plié  bending fully at the knees with heels
raised off the floor.
hitch kick  a scissors kick performed with toes
pointed.
hop  leaping off and landing on the same foot.
inverted long jazz arm  the arms extended out to
the sides with palms facing up.
isolation  isolating and moving one body part in
contrast to the rest of the body.
jazz hand  palm out, hand facing forward with fingers
extended.
jazz sissonne  a leap starting and ending with the
feet placed together.
jazz split  a slide and split to the floor ending with
one leg fully extended and the other bent at the
knee.
knee hinge  kneeling and arching or “hinging” the
torso backward.
knee slide  sliding across the floor on one’s knees.
knee turn  a turn performed on both knees.
leap turn  a two-step turn and jeté.
outside turn  a turn on one foot.
pas de bourrée  a three-step series in any direction.
passé  moving the leg or foot from front to back.
pelvis roll  a circling motion of the pelvis.
pirouette  a spinning turn performed on one foot.
plié  bending at the knees.
plié-relevé position  a position in which the knees
are flexed and the heels are raised off the floor while
the arms are outstretched to the sides.
port de bras  the placement or movement of the
arms.
promenade  a pivot on the ball of the foot.
renversé  bending while making a turn.
rond de jambe  performing a circling movement
with the leg.
sauté  any jumping or leaping movement.
seat spin  spinning on the seat of one’s pants.
side jazz walk  a sideways walk with the knees in
the demi-plié position.
spiral turn  a winding turn.
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stag leap  a leap during which the front foot is lifted
to the knee of the back leg.
sundari  Oriental head motions.
swastika  a seated position in which one leg is flexed
forward and the other flexed back, a configuration
resembling a swastika.
tabletop  a position in which the torso is bent over
and laid out flat parallel to the floor to resemble a
tabletop.
tombé  letting the body fall forward, back, or to the
side onto a leg in the plié position.
tour  to turn the body.
triple  three steps taken with two counts of the
music.
Square Dancing
Alamo style  a circle of dancers join hands, with
every other dancer facing outward.
all around your left-hand lady  a move in which
the corners dance around each other right shoulder to
right shoulder.
allemande  a forearm grasp and a swing through
made by the corner dancers.
arky couple  either two men or two women.
arm swing  grasping another’s forearm and swinging
around.
around one  a designated couple turn their backs
to one another and both move behind the nearest
person.
bend the line  breaking up a line of dancers by having
the end dancers move forward and the center
dancers move back.
break  to release hands.
California twirl  a move in which a couple raise
joined hands to form an arch, which the lady passes
under. Also known as frontier whirl.
call  a singing direction for the next dance movement,
made by the caller.
caller  the person who sings or chants out dance
directions.
cast off  in a line of couples, the center dancers
separate and move forward while the end couples join
hands and move back.
centers  any dancers inside the square or inside any
other formation.
cloverleaf  couples in a double line break off from
the corners, turn back around, and describe a cloverleaf
pattern while trailing couples follow.
courtesy turn  a couple joins left hands and wheel
counterclockwise.
crisscross  one couple divides another couple, who
then close and cross trails to exchange places.
curlicue  while holding an arch, the gent walks
around the lady, who then backs under the arch,
so they end up facing opposite directions while still
holding hands.
dive through  two couples form an arch, which
another couple passes under.
Dixie chain  with couples in a single file line, the
ladies pull through from right to left hands, followed
by the gents, ending in a single file.
dosi around  facing dancers move forward and pass
around each other back to back.
do-si-do  to do-si around.
fold  one dancer steps forward and turns to face his
or her partner.
frontier whirl  see California twirl.
gents  traditionally, how male dancers are addressed.
grand chain  four ladies move in a right-hand star to
opposite gents, who courtesy turn them.
grand right and left  weaving in and out around
other dancers in a circle, the ladies pulling by in one
direction while the gents pull by in the other until
partners meet.
hash calls  freestyle calls—none of which necessarily
rhyme—made spontaneously by the caller. Also
known as patter.
hinge  the couple turn to face each other, step forward,
and join right hands.
hoedown  a square dance; also, music traditionally
played at a square dance.
honor  a call to bow to your partner.
Indian style  single file.
look her in the eye  a call to face your partner.
make an arch  a call for two dancers to join and
raise hands overhead to create an arch.
ocean wave  four dancers facing in alternate directions
form a line and join hands palm to palm at
shoulder height; each dancer then takes a step forward
and a step back for an undulating effect.
pack saddle star  a star in which four dancers form
a hub by grabbing each other’s wrists.
pass through  facing couples pass through one
another and end up back to back.
patter  see hash calls.
peel off  each dancer in a couple separates and turns
back while the trailing couple squeezes between them,
separates, and turns back to end up in a line facing
the opposite direction.
pigeon wing  clasping hands with the elbows
pointed up.
promenade  with hands crossed, right to right, left
to left, with gents’ palms facing up, couples follow
each other in a circle counterclockwise.
promenade wrong way  a promenade danced
clockwise.
pull-by  two people lightly clasp hands and swing
each other through a line or formation.
rock it  taking a short step forward and tapping the
other foot then stepping back and tapping the other
foot. Also known as balance.
sashay (chassé)  a couple standing side by side move
out of line and sidestep past one another.
set  a square.
singing calls  predetermined calls that are sung to
the music, as distinguished from hash calls.
skirt work  the ladies flaring their skirts to the
sides.
spread it wide  a call to change a hold around the
waist to an outstretched handclasp position.
square  the square formed by four couples.
square your sets  a call to dancers to come onto the
floor and form squares.
star  dancers touch hands at shoulder height to
form a hub, which they circle around. In singles, to
grasp hands at shoulder height and rotate around one
another.
swing  walking around your partner while holding
the waist and hands.
trade  a side-by-side couple turn to face each other,
then walk around each other, and end up side-by-side
facing the opposite direction.
trailing  following the dancer or dancers in front of
you.
wrong way  any movement in the opposite direction
of normal.
Tap Dancing
bells  a click of the heels while in midair.
brush  a sweep of one foot forward, diagonally, or
backward while lightly brushing the floor.
buck  a move consisting of a stomp of the right foot
followed by a hop left on the left foot, a slap down
on the right, a slap down on the left, a step right, and
then a repeat of the entire move starting on the left
foot.
buffalo  a leap and a landing on the right while raising
the left foot and shuffling it forward and back,
followed by a leap and landing on the left foot and a
return to the starting position.
chug  sliding forward on the ball of the right foot
while simultaneously dropping the heel sharply.
coffee grinder  in a squatting position with the
hands touching the floor, one extended leg describes
the action of a coffee grinder by rotating around in a
complete circle.
cossack  a difficult Russian folk dance with the body
in a squatting position and the arms folded at chest
level while the legs kick out alternately.
cramp roll  a step forward of one foot while raising
the heel, followed by a step forward of the other foot
with raised heel, then a drop of both heels in quick
succession.
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dig  a step in which the arms are held aloft gracefully
to the sides while each foot crosses the other alternately
and taps the floor once.
doll hop  a step followed by a hop with one leg, followed
by another step and a hop with the other leg.
falling off the log  a mixture of shuffles and cross
steps that produce the illusion of the dancer losing his
balance and falling off a log.
flap  a brush with the right foot followed by a step
on the right foot, producing two sounds.
heel drops  moving the right foot forward with the
toe pointed up and heel touching the floor, then moving
the foot back and repeating with the left foot while
arms are placed one over the other at chest level.
heel plate  an optional plate placed on the heel of a
shoe for tapping.
hop  a hop and landing on the same foot.
nerve taps  tapping the floor in quick succession
with the toe of one foot, frequently used in practice to
develop speed and flexibility.
riff  a toe tap and a forward slide of the foot while
scuffing the heel.
scuff  scuffing or scraping the floor with the heel.
shuffle  a brush of one foot forward and then back,
producing two sounds.
shuffle leap  a shuffle followed by a leap and landing
on the same foot, producing three sounds.
soft shoe  any slow, soft dance with light tapping
and a variety of intricate steps, originally performed
with sand on the floor.
stamp  a tap made by the entire foot, instead of just
the ball.
step  a simple raising and lowering of one foot, with
the weight of the body shifted to that foot.
step-clap  a step followed by a hand clap, then
repeated with the other foot.
time step  any of various combinations of shuffles,
flaps, and steps.
toe heel  tapping with the ball then the heel of one
foot, producing two sounds.
toe point tap  a tap with the tip of the toes.
Film
adaptation  a screenplay adapted from a novel,
biography, or other source.
aleatory technique  a film technique in which scenes
are not specifically planned and are left to chance.
arc  light a powerful set light.
art director  the designer in charge of sets, costumes,
or both.
artifact  a visual defect in a film.
auteur  French term for a movie director who
“authors” a film by exercising personal artistic vision.
backlighting  lighting that originates behind the subject
for a silhouetting effect.
back lot  a large plot of land owned by a studio for
constructing outside sets.
barn doors  the louvers or blinders that are adjusted
on large set lights to increase or decrease illumination.
best boy  on a set, the assistant to the chief electrician.
billing  the position and status given to an actor’s
name in publicity and in a movie’s credits. The actor
given top billing is usually listed first and often in the
largest letters. Equal billing is shared between two or
more actors. Diagonal billing is when top actors are
listed side by side, with equal height of lettering, but
because the name positioned on the left is considered
to have higher status, the names are transposed in different
promotional materials.
biopic  a movie based on an actual person’s life; a
biographical movie.
bit player  an actor with a small part or role.
black comedy  a comedy in which the humor springs
from such dark subjects as death, political incorrectness,
prejudice, etc.
blacklisting  in 1950s America, Senator Joseph
McCarthy’s formal discrimination against filmmakers
who were thought to be communists.
blockbuster  in the past, any motion picture that
takes in more than $100 million in ticket sales, but
increasingly, due to higher ticket prices and infla-
tion, a motion picture earning $150 million or more.
The term originated with the British military during
World War II, after the massive, city-block-levelling
bombs they dropped on German cities.
blocking  setting up and rehearsing a scene, including
determining where the actors should stand or
move, where the cameras should shoot from, and
so on.
blooper  a muffed line spoken by an actor or a
scene that goes awry, cut from a movie but sometimes
archived for use on blooper shows.
boffo  industry slang for box office hit.
boom  a long, mobile arm used to suspend a microphone
above the action and out of view of the camera.
bootleg  an illegally copied and distributed movie,
often of poor quality. Also, the underground industry
that illegally copies and sells movies.
B picture  any second-rate, low-budget movie.
breakdown script  a list of actors, props, and equipment
needed for a scheduled day of shooting.
cameo role  a role in which only a brief appearance
is made by a major actor.
camp  exaggerated homosexuality or other wild
behavior, such as actors appearing in drag, used for
comedic effect.
card  a type of credit optical in which names and
titles fade in and out in the same position.
cast  all of the actors appearing in a movie.
casting  the department headed by a casting director,
in charge of auditioning and hiring actors.
casting couch  reference to the most notorious location
for a trade of sexual favors for a role in a motion
picture, allegedly common in the old days of movie
making, but less so today.
casting director  the person in charge of auditioning
and hiring actors.
cell  one of thousands of individual drawings on celluloid
sheets used in creating animation or cartoons.
changeover cue  a dot in the corner of a film’s frames
to cue the projectionist to start the next reel.
character actor  an actor who is natural at playing a
certain personality type, such as a crotchety old man
or a sex siren, and who in fact may be called to play
the same type again and again in other movies. Such
actors may be unconvincing in any other role.
Cinemascope  a film process invented by 20th Century
Fox in which anamorphic lenses are used to
squeeze film scenes onto 35mm film so that they can
be unsqueezed and expanded by a theater projector to
create an image more than twice as wide as it is high.
cinematographer  a motion picture photographer.
Also known as the director of photography.
cinematography  motion picture photography.
cinematology  the study of films.
cinema verité  a realistic or documentary style of
filming, sometimes with a handheld camera, under
as natural conditions as possible and with little or no
input from the director.
cinephile  a person who loves movies.
cinerama  a wide-screen process that employed three
synchronized cameras and is now outmoded.
clapper  a handheld chalkboard with data describing
the next shot; the sound of a clapstick on its top
signals the start of the next scene. Also known as a
slate.
color cards  cards showing a scale of colors, used as
a guide to correct colors when filming.
colorization  the computerized process of transforming
black-and-white film into color.
commissary  a movie studio’s cafeteria.
continuity  consistency in the images presented in
a movie from scene to scene. For example, an actor
may be shown with unkempt hair in one shot and
then perfectly combed hair in the next shot, or a
prop visible on a table in one scene may mysteriously
vanish in a following shot because someone
on the set inadvertently removed it, thereby breaking
continuity. It is the script supervisor’s job to
monitor continuity from shot to shot and keep careful
notes concerning every detail, including lighting,
environmental conditions, positions of the actors,
prop locations, etc., and have a “continuity report”
available at all times.
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costume supervisor  one who is in charge of the creation,
sizing, and authenticity of costumes.
coverage  a brief, written review of a script submitted
to a producer or studio.
cover set  an alternative set used when outdoor
shooting is spoiled by rain.
cover shot  see master shot.
craft service  a company or caterer responsible for
providing snack tables for the cast and crew.
crane shot  an aerial shot taken from a crane or suspended
mechanical arm.
crawl  the rolling credits at the end of a movie.
credits  at the beginning and end of a film, the list
of all the people in the production crew, including the
actors.
crosslighting  lighting that originates from the
sides.
cut to  to switch from one scene to another.
dailies  prints from a day’s shooting, viewed by the
director and others to determine if any shots need to
be filmed again. Also known as rushes.
dialogue coach  a person who teaches actors how to
speak a foreign language or with an accent.
director  the person who directs the action of the
actors, sets scenes, coordinates other technicians, and
so on.
director’s cut  a version of a movie as the director
prefers it with complete artistic control and little or
no studio input.
director of photography  see cinematographer.
direct to video  a movie sold only on VHS tape or
DVD and not previously released in theaters.
docudrama  a movie based on a real event.
dresser  one who assists the actors with their
costumes.
dub  to record dialogue, foreign dialogue, or sound
effects in a studio after the film has been shot.
editing  the cutting, splicing, and final arrangement
of scenes in a film.
editor  one who cuts, splices, and determines the
final arrangement or length of scenes in a film.
effects track  the soundtrack containing sound
effects, to be mixed with other soundtracks.
epic  a heroic movie with a story line that frequently
spans many months or years.
executive producer  a producer who handles only
the business and legal matters on the making of a
film.
extra  a person hired to play a nonspeaking part in
the background of a scene, frequently as a member of
a crowd.
film noir  French term meaning, literally, “black
film,” used to describe some American movies made
in the 1940s that were notable for their low-key or
dark lighting effects.
final cut  the edited, finished film.
flashback  a scene that departs from the present and
shows an event from the past.
flood  short for a floodlight.
focus puller  a member of the camera crew who
adjusts the camera’s focus during filming.
foley  to reproduce the sound of a body movement,
such as footsteps or rustling clothes, in a recording
studio for dubbing onto film.
foley stage  a large room with several different types
of floor (brick, wood, tile, etc.) used to dub in the
sound of footsteps in a film.
foley studio  a recording studio in which the picture
and soundtrack are played while sound effects are
added to match the action of the actors, for example,
clothes rustling or footsteps.
gaffer  a set electrician and light specialist.
giraffe  an adjustable boom microphone.
grip  a set assistant or stagehand; one in charge of
props.
handheld  a handheld camera, used for natural, documentary
like effect.
Hays Office  the office of former Postmaster General
Will Hays, who was appointed by the Motion
Picture Producers and Distributors to develop a gen-
eral code to guide producers on how much sex, violence,
or offensive language could be allowed in films.
Notoriously strict, the Hays Production Code was
introduced in 1934 and remained in effect until 1967,
when it was abolished.
high concept  descriptive term for a highly commercial
plot, script, or idea for a movie. A high-concept
movie usually has top actors, bigger-than-life action,
a clever premise appealing to the largest body of
potential movie-goers, and a vast potential for profit.
hit the mark  during a shot, a cue from the director
to move to a designated spot on the set.
honeywagon  a trailer or truck used as a dressing
room while shooting a film on location.
horse opera  a western.
hot set  a movie set on which a scene is currently
being shot.
independent  a movie shot and produced by a filmmaker
unaffiliated with a major studio.
indie  an independent film.
in the can  slang, referring to a movie that is shot
but not ready for distribution.
kenworthy  a special crane, sometimes computer
programmed, used to film miniature sets.
klieg light  a floodlight.
leader  the black strip of film showing countdown
numbers at the beginning of the film.
letterbox  a format in which a widescreen motion
picture can be presented on video with a top and bottom
band of the television screen blocked out.
lip-synch  to match recorded speech with the actors’
lip movements on film.
location manager  a person who is in charge of
arranging for shooting in a given location and securing
any necessary permissions from property owners
and authorities.
location scout  one who searches out appropriate
locations for shooting.
lock it down, speed, action  “Lock it down” is
announced by the assistant director to quiet everyone
on the set for shooting. The director of photography
or camera operator then announces “speed,” so the
director will know when the camera is operating at
the correct speed. “Action” is then called by the director
to commence performance of a scene.
looping  lip-synching on short loops of film.
Macguffin  a term coined by director Alfred Hitchcock,
referring to a plot element which at first appears
meaningless to the audience but which becomes
important later on.
married print  the soundtrack and film combined
into one unit.
master shot  a long shot that takes in an entire
scene. Also known as a cover shot.
method actor  an actor who practices a form of
naturalistic acting first popularized in the 1930s.
Mickey Mousing  combining whimsical music or
musical effects with the actions of the actors, a technique
frequently used in cartoons and sometimes in
comedic movies.
mix  to combine different soundtrack elements, such
as dialogue, music, and sound effects.
mogul  the head of a movie studio.
Moviola  an editing machine.
MOW  movie of the week; a made-for-television
movie.
nickelodeon  an early form of American movie theater,
with admission costing a nickel.
novelization  a novel adapted from a movie.
on location  of filming, in an actual setting, such as
an airport, rather than in a studio mockup or set.
optrack  an optical soundtrack on a married print; it
is composed of a photo image of sound modulations
on the side of the film.
outtake  a portion of film deleted by the editor.
overlap sound  dialogue or sound that continues
as the scene fades out. Also, dialogue or sound that
begins before the scene fades in.
Panavision  wide-screen process that supplanted
Cinemascope.
Pan-Cake  a makeup used on actors to darken skin.
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pickup  a motion picture produced and shot by one
studio and purchased by another.
pitch  a verbal presentation of a story or movie idea
from writers to producers.
postproduction  any additional elements that must
be performed or added after the principal film has
been shot, most notably editing and special visual
effects.
postsynchronization  the recording of the soundtrack
after the film has been shot.
practical set  a studio set, such as a bedroom
mockup, with parts that actually work, such as doors,
windows, and so on. Also, any on-location set.
premiere  the first public showing of a movie.
prequel  a movie featuring a story line that precedes
in time the related story line of another movie already
produced and shown.
print  the physical movie or film itself, or a reel of a
movie.
producer  the person who secures financing, purchases
the script, hires artists and technicians, and
oversees a film’s production.
production assistant  an all-around assistant who
performs a wide variety of odd jobs on a set.
production manager  a budget supervisor in charge
of purchase orders and the hiring of crew.
product placement  an appearance of a commercial
product, such as a name-brand soda or beer, in a
motion picture as a passive paid advertisement and
prearranged by the producer and advertiser.
prompter  a person who helps the actors with their
lines.
prop  any object used in a film, for example, a chair,
table, inkwell, gun, or elephant.
property  a film story.
prosthetic appliance  a fashioned piece of latex or
gelatin attached to an actor’s face or body, as when
playing an alien.
rough cut  the first cutting and splicing of a film by
the editor, in which scenes are placed in the correct
general order according to the script.
rushes  see dailies.
scenic artist  a set artist who paints, textures, plasters,
letters, creates signs, and more.
score  the music composed for a film.
screening  the showing of a movie on a screen or in
a theater.
screenplay  a film story, with dialogue and descriptions
of action in the script.
screen test  an audition of an actor in front of a
camera.
screenwriter  a script writer.
script supervisor  the person in charge of film continuity,
for example, making sure details in one shot
(such as which side the actor’s hair is parted on or
whether a jacket is zipped or unzipped) match those
in another shot, even though filmed days or weeks
apart. Formerly known as the script girl.
Sensurround  a gimmicky movie sound system in
which stereo speakers are placed in front, in back,
and sometimes on the sides of a theater.
set  the location where a film is being shot.
shooting script  a script having directions for camera
angles, shots, and so on, as well as dialogue.
slate  see clapper.
sound effects  all sounds, other than music or dialogue,
added to film after shooting.
sound stage  a building in which sets are built and
dismantled for filming.
soundtrack  the optical or magnetic track on the
side of a film; it contains the music, dialogue, and
sound effects.
spaghetti western  a European western, usually
made in Italy or Spain, popular in the 1960s.
spec script  a movie script written on speculation, as
opposed to an assignment, with the hope of landing a
sale to a producer or studio.
splice  to join two pieces of film.
spotting session  a meeting in which the director,
composer, and editor decide where the music will play
in the film.
stand-in  a person who takes the place of an actor
on a set while a shot is being set up.
Steadicam  a special, handheld, waist-supported
camera that provides smooth, shake-free shots on a
par with dolly shots.
still  a photo or enlarged frame from a film, used for
publicity.
stock footage  existing film borrowed or purchased
from a film library and used in a new film.
storyboard  a series of captioned drawings showing
planned camera shots.
streamer  a long line drawn on a film to cue an actor
that a scene to be dubbed with dialogue is coming up.
Also used to cue conductors for accurate placement
of music.
sword and sandal  slang for biblically based movie
epic, named after the costumes and props used.
sword and sorcery  slang for a fantasy epic.
take  a recording of scene. The director may order
several takes of the same scene to make sure everything
works as planned.
test screen  to screen a movie in front of a test audience
to measure reaction. If reaction is poor, parts of
the movie may be reshot before nationwide release.
track  the rails on which the camera rides in a tracking
shot.
treatment  a detailed description or outline of a film
idea, as given by the author.
turnaround  a process in which a script that has
been purchased and has gone through preproduction
fails to get made and is made available for sale to
other studios.
typecasting  the casting of a character type to fit a
specific character role.
walla  a sound effect of a murmuring crowd.
wild shooting  shooting a film without simultaneous
recording of the sound.
wild sound  sound recorded apart from the actual
filming.
wild walls  on a set, temporary walls that can be
assembled and disassembled quickly.
wrangler  an animal handler. Also, a handler of all
kinds of nonanimal items. The person responsible
usually has a certain amount of expertise with the
item.
wrap  the end of shooting for the day.
Special Effects and Camera
Techniques
animatronics  electronically or radio-controlled
puppets of animals, humans, monsters, etc.
back projection  the projection of a still or moving
background through a translucent screen behind the
actors, now largely outmoded by front projection and
other techniques. Also known as rear projection.
blue screen  a process employing a blue screen and
color filters to produce matte shots. Also known as
a traveling matte. In television, it is performed electronically
at the touch of a button and is known as
chroma-key.
CGI  computer-generated imagery.
chroma-key  see blue screen.
claymation  an animation technique employing clay
or plasticine models and stop-action photography.
composite  the digital or photographic combination
of two or more images on a piece of film.
crab dolly  see dolly.
crosscutting  showing alternating scenes in quick
succession to illustrate parallel action.
cutaway  a quick switch to a scene of action taking
place at the same time as the previous scene, or on a
related subject.
day-for-night photography  filming night scenes
in daylight by using dark filters over the camera
lenses.
detail shot  an extreme closeup.
dissolve  an optical effect in which one scene gradually
fades out and melds into another scene.
dolly  a rolling platform on which a camera is
mounted to gain mobility. Also known as a crab
dolly.
dolly shot  a shot taken from a rolling dolly.
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Dutch angle  a canted camera angle that produces a
tilted image on the movie screen.
dynamation  the process of combining live action
with stop-action photography, using split-screen techniques
originating with special effects artist Ray Harryhausen
in 1958.
establishing shot  a shot that establishes the location
of the upcoming scene.
extreme long shot  a panoramic shot taken from a
great distance.
fade-in  an optical effect in which a dark background
slowly brightens to reveal the next scene.
fade-out  an optical effect in which the picture
slowly darkens to black.
filter  a gelatin, glass, or plastic plate placed over a
camera lens to produce various light or color effects.
fisheye lens  an extreme wide-angle lens that distorts
images and makes the horizon appear distinctly curved.
flag  a device positioned in front of a light to create
shadow.
flash cutting  editing a section of film into brief
scenes that quickly succeed each other.
flash frame  a scene consisting of few frames, or
even one frame, that passes so quickly the audience
barely perceives it.
flick pan  see swish pan.
freeze frame  the repetition of a single frame of a
movie to give the illusion that the action has frozen.
ghosting  a special-effects technique that makes an
actor or prop appear as a ghostly image, achieved
through superimposition or reflective shots. Also, a
dubbing technique in which a professional singer’s
voice is dubbed over or with that of an actor’s to give
the illusion that the actor can sing.
glass shot  an effect in which the camera films a
shot through scenery painted on glass, with the action
occurring behind the glass.
gobo  a wooden screen placed in front of a light to
dim it or to cast a shadow.
green screen  the same as blue screen, but green in
color and often producing better results.
high-hat shot  a shot taken from near floor or
ground level looking up.
highlighting  using a thin beam of light to illuminate
a part of the actor’s face.
jump cut  a scene that jumps abruptly into another
scene; the joining of two discontinuous shots.
mask  a shield placed over a camera lens to give the
illusion of peering through binoculars or a keyhole.
Massive  a computer program that gives virtual life
and random reactions to digitally created characters.
matte artist  an artist who creates backgrounds for
matte shots.
matte shot  a special effect in which part of one
scene is masked and combined with another to produce
a realistic depiction of something that is normally
too difficult or too expensive to shoot, for
example, an astronaut filmed in a studio and melded
into an image or photograph of space to produce an
illusion of an astronaut floating in space.
mocap  see motion capture.
morph  to alter, or “metamorphose,” the shape or
appearance of an actor or object on screen through
computer-generated special-effects techniques.
morphing  a computer-generated special-effects
technique in which actors or objects on screen can be
altered in shape or appearance.
motion capture  a special effects technique in which
a live actor wears a body suit rigged with sensors that
digitally record, or “capture,” his or her movements.
Animators add the captured movements to computergenerated
images of the actor to convey realism in
a digital landscape. The technique can even be used
on animals, such as horses, to film dangerous scenes.
Also known as mocap.
optical printer  an apparatus that combines a projector
and a camera with facing lenses, for creating
composite shots.
overcrank  to run the camera at a greater speed than
normal to produce slow-motion images.
pan  to film from side to side.
pixilation  stop-action photography effect in which
an inanimate object is moved between each frame or
a small number of frames so that on film the object
appears to move on its own, as if by magic.
point-of-view shot  a shot as seen from a character’s
perspective.
pullback  a shot in which the camera is pulled back
to reveal a larger portion of the scene.
pushover  an optical effect similar to a wipe, in
which a new scene appears to push the preceding
scene off the screen.
rack focus  a change of focus from a subject in the
background to a subject in the foreground, or vice
versa, without moving the camera.
reaction shot  a shot that shows a character’s reaction
to the action around her or him.
rear projection  see back projection.
Rembrandt lighting  backlighting method modeled
after the techniques of the famous Dutch painter, in
which a soft light is projected from behind a character
for a subtle halolike effect, popularly used in the movies
of the 1930s and 1940s.
reverse-angle shot  a shot of an opposite view, as
when switching from one character to another during
alternating dialogue.
ripple dissolve  an optical effect in which a wavering
image serves as a transition to either a flashback,
a flash-forward, or a dream sequence.
rotoscoping  an animation method in which live
action in a film is traced over.
scrim  a plate placed in front of a light to produce
shadow.
soft-focus  slightly out-of-focus, as achieved by placing
Vaseline or a special filter over the camera lens;
used to soften lines in romantic shots.
split screen  an optical effect showing two different
scenes on one frame.
squib  a tiny explosive charge used to simulate gun-
shots.
stop-action photography  a special-effects technique
in which objects are filmed one frame at a time,
allowing the object to be moved between frames. The
resulting moving image is known as pixilation.
substitution shot  a shot in which the action is
stopped midscene and the actors freeze in place. A substitution
is made, either for an object or by a dummy
representing one of the actors. The shot may be used,
for example, when one of the characters is about to
have his head cut off or some other unpleasantry.
superimposition  a special effect in which one scene
is superimposed over another, most notably used in
creating scenes with ghosts. Also known as a super.
swish pan  a rapid, blurring pan of a scene that
serves as a transition into the next scene. Also known
as a flick pan, whip pan, or zip pan.
synthespian  a digitized actor with computer-generated
enhancements.
time-lapse photography  a method of compressing
real time into a much shorter span of time in film by
shooting frames at timed intervals.
tracking shot  a moving camera shot on a dolly, on
rails, or on foot.
traveling matte  see blue screen.
trucking shot  a rail or dolly shot.
two-shot  a shot of two characters simultaneously,
as distinguished from a shot cutting back and forth
between actors during dialogue.
undercrank  to run the camera at a slower speed
than normal to produce fast-motion images.
washout  a fade to white.
whip pan  see swish pan.
wipe  an optical effect in which one scene moves
from left to right, or vice versa, to knock out another
scene and therefore serve as a transitional device.
zip pan  see swish pan.
zoom  a shot that, by means of automatic focus,
zooms in close to a distant subject.
Radio
AM  amplitude modulation; a radio signal that travels
along the surface and curvature of the Earth and
thus has a much larger broadcast area than FM.
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440 Performing Arts and Broadcasting
audio news release  a taped news or publicity piece
sent to radio stations by publicists for broadcast.
band  a range of radio frequencies.
beeper  slang for an interview recorded over the telephone,
formerly requiring a series of beeps to indicate
to listeners that the interview was not being broadcast
live.
booking board  a posted calendar listing future programs
and interview guests.
B-rate  the cheapest commercial rates, for airing late
at night or on Sunday morning.
breakers  the new recordings receiving the heaviest
air time.
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)  a nonprofit organization
of music publishers and composers who collect
royalties of up to 12¢ each time a performer or member’s
recording is played over a radio station.
call letters  the identification letters of a radio station,
usually beginning with the letter W if located
east of the Mississippi and K if located west of the
Mississippi. Canadian call letters begin with C; Mexican
call letters begin with X.
class I station  a 50,000-watt AM station having
FCC protection of frequency for up to 750 miles.
Also known as a clear channel station.
class III station  a 5,000-watt station operating on
an unprotected, regional channel.
clear channel station  a maximum-power AM station
having frequency-protected range of up to 750
miles. Also known as a class I station.
cool out  to lower the volume of background music
at the end of a commercial.
cough button  a switch used by an announcer or
DJ to turn off the microphone during a cough or
sneeze.
cue burn  damage to the beginning of a record, due
to heavy cueing.
cue up  to set a record, tape, or CD in cue position
for immediate play.
DAB  digital audio broadcasting.
dead air  silence during a radio broadcast, a taboo.
delay time  a seven-second delay between a talk
show’s broadcast and transmission, within which any
obscenities from callers may be deleted.
digital radio  a new transmission system, properly
called digital audio broadcasting, that is projected to
replace AM and FM by 2015. Digital broadcasting
delivers clear and crisp audio without hiss, interference,
flutter, distortion, or fading but requires a digital
receiver. With digital radio, music and speech are
converted to electronic ones and zeros, or bits, and
stored, played, and transmitted. Also known as highdefinition
radio.
disk  record.
disk jockey  one who plays records, tapes, and CDs
over the radio.
DJ  disk jockey.
DJ copy  a record with only one side recorded on.
drive time  important broadcast hours in the morning
and late afternoon, when people listen in their
cars on their way to and from work.
explosive  a loud, explosionlike noise produced by
speaking too close to the microphone.
feed  broadcasts sent from a national network to
local stations, or vice versa.
field strength  the power of a station’s broadcasting
signal.
FM  frequency modulation; straight-line radio signals
that cannot be received beyond the horizon and
therefore have a much smaller range than AM signals;
however, FM signals provide high-fidelity reception
with little or no static.
FM flutter  hisses, pops, and phasing effects caused
by reflections of radio signals off tall buildings and
mountains.
ground wave  a radio signal that travels along the
Earth’s surface, as distinguished from one that goes
into space as it meets the curvature of the Earth.
high-definition radio  see digital radio.
high frequency  a frequency between 3 and 30
megahertz.
indie  slang for an independently owned radio
station.
low frequency  a frequency between 30 and 300
kilocycles per second.
network  a group of affiliated radio stations and
their headquarters.
outcue  the last four or five words in a song, interview,
or newscast, that serve as a cue to the engineer
or disk jockey to begin another record, commercial,
or program.
performance royalties  fees paid by radio stations
for the rights to play the songs of music publishers
and composers.
picket fencing  the fading in and out of an FM station
at the fringe of its broadcast range.
playlist  a schedule of the day’s recordings to be
played on the air.
PSA  public service announcement.
rolloff  the faint edges of a radio signal, when a station
hasn’t been tuned in properly.
rumble  low-frequency vibration.
satellite radio  a pay radio service that delivers
a wide array of clear-signal music, news, or talk
programs.
shock jock  a radio program host who is obnoxious,
obscene, irreverent, and controversial.
shock radio  talk radio featuring loud, rude, or
obnoxious hosts who insult their guests and listeners.
simulcast  the simultaneous broadcast of a program
on television and radio.
sound bite  a brief note from a newsworthy person,
aired as part of a newscast.
standby guest  an emergency stand-in guest used in
case a scheduled guest fails to appear.
tape delay  a system used on call-in programs, in
which a phone call is taped and delayed before airing,
to eliminate obscenities.
trailer  a brief, promotional piece on an upcoming
program, usually played at the end of another
program.
translator  a station that does not have its own programming
but rebroadcasts that of other stations.
upcutting  the unethical cutting of part of a network
program in order to create more space for local com-
mercials.
urban contemporary  radiospeak for inner-city
black music.
voice-over  a narrator’s voice heard over the background
music of a commercial.
Stage and Theater
aboard  slang for on stage.
above  at or toward the back of the stage; upstage.
ace  a 1,000-watt spotlight.
act  one segment of a play.
actor-proof  of a powerfully written play, impervious
to poor acting performances.
Actors’ Equity Association  the 30,000-member
actors’ union; they are issued Equity cards and are
paid according to Equity scale.
apple box  a 14″ × 24″ platform used to elevate a
performer on stage.
apron  the portion of a stage in front of the arch.
arc follow spot  a powerful spotlight used to follow
a performer.
arena theater  theater in which the stage is surrounded
by seats.
argentine  a shiny sheet of metal that simulates a
window on a piece of scenery.
artist’s assistant  one who assists and escorts a performer
from the dressing room to the stage, especially
in an opera.
ashcan  a 1,000-watt floodlight.
audience dress  a rehearsal before an audience,
before the show’s actual opening.
audit stub  the ticket portion retained by the theater
for accounting purposes.
a vista  of a scene change, made while the curtain is
still up.
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baby spot  a small spotlight, usually 750 watts.
backdrop  a painted curtain serving as background
scenery.
backing light  lighting originating from behind a set
or scenery.
backstage  the nonperformance area in the wings.
bad laugh  laughter from the audience at an inappropriate
moment.
balcony  a second or third upper floor. A first upper
floor is a mezzanine or dress circle. A fourth floor is
frequently called a gallery.
balcony box  an area reserved for spotlights.
balcony lights  lights operated from a balcony box.
balcony operator  the person who operates the balcony
lights.
band call  a musicians’ rehearsal.
band shell  an outdoor bandstand having a concave
back wall and roof.
barn doors  adjustable louvers in front of a spotlight
to control the intensity of its beam. Also known as
blinders, flippers, or shutters.
bastard amber  a pink amber gel commonly used to
color stagelights.
batten  a strip of wood or metal from which scenery
or lights are hung.
beam projector  a spotlight used to project a sharply
defined or narrow beam, to simulate a moonbeam or
sunbeam.
bedroom farce  a comedy centering on antics in the
bedroom.
below  at or toward the front of the stage; downstage.
billboard pass  a free ticket given to a local retailer
in exchange for displaying theater advertising.
black comedy  a comedy based on macabre or morbid
subjects.
blackout  a complete darkening of stage lights to
indicate a passage of time or the end of a scene.
blackout switch  a switch that controls all of the
stage lights.
blind seat  a seat with an obstructed view.
block  to indicate performer positioning and movements
by marking the stage with chalk or tape.
boffo  a box office hit.
bomb crater  a depression or pit in a stage floor.
bon-bon  a 2,000-watt spotlight directed on the face
of a performer.
dakota  a line of dialogue that leads into or cues a
song.
dark house  a nonperformance night at the theater.
dead pack  scenery to be removed from the stage, as
distinguished from live pack, or scenery to be placed
on stage.
dim the house  to turn out the houselights over the
audience.
dinner theater  a theater that combines a meal with
a show.
dog  a small town or noncritical location where the
bugs are worked out of a show, as in “to try a show
out on the dog.”
door list  a list of people admitted free to a show.
Also known as the house list.
double cast  casting two performers for the same
role, in case one gets sick. See understudy.
downstage  the front of the stage, toward the audience.
Also at or toward the front of the stage.
dramatis personae  a list of characters in a play.
drapery setting  scenery composed of painted curtains
or backdrops.
dress a stage  to furnish a stage with scenery, furniture,
props, and so on.
dresser  a wardrobe assistant; an assistant to the
wardrobe chief.
dress extra  an extra who provides his own costume
and is consequently paid on a higher scale.
dress-room list  a posted list of dressing rooms
assigned to performers.
drop  any stage curtain that can be raised or lowered.
farce  a wacky comedy based on wild or unlikely or
ludicrous situations.
first-night list  a list of reviewers, sponsors, and
other VIPs invited to attend an opening night, as distinguished
from the second-night list.
five minutes to curtain  the traditional warning call
to all performers five minutes before the show. Also,
“five minutes, please.”
flashpot  receptacle that holds flash powder that is
ignited to produce smoke, fire, or explosive effects.
flat  an upright piece of painted scenery.
flood  a floodlight or broad-beamed light.
fly  a floor, platform, or loft over the stage, for lights
and other equipment. Also, to suspend scenery from
above the stage floor.
fly crew  the crew who operate the overhead lights
and other equipment on the fly.
fly gallery  a sidewall platform where scenery lines
are sometimes secured.
fly plot  a diagram of lighting placement in the fly; a
rigging plan.
footlights  a row of lights along the foot of the stage,
sometimes recessed in a trough, sometimes not.
front of the house  the box office, lobby, and business
offices at the front of a theater.
full-dress  a full dress rehearsal.
gel  a colored plastic (formerly made from gelatin)
filter placed in front of a light to produce a colored
beam.
go to table  to rehearse lines while sitting around a
table with other performers.
grave  a hole in the stage.
green room  a performers’ waiting room near the
stage.
ground row  a piece of background scenery that simulates
a landscape, skyline, horizon, or other location.
head spot  a spotlight directed on a performer’s
head.
high comedy  comedy having witty, intelligent dialogue,
as distinguished from low comedy.
hit the boards  slang for to go on stage.
horseshoe staging  seating that forms a horseshoe
configuration around the stage.
hot  of a microphone, live.
houselights  the lights that illuminate the audience.
icebreaker  an opening number in a musical.
intermission bell  a bell, chime, or buzzer rung to
alert the audience that intermission is nearly over.
keg light  a 500-watt spotlight shaped like a beer keg.
kill  to turn off the lights or to remove scenery from
the stage.
klieg light  a large, powerful, wide-angle spotlight.
lap dissolve  the fading out of one light and brightening
of another, for effect.
legitimate theater  serious plays and musicals, as
distinguished from burlesque and vaudeville.
light rehearsal  a practice run of light changes and
lighting cues.
light tower  a tower, often of scaffolding, on which
lights are hung.
live pack  scenery to be placed on the stage, as distinguished
from dead pack, or scenery to be taken off
or that has already been used and put away.
live stage  a stage with scenery.
loge  a theater box in the front section of a mezzanine
or balcony.
low comedy  slapstick or physical comedy, as distinguished
from high comedy.
lyric theater  a theater specializing in producing
musicals.
makeup call  the time a performer must report to
the makeup department.
marquee  at the front of a theater, the projecting,
rooflike structure advertising the upcoming show and
its top performers.
matinee  an afternoon show.
melodrama  a play in which the emotions are acted
out in an exaggerated fashion.
noises off  sound effects made from off-stage.
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Obie  annual award given to those involved with
off-Broadway productions.
off Broadway  low-budget or experimental productions
performed in theaters other than those in the
Broadway and Times Square area of New York.
oleo  a painted curtain used as background for a
brief scene while the set is changed from behind.
open full  to start the show with the entire cast on
stage.
opening night  the first formal performance before
an audience and critics.
opry house  slang for an old theater.
orchestra pit  the space below the stage where the
musicians play.
overture  a musical lead-in to a musical production
number.
page a curtain  to pull a curtain together so that the
two halves meet at midstage.
pan  to slowly sweep a spotlight from left to right,
or vice versa.
Pan-Cake  performers’ heavy makeup.
papering the house  giving away numerous free
tickets in order to fill the theater.
parapet  a low wall along a balcony.
parquet  a theater’s main floor, also known as the
orchestra.
pass door  a door providing access to backstage
from the auditorium.
passion play  a play centering on the suffering of
Christ.
peanut gallery  slang for a top balcony or gallery,
where lower-class patrons ate peanuts.
perch  an offstage platform on which a spotlight is
sometimes placed.
pigeon  a platform or riser, smaller than an apple
box, used to elevate a performer.
pin spot  a spotlight having a very narrow beam.
pit  the orchestra pit.
play to the balcony  to direct one’s performance
to the cheaper seats in the balcony, from which the
lower classes are quicker to applaud. Also, to play to
the gallery.
pool hall lighting  dim, overhead lighting, used for
effect in some scenes.
positions!  the last call for performers to take their
positions before the curtain rises.
practicals  stage props that actually function, as distinguished
from replicas.
practical set  a set having real walls and props that
work, as distinguished from facades and replicas.
production number  any extravagant act or musical
number involving many or all members of the chorus,
dance troupe, or other performers.
program  a brochure describing the show and its
performers, given or sold to audience members.
prologue  an introduction to a play.
prompt box  a hoodline projection or alcove in the
center of the stage in which a prompter is positioned
out of view of the audience.
prompt corner  location where the prompter positions
himself, usually downstage right.
prompter  one who assists actors in remembering
lines while the show is in progress. He keeps track of
the dialogue by means of a prompt book.
prop  any object, from a cigarette lighter to a sofa,
used in a show.
property personnel  the stage crew responsible for
props.
proscenium  the front of the stage, from the front
curtain to the orchestra; the apron.
quick study  a performer particularly adept at learning
his role and accompanying lines.
raisonneur  in a play, a character who observes the
action, comments on it, and serves as a narrator to
the audience.
rake  the slant or inclination of a stage. A raked
stage slopes down from back to front.
revue  a musical composed of sketches and songs.
royal box  boxed seating near the stage, reserved for
royalty or other VIPs.
rumble pot  a receptacle in which boiling water and
dry ice is mixed to create fog effects.
score  the music written for a show.
set designer  one who designs and creates a set.
set dressings  set furnishings, decor.
snake  a special cable that combines several cables,
used with stage lighting.
soliloquy  talking to the audience or to oneself on
stage.
spot  a spotlight.
SRO  standing room only; a packed house.
stagehand  a helper who assembles, dismantles, and
moves scenery; operates the curtain; and performs
other tasks.
stagestruck  having the sudden desire to become a
stage performer, usually occurring while watching
a stage show.
strike  to take down a set.
theater party  a performance given for charity,
with the beneficiaries often making up part of the
audience.
thrust stage  a stage that extends out into the middle
of an audience.
tormentor  a curtain or piece of scenery that conceals
the wings of a stage or backstage.
tragedy  a play or drama that ends sadly or in
tragedy.
trapdoor  a door in the stage floor through which
performers may enter or exit.
understudy  a performer who rehearses the role of
another in case a stand-in is needed.
upstage  the portion of the stage furthest from the
audience. Also, at or toward the back of the stage.
wagon stage  a mobile set on wheels, used to facilitate
the changing of sets.
walk-through  a rough rehearsal.
wardrobe mistress  one responsible for costumes.
white light district  a theatrical district. Also known
as a white way.
Television
ABC  American Broadcasting Company.
affidavit of performance  a notarized list of commercials
and public service announcements and their
air dates and times, provided to the sponsors.
affiliate  a local station, frequently independently
owned, that contracts to air the programs of a particular
national network.
announcer booth  in a studio, a small booth where
off-camera voice-overs or announcements are made.
Arbitron  the TV ratings company that measures the
size of a TV viewing audience by means of an electronic
meter placed on TV sets.
arc  a curving movement left to right (arc right/left)
of a TV pedestal camera, as ordered by the director.
art director  a supervisor of the art department.
assemble edit  the simultaneous recording of audio,
video, cue, and control tracks on a tape.
associate director  in the control room, an assistant
to the director, whose commands are the ones heard
by the camera operators.
atmospheric effects specialist  a special-effects
person who simulates fog, rain, thunder, lightning,
smoke, and so on.
audio operator  the audio technician responsible for
a program’s sound quality.
back lot  studio property where outdoor scenes are
occasionally shot.
backtiming  a method of ending a live program
exactly on time by providing a rehearsed final segment
that can be made shorter or longer at will. Also,
in news programs, the time when the last segment
must be aired to match the time deadline.
balop  a large slide of art work, used as a background
scene.
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bat blacks  to fade out or to fade to black.
bear trap  slang for an alligator-type clamp used
to attach lights in a studio. Also known as a gaffer
grip.
big head  a closeup of a performer’s head.
billboard  the credits at the opening and closing of a
program. Also, an announcement made on behalf of
the sponsor, such as “This program brought to you
by . . .”
bird  a satellite used for TV transmission.
bird, lose the  to lose the transmission of a TV signal
through a satellite.
birding  slang for television transmission via satellite.
black level  TV control signals that are blocked out
of the picture.
blackout  the prohibition of local sports coverage
due to contract agreements, intended to draw the
maximum audience to the local stadium.
block  to provide indications or markings of camera
or performer placement and their movement during
rehearsal.
blunting  airing a program of similar content to that
of a competing station at the same time.
boom  a long, movable arm, crane, or pole used to
hold a microphone.
bump  to cancel a guest on a talk show.
bumper  a transitional device between program segments,
such as a fade-out, or an announcement such
as, “We’ll return after these messages.”
cable puller  a studio assistant responsible for
power, sound, and picture cables who follows camera
movements and pulls cables out of the way to prevent
entanglement.
call sheet  a schedule sheet showing the dates and
times a cast and crew must appear for a production.
camera cue  a red warning light indicating when a
camera is actually shooting. Also known as a cue light
or tally light.
camera mixing  mixing shots in succession from
two or more studio cameras.
camera rehearsal  a full dress rehearsal in which camera
placement and movements are planned or blocked.
camera riser  a platform that elevates a camera.
canned  prerecorded, such as canned laughter.
cast  to hire a performer for an acting part. Also, the
collective term for all of the performers in a show.
casting director  the director who casts the performers
for a show.
casting file  a file of performer biographies.
cattle call  an open audition, usually mobbed by acting
hopefuls, for a bit or minor part in a program.
catwalk  a narrow walkway or scaffolding above the
studio, from which lights can be hung and accessed.
CBS  Columbia Broadcasting System.
cc  closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired; the
superimposing of captions over a TV program, seen
only by those viewers with special decoders.
chain break  during a program break, a brief spot
for station identification. Also, a local commercial up
to 20 seconds long.
cherry picker  a mobile crane holding a boom and
camera for moving, outdoor shots; it has three seats,
for the director, the camera operator, and the camera
assistant.
cinemobile  a large vehicle containing dressing rooms
and store rooms, used when taping on location.
circle-in  a transitional optical effect in which the
picture forms a circle and diminishes, while a new
scene enlarges from a small circle. Also known as
iris-in.
circle wipe  an optical effect in which a scene begins
as a dot on the screen and enlarges to wipe out the
previous scene.
clean entrance  a direction to a performer to enter
a scene from off-camera, as distinguished from the
camera following the performer into the action.
closed set  a set or studio closed to the public.
color bar  a vertical strip of graduating colors for
color testing of TV transmission. The colors are
white, yellow, cyan, green, magenta, red, blue, and
black. Also known as a colorburst.
come in  a director’s command to move the camera
in closer on the subject.
control room  the technical room where the director
and engineers control the audio and video.
cover shot  a wide shot revealing location at the
start of a scene.
crab shot  a shot in which the camera moves left or
right on its dolly or truck.
crane  a cherry picker.
crane grip  the crane or cherry picker operator.
crawl  the moving credits at the end of a TV show.
Also, any text seen moving across the bottom of the
TV screen, as a weather or news bulletin.
credits  the acknowledgments of cast and crew at
the start or end of a program.
creeper  a small camera dolly.
cue card  a large card with a performer’s lines
printed on it. Also known as a flip card or an idiot
card.
cue light  an ON THE AIR warning light; also a red
camera light to indicate shooting.
cue line  a line spoken by one actor that serves as a
cue to another actor.
cue sheet  a schedule of cues and timings.
cyclorama  a curved backdrop or wall used on a
stage or studio to give the illusion of sky.
day for night  filming a night scene in broad daylight
by the use of special dark filters.
dead roll  starting a program at its normal time but
not broadcasting it until a late sporting or other event
is over, at which time the program is “joined already
in progress.”
deaf aid  a small earpiece used by reporters, anchors,
and others.
decryption  the decoding and unscrambling of pay
cable TV signals.
defocusing dissolve  an optical transition effect in
which one camera goes slowly out of focus while
another camera shoots a different scene that slowly
comes into focus.
delayed broadcast  the common practice in the
Pacific time zone of airing a TV show later than it
originally was transmitted.
delay time  the seven seconds of delay time between
broadcast and transmission in which obscenities may
be removed on a live call-in talk show.
detail set  a set used for closeups, having many props
and details. Also known as an insert set.
detail shot  an extreme closeup.
diagonal dissolve  an optical effect in which two
corners of a scene merge on screen.
Digital Video Effects  an electronic special-effects
system.
discovery shot  a shot that zooms in on something
the viewer had previously overlooked or failed to
perceive.
dissolve  an optical effect, such as fade-in, fade-out,
or fade-to-black, serving as a transition to the next
scene.
dolly grip  one who pushes a camera dolly.
dolly-in  a director’s command to move the camera
closer to the subject.
doll-out  a director’s command to move the camera
away from the subject.
dolly shot  a moving camera shot made on a dolly.
Also known as a truck shot or tracking shot.
dolly tracks  rails on which a camera and dolly ride
during outdoor shots where the ground is uneven.
dress extra  an extra who provides his own costume
and is thus paid more.
dressing room  a room used for dressing and
makeup.
dress plot  a list of actors’ costumes and the order in
which they will be worn throughout a program.
dry block  a rehearsal without cameras.
dub  to record in sound effects, music, dialogue, or
foreign dialogue onto a sound track.
ducker  a device that automatically lowers volume
of background music to allow a voice-over to be
heard.
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448 Performing Arts and Broadcasting
dupe  a copy of a taped TV program.
ear prompter  a small audio ear plug through which
an actor can listen to other actors’ lines and play off
them.
editor  the person in charge of cutting and splicing
videotape to put scenes in their proper sequence.
electronic character generator  a typewriter-like
device that produces on-screen lettering and characters
for sports scores, weather reports, stock updates,
and other reports.
electronic matte  the combining electronically of
images from two different cameras.
electronic still store  an electronic storage unit holding
photographic slides and titles.
elephant doors  the large doors entering onto a TV
studio.
embargo  the prohibitions against the media’s releasing
certain news until a particular date or time.
encryption  the process of scrambling TV signals to
protect pay TV networks from theft of service.
endcue  the last four or five words spoken by a performer,
newscaster, or anchor, for example, used as a
cue for the control room engineer and director to cue
the music and credits. Also known as outcue.
ESU  engineering setup. The projection of an image
over the shoulder of a news anchor during a news
story.
explosion wipe  an optical effect in which an
upcoming scene appears to expand from the center
of the screen.
explosive  a loud, sharp sound produced by speech
made too close to a microphone, the bane of audio
engineers.
extra  an actor in a small nonspeaking role.
eye bounce  the technique of looking down and sideways
while on TV. Looking down without a sideways
glance gives a shifty-eyed or fearful appearance.
facade  a fake building having only a front wall and
nothing behind it, often used on western programs.
fade  an optical effect in which the picture fades in
or out.
favor  an instruction to the cameraman to focus in
on a subject.
feed  broadcasts transmitted from a network to local
stations or vice versa.
field strength  the strength of a local station’s broadcast
signals.
filter mike  a microphone used to simulate the sound
of someone’s voice over the telephone.
first assistant cameraman  one who adjusts a
camera’s focus to a performer’s movements away or
toward the camera. Also known as a focus puller.
fishbowl  in a studio, an observation booth for sponsors
and others involved with the program.
fishpole  a long microphone boom.
flashcaster  a device used to superimpose news,
weather, and other bulletins onto a crawl at the bottom
of the TV screen.
flash-pan  a superfast pan shot that blurs the picture
and serves as a transition to the next scene.
flip wipe  an optical effect in which a scene appears
to turn over, as a page, to reveal a new scene.
floodlight  a broad, bright studio light.
foley  a sound effect dubbed in, such as footsteps,
clothes rustling, or glasses clinking.
foley artist  one who performs sound effects in a
recording studio.
foley stage  where foley effects are performed.
footage  a length of video tape.
freeze frame  a optical effect in which tape is frozen
at the end of a program to provide a still picture over
which credits are run.
futures editor  a TV news editor who is responsible
for getting coverage of upcoming news events.
gaffer  a chief electrician on a set or in a studio.
green room  a waiting room for guests who are
scheduled to appear on a talk show.
grip  a stage or studio hand; a general set assistant.
half shot  a camera shot halfway between a long
shot and a closeup.
hammers  set or stage assistants to the grip, not to
be confused with set carpenters.
hammocking  scheduling a poor program between
two highly rated programs to increase the poor program’s
ratings.
handbasher  an 800-watt, handheld set light.
hiatus  time off between a program’s shooting schedule,
especially during summer reruns.
high-definition television (HDTV)  a new generation
of televisions having a higher resolution or
sharper image.
honeywagon  a trailer with dressing rooms and
other facilities, for shooting a program on location.
hot microphone  a live microphone.
intercutting  taking several shots of the same scene
from various angles and splicing them together for a
more effective viewpoint.
interstitial programming  the airing of short
programs between long programs to break up the
monotony.
iris-in  see circle-in.
jump a cue  to step on another performer’s lines; to
react too early to a cue.
key  to light a set. Also, to superimpose text onto
the screen.
key light  any main source of light on a set.
klieg light  a powerful, wide-angle light used on
sets.
lap dissolve  an optical transitional effect in which
one scene is gradually replaced by another.
late fringe  TV ratings term for viewers who watch
from 11 p.m. to sign-off.
laugh track  prerecorded laughter dubbed over a
comedy show at appropriate moments.
lavaliere  a microphone worn around the neck, as a
necklace.
lead-in  an introductory announcement leading in to
a program.
legend  titles or other text keyed onto the screen.
letterbox format  the showing of a movie on TV
with its original theater aspect ratio (width to height
of picture), in which horizontal bands appear on the
top and bottom of the TV screen.
live mike  a microphone that is on.
live on tape  referring to a program recorded as it
actually happened or was performed, but not actually
live when transmitted or broadcast.
location  a real setting (e.g., an airport) as distinguished
from a studio set, where a portion of a program
is shot.
location manager  a production assistant who plans
and arranges for shooting on location.
location scout  a production assistant who finds and
reserves locations for shooting.
makeup call  the time at which a performer must
report to the makeup department.
master of ceremonies  the host of a TV program;
the MC or emcee.
match dissolve  an optical transitional effect in
which a scene fades and is replaced by a similar or
nearly identical scene, but at a later time.
maxi-brute  a powerful arc spotlight containing
nine 1,000-watt lights in three rows. Also known as
a nine-light.
minicam  a portable TV camera used when taping
on-location news.
network  collective term for a group of affiliated TV
stations that air the same programs.
O/C  script directive for “on camera.”
one-key  one 1,000-watt floodlight. A 1,500-watt
light equals one-and-a-half key.
open-ended  of a national program or commercial,
having a portion in which a local announcer can add
local information.
opening billboard  an opening preview or the opening
credits of a program. Also, an announcement of
sponsors, such as “brought to you by . . .”
opticals  optical effects; examples are dissolves,
fades, superimpositions, and wipes.
outcue  the last four words in an interview, dialogue,
or newscast, used as a cue to the engineers
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450 Performing Arts and Broadcasting
and director to roll music and run the credits. Also,
known as endcue.
outtakes  unused portions of a program tape, edited
out due to flubbed lines or other mistakes.
pan  a bad review of a program. Also, a direction to
the cameraman to sweep slowly across a scene for a
panoramic effect.
pan and scan  the method by which a motion picture’s
widescreen aspect ratio is changed to make it suitable
for TV broadcast. See also letterbox format.
Pan-Cake  the heavy makeup used by performers.
paper cut  a written schedule or list of cuts and
splices keyed to time cues made before the actual editing
takes place.
PAR light  a commonly used spotlight having a parabolic
aluminized reflector.
people meter  an electronic system for tracking TV
viewers to establish ratings, adopted by A. C. Nielsen
in 1987 to replace the diary system.
Pepper’s ghost  a simple special-effects method of
producing a ghost image. A camera shoots through
an angled mirror to create a reflection of the subject;
invented by scientist John Henry Pepper.
performance royalties  payments made by a broadcaster
to a songwriter or publisher for the right to
play their music.
pod  a group of commercials.
poop sheet  a trivia information sheet on athletes,
used by sports announcers between plays in a game.
preempt  to broadcast a special in place of a regularly
scheduled program.
preview monitor  a monitor from which the director
chooses the picture to be used by various cameras.
prime time  the time period having the largest viewership,
from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
producer  one in charge of financing and staffing a
show. In addition to the business end of a program,
a producer may also oversee some creative aspects of
a show.
prompter  a device that enables an actor or
announcer to read off a script while looking into the
camera. See prompter script, TelePrompTer.
prompter script  a script transmitted to a monitor
on top of or beside a camera, or superimposed on the
camera lens itself for reading but not seen by the TV
audience.
quad split  an optical effect in which four different
scenes appear on the screen at the same time.
residual  a royalty or payment made to a performer
for use of their taped performance beyond the original
contract.
ripple dissolve  a dissolve or fade in which the scene
ripples or wavers into the next scene, as in a dream
sequence or flashback.
rostrum camera  a camera designed to shoot artwork
on a table, for animation.
rotoscope  a prism and lamphouse device used on a
special-effects camera to produce traveling mattes.
rug  slang for background music in a commercial.
scale  minimum standard fee for a performer or
model.
scoop  the most frequently used light in TV, specifically
a 1,000-watt floodlamp having a shovel-like
reflector. Also known as a basher.
set  the location of a TV production; the scenery,
furnishings, props, lighting, and equipment of a TV
program.
set and light  director’s order to get the set and lighting
ready for shooting.
shaky-cam  slang for a handheld camera.
shooting log  a notebook with details of a day’s
shooting and the camera equipment used. Also known
as a camera log.
shooting schedule  the schedule of when each shot
in a movie or TV show will be made, usually out-ofsequence
to the storyline but later edited in order.
shot box  on a TV camera, a control panel for zoom
and other focus changes.
signature montage  a sequence of brief, identifying
scenes used as an introduction to a program.
simulation  a reenactment of an event, used frequently
in news programs.
simulcast  a program broadcast simultaneously on
radio and TV, as a concert or presidential speech.
sister station  a TV station affiliated with the same
network as another station.
sitcom  situation comedy.
snake  a special studio cable that combines several
cables.
sound bite  a quick clip of a quote made by a
politician or other newsworthy person, aired on a
newscast.
sound dissolve  the fading out of sounds in one
scene followed by the fading in of sounds from an
upcoming scene, a transitional device.
spider  a junction box for several electrical outlets,
used in studios.
spider dolly  a camera mount comprising projecting
legs on wheels.
splice  to join two pieces of film or tape together.
splicing charge  a fee sometimes charged for splicing
a commercial into a program.
split screen  an optical effect in which two or more
scenes are shown on the screen at the same time.
squib  a gunpowder charge held in a gelatin capsule,
detonated from a distance to simulate gunfire.
squibbed bag  a squib placed in a blood bag (imitation
blood) and detonated on or under clothing to
simulate gunshot wounds.
stable  a group of performers under contract with a
single agent or network.
standby guest  on a talk show, an “extra” guest used
as a stand-in in case another guest doesn’t show up.
standing set  a permanent or semipermanent set
used repeatedly, as on a soap opera.
still store  an electronic memory unit that stores
graphics and photos for use in news programs.
storyboard  a sequence of cartoons and sketches
that illustrate a proposed commercial. Also used in
movies to plan how scenes will be shot.
strike  to tear down a set.
sweeps  TV ratings periods in November, February,
May, and July, noted for the airing of sensational programming
in order to attract a large audience.
syndicate  a service that distributes a TV program to
subscribing stations.
syndication  the distribution of a program to subscribing
stations.
systems cue  an audio, visual, or spoken signal for
local station identification.
tabloid TV  a pseudo news program featuring sensational
stories.
take a 42  an order to take a 42-minute meal break,
as prescribed for crew members by union rules.
talent coordinator  on talk shows, one who auditions,
interviews, and schedules guests.
tally light  a red light illuminated on a camera when
shooting.
tape  to record a program on videotape.
teaser  a brief preview or promo of an upcoming
show to attract viewers.
technical director  the assistant director who oversees
the technical aspects of a studio and studio control
room.
teleplay  a play written or adapted for TV.
TelePrompTer  tradename for a brand of prompter,
now used generically. See prompter.
tight two-shot  director’s order to cameraman for a
head shot of two people.
tongue left/right  a command to extend a
cranemounted camera out horizontally to follow the
action.
topic box  a window or visual on the screen above a
newscaster’s shoulder to identify the topic.
trades, the  the trade publications of show business,
such as Variety, and Hollywood Reporter.
trailer  a brief, promotional piece of a coming
­attraction.
transportation captain  the head of a studio’s transportation
and moving department.
truck shot  a moving dolly shot. Also, to move the
camera sideways.
tulip crane  a crane on which a camera platform can
be mounted for aboveground shots.
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12-14 unit  a mobile, remote news truck capable
of transmitting at 12 gigahertz and receiving at 14
gigahertz.
two-shot  a closeup of two people.
upcutting  the unethical practice of cutting off part
of a network program in order to insert more local
commercials.
V-chip  a computer chip in a television set that has
the ability to “read” the ratings of television shows
and, when programmed, can automatically block the
viewing of certain programs by children.
veejay  video disk jockey.
video operator  the control room engineer who
operates the camera control units and monitors and is
responsible for the overall picture quality.
videotape  magnetic tape on which sound and pictures
can be recorded.
voice-over  a narrator or announcer’s voice heard
over a commercial or program.
white coat rule  an FCC rule that prohibits actors
from wearing white lab coats while pitching a medical
product unless it is clearly stated that the actor is
not a physician or related professional.
wild shot  a camera shot taken without accompanying
sound.
wild sound  real or natural sounds that are recorded,
as distinguished from studio sound effects.
wild track  a sound track recorded independently of
the visual track.
wild wall  a set wall that can be dismantled quickly,
usually for the insertion of a TV camera.
wind machine  a large fan used to simulate wind.
wipe  any optical effect that cleans or wipes off the
image on the screen.