Film-Related Terms
Academy Players Directory: This is a Hollywood directory of actors. It shows actors' headshots and lists how to reach them, usually via an agent or manager specified by the actor. Actors must be union or be represented by a union agent to get listed, and the actor pays for the listing, which is inexpensive and worth it. A casting director can be told by telephone that an actor is on page xxx of the directory. There are four volumes to this directory, which is reprinted three times a year. The volumes list the following: leading women and ingenues, leading men and younger leading men, character men & character women, and kids. My advice is to list as both character and lead and pay a year in advance for all three issues, but only after moving to L.A.
Action: The director's cue to the actors to begin the scene. They don't yell 'lights, camera, action, anymore. These days it goes like this: The 1st Assistant Director yells "We are rolling." The camera operator repeats "rolling," and the film begins to roll. The clapper/loader claps the slate in front of the camera, which specifies which scene is being shot, and says 'marking.' The clap of the slate will be used to synchronize picture and sound later. The soundman will say "speed." The director will yell "background action," and the extras will begin to move. Then the director says "action," and the actors do their stuff.
A.D.: Short for Assistant Director. The A.D. is the 1st A.D., the one who co-ordinates the hundreds of details involved in a day's shooting, thus freeing the director to be creative. Some of the good ones might make as much as $10,000 a week. There is also a Second Assistant Director, who is primarily an extras wrangler. On some days with big crowd scenes there may also be a 'second second.'
ADR: Additional Dialogue Replacement. A voice-over narration added to a film is an example of this.
AFI: American Film Institute, a conservatory-type film school located in LA. They have an agreement with the Screen Actor's Guild which lets them use volunteer SAG actors for free in their student films in return for giving the actors copies of the film for use as a demo tape. A good deal for actors new to the area, who might actually be working for the next George Lucas.
AFL-CIO: The American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations, the umbrella labor organization of which SAG, AEA, and AFTRA are a part.
AFTRA: The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. This is the union which represents actors and other artists who work on television and radio. This union also represents non-artists such as newsmen, who in this author's opinion belong in NABET, covered later.
Age Range: The range in the ages of characters which an actor can play believably. The actors real age is usually somewhere in this range, but not always.
Anamorphic Lens: Camera lens that distorts a wide image to fit on a narrower 35mm frame of film; the film projector that later presents the film to audiences must then also have an anamorphic lens to reproportion the image to fit on the wider screen
ASL: Acronym for "American Sign Language."
Aspect Ratio: The width divided by the height of a film/TV screen. Modern TVs and pre-1950 films typically have an aspect ratio of 1.33; films made after 1950 typically have one ranging from 1.66 to 2.35
ATA: Association of Talent Agents, a professional association created for establishing professional standards for talent agents, as well as for sharing information and promoting common self-interests.
Atmosphere: The extras in a film/TV production who appear in a scene to help establish the time, place, or mood of a scene.
Audition: Sometimes called an interview or a casting, an audition is a display of an actor's product to a potential buyer, usually a casting director.
"Avail": A non-binding term for an actor who is available (and usually eager) for a role.
Background: Human beings, also known as extras, who provide a kind of animated wallpaper as a setting for actors.
Backstage: The weekly New York show business journal which contains audition notices and other information of interest, mainly to New York actors, but also to others.
Back-up: An actor held in reserve as a possible replacement for another actor.
Best Boy: The one who keeps the time cards of the crew members, as well as a rolodex of possible replacements and supplementary help, sort of like a foreman's "trusty." There is a Best Boy, Gaffer and a Best Boy Grip.
Billing: Giving written credit where credit is supposedly due, either above the title, in opening credits as the film or TV show begins, or as the ending credits roll, in that order of an actor preference.
Bio: A short, narrative form of a resume usually found in press releases or theatre programs. Actors usually write their own.
Blocking: The physical movement of an actor or actors from point to point in a scene. In film and TV these points are called "marks" and consist of two pieces of tape on the floor in the shape of a "T." An actor hits his mark when he stops at the "T."
Blue Screen: The monochromatic screen a film/TV actor performs in front of when the actor's image is to be later manipulated or superimposed by special effects editors.
Booking: A binding agreement between an actor and a producer for the actor to play a certain role.
Boom: A long pole used to maneuver overhead microphones.
Breakaway: A prop or part of a set which gives the appearance of being solid but actually shatters or breaks off easily for effect.
Breakdown: Not an actor's personal problem, rather the detailed description of the roles being cast in a production.
Beauty Shot: The final glamorous shot in a soap opera, over which credits are rolled, while neglected women start craving chocolate.
Buyout: Payment in advance in lieu of residuals, usually for commercials.
Buzzer: sound device used in a film/TV production that, with a single long tone, cues everyone to be quiet for a scene, and with two shorter tones, indicates that scene has finished shooting.
Call Back: A follow-up audition offered an actor who has had a sufficiently promising first audition.
Call Sheet: Master schedule for all cast and crew in a film/TV production. A list of all required personnel and the times at which they are to report to the set. Issued daily by the production staff, usually with a copy for everyone listed on the sheet.
Call Time: The time at which an actor by contract must arrive on the set. Issued daily by the production staff.
Cast Album: An audio recording featuring music from a live musical theatre production (not to be confused with "soundtrack").
Cast Party: Party for cast (and often crew) of a theatrical production, typically after the final performance.
Casting Director: A purchasing agent, usually a woman, hired by the producer to go shopping for the best available deals on actors.
Cattle Call: An open audition which usually turns into a mob scene of hopefuls. No one enjoys these things.
Clapboard - two pieces of wood that are slammed together at the beginning of a scene, for the purpose of facilitating the later synchronization of picture and sound in the editing process
Client: What the actor (supposedly) is to an agent. Also, what an actor (supposedly) is to the State worker interviewing the actor in the unemployment office.
Close-up (CU): The shot a actor comes to love the best, the one of just his or her face. Actually, the camera is your friend, so don't worry. They'll make you look good.
Cold Reading: The reading aloud of a script without much chance to prepare. 'Cold' is how you feel inside under those circumstances. The more you read it, the warmer you get.
Commission: The percentage of an actor's wages paid to the actor's agent
Composite: Several photos of an actor in different situations, used mostly for modeling and print-work, and sometimes for commercials.
Conflict: Something that can cause an actor to be unavailable at a certain time. This can also be true after the fact. If an actor does a commercial for one product, this becomes a contractual conflict for doing a commercial for a competing product while the first product is still being aired.
Copy: The words to a commercial script, as in "This copy is idiotic!"
Cover Letter: What you should write when you send a headshot to someone, in order to personalize the transaction and thus reduce the chances of the headshot being circular filed.
Covering: Inadvertent blocking of the audience's or camera's view of another actor.
Craft Services: The folks who fix the food on the set. Careful, it is possible to munch all day long and gain much weight.
Crane Shot: Using a crane to shoot the scene from overhead, sometimes with a sweeping motion to give a real "bird's eye view."
Crawl: The misnomer for how credits are shown at the end of a film or TV show. Credits actually scurry, rather than crawl, up the screen.
Credits: This term can refer either to the actually work an actor or technician has done in the past, or to the written acknowledgement on the screen of the work he or she did on a particular project.
Cue: For an actor, the signal to do your stuff.
Cue Card: Poster with large type used to help actors remember their lines in a live TV production.
Cutaway: A shot which "cuts away" from a scene to show something else and then returns.
Dailies: These used to be called rushes because they were unedited film footage which were rushed to the lab to see if the footage was good before moving on to other shots. Now they are called "dailies," perhaps to reduce stress. They are usually watched by the director and producer first thing in the morning before beginning other shots to make sure they got what they needed the previous day.
Daily Variety: The L.A. trade publication which comes out week-days. More for industry executives than for actors, this paper reads something like an inter-office memo of the film and TV industries. They love cute headlines like "Webs Nix Pic's Tricks," as an example, which in English means that the TV networks have said "no" to something they consider offensive in a film and will not air it.
Day-Player: An actor hired for less than a week, the kind of work you will get at first. On your resume, "day player" will become "featured."
Daytime Drama: A kind of television program made with bored women in mind. The sponsors of these programs were often manufacturers of products which were once very meaningful for women, such as laundry detergent, and hence the name 'soap operas.' New York still has the edge on L.A. in the number of these which get made.
Dealer Commercial: A commercial made and paid for by a national company, then offered to local or regional dealers, who buy their own air time and air the commercial locally with their owns names inserted, or 'tagged' on to the end, eg. 'Now available at Harry's Honda!'
Demo-Tape: Demonstration tape. Either an audio or a video-tape made of portions of an actors work and used for promotional and audition purposes.
DGA: The Director's Guild of America, the union which represents Directors, Assistant Directors and Unit Production Managers.
Dialect: Misnomer for an accent, dialect is actually a branch of language which uses different words and expressions, but you'll still hear in this business talking about a 'southern dialect' instead of a southern accent.
Dialogue: Actually, a verbal change between at least two characters, but used in show business to refer to any words spoken by an actor.
Director: In film and TV, the person whose primary job is to tell the story in pictures. The Director, not the Director of Photography, chooses camera angle, lens, and composition of the shot. In theatre, film, and Director is also the person who coordinates all artistic elements in artistic vision, or at least is supposed to do that.
Dolly: A kind of cart, pushed by a person called a dolly grip, which carries the camera smoothly forward or backward on a track. A dolly shot brings the spectator to what is being filmed, while a zoom seems to bring the subject to the spectator.
Donut: A change which is inserted into a commercial rather than at the end of it.
Double: A performer who resembles another performer and is used in his or her place, as in "stunt-double."
Downgrade: The reduction of an actor to an extra. This is not allowed by the union. Verbal downgrading behind another's back is a constant part of show business, however.
D.P.: The Director of Photography, also called the cinematographer. The D.P.'s job is to light the set. Gaffers and grips, covered later, report to him.
Drama-Logue: L.A.'s equivalent of Backstage. A weekly newspaper containing casting notices, reviews, and articles about the industry. A must for the L.A. actor.
Dressing the Set: Adding furniture, props, and whatever else is necessary to make the set look realistic.
Drive-on-pass: Written permission to drive a vehicle onto a studio lot or film set.
Drop/pickup: A type of contract which allows a film production to hire an actor, lay him off, and then rehire him again on the same film. This doesn't happen very much. Usually actors are paid for those in-between days even though they are not actually working.
Dupe: A duplicate of a film or tape.
Eight by Ten (8xlO): A photograph 8x10 inches used for audition purposes.
Eighteen to play younger: The description of an actor who is at least eighteen years old, and thus is not subject to child labor laws, but who looks younger and can convincingly play a younger character.
Electrician: The electrician on a film is called the gaffer. Electricians hang and focus lights and plug things in.
Emancipated Minor: A kid who has been given permission by the courts to make his or her own decisions, and for the most part has the legal status of an adult.
Employer of Record (EOR): Professional accounting organizations responsible for issuing checks and W2s to actors.
Equity: The term by which Actors' Equity Association is usually referred.
Equity Waiver: As in "Equity Waiver Contract" or "Equity Waiver Theatre." These are small L.A. theatres seating 99 or less which do not have to comply with most provisions of regular equity contracts. Actors usually work in these theatres trying to showcase themselves for film work.
Exclusivity: Sole rights granted by an actor to an agent, or by an actor to a commercial producer with regard to not making commercials for competitive products.
Executive Producer: The person who puts the financial deal together to get a film or TV program made.
Exhibit A: The part of the AFTRA Network Code which covers prime time TV, AFTRA's equivalent of SAG's Basic Television Agreement for TV shows shot on film.
EXT.: Exterior. A scene which is to be shot outside.
Extras: Human beings who are treated like cattle. Experienced extras keep their sense of humor, bring lawn chairs and a deck of cards, something to read, or some paperwork to do.
Field Rep: Someone from the AFTRA or SAG office who visits the set to insure that producers are complying with their contracts.
First Refusal: A non-binding courtesy extended to a producer with regard to an actor's availability. The actor gives the producer "first refusal" before accepting another job.
Five out of Seven: A five-day work week which does not necessarily begin on Monday.
Fixed Cycle: A thirteen-week period for which a commercial producer pays an actor for the use of his image tape or film.
Flipper: False teeth for kids with baby teeth.
Force Majeure: A legal term used to describe the right to cancel an actor's contract under catastrophic conditions (e.g., a labor strike or natural disaster)
Forced Call: A requirement to return to the set less than 15 hours after being dismissed. This results in an actor getting an extra whole day's pay!
Foreign Replay: Re-runs outside the U.S. and Canada for which actors are paid residuals.
Four "A's": Associated Actors and Artists of America. A mini-umbrella organization inside the AFL/CIO comprised of the performers' union.
Franchised Agent: An agent AEA, AFTRA, or SAG approved as a certified good person. The union does a background check for a criminal record and a credit check on agents wishing to be franchised so they can represent union talent.
Free-lancing: Working without either a full-time employer or an exclusive agent, i.e. the way most actors work.
FX: The script or contract notation effects, i.e. special effects.
Gaffer: The gaffer is the chief electrician on a film crew who reports directly to the Director of Photography. A gaffer is one of his crew members.
General Interview: An audition for a casting director, but with no specific project in mind. An actor requests this in the hope that he or she will be remembered by the casting director at a later time when something comes along for which the actor is "right." Casting directors may grant general interviews when they are not busy with other things.
Glossy: An 8x10 headshot with a shiny finish.
Gofer: Someone, usually attached to the productions office, who runs errands, goes fer things.
Golden Time: This is overtime after the 16th hour on the set.
Grip: A cross between a construction worker and a moving man. A grip is a crew member who moves pieces of the set around, and either moves or builds things for the electricians to hang lights on. It should be noted that not all grips are Neanderthals.
Guaranteed Billing: The type and position of credit given an actor for a performance, usually negotiated into an actor's contract by an agent. eg. An opening credit with "Guest Star" billing.
Hand Model: Someone with photogenic hands for commercials. There is money in this, and also for hair, teeth, and occasionally feet.
HAU: acronym for "Hebrew Actors' Union"
Headshot: Black and white photo of an actor facing the camera, usually from the neck up, occasionally from the waist up.
Hiatus: The period in which a TV show is not in production. (To say that an actor is in hiatus is usually an unnecessary redundancy; it is one of the basic assumptions of the industry.)
Hold: A binding, contractual stipulation that an actor be available for a job.
Holding Fee: What an actor is paid for the above. Money paid an actor to guarantee availability until a television show/series begins or resumes production.
Hollywood Reporter: "Daily Variety's" competitor, as "Newsweek" is to "Time."
Honey Wagon: A towed vehicle where you find the toliets.
House Lights - the soft lights that illuminate the audience in a theatre
IAU: acronym for "Italian Actors' Union"
Industrial: A non-broadcast film or tape used primarily for educational or training purposes. Also called training films and corporates.
Inserts: A shot which will be inserted into other footage, perhaps of hands doing something, or of an object important to the story. Directors will sometimes shoot an insert first thing in the morning so that when studio execs come to work they will hear that a production has already gotten its first shot of the day. The director hopes that the execs will therefore not come down to the set and hassle them.
INT.: Interior. Script notation for an indoor location. Every scene in a screenplay is noted DAY or NIGHT, INT. or EXT.
In-Time: The time an actor or crew member is due, or due back, on the set. Same as call-time.
Lift: Using, or 'lifting' footage from one project to the another. Often done with commercials.
Liquidated Damages: What producers owe to actors, et al, when they don't fulfill their contractual obligations. Unions usually require a bond to make sure actors get paid this money.
LOA: Acronym for "Letter of Agreement"
Long Shot: (LS) This doesn't refer to an actors chance for success, but rather to a camera angle which shows the actors whole body, as opposed, say, to a close-up, or a 'two-shot' which shows two actors from about the waist up. This last shot, by the way, is called 'an American shot' in France.
Looping: Matching sound to picture in a post production studio.
LORT - acronym for "League of Resident Theatres"
Manager: Granada prenotazione alberghiWith respect to actors, this person is something between a sales representative and a therapist. This person may not negotiate a contract for an actor. An agent or a lawyer must do that. Since managers are not regulated by the unions, he or she may charge more than a 10% commission on an actor's earnings. Nevertheless, many actors, especially stars, have managers.
Matching: This term refers to the casting of actors whose physicality matches, in casting a family, for instance.
Meal Penalty: A monetary bonus paid by the producer to union actors or union extras for not feeding them within six hours of their call.
Monologue: In show biz, any speech by a single actor. Playwrights write monologues for exposition purposes. Actors use them for audition purposes. Hint: Think of a monologue as an outburst, and know what caused it.
MOS: "Mit out sound," as imported German directors used to say in the thirties. Also stands for "motion only shot," which amounts to the same thing.
M.O.W.: Movie of the Week. A two-hour, made for TV movie comprised of six acts and five cliff-hangers which get followed by commercials. The themes are usually about some topical issue, a crime of the week, a disease of the week, etc.
MRE: Acronym for "More Remunerative Employment."
NABET: National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, the union to which all broadcasters should belong instead of AFTRA so as not to impede AFTRAs merger with SAG.
National Commercial: A commercial which will be aired nation wide, meaning big-bucks for the actor. Commercials which will be aired in New York or LA. are automatically considered national commercials.
Network Approval: A rare instance in which the network reserves the right to consent to the actor being cast in a certain role.
Network Code: AFTRA's contract with the networks. Among TV execs, this term might refer to their own professional standards, but actors are more concerned with the first definition.
Night Premium: A 10% bonus paid to union actors for work performed (or for being on the clock) after 8 PM.
Nomex: Fire-proof long-underwear used by stuntmen.
Off-Camera: (OC or OS for "Off-Stage"): Dialogue or sounds heard but not seen.
Out Clause: A contractual clause for someone to get out of a deal.
Out of Frame: A location which is not in view of the camera.
Out-Time: The official time when an actor is no longer on the clock. This is after an actor has changed out of wardrobe and reports back to the 2nd AD, not when the 2nd AD first says "You're wrapped." Check this out-time on the sheet as you sign out.
Overdubbing: Putting a new soundtrack over an existing one, like in a record studio for a commercial.
Overtime (OT): Usually any time on the clock over eight hours a day or forty hours a week.
Overture: Musical selection, typically a medley of tunes which the orchestra plays at the very beginning of a musical theatre production.
P&G: Proctor & Gamble. This refers to a squeaky clean, all-American, white bread WASP look in an actor.
P.A.: Production Assistant. These people are gofers with walkie talkies and fanny packs who take orders from Assistant Directors.
Pages: Parts of a script, often rewritten, containing specific scenes.
Pan: A sweeping motion of the camera, like turning your head.
Pay or Play: A clause in a contract which stipulates that you get paid even if you don't work.
Paymaster: A union-approved employer of record. Sometimes a non-union company wishing to hire a specific union actor will hire him or her through a paymaster and abide by union rules for this one actor.
Pension and Health: An additional 12% of an actor's salary a producer is required to pay towards an actor's health insurance and retirement fund.
Per Diem: Money paid by the day to actors for meals not provided by the producer, usually for breakfast and supper.
Photo-Double: An actor hired for various reasons to perform in the place of another actor because he or she looks like that actor.
Pick Up: A shot that is needed to catch up with the production schedule, usually a shot that needs to be redone.
Picked Up: Signed up. Given a contract. This applies to actors for a production, and also to TV series which get slated or renewed for a season.
Pilot: In TV jargon, the first show of a potential series which introduces the characters and the show's setting.
Players Guide: The New York equivalent of The Academy Players Directory.
Plosive(s): The letters p,b,t,d,k,g, all of which make a popping sound when pronounced. Some actors doing voice-over work turn slightly away from the microphone when speaking these letters in order to minimize this sound.
POV Shot: Point of view shot, sometimes called an over-the-shoulder shot because that is where the camera is placed. It tells the audience what a character is seeing.
Prime Time: The hours when most people watch TV, 8-11 pm EST, 7-10 CST.
Principal: An actor who either speaks, or performs special business to advance the story.
Producer: The person at whose desk the buck stops. That's why this person picks up the award for "Best Picture." This person's desk is also the place where the buck starts. He or she hires everyone in the production.
Product Conflict: A situation which an actor is contractually obligated to avoid in commercials, that of promoting two competitive products.
Production Designer: Sometime called "an Art Director who knows the producer," this person comes up with the concept, the vision of what the setting should look like. His drawing looks like art work, whereas the Art Director's drawings look like blue prints.
Prop Master: The person who finds props and keeps track of them. If you abuse a prop, this person will abuse you.
Props: Properties. Objects placed on a set for use in the story which are not part of the set decor. If the object is touched or referred to it is a prop and not a set piece.
PSA: Public Service Announcement. Note that SAG and AFTRA actors are not permitted to do these "simply as a public service" without also being paid to do them.
Quote: The money an agent asks for an actor's services. Also, any price anyone quotes for anything.
Rack Focus: Technique in which a film/TV camera lens is adjusted, so that one image in the frame is slowly brought out of focus while another image is brought into focus.
Raked Stage: A slanted theatre stage that is higher as it is farther from the audience.
Ratings: The number of people watching or listening to a certain program at a certain time.
Regional Commercial: A commercial which will be aired only in a certain area of the U.S. (There would be no point in airing a snowmobile commercial in Florida, for instance.) These commercials cost less to make and to air, and consequently actors are paid less to do them, but actors still get paid more for these than for a local commercial.
Release: The end of a contractual obligation. This term can refer to the end of a day's work, to a commercial being taken off the air and thus allowing the actor to do a commercial for a competitor, or to other provisions of a contract.
Release Letter: Most often, this refers to a letter sent by an actor to an agent telling the agent good-bye.
Rerun: The rebroadcast of a TV program.
Residual: Additional money paid to an actor when a commercial, TV show, or film is shown again, or a radio spot airs again.
Resume: Professional information which an actor attaches to the back of an 8xl0 headshot, including credits, training, etc.
Reuse: Rebroadcast of a commercial.
Rewrite: Changes in the script. In a film script, these changes use color coded paper and by the end of the shoot the script looks like a rainbow.
Right-to-Work States: States which do not permit closed-shop contracts.
Rounds: As in "making rounds." Going from place to place, dropping off headshots while bravely trying to smile.
Running Lines: The process of actors rehearsing lines (but not blocking) with one another in preparation for a more formal rehearsal or performance.
SAG - Acronym for "Screen Actors Guild."
Scale: The minimum a union actor can be paid for a job. This includes the producer's 12% contribution to the actors pension and welfare fund.
Scale plus l0(%): The actual amount it costs the producer to hire a union actor. Since to take the 10% agent's commission out of the actor's pay would mean that the actor would make less than the minimum allowed, the producer must actually pay scale plus 10. This does not apply to commercials or industrials.
Screen Test: These days, a videotape made to see how an actor would look in a certain role.
Script: The written form of a story which will be performed on stage, Screen, television or radio.
Script Supervisor: The secretary on the set, although they won't like this description. She makes a record of everything that happens on the shoot with regard to shooting the script, including such things as the type of lens used for each take, any changes in dialogue, etc, etc.
SEG: Acronym for "Screen Extras Guild."
Session Fee: Initial money paid to an actor for performing in a commercial. Residuals come later.
Set: Where the action is. This can be a specially constructed indoor scene, but the term also refers to an outdoor location where something is being filmed or taped. In the middle of a field, the AD will still say "Quiet on the set" before the camera rolls.
Set Decorator: The person directly under the Art Director who finds the necessary materials to build and decorate the set, and who supervises the swing gang in building it.
Set Teacher: Sometimes called a studio teacher. A tutor hired to teach kids on the set. Also responsible for enforcing child labor laws. Not all States require set teachers.
SFX: Notation for sound effects, not special effects, which is FX.
Short: A film with a running time under thirty minutes.
Sides: Parts of a script, used mostly for auditions and day-players.
Sight and Sound: The right of the parent of a child performer to remain within sight and sound of the child, i.e. to be on the set whether you like it or not.
Sign-in Sheet: A written record of who has auditioned. Actors auditioning for AFTRA and SAG jobs should remember to sign out as well, in that they may be entitled to compensation if kept more than an hour at the audition.
Signatory: A producer who signs a union contract.
Silent Bit: Action performed by an extra which advances the story, such as a waiter serving something to a character. This gives the extra a little more money, called a 'bump.' In a commercial, the performer might be paid as a principal for performing the same action.
Single Card: A special credit in a film or TV show in which only one actors name appears.
Sitcom: Situation Comedy.
Slate: A little chalkboard with a black and white striped clapper used to identify film or TV takes. Also a verb, in "slate yourself." This means the camera is rolling and you should slate your name and give the name of your agent if that is appropriate.
SMPTE: Acronym for "Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers."
Soap(s): See Daytime Dramas
Soundtrack: In film or TV, the separately recorded audio portion. To call an audio tape for a radio soundtrack would be a redundancy.
Special Business: A specific action of an extra or actor which advances the story. See Silent Bit.
Spot: A commercial.
SPT: Acronym for "Small Professional Theatre."
Stage Manager: In film or TV, the stage manager is a custodian/facilities manager. It is a hard thankless job, and one deserving of admiration and respect.
Standard Union Contract: A contract, previously negotiated between the unions and the producers, which stipulates minimum acceptable pay and working conditions for union actors.
Standards and Practices Department: The network censors.
Stand-In: In some countries this person is called a lighting double. A stand-in is a special extra, about the same size and coloring as a principle actor, who stands on an actor's marks and walks through the actors blocking while the lights are being set. This is a great job for someone just starting out. Since you are there to watch the shot rehearsed and set up, it is like being paid to go to film school. Work well with the crew and the director will probably give you a line in the movie, thus making you eligible for your union card.
Station 12: The part of the Screen Actors Guild which assures that actors are paid up members and clears them to work on SAG productions.
Station 15: The part of the Screen Actors Guild which assures that prospective employers of SAG talent are signatories.
Storyboard: A script in comic book form.
Studio: A room, a sound stage, a whole building, or a group of buildings used for recording, taping or filming. The plural, "the studios," refers to the seven major Hollywood film studios.
Stunt Coordinator: The person charged with the design, coordination, and supervision of stunts and other dangerous activities. These guys are usually independent contractors with their own teams of stunt folks.
Stunt-Double: A stuntman or woman who resembles a principal actor and performs a dangerous activity in that actor's place.
Submission: Offering or suggesting an actor for a role, usually done by an agent to a casting director.
Syndication: The practice of selling TV shows to individual TV stations or cable companies rather than to the networks.
Taft-Hartly: As in "We can Taft-Hartly you." The practice of allowing non-union actors to work on a union project provided that the actor subsequently joins the union as stipulated by certain provisions of the Taft-Hartly Act.
Tag: An announcement which is "tagged" to, or added to, the beginning or end of a commercial or TV show, as in "Now available at XYZ Superstore, right here in town!"
Take: A shot, as in "take a picture." A "take" is the filming of, or videotaping of, an action sequence. The sequence may have to be re-shot many times, ie. will require many takes, before they get what they want.
Teleprompter: Actually a brand name. A piece of equipment which scrolls text upward, allowing the narrator to read it while looking at the camera.
Test Market: There are many business connotations for this term, but for an actor's purposes let us say that this term refers to airing a commercial in only one market to test its effectiveness. If successful, the commercial may then be aired in other markets, resulting in more money for the actor.
Theatrical: TV or film work, rather than corporate or commercial work. Some actors have a theatrical agent and a commercial agent.
Three Quarter (3/4") tape: Video tape for professional use. Something may be shot on " tape and then duplicated onto " tape for viewing on regular VCRs.
Tight Shot: A close up of something, either an actors face or an object, etc. "Go in tight on his hand."
Trades: Publications geared for people who work in the entertainment industry.
Turnaround: For an actor, this term refers to the time between actual dismissal and his or her call time the next day. For a producer, this term refers to a place in development hell where the deal for his picture has been bought by someone else who, undoubtedly, will have a whole new set of demands.
Two-shot: A medium shot showing two characters from the waist up.
Type: The physical "look" of an actor based on gender, age, ethnic/cultural, and occupation.
Typecasting: Casting a role based on physical appearance more than acting skill.
TYA: Acronym for "Theatre for Young Audiences."
Under five (U-5): In an AFT tract a principal role which is less than five lines.
Upgrade: Promotion from an extra to a principal.
Use Cycle: The thirteen week period during which a commercial is actually used, or aired, as opposed to a holding cycle, which has different contactual provisions.
VHS: Acronym for "video home system," a format for recording and playing video and sound on a cartridge containing 1/2-inch magnetic tape.
VLA: Acronym for "Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts."
Voice Over (VO): An audio ring where the actor is heard but not seen.
VTR: Acronym for "video tape recorder," a reel-to-reel device for recording and playing sound and video on magnetic tape.
Waivers: Board-approved exceptions to union contracts.
Walk-on: A real small role where you walk off real soon after you walk on.
Walla Walla: Fake background noise to simulate crowd mutterings. The words "rhubarb" and "plastic avocado," are also used.
Wardrobe: Both the costumes or clothes an actor wears, and the place where he goes to get them and later to turn them back in.
Wardrobe Allowance: Money you get paid, if you are a principal, for wearing your own stuff. Extras don't get paid for this unless it's formal wear.
Wardrobe Fitting: Going over to wardrobe to get your costume, then trying it on and letting them put pins in it where it needs to be altered. You get paid for this unless you are making above scale.
WGA: Writers Guild of America. The union for film and TV writers.
Widescreen: Any film format with an aspect ratio of at least 1.66.
Wild Spot:five star hotel in Gdansk The equivalent of syndication for commercials, ie. commercials which are aired on a station-by-station agreement rather than aired on the networks.
Wild Track: An audio recording not made at the same time as a filmed sequence and not having a direct relationship to it.
Work Permit: Written permission to work, usually required for children and immigrants.
Wrap: The end of a day's work and/or the end of a production, especially the latter. The expression comes from wrapping up a can of shot film for shipment.
Zed Card: A modelling composite.
Zoom: A camera lens which can mechanically adjust from a close-up to a long shot and vice versa without moving the camera. "Zooming in" has the effect of making the object seem to rush to the audience, zooming out of making the audience "rocket away" from the object. The dolly shot has the opposite effect.