Cinematography & Camera Dept. terms & slang


Aerial Shot:
An extremely high angle view of a subject usually taken from a crane or a high stationary camera position, but may also refer to a shot taken from an actual airplane or helicopter. (Production).

Anamorphic:
An optical system having different magnifications in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the image

Angle of View:
This is the size of the field covered by a lens, measured in degrees. However, because of the aperture masks in film, the angle of view for a given lens is generally described in terms of the height and width of a lens. (Cinematography).

Aperture:
A variable opening inside a lens that regulates the amount of light reaching the image plane. Also known as an iris. (Camera/Lighting)

Camera Angle:
The view point chosen from which to photograph a subject. (Cinematography)

Camera Blocking:
The process of notating the changing position of the camera, lens size, and focus during a particular scene. (Production)

Camera Log:
A record sheet giving details of the scenes or shots photographed on a particular roll of negative.

Camera Wedges:
Small wooden wedges, usually 4 inches long by 1/2 wide at the thickest end. (Camera)

Canted Frame:
Often described as a 'Dutch Angle' or 'Dutching'. This is a device or process whereby the camera is angled so that the horizontal frame line is not parallel to the horizon. (Production)

CC Filters:
Color compensating filters made in precise density values of the primary and secondary colors (Cinematography)

Cinemascope:
A trade name for a system of anamorphic widescreen projection.(Cinematography)

CP Filters:
Color printing filters made in precise density values for the colors; yellow, cyan, and magenta. (Cinematography)

Deep Focus:
A style of cinematography and staging that uses relatively wide angle lenses and small lens apertures by maintaining objects in the extreme background and foreground simultaneously focused. (Cinematography)

Density:
A factor which indicates the light-stopping power of a photographic image.

Depth of Field:
The amount of space within lens view which will maintain acceptable focus at given settings (i.e. camera speed, film speed, lens aperture). (Cinematography)

Dutch Angle:
This is the process where a camera is angled so that the horizontal frame line is not parallel to the horizon

FAST:
The camera assistant's motto. Everything he/she must do before each shot (Focus, Aperture, Shutter, Tach). (Camera)

Focus Pull:
The refocusing of a lens during a shot to keep a moving subject in focus or to change the person or object of attention. (Cinematography)

Gate:
The aperture assembly at which the film is exposed in a camera, printer, or projector.

Iris:
A variable aperture that controls exposure or the amount of light which is released from a lighting unit. (Camera/Lighting)

Iris Wipe:
A wipe effect in the form of an expanding or diminishing circle.

Latitude:
The range between overexposure and underexposure in which a film will still produce usable images. (Camera)

Lexan:
A plastic sheeting material, available in varying widths, that is optically clear and used to protect camera personnel from explosions or the results of other action. (Grip/Camera)

Neutral Density (ND):
Colorless filters that reduce the amount of light in controlled degrees. (Camera/Lighting)

Noir:
Usually refers to the classic black and white film noir style used in detective mysteries, typically employing hard lighting and dark, low key lighting. (Camera/Lighting)

Obie:
An eyelight mounted on the camera. (Camera/Lighting)

Pan:
A horizontal movement of a camera on a fixed axis.

Reverse Angle:
A shot that is turned approximately 180 degrees in relation to the preceding shot. (Cinematography)

Riser:
(1) A cylindrical metal device placed between the dolly head and the camera base to raise the camera. (2) A prebuilt platform used to raise the set, camera, or lights. (Grip/Lighting)

T Stop:
A true f/stop as opposed to one dereived mathematically. It is the actual light transmission of a lens as measured on an optical bench. (Camera)

Western Dolly:
A plywood dolly, with four large soft tires, which is used as a camera dolly on smooth floors or on plywood. It is also used to transport other equipment. (Camera/Grip)

Zoom:
An optical effect in which the image rapidly grows larger or smaller as though the camera is moving closer or away from its subject.

Camera Department Slang
1 & 2 – usually used as short-hand by the director of photography (DP) to mean the first mark and the second mark of a camera move
Air – compressed canned air
AKS – an abbreviation used to refer to a miscellaneous collection of tools or equipment. Stands for “all kinds of stuff” or “all kinds of s***”
Babies – small tripod legs; also baby sticks, baby legs
Chammyan eyepiece chamois used to cover the eye-cup of the viewfinder; made of cloth or animal skin.
Crossing – phrase used to inform the camera operator when you walk in front of the lens
Dirt – a sand bag
Ditty Bag – refers to a toolbag used to store the essentials for a camera assistant that is often carried around with the camera or lenses
Dumb Side – looking in the same direction as the lens, the right side of the camera
Dutch – to tilt the camera diagonally at a canted angle
EVF – Electronic View Finder
Gaff – gaffer’s tape
Hard Tapea metal tape measure
Jam – to sync, usually timecode
M.O.S. – to shoot without any sound being recorded; refers to Minus Optical Strip or Minus Optical Sound
Portcap – the cover for the lens hole on a camera
QRP – quick release plate
Sand – a sand bag
Second Sticks – a call made by/to inform the 2nd assistant camera (AC) that the clap of the slate sticks was not properly captured the first time and is needed again
Shammyan eyepiece chamois. See “chamois”
Sharps – focus, used as a noun.
Smart Side – looking in the same direction as the lens, the left side of the camera
Softie – the first AC or focus puller
Soft Tape – a cloth tape measure
Tapthe monitor or viewing system connected to the camera

T-Stops – similar to f-stops, t-stops are the measurement of light coming into the lens while compensating the amount of light lost within the lens


No comments:

Post a Comment