Dallas Movie Theatres.com : Terms & Definitions

Movie Terms And Definitions

Location
Production Term; A place outside the studio where a picture or part of it is filmed. Not to be confused with setting and often referred to as on-location. Scouted in advance by the Location Manager.

Picture Car
On-Set Term; Any car you see in a movie used as a prop. Some period piece filmmakers can't afford the cost of filling scenes with prop cars from the pertinent era, so they simply avoid filming a moving car covering multiple streets to cut down on costs.

Screwed
Industry Term; What one might be if they don't Make the day on a low budget film. See Making the Day. Screwed can also apply to many other on-set situations. Watch the show, you'll see.

Character Motivation
Writing Term; Motivation is what guides the actions of the characters - that element within their characterization that compels them to act in the way the part is written. When an actor is being fussy with the director, or disagrees with the way their part is written they might ask What is my motivation?

Day for Night
On-Set Term; See also Night for Day. For example, a kid can't work past 12.30 PM but you've got a big night scene to do with him. You black out the windows and shoot day for night.

Production
Industry Term; Usually refers to principal photography, but can cover the period in time from when a script gets a Greenlight through shooting.

Extras Coordinator
Player; In charge of wrangling, taking care of, and controlling the extras, their paperwork, costuming, props, etc. This involves getting them in position and readying them for their respective scenes.

Rig
On-Set Term; To mount an object such as a light or a camera onto another object in a way that insures its stability.

Art Director
Player; the person who works along side the Production Designer to design the set. Sometimes the Art Director has to build the sets or will use an existing location and decorate it to look like the set the Director has envisioned. Works with the prop master to manage set properties or props. Low Budget films often don't utilize an Art Director.

Backend
Industry Term; Profit participation or moneys received after a film is released. The backend is usually worked out during Pre-Production and is performance-based compensation vs. up front payment.

Script
- Writing Term; See screenplay. In terms of filmmaking, the written text of a screenplay. The Shooting Script is the script with all it's revisions that's used in production.

Sides
- Pre-Production Term; Audition material, pages of scenes from the script (or another script) that the actor reads while auditioning. Also, can be enlarged text from a script held off to the side of the set (out of range of camera) to assist actors in remembering lines.

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Did You Know?

The ratings include G for general audiences
All ages; PG for parental guidance suggested because some material may not be suited for kids; PG-13 for parental caution on material inappropriate for kids under 13; R for restricted, those under 17 need an adult along; and the rarely used NC-17, which is the equivalent of the defunct X rating and means no one under 17 is allowed into the theater.