Glossary of Terms - under construction!
[T] = Theme Park term, [F] = Film-making term
| 4K | |
| ADR [F] | Automated Dialogue Replacement. Also known as 'looping' this is the process where actors re-record their lines after original filming, either because the original production sound was not up to standard or due to external factors (aircraft noise in a period piece) which weren't noticed at the time of filming. |
| Animations | The department at Universal which takes care of the moving elements of tour attractions (e.g. Jaws, King Kong, Fast & the Furious etc.). |
| Artist | |
| Art Director | |
| Atmosphere | |
| Audio | Sound heard by the audience during an attraction. This is tightly controlled, to ensure only sound relevant to that part of the ride is audible, and also to exclude sounds from the outside world where possible. |
| Backdrop | |
| Backlot | The part of the movie studio consisting of landscaped areas and buildings used as a location for filming. See also Frontlot. |
| Best Boy | |
| Bluescreen | See also Greenscreen. |
| Bump | A member of ride crew that replaces a crew member just coming to the end of their shift. |
| CinemaScope | System for horizontally squashing a scene onto standard 35mm film, a stretching it to fit a wide screen in the theater. Uses a ratio of 2.35:1 (originally 2.66:1). |
| Clapboard | (also known as a Clapperboard) |
| Closed Set | |
| Commissary | |
| Cut! | |
| Dark Ride | |
| Digital Projection | |
| Dressed Set | |
| Elephant Doors | |
| Exterior | |
| Facade | |
| Faux Fire | |
| Flame Retardant Suit | A piece of clothing designed to be worn by actors and stunt performers which protects the body from flame and does not burn. |
| Foley | |
| Front Lot | The part of the movie studio consisting of soundstages, workshops and office accommodation. See also Backlot. |
| Front Projection | |
| Gimbal | |
| GlamorTram | (Universal Studios Hollywood) Distinctive Red/White striped tram vehicle designed specifically for the Universal Studios tour in 1964. More information about GlamorTrams. |
| Greenscreen | See Bluescreen. |
| Grip | |
| HD | |
| Hot Set | |
| Intercut | |
| Interior | |
| Key Grip | See also Grip, Best Boy |
| Laser | Acronym of "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation"................. |
| Laser disk | |
| LIM | Linear Induction Motors |
| Live Action | |
| Location | |
| Looping | See ADR. |
| Motion Base | |
| Musion | |
| Nomex | (Dupont Trade name) Inherently flame-retardant fibrous material used to make clothing for stunt work and for protection from fire. |
| Optical Printer | |
| Panavision | |
| Picture Car | Vehicle used on camera during a movie shoot. Usually provided by a specialist company. |
| Post | Short for 'Post-Production'. |
| Post-Production | The final phase of the production process, following principal photography, when special effects are added, the sound track is mixed, start and end credit sequences and other finishing touches are added. |
| Principal Photography | The main phase of production involving the main actors being filmed. Pre-production (planning, set construction, location scouting etc.) precedes principal photography, and post-production follows. |
| Pre-Production | |
| Pre-Viz | Short for Pre-Visualisation. A computer-generated model of a complex action sequence, enabling director, actors, stunt co-ordinators and cinematographers to plan |
| Props | |
| Pyrotechnics | |
| Rear Projection | |
| Rollercoaster | |
| Rotoscope | |
| Rushes | |
| Scenic Design | |
| Show Control | |
| SMPTE [T] [F] | Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Usually refers
to a standard timecode format used to synchronise equipment. [T] The timecode is transmitted by a show control computer and other devices (lighting control, sound playback, fire effects etc.] operate as programmed at their allotted time, as long as other safety devices confirm that it's safe to do so. [F] The timecode is generated by the film/video recorder, and other equipment (e.g. sound recording) is automatically synchronised to the timecode, ensuring audio/video is played back in synch. |
| Solid State | |
| Sound Stage | |
| Special Effects | |
| Spiel | The script that an attraction host uses during the ride. Examples are the studio tour guide script and the Special Effects stages script. |
| Squib | A small electrically-detonated explosive charge used to simulate bullet hits. |
| Staff Shop [F] | Construction department which uses staff (a mixture of plaster of paris and hemp fibres) moulds to make a massive variety of set dressing items from fiberglass (e.g. scenic columns). |
| Stage | |
| Steadicam | |
| Strike | Striking a set refers to the process of removing the set pieces from the stage. |
| Struck Set | |
| Stunts | |
| Take | |
| Technical | |
| Technicolor | |
| Technocrane | |
| Telecine | |
| Timecode | See SMPTE. |
| Video Village | Area on (or near) the film set with video monitors feeding views from the film cameras, enabling the director to see everything that's being shot and keep the proceedings moving forwards in comfort. |
| Vistavision | |
| Walla | |
| Wig Wag Lights | Red fire-truck type light found beside the entrace to a soundstage. When the light is on, filming is underway inside. |
| Wild Walls | |
| Wild | A set or large prop that has removable sections to allow the camera access can be "wilded". |