D

Log, Working Copy

(See Choreographer)

A little-known film that achieved significant success, largely during the awards season. Moonlight was a dark horse that beat out La La Land to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

Dawn

Day

American Night

A schedule showing the dates and times an actor is scheduled to work.

Everyday Actor

Daytime Shooting

A technique in which daytime footage is made to appear on screen as if it were shot at night by using different lenses, filters, special lighting, and underexposure.

Daylight

It refers to the color temperature of sunlight, which is 5,400K on the color temperature scale (it varies throughout the day, being higher at noon and lower in the early or late hours of the day). Color film for outdoor shooting is balanced for daylight; otherwise, the image will appear bluish. If daylight-balanced film is used indoors without a correction filter, the image will appear orange.

A comedic device in which a performer adopts an expressionless demeanor to deliver comedic lines or performances. Leslie Nielsen and Buster Keaton were known for their famous deadpan deliveries.

Agreement

A clause in a contract that would render the contract void if one of the parties fails to accept it.

A brief written statement that outlines the main points of an agreement in clear language. This statement is binding on the parties until the official contract is drafted and signed.

Decibel

A cinematographic technique that depicts a large depth of field. Wide-angle lenses are used with small aperture settings to create sharp focus on both distant and nearby planes within the same shot.

A cinematic style in which various key elements of a scene are positioned at points both very close to and far from the camera. This means that the characters in the shot occupy a large spatial range, so they may sometimes appear to be lost within a vast expanse. Deep space can be achieved by establishing a very long z-axis that opens up the current scene. Often, deep space is combined with deep focus, which requires having image planes that appear in focus at the same time. However, for deep framing, these objects do not necessarily have to be in focus. Being situated in deep space is the opposite of being situated in flat space.

Expenses whose payment is deferred to a more appropriate time. Or, by agreement between the parties, payments deferred until after the film has generated a certain amount of revenue.

2) A lens’s ability to capture fine details.

If a page in a completed and paginated screenplay is not to be shot, the preceding and following pages should indicate that the page is to be omitted (page 24 omitted). This eliminates the need to renumber the pages.

If a scene is not to be shot, indicate this in the screenplay to avoid having to renumber the scenes (scene 124 omitted).

The point that immediately follows a film’s climax, where the entire plot is resolved. It is usually the final scene of a film and is also known as the resolution.

Density

Polarizing Filter

Depth of Field

Depth of Field

The process of removing or lightening certain colors in film using filters in front of the camera lens or through chemical processes in the lab. Some negatives naturally produce a faded appearance in certain colors.

This term refers to colors with reduced brightness and vibrancy. Desaturated colors have a reduced hue resulting from the reduction of a portion of their original color. Complementary colors are colors that lie opposite each other on the color wheel. When mixed together, two complementary colors reduce each other’s saturation toward gray; in other words, they desaturate each other.

Typically a 2,000-watt spot with a Fresnel lens.

The resolution of a story is essentially brought about by a force from above. It generally refers to a clumsy, contrived, or illogical intervention—one that comes from outside a character’s actions and relieves the tension through something other than the character’s own actions. The “World War Bacteria” could be an example of a deus ex machina—a cliché to be avoided.

2) The first steps in a film production: acquiring the rights to the story, writing the screenplay, creating the production schedule, drawing up the budget, scouting locations, meeting with the director and lead actors, and, in the case of independent productions (INDEPENDENT PRODUCTIONS), securing the necessary funding for production.

2) The person responsible for overseeing the process described above.

The process of working through a screenplay in detail, with the hope of obtaining approval for production.

An agreement reached between a studio or production company and a producer, director, or writer regarding one or more film projects.

Abbreviation for Directors Guild of America

A person training to become a second assistant director (SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) at the Directors Guild of America (DGA). Each year, only about two dozen candidates out of more than 1,500 applicants are accepted into this program, which requires passing both a written and an oral exam.

A splice made by cutting the magnetic tape diagonally to prevent the "bloop" sound that can occur when splicing.

A sound engineer’s term referring to the mechanical adjustment of sound during recording and mixing. “To dial out” or “pot it out” means to remove unwanted sounds.

A person who trains an actor to use the appropriate diction and/or accent for their character.

Dialogue

A crew member assigned to help actors pronounce their lines correctly or learn a dialect.

A sound editor specializing in dialogue editing.

Dialogue Track

Aperture

A glass or gelatin blue filter used to convert the reddish light of tungsten or halogen bulbs into daylight.

It refers to content that is realistic or plausible—such as music playing on a character’s radio—or, more generally, content that appears within or arises naturally from a film’s narrative elements (spoken dialogue, other sounds, and action).

Soft, Diffused Light

Distributor Filter

The softening or reduction of the intensity of light. This is achieved by placing a transparent sheet made of silk or lace, or a diffuser, in front of the light source to reduce shadows.

See COMPUTER GRAPHICS.

A person who provides on-set quality control, image manipulation, and color correction, ensures production continuity, troubleshoots issues, and offers consultation to help fulfill the cinematographer’s requirements and vision.

A film shot using digital video. Post-production is then carried out using video editing methods, which completely eliminates the need for 35mm film.

A rheostat used to increase or decrease the current flowing to an electrical device (usually a light).

Abbreviation for “Deutsche Industrie Norm.” A film sensitivity measurement system used in Europe. See ASA.

A small spot light rated at 100–200 watts.

A diopter is a component of the camera’s optical system that can be adjusted to accommodate your individual vision, allowing you to see the viewfinder clearly.

Proksar

A miniature model of a set.

A technique for recording sound simultaneously with the video.

In cinematographic terms, use light and shadow—through lighting and composition—to emphasize what is important within the frame.

Directions given in the screenplay by the writer, on set by the director, or to extras by the assistant director regarding how a scene should be shot, the style of movement, and the rhythm.

Directional Microphone

The direction in which characters and objects move within the frame. When defining screen orientation.

Director

Director of Photography

Director’s Cut, First Cut

It is a national labor organization in Canada that represents all key creative and logistical personnel in the film industry, including directors, production designers, accountants, producers, and editors.

The association of directors, assistant directors, and production managers in the United States.

A black-and-white copy of the working print. See ONE LIGHT PRINT.

An accounting department employee who covers the expenses for a film at the direction of the studio or a group of investors.

The process of adapting a book or play by removing objectionable elements (such as profanity, sexuality, or violence) and altering story elements to make it more acceptable, entertaining, predictable, and suitable for a wider audience. First implemented by Disney Studios in the 1950s; it is now used as a derogatory term to describe how popular culture has become homogenized and how cultural diversity has diminished.

Skip

The fee requested by the distributor for its services.

Distributor, Exhibitor

Equipment Bag

Drama

Documentary

Founded in 1995 by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, this collective of filmmakers established a specific set of rules and a philosophy that rejects stylized camera work and special effects in favor of “honest” and “authentic” storytelling. Other rules include shooting on location and using a handheld camera.

Dolby

A stereo sound processing system for film sound developed by Dolby Laboratories, Inc. 35mm films have dual optical sound tracks, while 70mm films feature six magnetic tracks and support multichannel playback.

Screenplay, Car

Screenwriter

A film shot in which the perspective of the background and the subject is altered. The camera is typically mounted on a tripod or a wheeled camera dolly, pushed along tracks, and moves during the shot. When combined with a zoom, the background extends behind the subject, and this is called a dolly zoom.

Pan Shot

Car Track

An in-camera effect that involves zooming in and out simultaneously in opposite directions as the camera moves toward or away from a subject. This shot creates a sense of unease in the viewer, simulates a spatial warp, and can compress or stretch distances depending on the chosen direction.

A piece of equipment on wheels or rails used to create smooth camera movements. A dolly can be anything from a low-tech solution, such as a wheeled chair, to a high-tech one, such as a studio dolly that uses hydraulics. Typically, the cinematographer and their assistant ride on the dolly; the crew member who operates it is called a dolly grip.

1) A list of every take shot for each scene. 2) A list showing the contents of each reel in a film archive.

A list of scenes that have already been shot or a list of the contents of a film reel. A proper dope sheet is the responsibility of the assistant camera operator.

A diffuser consisting of a small, round plate that reduces the light on the main subject.

Stunt Performer

Double Exposure

Two Films

Re-entering a location after leaving it to continue filming. Since this is generally an expensive process, it should be avoided whenever possible.

A 16mm film with perforations on both edges. The film canister will have a "2R" label indicating this.

A system that slows down motion by printing each frame two or three times. See SKIP FRAMING, FREEZE FRAME.

A double reel in 35mm consists of two single reels joined together and has a maximum length of 2,000 feet. Double reels are labeled 1 A/B, 2 A/B, etc., to distinguish them from single reels.

Dual System

A working copy in which the video and audio are on separate tracks. See INTERLOCK.

A projector designed to project a working copy and play back a magnetic track in sync.

Double Pay

See DOUBLE FEATURE.

An actor who stands in for another actor in certain scenes, or who takes the place of another actor in scenes requiring dangerous situations or special skills (such as stunt work). In some cases, body doubles are used in scenes requiring nudity or intimacy.

The use of more than one instrument by a musician during a performance for recording purposes. The musician receives an additional fee for this work.

A type of plate that forms the foundation of camera support systems used in film production. It is typically a metal plate made of aluminum, to which various accessories can be attached or mounted.

Time lost due to necessary equipment repairs, makeup touch-ups, and costume changes before filming begins.

The foreground or part of the scene closest to the camera; the area closest to the audience.

Fabrics used to decorate a set or alter the acoustics of a room.

A person who creates drawings and construction plans for set construction.

To prepare an object for filming by decorating it or altering its appearance. “Dress the set” refers to placing props and accessories on the set, while “dress the windows for night” means altering the areas visible through the windows to indicate that it is nighttime outside.

Costume Rehearsal

A pass left with the doorman to allow a visitor to enter the studio through the studio entrance.

A union rule stating that an actor may be called back to work on the same production at least 10 days after their last day of work; if called back earlier, they are entitled to pay for the days they were not called. The 10-day gap applies to an actor only once per production.

A rehearsal in which the entire film crew and all actors are in costume and ready, and the camera performs all its movements but does not actually shoot.

A double arc used for fill light. These lamps, which cannot be adjusted, are no longer widely used.

Dubbing is the process of adding a new audio track to a film or adding a new audio track containing music, sound effects, or dialogue after production. Dubbing is done so that the audio matches the actors’ lip movements and actions, ensuring it appears natural. This is in contrast to direct sound, where sound is recorded on set and synchronized with the footage.

1) The master audio track created by combining various audio tracks. 2) The process of translating dialogue into another language or voice. 3) A video term referring to a copy or the act of copying.

It is the process of incorporating a new audio track into a film or adding a new audio track—such as music, sound effects, or dialogue—during post-production. A dub is synchronized with the lip movements and actions of the scenes filmed so that it appears natural in the film. This is in contrast to direct sound, where the sound is recorded on set and synchronized with the footage.

A recording process in which dialogue is recorded in a sound studio after filming, during which actors watch the film and synchronize their lip movements.

A matte spray used to eliminate light reflections or glare on an object. See BLOOM.

A full-size doll or puppet used as a stand-in for an actor in a dangerous scene, such as a car explosion.

A positive copy of a positive. A dupe can also be a negative copy of a negative. A dupe is a print that has undergone a reversal process. In some cases, it may be clearer to say “dupe” rather than “positive print,” because simply stating that it is a positive copy of a negative does not necessarily mean it is a dupe.

To make a copy of a film or tape recording. For video, the term "DUB" is used.

A copy printed from the edited work print. This is done so that the editor can send one copy to the negative editor and another to the sound engineer for mixing and synchronization, allowing both to work simultaneously and saving time. DUPEs can also be made from screening prints, which illustrates how pirated copies come into existence. It is possible to make a copy of a section of an old film—with permission—for archival purposes or for use in a new film. Films like “THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT,” which feature examples of films for which the negatives are missing, were created in this manner.

Dup Negative

Group Time

A Dutch angle is a shot in which the camera is tilted to one side along its horizontal axis, creating a diagonal angle. It is typically used to create a sense of unease in the viewer.

A shot in which the camera tilts along its horizontal axis, creating a diagonal angle. It is typically used to create a sense of unease in the viewer.

A composition in which the camera frames the scene diagonally. Same as a "canted angle." Good examples can be seen in Carol Reed’s film *The Third Man*.

Divitin

A device placed in front of the lens to prevent camera shake from affecting the image.

A photographic technique used to appropriately mask the shape and size of the projected image on stage. An example of this is the narrowing of the aperture as an actor passes through a narrow opening.

A fantastical, wretched, inhuman, gloomy, terrifying, evil, oppressive place or landscape; typically associated with a major global crisis (post-war devastation) combined with an oppressive government, crime, and abnormal behavior.