I.S.O., which is equivalent to A.S.A. and I.E., is simply another way of referring to the same thing under a different name. It is the least commonly used of the three, but can sometimes be found on light meters. I.S.O. stands for the International Standards Organization.

The umbrella organization to which more than 1,000 local trade associations representing professionals in the production, distribution, and exhibition sectors in North America are affiliated.

The use of a famous icon or symbol. It is designed to analyze the themes and various styles present in a film. The rose in *Beauty and the Beast* has become an icon.

See: Cue Cards.

The process of obtaining light—from natural or artificial sources—that enables the camera to capture an image.

The photographic print of the film. The director decides, in consultation with the cinematographer, what will appear in the frame during shooting.

A large-screen film format approximately 10 times larger than the traditional 35mm format. It debuted in 1970 and was initially used to screen nature films or short documentaries. It provides incredibly high resolution by projecting films onto screens eight times taller than standard ones.

1) To improvise words or actions, to go beyond what is written in the script. 2) To immediately come up with new options when encountering problems during production. See WING IT.

The portion of the scene visible to the camera at any given moment during filming.

The synchronized, simultaneous flow of the video and audio tracks. When this does not occur, it is considered out of sync (OUT OF SYNC.). See SYNCHRONIZATION.

2) Exposed film ready to be sent to the lab for processing.

Shooting in the order required for the final product; eliminates the post-production editing phase; a fast but non-professional film production method typically used by student or amateur filmmakers; requires advance planning to tell the desired story.

A situation in which two separate motors operate simultaneously (in sync).

Incandescent Light

Incident Light

A person who provides services but is not on a monthly salary. See FREELANCE.

Small, independent, low-budget companies operating outside the major Hollywood studio system, as well as “mini-majors” or organizations involved in film financing, production, and distribution. An independent film may lose its independent status as it grows and gains influence. It also refers to a film, director, distributor, or producer not affiliated with or produced by a major Hollywood film studio; unlike mainstream films—which are typically designed for a sophisticated audience and produced without regard for commercial success—it features groundbreaking subject matter.

Independent Producer

Independent Production

A slang term used for the words “independent producer” (INDEPENDENT PRODUCER) or “independent production” (INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION).

A term used in film trade publications (TRADE PAPERS) to indicate the number of films for which an independent producer has signed a production agreement (5 films in the example above).

Another name for the film or entertainment industry; it is also known as show business, show-biz, or Hollywood.

Infinity (Distance)

Red-Under

"Young" refers to a young female actress who typically plays a major or leading role in a film; she usually portrays an innocent, sometimes naive, and attractive character; it can also refer to an actress known as a "starlet"; she is the female counterpart to a young man.

A term used when people sign a contract to work on a film. It is often expressed as “signed a contract.”

A slang term referring to incandescent lamps used on set.

Midground

A shot that typically occurs during a close-up of another object or in the midst of another small detail. It draws the viewer’s attention to this element and provides additional information. It is usually shot at a different focal length or angle than the rest of the scene.

A set or studio where background shots are filmed. There are specialized companies that provide background sets for use in feature films and television productions.

A joke typically understood by only a few people, usually related to show business; to get the reference, you have to know the reference. For example, Bruce, the great white shark in *Finding Nemo*, is named after the mechanical shark used in *Jaws*.

Since the insurance cost of a film cannot be determined with certainty due to highly variable conditions, an amount equivalent to 2 to 4 percent of the total negative cost is allocated to the budget as insurance expenses. This percentage is determined by taking into account the shooting schedule, locations, and cast.

See: Cover Shot.

Abbreviation used for "Interior."

A color film consisting of three layers of emulsion, each sensitive to a primary color, used to produce separation negatives (SEPARATION NEGATIVES).

A chemical process performed to improve the quality of an underexposed negative by increasing the density and contrast of the image. See THIN NEGATIVE.

The intensity of a light source measured in candelas (CANDELA) or foot-candles (FOOTCANDLES).

Parallel Editing

A sequence consisting of shots of two simultaneous events that follow one another, typically used to create suspense; intercutting may also include shots of two people on a phone call.

Interest

Interior, Internal

A device that allows the simultaneous viewing of video and audio on separate tracks. It is typically used during synchronization in the editing process.

See: MOTOR, SELSYN MOTOR.

A situation in which two or more devices (typically dubbing units in a mixing console) have motors that operate in sync. Although crystal or cable synchronization may be used, and even though the motors of a sound camera and a tape recorder—which record the pilot tone on the film strip—are not actually interlocked, the term is generally used in this context.

A short, interlude-like scene or sequence within a film that is generally not tied to a specific storyline.

An intermission that occurs in a feature-length film, typically lasting three hours or more (though rare in North America today); in fact, the intermission served as an opportunity to stretch one’s legs or use the restroom, or provided time to change the projector’s reels; it is usually accompanied by the film’s musical score—or, in the case of musicals, a song’s musical notation.

The momentary pause of the film strip behind the lens so that each frame can be exposed by the camera and projected by the projector.

Intermediate Negative

Intermediate Positive

A title card superimposed on a scene. Typically used in silent films.

A device attached to a camera that resembles an animation engine for single-frame exposure; however, an intervalometer has the ability to automatically capture single frames, as in time-lapse photography.

Refers to a person or object entering the frame without the camera moving; in live-action theater productions, this means a character entering the stage.

A new system that allows you to monitor the matte (mask) while shooting a shot intended for visual effects.

The intensity of light or sound is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the subject and the light source or microphone. For example, if a person two meters away from a light source receives 10 candelas of light, they will receive 2.5 candelas of light four meters away from the light source.

See: A and B Cuts.

Abbreviation used for "Interpositive."

It is the unit of measurement for the tape speed in sound recording. For music recordings, speeds of 7.5 inches per second and higher are used.

See: Diaphragm.

A cinematographic technique or transition effect, typically in the form of an expanding or contracting circle that reveals a portion of an image (known as an “iris-out” or “iris-in”); part of the screen is blacked out so that the viewer can see that portion; the lens aperture is usually circular or oval in shape and is typically expanded or contracted as the film plays to facilitate a transition from one scene to another; this specific camera movement is also known as an iris fade or circle-in/circle-out, resembling the opening or closing of the human eye’s iris; it is also a term related to the f-stop, a measure of the lens’s adjustable aperture (or diaphragm) that controls the amount of light passing through.