A shot, episode, or film shot without sound, with the sound added later. M.O.S. stands for “Mite Out Sound” and comes from an old Hollywood story: A German director requested that a scene be shot “without sound,” and the camera assistant wrote “M.O.S.” on a board to fulfill this request.

It includes all sounds other than dialogue. It is particularly useful when dubbing into a foreign language.

This is a term used by Alfred Hitchcock to describe an element, objective, or piece of information that appears to be very important to the characters in a film but is actually insignificant.

A hand- or foot-operated negative splicing machine. The best-known brand is GRISWOLD. See SPLICER.

A lens that can be used extremely close to the subject. When the focus ring reaches its lowest setting (so that a red ring appears on the Switar lens), it will continue to focus, and the distance markings on the focus ring are no longer valid in macro mode.

1) Abbreviation for "Film Magazine." 2) Abbreviation for "Mag Track."

A mag track is a section of film coated with a magnetic oxide emulsion instead of silver halides. Essentially, it is a sound recording track the size of the film. For editing, all audio—including on-location sound and additional sound—is transferred to the mag stock, where it is played back in sync with the image, matching one frame of video to one frame of audio.

A print containing both optical and magnetic sound tracks, prepared for theaters equipped with both optical and magnetic sound systems.

Tape

Twilight. The hours between sunset and nightfall, when the light is warm, the sky is dark blue, and the shadows are long. An example of a film shot during these hours is Terrence Malick’s “Days of Heaven.”

Magnetic Film

Magnetic Recording

A magnetic layer applied to the edges of the film strip for sound recording in 70 mm prints equipped with a Dolby sound system.

Strips made of plastic and coated with iron oxide, generally used for sound recording and, in the case of video, for both sound and video recording. Professional-grade types are 1/4 inch wide and run at speeds of 7.5 and 15 inches per second for high-quality recordings.

Specifically, the section where the film’s title appears; more generally, the section where the opening credits appear before the film begins. According to DGA rules, the director’s name is the last credit to appear before the film begins.

Corrections and alterations made to the appearance of actors’ and extras’ faces—and sometimes bodies—using materials such as foundation, powder, and eyeshadow. It can enhance an actor’s appearance, create a specific effect (such as aging), conceal blemishes or imperfections on the skin, or create a character with a completely different appearance. For makeup sessions that take a long time (e.g., Dustin Hoffman in *Little Big Man*; all actors in *Planet of the Apes*), actors are called to the set very early.

A crew member responsible for applying makeup to actors. See BODY MAKE-UP, SPECIAL EFFECTS.

The time an actor must arrive on set to have their makeup applied. Makeup time can range from 15 minutes to 7 hours (as was the case for Lou Gosset Jr. in the film *Enemy Mine*). The makeup call is scheduled by counting backward from the time the actor is required to be on set.

1) Synchronization mark 2) The clapping of a clapstick to signal the start of a take 3) A floor marker indicating where an actor should stand.

Mark it! - A phrase used to signal the person at the clapperboard to strike the clapper.

Markers placed on the ground using adhesive tape or chalk to indicate where the car will stop during a tracking shot, key points for tracking the movement of a moving actor, and similar locations. In scenes with multiple actors, different colors of tape or chalk are used for each actor. The markers are removed when filming begins.

The term used by the British for "Composite Print."

The final take of the day’s last scene.

2) A piece that covers and darkens a portion of the image to create the sensation of looking through a telescope, binoculars, or a camera viewfinder. This process is carried out in an optical lab after the film has been shot and developed. 3) A single cover used to block light entering the camera lens.

The master positive from which the dup negative used for print production is made. In video, the edited master copy used for duplicating copies.

Opening scenes that introduce the characters and set the stage for the story.

Close-up

2) During negative editing, aligning the final edited work print with the negative.

The three main strips used to print copies in the Three-Strip Technicolor system. Each strip is sensitive to one of the primary colors (red, green, and blue), and each carries a portion of the final image. During printing, each strip absorbs the dye corresponding to its sensitive color and transfers it to the appropriate area of the positive print it contacts, thereby coloring the print.

A mask cut or carved into a specific shape that prevents certain parts of the frame from being exposed when placed in front of the camera or printing machine’s lens. It is a special effects tool that combines images shot at different locations and times into a single image. See: MATTE BOX, MATTE SHOT, SPECIAL EFFECTS.

A member of the special effects department who designs and assists in the production of the background or matte for a matte shot.

Parasoley

A special reflective screen on which the image is viewed at the same brightness from all viewing angles.

A shot in which the filmed scene is combined with a pre-filmed background or moving elements. See TRAVELING MATTE.

Abbreviation for Medium Close-Up.

Compensation paid to an actor or crew member when a meal break is delayed beyond the time recognized by the union, or when the actor or crew member is not given sufficient time during the meal break.

A tripod-shaped stand used to mount lens caps or filter frames.

A shot that falls between a close-up and a medium shot.

A shot in which the actor is positioned at a medium distance between the foreground and the background, falling between a long shot and a medium shot.

A traditional camera shot taken at a medium distance. It typically frames the actor from the waist up, whereas a medium close-up is usually a shot from the chest up. Its abbreviation is “m.s.”

It is a film with an expressive narrative featuring characters with intense emotions. Primarily a musical drama, it typically incorporates elements of hardship, illness, and pathos.

A small arc lamp that emits a bluish light.

It is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is used to evoke another similarity or analogy.

An acting style developed by Konstantin Stanislavsky in the early 1900s. It involves actors using their personal emotions and experiences to create a more realistic performance. Daniel Day-Lewis frequently uses the method acting approach to create more realistic performances.

A French term derived from theater meaning “stage director” as used for a film director. Today, the more contemporary term REALISATEUR (Director) is used.

The filming of objects that are too small to be captured with a standard lens, using a microscope.

A long arm used by the boom operator during filming to keep the microphone out of the camera’s field of view.

A small fill light lamp that uses a 50–200-watt bulb.

Money paid to actors or crew members who use their own cars to travel to and from locations.

A small-scale model of a set used for special effects shots. It is built for sets that would be too expensive to construct at full scale.

A 650-watt arc lamp used to supplement natural light during exterior shoots and as fill light during daytime interior shoots.

A lamp equipped with a reflector and shades, typically used for fill light.

A camera mount used on airplanes, helicopters, cars, and boats.

Mirror Shutter

Mise-en-scène

A camera brand typically used in studios due to its size and weight.

Combining various audio tracks onto a single magnetic tape with three or four channels. The audio on this tape is then transferred to an optical tape.

It is a copy on mag stock or DAT that includes the sound mix; this is something you may need to request in addition to the optical track. It’s always a good idea to capture the mix onto tape—either to ensure much higher quality for optical tracking when transferring to video, or to save some mixing time if you need to remix later.

1) A device used to mix sound sources for each track. 2) The person sitting at the mixing console during the mixing process, who initially decides how the sounds will be combined (you have the final say) and operates the faders and other film controls.

The process of combining various sounds, music, dialogue, and sound effects from all sources into a film’s main audio track. This is part of the post-production process. The audio track is ultimately mixed by a sound mixer.

A specialized sound studio for mixing sound for a film.

Abbreviation used for "Medium Long Shot."

A full-scale model of an object built on set. (Such as an airplane cockpit.)

A fictional film that adopts the style of a documentary but satirizes its subject with mocking humor. *Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping* is an example of a mockumentary that parodies the kind of pop star documentaries that aren’t taken seriously.

A scaled replica of a real object used when it is very difficult or expensive to obtain the actual object.

Light that reveals the texture and contours of an object. Also known as a “contour key,” this light is directed from the opposite direction of the main light.

A change in the amplitude, phase, or frequency of continuous sound waves.

Any climax, explanation, or image that gives the audience “value for their money,” even if it costs more.

Monitor

A term generally used to refer to black-and-white images, but which also describes images consisting of a single color or shades of a single color.

A color film consisting of three layers, each sensitive to one of the primary colors (PRIMARY COLORS).

An adjustable device used to hang lights in a studio.

2) A French word meaning “editing.” See EDITING.

A slang term used by lab technicians to describe a perfect print.

Steel boxes used by special effects teams to create explosions during filming.

Refers to a take in which no synchronous sound recording is made. In these takes, the clapperboard is marked with the letters “MOS” along with other information. This term dates back to a time when most sound engineers were German. According to legend, the person responsible for popularizing the term was director Lothar Mendes—who was himself German—when he told the crew that the shot would be filmed without sound, saying “mit out sound.”

A recurring thematic element in a film; examples of motifs—a symbol, stylistic device, image, object, word, spoken phrase, line, or sentence that recurs significantly or in a pattern within a film, signifying a theme.

A mechanical device that provides motion. Most professional cameras operate with constant-speed motors that allow for simultaneous sound recording. Variable-speed motors (VARIABLE SPEED MOTORS) are used for high- or low-frame-rate (SLOW MOTION, ACCELERATED MOTION) shots (MOS shots).

Parts that move the film intermittently in the camera or projector: the pulldown claw, the valves before and after the loops, and the gears between them create the motion. If there is a registration pin, it is also part of the motion. Sometimes the shutter may also be considered part of the motion.

A list showing which modes of transportation everyone involved in the production will use to get to and from a location.

Although spelled “Moviscop,” this term is pronounced “movie-scope” and refers to a small 16mm desktop viewing device typically used on an editing table.

The brand name of a device used to view the picture and sound tracks simultaneously. In this editing device, the film strips run vertically.

Abbreviation used for "Movie of the Week" (TV Movie).

All major distributors are members of the organization. The MPAA also employs retired agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to prosecute film piracy in the United States and abroad. It is the largest lobbying group in the film industry. It represents the commercial, legal, and domestic and international interests of the film industry’s largest distribution companies. The “Motion Picture Export Association” (MPEA) is the MPAA’s international branch.

A document certifying that a film, its trailer, and promotional materials were produced in accordance with MPAA standards.

Medium Shot (Medium Shot)

Small quartz iodine lamp.

See: Crystal Sync.

A printing machine capable of producing multiple copies of a film simultaneously.

See: Monopack.

A screening using multiple projectors operating in sync. See CINERAMA.

A lamp whose light beam (intensity) can be narrowed and focused.

Using multiple cameras to shoot a scene from different angles simultaneously. This is a common technique for filming scenes that take place over a wide area or are difficult to replicate.

A shot in which the same image appears more than once within a single frame. This is achieved in the optical printer or with a special lens on the camera.

An independent film movement that emerged in the early 2000s. It is generally characterized by naturalistic acting and sometimes involves improvisation. The stories typically focus on a group of people in their 20s or 30s dealing with difficult jobs or troubled relationships.

A large-format photograph or hand-painted image used as a backdrop in interior or exterior shots.

A fake brick first used in the film of the same name starring Jack Lemmon, and the name has stuck ever since.

A piece of music used to transition between scenes. See SEGUE.

The person who hires musicians and is responsible for the entire organization of a music recording session. They must be present at all recording sessions.

A list detailing the composers and publishers of all musical pieces on a reel, along with information regarding patent and licensing rights.

A member of the sound crew responsible for monitoring, balancing, and mixing the music track accompanying the film.

An audio track on which music is recorded separately from the dialogue and sound effects tracks.

The English term used to describe copies without a sound track.

A very durable plastic material used as a base for audio and video tapes.