Film Jargon

Incorrect! The right answer is: The director wants the actors to begin performing.. The director uses the word “Action” when he wants his actors to begin performing before the camera.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When the reel in the camera starts to roll.. As soon as the director says, “Roll the Camera”, the cinematographer switches on the camera and the reel in the camera moves, ready to capture the images. The cinematographer says, “Rolling”, when the camera starts functioning.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When a scene is being filmed at the moment.. A scene that is being filmed or has been filmed. It is not a rehearsal and there will be a film record of it.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When an actor takes a physical position that would not be natural in real life.. When an actor assumes a physical position that would not be natural in real life – such as looking at something other than the person or the object on which the actor is supposedly focussed. This is often necessary to get the right effect or perspective on camera. It also refers to the occasions on which actors act out their part of a scene where they are addressing another person, but at the time of shooting that person is not physically present there.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When the director orders the filming of a scene to be stopped.. A Cut refers to the director’s instructions to have the shooting of a scene halted. The director is the only person on the sets who can cut or stop the filming of a scene. If the assistant director, a sound recordist or camera operator need to stop the scene for some reason, they call out “break it”.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When the director wants to redo a small part of a scene.. The director uses this term to indicate that s/he wants to redo a small part of the scene. For example, if a scene is going well and someone suddenly fumbles for a a line, the director might want to pick up the scene near that point to avoid reshooting the entire scene.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When the director says that the take is good enough to be used. When the director is satisfied with a take and wants to use it, he says “Print It”. A film print is made of the take.

Incorrect! The right answer is: The camera position.. A “Setup” is a particular camera position. Each time there is a new scene, the set-up changes.

Incorrect! The right answer is: Positioning the camera close to an actor’s face.. The director positions the camera close to an actor’s face so that the object or the person fills the entire frame.

Incorrect! The right answer is: When the camera captures full to half figures of the performers.. A camera position that results in full to half figure shots of performers. In the tightly framed figure in a middle shot, there is no background.

Incorrect! The right answer is: A scene where the camera is at a distance from the subject of the shot. A scene where the camera is placed at a distance from the subject of the scene or the shot. The camera angle is used to lay emphasis on the setting or surrounding landscape.

Incorrect! The right answer is: Shooting is over for the day.. “That’s a wrap” means that we are done and the shooting is over for the day.