Film Production Glossary

noun a setting or situation against which something is viewed or displayed

• The historical backdrop of the city provided a rich context for the novel.
• The backdrop for the party was a beautiful sunset over the ocean.
• The concert backdrop was lit, man!
• His troubled childhood was the backdrop for his struggles later in life.

noun an explosion or detonation

verb to explode or cause to explode violently

• The engineers are concerned about the possibility of the gas tank blowing up during the test.
• If you keep adding more air to the balloon, it's going to blow up soon.
• I heard that the car engine blew up right in the middle of the highway.
• The argument between the two colleagues was about to blow up into a full-blown conflict.

noun a group of people who work together, especially all those who work on and operate a ship, aircraft, or train

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• The crew worked diligently to complete the project on time.
• Hey, the whole crew is meeting up at the park later.
• The crew is totally killing it with their dance moves.
• Together, we make a great crew, always ready to support each other.

verb to make a situation or event seem more exciting or important than it really is

• The playwright decided to dramatize the historical event in order to engage the audience.
• She always likes to dramatize everything that happens to her.
• Stop dramatizing, everything will be fine.
• His exaggerated reaction only served to dramatize the situation even more.

noun a person who is skilled at solving problems or making arrangements, typically in a professional capacity

• The fixer was able to negotiate a deal that satisfied both parties.
• My friend is a real fixer when it comes to solving problems.
• He's known as the fixer around here because he can always find a solution.
• She was like a fixer, piecing together the broken parts of their relationship.

noun a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface which limits visibility

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• The dense fog made driving conditions hazardous on the highway.
• I can't see anything in this fog, it's so thick!
• The fog is as thick as pea soup out there!
• The fog of confusion clouded his judgment in making a decision.

noun a measurement used in lighting design and engineering

• The lighting in the room is measured in foot candles to ensure proper illumination levels.
• I need at least 50 foot candles in my workspace to see properly.
• I can't work in this dim office, we need more foot candles in here.
• Her smile was so bright it could light up a room with a thousand foot candles.

noun a type of heavy makeup used by actors in theater or film to create exaggerated facial features and expressions

• The actor applied greasepaint to transform into his character for the play.
• I had to use a lot of greasepaint for my costume at the school play.
• She always looks like she's wearing greasepaint with all that makeup on.
• The politician's words were like a layer of greasepaint, hiding the truth underneath.

noun a source of illumination, especially electric light bulbs or lamps

verb to provide with light or lighting; illuminate

adjective having a considerable or sufficient amount of natural or artificial light; not dark

adverb in a way that produces light or brightness

• The lights in the auditorium dimmed as the performance began.
• Let's go check out the Christmas lights downtown.
• The party was lit with all the colorful lights and decorations.
• Her smile lit up the room like a beacon of light.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

• The photographer realized that the image was out of focus and needed to be retaken.
• I tried to take a picture of the sunset, but it came out all out of focus.
• The selfie I took is totally out of focus, I need to work on my photography skills.
• His priorities were so out of focus that he couldn't see what really mattered in life.

noun a quantity of something wound on a reel

verb to wind something onto a reel

• The fisherman carefully wound the fishing line back onto the reel.
• I watched a funny video that made me reel with laughter.
• That movie had me reeling with excitement the whole time.
• The sudden news made her reel with shock and disbelief.

verb to feel very shocked, upset, or confused

adjective feeling dizzy or unsteady

adverb in a state of confusion or shock

• After receiving the unexpected news, she was left reeling and unsure of how to proceed.
• When I found out I failed the exam, I was totally reeling.
• The plot twist in that movie had me reeling for days.
• The constant changes in the industry have left many businesses reeling, trying to keep up.

noun the action of releasing someone or something

verb to allow or enable to escape, set free

• The company plans to release a new product next quarter.
• Did you hear they're gonna release the new iPhone soon?
• I can't wait for them to drop the new album!
• She felt a sense of release after finally letting go of the past.

noun a new or second attempt at something, especially an exam or test

verb to take or capture again, to attempt or undergo again

• The student decided to retake the exam in order to improve their grade.
• I'm going to retake that test because I totally bombed it the first time.
• I need to retake that quiz because I totally flunked it.
• Sometimes in life, we are given a chance to retake a situation and make it right.

noun an attempt to score in a game such as basketball or soccer

verb past tense of shoot, to discharge a gun or other weapon

• The police officer fired a single shot at the suspect.
• I took a shot at the basketball hoop and missed.
• Let's take a shot at that new sushi place down the street.
• He took a shot at starting his own business and it paid off.

noun the power or right to prohibit or reject a proposed or intended act (especially the power of a chief executive to reject a bill passed by the legislature)

verb to reject or prohibit (a proposed or intended act)

• The president has the power to veto legislation passed by Congress.
• The boss can veto any changes to the project.
• I can't believe she vetoed our plans for the weekend.
• His strong principles act as a veto against any compromise.

noun the art of creating theatrical scenery

• The scenography of the play was meticulously planned and executed, enhancing the overall theatrical experience.
• The set design for the movie was really cool, the scenography added a lot to the story.
• I can't believe how awesome the scenography was at that concert, it really set the mood!
• Her mind was like a complex scenography, with different layers and hidden meanings waiting to be discovered.

verb To have memorized one's lines in a play or performance, so that the script is no longer needed

• It is important for actors to be off-book before the dress rehearsal.
• Hey, have you guys all managed to be off-book for the scene yet?
• I need to be off-book by tomorrow or I'm screwed.
• I need to be off-book in my presentation so I can speak confidently.

noun objects or items used in a play or movie to enhance the setting or scene

verb to provide support or assistance to someone

• The theater production required a variety of props to enhance the set design.
• We need to gather some props for the party tonight.
• Check out the cool props they used in that music video!
• She always carries around emotional props to help her cope with stress.

noun a particularly bad or unpleasant part or feature of something

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• The lowlight of the presentation was when the speaker's microphone stopped working.
• The lowlight of the party was when the cake fell on the floor.
• The lowlight of the movie was the terrible acting from the lead actor.
• The lowlight of her day was when she received bad news from her boss.

noun a specific area on a stage where actors perform their roles

• The actors carefully rehearsed their movements within the designated acting area.
• Make sure you stay within the acting area so you don't bump into the furniture.
• Yo, don't wander out of the acting area or you might mess up the scene.
• In life, we all have our own 'acting areas' where we perform and interact with others.