a short glossary
for those of you who stay to see the credits roll by, hoping for a movie
easter egg or just wanting to know WHAT that song was when he went up the stairs... you know.
Some of the job names which
The Industry has invented are rather less than descriptive, so here goes:
Best Boy:
chief assistant to the head Gaffer
Boom Man:
operates a lightweight metal device used to suspend a microphone over the scene being filmed.
Colour Timer:
the person who decides how much light (exposure) to use when doing a final print after
editing so that colour matches from one scene to the next
Dolly Grip:
a dolly is a small platform on which the camera is mounted, either on soft wheels or even aided by tracks, making smooth movement possible. The grip handles the rails and the dolly.
Focus Puller:
runs along the moving camera fiddling with the lens so that the proper focus is maintained. Really.
Foley (Editor):
a process in which human or animal sounds (footsteps etc)recorded during filming are replaced or mixed with studio-made sound.
Gaffer:
the chief electrician in charge of lighting equipment
Grip:
a set handyman who does on-the-spot carpenting, lay dolly tracks, moves scenery, etc.
Key (or First) Grip:
in charge of the other stagehands in a production.
Matte Painter:
a matte is a device (most often plate glass) placed before the camera to
obstruct parts of what it films (and replace it with what's painted on the glass). today often done electronically instead of with painted glass.
Swing Gang:
crew members who work the
night shift (don't ask)