Video Slang
Video slang sounds like a sort of cold soup, like borscht or gazpacho, doesn’t it? And this sort of glossary has fascinated me for four decades in the San Diego video production industry.
Crystal Pyramid Productions crew has produced, shot and edited thousands of video productions over that forty-year span. And as a result, we’ve now reached the status of San Diego’s longest-serving video production company (established 1981).
Along the way, I’ve been jotting down on a series of small notebooks the video slang that teams in both broadcast and corporate video production worlds utilize. Many of these glossary items are colorful and unique. Some will give you a smile. Some may surprise you. I discovered how videographers from other countries have different ways of expressing ideas. For instance, in the USA we call audio captured during B-Roll gathering “nat sound.” But the Brits call it “wild sound.” If you know any slang not covered below, please feel free to send it our way.
An Ever-Growing Glossary of Video Slang, A-B
Air Gap – An air gap occurs when two cables are not connected
Apples – Video production teams use apple boxes for talent to stand on and appear taller
At Speed – The camera rolls for a short period of time before talent begins talking (so this harkens back to the days of film, to roll until well past the beginning of the film which could be problematic such as scratches, overlighting, etc.)
Back to the Top – As an example, the teleprompter operator restarts at the beginning of a teleprompter script
Bag It – A grip lays a sandbag on the C-stand
Bio Break – Time to go to the bathroom at a designated time that does not disrupt the shoot
Bird – Satellite
Black Duvie – This is a black fireproof cloth called Duvetyne aka “Duvie” that blocks windows. And additionally, a crew member may also sometimes place it on floors near the talent to reduce echoey sound.
Blonde – In lighting, the Blonde is a a 2000W light
Boom – The microphone attached to the end of a pole that is raised above talent to collect sound; the boom is typically seen with a furry windcover
BTS – Behind the Scenes
C – E
C-47 – aka “Bullets” or “Pins” – A clothespin that can be used as a clamp to secure gels to light fixture barn doors; the lofty term “C-47” was applied by a video production gear sales team to justify charging exorbitant price per clothespin
Cable Management – The grip is usually tasked with making sure cables are tidy and out of the way, or gaffed down so that nobody can trip over them
Call Sheet – Paperwork sent to crew members and talent prior to a shoot, apprising them of video production dates, locations, itinerary and personnel with contact information
Clapper – clapperboard aka slate with shooting information that crew member holds up and claps between takes
Clap the Stix – Crew member holds up clapper prior to a scene and claps it
Cowboy Shot – MCU, where bottom of gun in a hoster would sit
Cue – Informing the talent that it’s time to begin
Cut – The DOP gives a direction to talent to stop, end scene. Also, in post production when an editor slices a piece of video
Ears – Headphones
G – H
Gary Coleman – A short C-stand
Golden Hour – First sunlight at dawn and last sunlight at dusk
Gremlins – Little things that go wrong on set
Grip Milk – Beer after the shoot
Hard Out – Talent or crew member needs to leave no later than a particular time; “He has a hard out at 3PM.”
Honey Wagon – Porta potty on remote location
Human C-Stand – The person who holds up a boom pole, light fixture or foamcore during a lengthy shoot when a C-stand could have done the job better
I – J
Idiot Check – Checking the location after all equipment has been wrapped, to make sure nothing is left behind, like a phone charger in the wall, or SanDisk with today’s footage on it
Impact Repair – Banging on a piece of equipment until it works
In the Can – All footage for the show has been collected – harkens back to the days of film cans
It’s a Wrap – All shots have been gathered for the day and/or the project; it’s time to tear the equipment down and go home
Jump Cut – When a single shot is broken with a cut that makes the subject appear to jump instantly forward in time.
K – M
Lilliput aka “Small Redhead” – In lighting, a 300W light
Look Down the Barrel – Look into the camera
Luke Strike Walker – Someone who leaves the scene before striking the set, leaving everyone else to literally pick up the slack
Magic Hour – What UK production teams call “Golden Hour”
Martini Shot – The last scene videotaped in a day’s shoot
Mickey Rooney – A camera move – a “slow creep”
N – R
Nat Sound – Natural ambient sound
One-Take Wonder – A talent who gets their lines right in the first take
Rack – Camera’s soft focus
Recce (ˈrɛki) – (UK, Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Malaysia) Scouting out a location for a shoot to determine suitability for shooting
Redhead – In lighting, a 800W light
Rolling – The camera is operating and ready to capture video
Room Tone – The camera operator records 30 seconds of silence after conducing an interview, for use by the editor
Run ‘n Gun – Typically a news crew that races from one scene to the next, gathering footage
S – Z
Scratching the Boom – Testing sound on the boompole mic
Settle – Quiet on the set
Shoot for Safety – One more additional take just to be sure there is one good, clean take
Spray the Room – Most commonly used by videographers shooting corporate Candids videos, when videotaping B-Roll in break-out sessions in hotel conference rooms at conventions
Stage Cactus – Someone who leaves butterfly latches open and then you bang your shin on it
Sticks – Tripod aka “Legs” (UK jargon)
Stinger – Extension cord
Strike the Set – Tear down equipment after the shoot is completed
Video Village – Typically during a corporate event such as an annual awards dinner; the crew may be stationed behind a curtain operating IMAG, teleprompters, camera operation, Power Point slide shows, etc.
Woof – Director of Photography directs crew as they set up lighting, or dress the set, etc.; meaning “Stop; that’s perfect.”
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Patty Mooney is a VP, Video Producer, Sound Technician, Teleprompter Operator and Video Editor at award-winning Video Production Company, Crystal Pyramid Productions, established in San Diego in 1981.
