Lights, camera, action! Filmmaking is a world full of strange and unique terms that every filmmaker must learn. From cheeseplates to deadcats, let’s dive into some of the weirdest filmmaking terms out there and figure out what they mean.
First up, the C-47. Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s just a clothespin! No one knows for sure why it’s called a C-47, but it’s one of the most-used tools on a film set. Typically used to clamp filters to lights, they can also be used to hold up fabric or prank unsuspecting crewmembers.
Next, we have the juicer. No, it’s not a kitchen appliance or a muscular person. It’s an on-set electrician, and one of the most important roles on set. There’s typically a lot of power required to operate all the various pieces of equipment associated with shooting a film.
The Martini, or Martini Shot, is the final shot before wrapping the set for the day. It’s supposedly called the Martini shot because the next shot would be taken out of a glass, aka post-wrap drinking. When you hear the term Martini said on set, it brings about as much joy as a couple of real ones.
Stinger refers to a single extension cord on a film set. Typically black instead of the bright orange cables found at local hardware stores.
When a filmmaker talks about legs, they’re typically talking about the legs of a tripod. Professional tripod legs are usually made out of carbon fiber, as they are light, tough, and good in extreme conditions.
Sticks is another word for tripod on a film set. If someone were to say grab the sticks, they would be referring to both the legs and head of the tripod.
A baby on a film set is a small set of tripod legs. If you want to put your camera extremely close to the ground, you’ll want to use a baby, or small tripod legs, to get low-angle shots.
To strike on a film set simply means to turn on a production light or series of lights. While it is less common in modern filmmaking, every now and then you might hear someone yell “striking” when turning on a light.
A cheeseplate is a metal plate with holes designed to serve as a multipurpose utility bracket for various film-related accessories. While cheeseplates come in all shapes and sizes, they are almost always used to create camera rigs.
Abbey Singer refers to the second-to-last shot at a specific film location. It was named after Abbey Singer, a famous production manager who would alert his crew two shots before the set needed to be collapsed.
A cookie is a device used to mask light patterns onto a background. Cookies can come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re almost always placed on a stand separate from the actual light source.
Run and gun is a term used to describe a style of filmmaking with very little production equipment besides a camera
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