Alphabetical Glossary
Above the line – Costs on a budget that are related to acting, writing, producing, and directing.
Action – The command given by the director for the actors to start their movements and dialogue.
AD – The abbreviation for the assistant director, the person who helps the director by handling the background artists, preparing shooting schedules and call sheets, and calling some initial commands when production begins.
Animatronic – A robot-like body or body part that can be made to move by use of tubes, battery-operated motors, and computers fitted with motion control boards.
Background – A command the assistant director gives so that the background artists begin their moves.
Background artists – People (also known as extras) who are not principal actors but who move about on the set to add atmosphere and authenticity.
Below the line – Industry jargon for craft and technical production personnel.
Breakdown – To analyze a script to determine different elements needed, such as props to be rented and props to be manufactured.
Call – The time that a particular person or group of people are to report to work.
Call sheet – A piece of paper that lists cast and crew, tells what time and where each person is to report to start work, and gives information about the day’s work.
Concept meeting – A gathering of people involved with a TV program (usually the writer, director, producer, and heads of departments such as props and make-up) to go over the script and discuss its primary needs.
Continuity – Consistent and unobtrusive progression from one shot to another in terms of such elements as screen direction, lighting, performance, audio, costumes, and props.
Cut – A command given by the director to end the shooting of a shot.
Dress the set – To put elements on the set, such as pictures, pillows, and books, which add to the atmosphere of the set and make it more authentic, even though they are not actually used by the actors.
Hard copy – A plaster mold that is made by putting wet plaster on a person or object and letting it harden and then removing it so that it is a negative of what was cast.
Holding area – A room or area where background artists or other actors wait when they are not needed on the set.
Life cast – A representation of a body or body parts made by carefully matching the skin tone and other features of a real person.
Maps – Drawings the technical advisor of “ER” makes that represent a body of a patient and all the props that need to be near that patient.
On-set dresser – The person who places items on a set that add to the atmosphere and also represents the set decorator to ensure the look of the set is maintained.
Prop – Something handled by an actor during a scene.
Property master (or mistress) – The person who is responsible for having all props available and working when they are needed for the shoot.
Propped up – The act of giving all the actors and background artists the props they need.
Prosthetics – Artificial body parts, often made from silicon.
Scene – A shot or series of shots presenting a unified action and occurring in a single place and time.
Set decorator – The person who decides how the set should look in terms of what is placed on it to make the atmosphere right in relation to the scene and the actors participating in it.
Set dressing – An item that is placed on a set that adds atmosphere but it not handled by an actor.
Shot – An element of a program that begins when the camera starts running during production and ends when it stops, or one edit cut from the middle of the camera run.
Speed – Something a camera operator says during production to indicate that the camera is up to speed and ready to take pictures.
Tech – To learn how to use a prop properly; on “ER” this usually involves using it as a doctor or nurse would.
Thoracotomy – A surgical procedure for opening the chest wall in order to access the lungs, esophagus, heart, and other parts of the upper body.
Xenon – A high-powered light that contains an inert gas that, when sealed in a glass tube and ionized by a high voltage pulse, produces a high intensity light that contains a full spectrum of colors.
