The Complete Online Filmmaking Reference - Film Distribution ...

affected by overtime restrictions of unexpected costs. Also used in terms of sets and set construction elements
which are generally used to create walls.
Flatbed - A modern film or sound editing system where reels are laid horizontally on "plates" on a mechanized
table with sound and picture heads.
Flicker - The alternation of light and dark which can be visually perceived.
Float - Periodic vertical movement of the image which occurs as a result of mechanical faults in the camera,
printer, or projector.
Flood - The widest beam spread on a lensed light. (Lighting)
Flop-over - An optical effect in which the picture is shown reversed from left to right.
Flutter - The rapid period variation of frequency caused by unsteadiness of the film or tape drive. (Sound)
Flux: - An amount of light which is present as measured in lumens.
Foamcore - Polystyrene which is sandwiched between paper. It is used to relectors, soft boxes, and other items
because it is stable and easily cut. (Grip/Lighting)
Focal Length - A measurement of the magnification of a lens indicated in millimeters.
Focus Group - Group of approximately 10/12 members of the public that represent the target audience for a film
who attend a sneak preview and then offer feedback to producers before further editing.
Focus Pull - The refocusing of a lens during a shot to keep a moving subject in focus or to change the person or
object of attention. (Cinematography)
Focus Puller - Member of the camera crew who adjusts the focus of the camera during filming.
Focus - Sharpness of an image, or the adjustments made on a camera necessary to achieve this.
Fog Level - The minimum density of the unexposed area of processed film.
Foley Artist - The foley artist creates sounds that cannot be properly recorded during the shoot. This often
includes creating foot steps, thunder, creaking doors and even the sound of punches during a barroom brawl.
Foley - Art of recreating incidental sound effects (such as footsteps) in synchronization with the visual component
of a movie.
Follow Focus - Shot in which the camera focus is changed to compensate for the movement of the action or the
camera itself.
Foot Candle - Simply, a measurement of light. The formula is "the light of one candle, one foot away."
Footage - Amount of film that has been shot or the entirety of exposed film.
Foreground - Objects or action which is closest to the camera.
Format - Describes the equipment and film or tape used. Examples for film: (8mm, Super 8, 16mm, 35mm). For
video: (VHS, HI-8, Beta). The size or aspect ratio of a motion picture frame.
Frame Rate - Movies are created by taking a rapid sequence of pictures (frames) of action and by displaying
these frames at the same rate at which they were recorded, the illusion of motion can be created. Film=24
frames per second and Video=30fps (in Europe using P.A.L.=25 fps).
Frame - Individual picture image which eventually appears on a print OR in video: A complete television picture
made up of two fields, produced at the rate of 29.97 Hz (color NTSC), or 30 Hz (black & white NTSC).
Free cinema - A documentary movement in England in the 1950s that was a springboard for the careers in film
of directors such as Lindsay Anderson, Karel Reisz and Tony Richardson.
Freeze Frame - Optical printing effect whereby a single frame is repeated to give the illusion that all action has
stopped.
Frequency Discrimination - Exaggeration or diminution of particular frequencies in relation to others.
(Acoustics)
Frequency Response - This represents the sensitivity of a given sound, video, or other recording/playback
system.
Frequency - The number of times a signal vibrates each second as expressed in cycles per second (cps) or Hertz
(Hz). (Sound)
Fresnel - A stepped convex lens. It is most commonly used to descripe tungsten-incandescent lamps. (Lighting)
Full-Coat - Film which is coated with an iron oxide compound on which sound is recorded and from which sound
is reproduced.
FX Coordinator - FX is film shorthand for special effects. The job of the FX coordinator differs from film to film.
Special effects range from complicated computer animation to helping Superman fly to simple on-set logistics like
making a shower work.
G:"General Audiences-All Ages Admitted." - This is a film which contains nothing in theme, language, nudity
and sex, violence, etc. which would, in the view of the Rating Board, be offensive to parents whose younger
children view the film. The G rating is not a "certificate of approval," nor does it signify a children's film. Some
snippets of language may go beyond polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No stronger
words are present in G-rated films. The violence is at a minimum. Nudity and sex scenes are not present; nor is
there any drug use content.
Gaffer's Tape - Cloth tape that looks similar to electrical duct tape without the sticky residue.