I love language. Learning and mastering the terminology of this business has been incremental at best. I'm starting to feel relatively fluent, at least receptively. These terms don't roll off my tongue so I wouldn't say that I'm expressively comfortable. Knowing these terms has certainly demystified all that I was hearing when I first started.
While not an exhaustive list of abbreviations and terms, this list definitely covers a lot of ground. As I think of more terms, I will update accordingly and add those to the bottom of the list:
ND--this one took me a while to figure out, stands for Non-Descriptive, mostly used to describe wardrobe on a job--essentially wear clothes that do not make you stand out in any way.
PA--Production Assistant, this is the person in charge of the Background Actors. Their job is keep the Extras corralled in holding, get them to set, place them on set (along with others), sign them in and out of the shoot. These people work their asses off, usually put in upwards of 70 to 80 hours a week. I would not want their job--sometimes it feels like they are glorified babysitters, especially with cranky or irresponsible extras. When the shoot calls for large numbers of extras, it's like herding cats.
BG--Believe it or not, this one really threw me off. I kept reading it in the background job notices and for the life of me could not figure out what BG meant in those announcements. Then, DUH--I realized it was just an abbreviation for Background. I had just assumed that because the notice was for background actors, they wouldn't put that in the ad. Very redundant.
MOS--Mute Out Sound, this means that even if the actor is given something to say the filming will automatically mute out anything said
Omni--Something said by the whole group of extras (like an oath scene or singing a song). No line credit is given if the whole group is saying/repeating the same thing
Lines--dialog for the scene
Running lines--practicing the lines/dialog from a script
Pages--How dialogue in a scene is measured, usually it's only 1 to 2 pages for a scene. If it more pages than that, then it's going to be a considerably longer scene with probably lots more takes.
Take--Filming of a scene (as in Take 1, Take 2, Take 3 etc)
Holding--where Extras are held while not on set. These places vary dramatically in spaciousness, amenities, comfort level, and setting. Much of it depending on where the shoot is happening. If the shoot is on location and not in the studio, the production company tries to find a nearby place where Extras can hang. I've been in churches, restaurants, bars, synagogues, tents, office buildings, schools, bowling alleys, libraries, hotel conference rooms, etc. Some have been very plush with fantastic views and others have been cold and dank. It's just luck of the draw.
Satellite Holding--A holding that is much closer to the actual set but that can't be used for a variety of reasons as the main holding. The most unique one I've been in is an aisle in a huge whole sale warehouse.
Call time--The time you are to arrive at holding at the start of a job. My favorite call time is one that starts after 11am because that means I can do my morning exercise and meditation practice. The worst ones are 4:45am or earlier. I've heard some extras say they have had call times at 3:30am in not great neighborhoods (like rough parts in the Bronx). That would be tough for sure.
Call number--The number you are assigned for that shoot that you keep for the entire day and identifies you to anyone associated with the production.
Set--Where the actual filming is taking place.
Fitting--Occurs prior to the day of filming for special wardrobe specific to a shoot. It pays 1/4 of a day's pay
Team 1--These are the principle actors (stars of the show).
Team 2--Stand ins for the principle actors who look very similar to the principal actor. They literally stand in while lighting and sound is checked and any changes are made to the set. Once everything is ready for filming, then Team 1 is called in. I would like to do stand in work at some point, you get paid Union rate and obviously work more closely with the principal actors. Problem is I don't know any currently working principal actors who I match for height, weight, hair color and build to stand in for.
Marks--Colored chalk marks or colored tape (color particular to each principle actor) on the floor to indicate where the actor should be standing when delivering their lines. Usually the actors are walking in from some place off set as part of the scene. They need to know where to stop exactly so the camera can film them correctly in frame.
Principle Actors--Main actors in the production
Featured Extra--Not a speaking role, but it will definitely and clearly show the Extra doing something notable in a scene
NU--Non union (that's someone like me who does not have a SAG union membership)
Union--Someone who is a current member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG)
Crafty--The snack table for crew and actors (principals and background). Crafty tables can be as simple as bottled water on a table to as elaborate as serving small hot meals, having a variety of fruit, veggies, cheeses, crackers, drinks, desserts, candy, chips, coffee, etc. etc Very different from catering which is usually a full blown buffet.
Number 1 positions-- The positions you are placed in at the beginning of a scene to which you will return to repeatedly for each new take.
End Mark--where you were at the end of the last take.
Reset--To start the scene over again and return to your Number 1 position
Pick Up or Advancing--When you are taking up in a scene at some point after the beginning, you don't return to your number one position but to the place you were at the point from where the director wants to restart filming
Rehearsal--walking through the scene with the dialog but not filming
Checking audio--The Sound person is checking sound levels on the set for voices of the actors
Rolling Picture--cameras are actually filming the scene
Checking the Gate--A review to see if the director has all the footage s/he wants for that scene from any particular angle
Turning it around or Reverse Shot--Shooting the same scene from a different direction in order to capture the other actors perspectives of that same scene
Martini Shot--This is the last take of a scene shot for the day (or night).
That's a Wrap--means filming is done for the day/night
Location--Where the scene is shot; also refers to the crew team who find the set or create it to look like whatever it's supposed to look like
Hair--The people who create the hairstyles for the actors, tame people's hair so it looks smooth on camera, shave men's facial hair as needed, give haircuts, etc.
Make up--People who apply make up as needed and make sure everyone has a matte finish to their face so there aren't any shiny noses, foreheads, chins or cheeks on set.
Wardrobe--The people who vet the clothes you bring in based on what was requested in the confirmation notice an Extra receives the night before the shoot. Sometimes the vetting is meticulous and other times they don't seem to care much at all. But you always have to come prepared. If wardrobe gives you something to wear from their stock, you need to leave your voucher with them and don't get it back til you return the piece of clothing. You need your voucher to get paid so it's very important you give back to wardrobe what you were issued.
Props--Refers to the people who take your ID (passport or Driver's License) in exchange for a particular item related to whatever the scene is. I've been issued a small senator's badge, a sound boom, a briefcase, luggage, a bundle of rags, a pad and notebook, a mini recorder, etc. You only get your ID back when you return the prop--it's the only way they can ensure a return of the property.
I-9--A form that records your government issued ID (e.g., passport, driver's license, social security card) that you need to bring to every shoot if you want to get paid.
Voucher--The multiform paperwork that an Extra has to fill out for each job. It usually includes a W-2 form for each job plus a number of other forms. Without completing the voucher there is no way you will bet paid for the day's work. I've filled out so many of these now. This is the time consuming part of finally getting checked out at the end of a shoot, especially one with hundreds of extras. Sometimes you have to wait in line for 30 minutes or more on a particularly big shoot. It's worse if everyone is having to return wardrobe to get your voucher back from them first and having to collect your ID from props. That can take 30 or more minutes too on a particularly big shoot.
Waiver--I can only tell what I've heard since I have yet to get one of these. What I've heard is this is the form given to a non-Union background actors who are being recognized as Union for this particular job. It comes at the discretion of the PA. If for some reason a Union extra does not show up for a shoot then the PA can give that Union spot to a non union extra. I've heard it is usually very random, can sometimes happen on very small productions if the hours or conditions are longer or extreme, or once in a while, the notice for the job actually says that a waiver will be made available because of the nature of the role they are looking to fill (remember the Pole Dancer waiver notice).
Bump--A slight increase in pay for things like working in the rain, demonstrating a particular skill or talent, working in extreme temperature, you brought a very particular prop of your own (particularly a car or a pet), or some other very particular condition of the shoot.
Uni--Refers to an extra with their own police uniform.
Rush Call--A late notice for recruiting extras for a job, if you submit for a Rush Call, then you can be called late the night before or early the morning of. Rumor has it that most people who submit for a rush call usually don't get called but there are the few who do get called. I've never put in for one myself, just feels too short notice.
Walk Away Lunch-- Happens when the production doesn't provide you with a full meal. Sometimes it happens if they think they will be wrapping early in the day or they aren't allowed food on the location or the holding space. On rare occasions, the production will give you $10 cash at the meal break to go out and buy food but that is pretty rare. Of the 40 productions I've been in so far, only have had a walkaway lunch maybe 3 or 4 times and one I got $10 cash. If you are lucky or know in advance you can either bring your own lunch or stock up from the crafty table to cobble together a lunch of sorts.
Catering--Different from Crafty in that Catering provides full meals, usually breakfast and lunch or dinner. Breakfast is usually made to order omelets, pancakes, oatmeal, bacon, sausage, potatoes, bagels, morning pastries, juices, fresh fruit salad, cold cereal, etc. Unfortunately, breakfast is served way too early for me--usually between 5am and 7am depending on the call time for extras to be at holding. I can't eat that heavy that early. I usually take my own healthy, antioxidant, protein drink then wait til lunch which is served about 6 hours after call time. Lunch is usually a pretty amazing buffet--it's what a lot of extras live for given the low pay of most jobs. Usually there is pasta dish, sautéed veggies, a full salad bar, a variety of cold grain salads, fish, beef, and chicken entrees, bread, cheeses, dessert bar, various beverage selections, etc. I've been on sets where they had a full seafood platter of crab legs, clams, mussels, shrimp, etc. Other times they have prime rib, roast beef, ribs, etc. I don't eat much meat so don't take part in the meat entrees but a lot of extras put together an extra plate to take home with them.
Head Shot--Your main photo, usually from the shoulders up that allows casting directors to get their first impression of you. Bob did mine and it came out pretty good. Eventually I may get a head shot done professionally, but for now, I'm getting plenty of work so not too worried that I don't have a professional one. A professional photo session can start at $300 and go up from there.
Comp Card--Another tool for actors to have professionally done. It's a composition of multiple head shots on one page/sheet, showing different looks. Actors shop these around when going on auditions or for Print Work.
Print work--Using your image for any kind of printed materials--posters, pamphlets, newspaper or magazine ads, whatever. Apparently this work pays very well. Once you are aware of it, you see faces everywhere and realize just how ordinary most of the people look. Makes you feel like eventually you could get this kind of work.
SAG--Screen Actors Guild--The Actors Union that most true actors want to eventually join. However, it seems to be a very mixed bag for background actors. People often talk about having less opportunity for work once they join because any production needs to reserve only 25 spots for Union actors but can have hundreds of spots for non-Union actors. I have no idea what the ratio turns out to be for the number of union actors submitting for the 25 Union slots versus the number of non Union actors applying for all the rest of the spots.
Overnight shoot--Shoots start usually 5pm or later and can end the next morning, usually 12 to 14 hours later. They don't always go that long. I've been on several "overnight" shoots and we ended by 1am some of those nights. Others have gone til 5 and 6 in the morning.
Shoot--The entire job an extra is booked for, broken down into filming scenes.
Watch your back--The warning given on set when big equipment is coming through like ladders, big cameras, stage set materials, lightening, etc.
Released/Wrapped--These words are music to the ears of an Extra! It's what we all wait for to call it a day (or night or morning as the case may be).
And this my friends is a WRAP on this post!! At least for now!
ADDITIONS AND UPDATES:
Safety Van--Transportation provided by the production if filming ends late in the evening (11pm or later) or in the wee hours of the morning. Usually takes people into Manhattan and drops Extras either at Grand Central Station or the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Sometimes will just drop us at the closest subway station which is still a big help if it's 2am. I always feel SO HAPPY when the safety van drops us at the Port Authority since I only live 4 blocks from there and even in the wee hours there are still lots of people out because of it's proximity to Times Square.
