Customer Reviews

A-Z Guide to Film Terms

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Are you new to the industry? If so, this guide is an excellent resource. It can help you get through your first day on the job on a television set!

This book is a must have for anyone starting out in film. The first time someone called in and said we were on "the window" I reached for the A-Z and found out what it meant. An excellent buy!

How many of us have heard terms used in reference to the film industry and not known what the person was talking about? It is like the industry has their very own foreign language, and if you aren't a part of it, you'll never be able to fathom it (and you thought Greek was difficult!). Thankfully, Tim thought to put together a handy and totally comprehensive guide for the uninitiated. There are numerous phrases, slang expressions, titles, job position references and more explained in this pocket- sized tome.

Whether you are a hopeful actor, a movie buff, or it is your very first day on the set, this it the book for you! In it all will be explained, including some of the walkie-talkie code that set people speak in, and some of the signs that can be seen on sets. Not stopping with the witty descriptions, Tim's even included some pictures to help illustrate some of the terms. A whole new world is lying in wait between the covers, and it is in fairly high demand - the copy I received from Tim is a third edition printing.

An aquarium or fishbowl is actually the control booth or mixing room in a recording studio, named for its large window that looks into the recording room. BFL is a technical acronym for Big F#%*ing Light. A Burned Location turns out to be any location that will not allow filming due to previous problems with film crews. There are many reasons that this can come about, apparently.

There are also terms named for real people. The Mae West Shot is a shot that frames an actor from the top of their head to just below their chest. The Abby Singer Shot is the second to last shot of the day, named after the first assistant director who would always say it was the last shot when it wasn't really. (The last shot is known as the Window Shot or the Martini Shot). A Groucho is when a cameraman asks an actor to crouch as he walks, and was inspired by the late Groucho Marx.

There are terms for food, make-up, lighting, costuming, location, and a zillion other things involved with filming. This book is just brimming over with helpful terminology and should be found on any movie buff or actor's shelf. Get to know a little more about the film industry and sound like a pro!

I have the chance to be on set on occassion and take this book with me. I find behind-the-scene activity facinating and can keep up with the terminology without having to ask people as they work. Then if I do get to chat with the camera man, I am already up on the lingo.

Being a movie lover I oftened wondered what some of the crew members did. Think about it; Key Grip, ADR, Dollies,etc!
This book has them all in an easy to read and fun format. There are photos, the origins of terms and references to 100's of terms that you didn't know about!
Great Stocking Stuffer or gift for the Movie Buff or Wanna-be Director/Actor in your life.

I'm a fiend for reference books, especially anything to do with words and language. This book is very nicely done, and I find it handy for when I'm watching extended features on DVDs and the like.

I love this book. It is very clear that Tim has a great grasp of the film industry and his knowledge is transformed into what should be a standard text for all students of film.

Very easy to use reference book that had some good pics and some humor thrown in for good measure.