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  • Erika

WTF DID YOU SAY TO ME? A brief meditation on film production terms

Updated: Aug 6, 2019

You might be surprised to hear that production is a cis-gendered/male-dominated field. Further, an array of archaic, indelicate terms have managed to remain a part of on-set jargon, often uttered ironically, but used nonetheless. JK LOL no one is surprised by this.


After working in production rentals, chatting with on-set crews, and reviewing several film guides, I have realized there is an array of ridiculous words thrown around film sets, some good, some bad, and most of them hilarious. Along with silly terms, I’ve peppered in a few basic words to help understand the more complex ideas and innuendos. A little learning, a little groaning. In your endo. Lez go!


We’ll start with one of the oldest pieces of gear in the Grip arsenal, the apple box. An “apple” comes in four sizes: full, half, quarter, and eighth, also known as a ‘pancake.’ Apples are the most basic building block of film, raising everything from props to actors. When used for the latter, an apple is called (drumroll please) a man-maker! Or, in some circles, it is a Tom Cruise (rim shot).

One of the more difficult terms to Google successfully is the illustrious beaverboard. I wanted this contraption, a mounting pin (baby pin) nailed to a pancake, to be named after its flat counterpart, a beavertail. While there are conflicting ideas as to its origin, it likely comes from the necessity to mount light low enough to get the ol’ up the skirt shot.

We’ve all wondered about the term best boy, the head assistant in both the grip and electric department. Now even more of us are wondering how that gendered job title continues to fly.


A bull prick is the more commonly used name for a rigging stake. Because nothing saves more time on-set than using one less syllable.


I have had some very serious non-sexual conversations in which the word buttplug was tossed about. Impossible to Google, even more so when you add words like “production” and “film,’ a buttplug is simply a pin adapter. Seems like a stretch, but ok.

A c-stand is a multipurpose stand used to hang any number of fabric requirements on set. The shorter 20” sibling to the standard 40” c-stand is, unfortunately, known as the Gary Coleman. Petite, slender...how about we call it the Ellen Page?


I had some production experience when I first met my partner who happens to animate porn. When she first explained the scene she was working on as DP, I assumed she meant the on-set position Director of Photography. She was referring to a very different position.


There’s a whole lot of talk about female-to-male and vice versa in the electric department. Apparently, fuck the truck is used to remind gaffers that the male end should always run toward the power source.


I did a double take when I saw that Lewinskys are what the stunt department call knee pads. I was even more surprised to see it included in the list of example terms on the COVER of the book of terms, Movie Speak: How to Talk Like You Belong on a Film Set.


Unfortunate terms aren’t just for gear! A mother-daughter shot is two shots, the first and the same setup only tighter. A two-t is a medium close-up camera shot that cuts the subject at the chest. You know, right where the two ts are located. What’s more, a loose two-t would include all of the ts. Brilliant stuff here.


Rumor has it, tampon is the slang term for something on set but its identity remains a mystery. You know what? We probably don't want to know.


Possibly the most shocking both in its existence and continued use is the Ubangi, a u-shaped plate attached to the dolly to extend the camera. The name comes from the attachment’s resemblance to the pierced lip of the African tribe. I repeat, still used today.

BONUS: Here are some honorable gay mentions taken directly from the book Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook by HARRY C. BOX (sorry for yelling):


Dike- a dichroic filter lens

Dikes- wire cutters (that's right, TWO uses for dike)

Flicker Box- an electrical circuit box used to simulate the flickering of a flame or television screen

Finger rule- a cameraman’s way for determining how much light is left in a shooting day

Taco cart- a special cart that carries grip equipment

Visqueen- plastic material used to protect equipment from precipitation

Wet down- when a production hoses down the street before filming

Three-fer- a connector that supplies three female connectors from one male connector

“Leave enough room to get the scissors in”- a direction for actors to pause in the dialogue or action to make sure editing looks natural

Top- placing a shadow on top, “top it down” is the most common usage (Also, hard top and soft top, referring to the quality of the shadow)

Cucoloris- a wooden cutout pattern placed in front of a light to create a pattern

Priscilla- silver lame stretched on a frame and used to bounce light

Magic Finger- a name brand pin mount


- Erika

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