Score:
The original-music composition for a motion picture or television production which is generally recorded after the picture has been edited.
Scrim:
A metal 'window screen' that can be placed in front of a lighting unit to decrease the lighting intensity by a predetermined amount. (Grip/Lighting)
Scrub:
Moving a piece of tape or magnetic film back and forth over a sound head to locate a specific cue or word.
Scrub Wheel:
A mechanical control for scrubbing film or magnetic tape.
SDDS:
Sony Dynamic Digital Sound System. A film sound format which encodes eight tracks of digital audio outside of the sprocket holes on both edges of a film print. (Sound)
Second Unit:
A photographic team that shoots scenes which do not involve the principal cast, such as stunts, car chases, or establishing shots.
Senior:
A 5K fresnel lighting unit. (Lighting)
Senior Stand:
A braced junior stand sufficiently rugged for large lights such as a 5K, 10K, or 'Big Eye'. (Grip/Lighting)
Sensitivity:
An indication of recording or playback efficiency as might be measure of a microphone or audio tape recorder.
Sequencer:
The hardware or software based brain of a MIDI studio. It receives, stores and plays back MIDI information in a desired sequence.
Set Dressing:
Items of decoration which are not designated in the script or by the director as part of specific action. (Production)
Set Up:
Each discrete position of the camera, excluding those in which a dolly or crane is used to move the camera during filming. (Production)
Shiny Boards:
A grip reflector used for reaiming sunlight to provide a key or fill light. (Grip/Lighting)
Shotgun Mic:
A highly directional microphone, usually with a long, tubular
body; used by the production sound mixer on location or on the set
for film and television productions.
Showcard:
A white artists' cardboard which is used as a reflector or for making other special rigs. It is easily cut and formed. (Grip/Lighting)
Siamese:
A splitter that divides a power line into two parts. (Grip/Lighting)
Sibilance:
An exaggerated hissing in voice patterns. (Post Production)
Sider:
A device which cuts the light from the side of a lighting unit, usually a flag or a cutter. (Grip/Lighting)
Sight Line:
An imaginary line that is drawn between a subject and the object that he/she is looking at.
Silk:
A lighting diffusion or reflective material, formerly real silk. (Grip/Lighting)
Single:
A shot with only one subject in the frame. (Production)
Signal:
The form of variation with time of a wave whereby information is conveyed in some form whether it is acoustic or electronic.
Signal to Noise Ratio:
This is the ratio of the desired signal to the unwanted noise in an audio or video record/playback system.
Single-Stripe:
Magnetic film that contains a single audio track, which is coated with oxide.
Single System:
A method of recording sound and picture on the same medium, most typically used in news gathering.
Skip Frame:
An optical printing effect which eliminates selected frames of the original scene to speed up the action. (Laboratory)
Slate:
The identifier placed in front of the camera at beginning of a take.
Slave:
An audio tape or videotape transport, projector or mag film
dubber whose movements follow the movement of a single master
transport. Accomplished electronically by using SMPTE time code
numbers or mechanically by motor linkage of sprocketed machines.
Slug:
A strip of blank leader or image-bearing film used as leader. (Film Editing)
SMPTE:
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
SMPTE Time Code:
Also known as Longitudinal Time Code. A high frequency signal that allows the accurate "locking" of film audio and video equipment. Locator information is displayed as numbers.
Snake:
A multi-channel audio cable intended for use with microphone level signals and/or line level signals. (Audio/Video/Electronics)
Sound Designer:
A film sound specialist responsible for the development and augmentation of all soundtrack material, or a significant portion thereof, and is ultimately in charge of the entire sound production. Occasionally, it is used to refer to a person who is responsible for creating unique sounds or sound elements which are incorporated into a sound track. (Sound)
Sound Effect:
A recorded or electronically produced sound that matches the visual action taking place onscreen.
Sound Master Positive:
A sound print on made from the sound negative for producing duplicate negatives of the sound record track for release printing.
Sound Mixer:
The person responsible for capturing sound as it plays out live, determining microphone types and placement. (Sound)
Sound Negative:
A negative sound image on film which is obtained by exposure through a positive sound image.
Sound-on-Sound:
A method in which previously recorded sound on one track is rerecorded onto another track while new material is added.
Sound Print:
Any positive sound track print which is obtained by printing from a sound negative, or direct positive recording. or by the reversal process from another negative.
Soundtrack:
Generically refers to the music contained in a film, though it literally means the entire audio portion of a film, video or television production, including effects and dialog.
Spacer:
A hub placed between reels on rewinders to keep the reels in the proper position to feed into, or take up from, a synchronizer. (Film Editing)
Specular:
A term used to describe highly directional, focused light. This is often perceived as a very 'hard' light. (Lighting)
Speed of sound:
The velocity of sound in air is 770 mi/hr. This speed however, is influenced by temperature and air pressure. (Acoustics)
Spill:
Light that is escaping from the sides of a lighting unit, or any light that is falling where it is not wanted. (Grip/Lighting)
Splice:
The act of joining two pieces of film by any of several methods. (Film Editing)
Split Screen:
An optical or special effects shot in which two separate images are combined on each frame.
Spool:
A flanged roll on which film is wound for general handling or projection.
Spot:
On a lensed light, the smallest beam spread. (Lighting)
Spotting:
Used in scoring and sound effects editing to identify the specific scenes or points where music cues or effects cues will take place. Usually, this will include information on length and style.
Sprocket:
A toothed driving wheel used to move film through various machines by engaging with the perforated holes in film stock.
Stage Box:
A distribution box with six pockets for stage plug connectors.
Standing waves:
A deep sound in a small room or booth from low frequency caused by long waves with short reflection patterns. (Post Production)
Step Printer:
A printer in which each frame of the negative and raw stock is stationary at the time of exposure. (Laboratory)
Stinger:
A single extension cord. Most often referred to a single 'hot' extension that is left lying around for occassional use. (Grip/Lighting)
Stock:
A general term for motion picture film, particularly before it is exposed.
Stock Numbers:
Edge numbers provided on film raw stock by the manufacturer.
Stop Frame:
An optical printing effect in which a single frame image is repeated in order to appear stationary when it is projected. This may also refer to a camera technique in which only one frame at a time is exposed.
Striking:
The breakdown process of a camera position, location, or set.
Suicide:
A term for a distribution wiring connector with male plugs at both ends, (Grip/Lighting)
Surround Sound:
Sound that is reproduced through speakers above or behind the audience.
Sweeten/Sweetening:
Enhancing the sound of a recording or a particular sound effect with equalization or some other signal processing device.
Sync Beep (sync tone):
In double system shooting with certain cameras, a tone feed into a magnetic tape recorder at the same time that a light in the camera exposes a few frames of film. The fogged section is later aligned
with the beep tone to achieve synchronization of the sound to the picture.
Synching Dailies:
Assembling, for synchronous interlock, the picture and sound workprints of a day's shooting. (Film Editing)
