Pick of the Week

Raising Arizona (1987) is an early Coen Brothers film and the first to really show off their gift for comedy. Ex-con "Hi" (Nicolas Cage) and ex-cop "Edwina" (Holly Hunter) are desperate for a child of their own. Unable to conceive, they decide that a local wealthy couple with quintuplets can afford to give up a child. Hi and Ed abduct the baby. In doing so, they get much more from life than they bargained for.  Look for great performances by an ensemble cast including Dan Goodman, William Forsyth, Francis McDormand and former heavy weight boxer Tex Cobb. Any fan of "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou" will surely see the roots in this weird and wonderful predecessor.

Best Scene: The bank robbery.

Dialogue Greatness

Caddyshack (1980)   Carl (Bill Murray) talking about having been a caddy for the Dalai Lama:

"So we finish 18 and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, 'Hey, Lama! Hey! How about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.' And he says, 'Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.' So I got that going for me, which is nice."

Film Crew Slang

"Kill the Houselights"- When lighting a set, one of the first things to do is to "Kill the Houselights". Turn off any overhead lights, regular lamps etc. Then the electric dept. (lighting crew) can light without any stray light contaminating the set.

Electrics, Electricians, Electric Department- Film speak for the Lighting crew on a film. The head Electric is the Gaffer. His foreman is know as the Best Boy Electric.  Their crew are Electrics. They are also called "Juicers".

Grips- Grips are the brothers and sisters of the Electrics. While Electrics handle lighting gear and power, Grips handle a variety of rigging jobs. It includes shading lights with a variety of grip gear; operating camera dollies & cranes; rigging cameras to just about anything (cars, trains, roller coasters, trees etc.); and building or rigging anything that we need to complete the shots. They are part mad scientist, part construction worker. If you remember the 1980's show "Mac Guyver" you may consider Grips to be the real life Mac Guyver. The head of the Grip department is the Key Grip. The foreman is the Best Boy Grip. The others are Grips. They are also referred to as Hammers.

A lot of people incorrectly refer to both crews as Grips. Or incorrectly refer to all of the electrics as "Gaffers". Learn the roles, it will help you to better understand the process of filmmaking.

Professional Union crews traditionally have clearly defined differences as Grips and Electrics. It gets a bit muddled on non-union and low-budget gigs because they may not be able to afford the classic distinction.

Both Electric and Grip Department are under the supervision of the D.P. (Director of Photography or Cinematographer). In the United Kingdom the D.P. is referred to as the Lighting Cameraman. Same job, different title.

As a filmmaker, you will run into situations where there are several versions of film slang for the same thing. Be open minded on set and ASK!  If you tell someone, "I was taught that this is a widget not a gidget, you're wrong!", you might just get kicked in the teeth. You also reveal ignorance instead of desire to understand.

Misconceptions in Film

Product Placement is a way in which companies buy advertising space in a film for their client's products. It also is a way for a producer to fund some film production costs. Obvious examples include: Reese's Pieces in  Spielberg's "E.T. The Extraterrestrial"; Popeye's Chicken in Adam Sandler's "Little Nicky"; and the all time king of shameless product placement ...Michael Bay hawking General Motors  products and several others in "Transformers".
The Misconception: Students often think that if they place a product very prominently in their film that it may entice product placement payments. Wrong. It could actually get you in legal trouble. A deal has to be struck with the advertiser prior to using it in your film. They protect the image and associations of their products very carefully. What if parts of the film are offensive to the client or the client's perception of their demographic of customers? You have to solicit them and cut a deal contractually. Also, film festivals may have strict rules about copyright.

Dialogue Greatness

"The Outlaw Josie Wales"(1976) - Clint Eastwood is civil war gunman Josie Wales battling the Union Army criminals who murdered his family. He encounters a snake oil salesman who foolishly chooses to try to sell his "medicinal" to the stoic gunfighter. The carpetbagger rolls off an impossibly long a list of ailment cures and uses for his potion. The salesman finally finishes his list.  Josie ponders it for a second:

Josie: [spits a glob of tobacco juice on the man's white suit]  "...how's it for stains?"

Film Crew Slang

"Losing the light, people!"-Announced to the crew by the Assistant Director to emphatically stress that we have too much left on the shooting schedule and not enough daylight hours (or minutes).  The crew crazily kicks into gear and tries to beat the Sun to the finish line.

Pick of the Week

"The Princess & The Warrior" (2000)- Directed by Tom Tykwer
Tykwer of "Run Lola Run"(1998) fame spins a tale of two lonely souls who meet literally by "accident". Bodo, a former army medic turned petty thief is running from would be captors. In the process he causes an accident in which asylum nurse Sissi is hit by and trapped under a truck unable to breathe.
Bodo manages to save her life while also escaping his captors. Sissi begins to believe that Bodo is her soul mate. Bodo rejects her and an odd form of stalking begins.
"The Princess & The Warrior" is a more European paced film than the quick ticking "Run Lola Run". Americans have to learn a bit of patience and let the story unfold. Not to say that Tykwer's action sequences aren't still furious and hair raising. The chase leading up to the accident is cinema mastery.

Best Scene: Sissi is trapped under the truck. It's freaky and not for the squeamish.

Quotes

"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time."

Steven Wright---Comedian

Film Crew Slang

Pull Processing - When film is purposely developed for a shorter time than normal, usually to make up for intended overexposure.

Push Processing -  When film is purposely developed for a longer time than normal at the lab, usually to make up for intended underexposure.  Only entire film rolls can be pushed, not individual scenes. Pushing adds contrast and graininess.

Film Crew Slang

Setup- An individual placement of the camera (and lights etc) on the set. There are more or fewer setups based on what you are trying to accomplish. If you plan well, several different shots can be done from the same setup.

Pick of the Week

"They Live" (1988)- Famed horror director John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape From New York, The Thing) provides a different twist on alien invasion. Professional wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper puts in an exceptionally great performance as a drifter who slowly discovers the alien plot to subjugate the human race. The manner in which the aliens overtly take over is disturbing and humorous. We all have experienced the feeling that we are being manipulated and deceived to further the plans of others. This film proves it. Besides, 2012 is an election year.

Best Scene: The five and a half minute long fist fight between Jon (Piper) and Frank (Keith David) over a pair of sunglasses. It is one of the most realistic of all time.

Film Crew Slang

"Walkaway"- A location where crew are able to leave the cameras, lights and other gear in place at the conclusion of the day (wrap) for the next shooting day. It is more productive and efficient than unloading and packing up each day. Not usually possible unless the location is secure and weather proof.

"Walkaway" 2- Another use of the term "walkaway" is when referring to a meal break without food being provided to the crew by the production. It is standard for production companies to feed the crew due to efficiency, tradition and union/guild contracts but walkaway does happen in certain situations.

Dialogue Greatness

“He was always a rather stupidly optimistic man. I mean, I’m afraid it came as a great shock to him when he died.”---Clue (1985)

Film Crew Slang

Process Shot- A shot that will be composited from 2 other shots. The background shot is referred to as the "plate".

Dialogue Greatness

"Monty Python's The Life of Brian" (1979)
Rebellion against the Roman Empire is being debated :

Reg: All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?
Attendee: Brought peace?
Reg: Oh, peace - shut up!
Reg: There is not one of us who would not gladly suffer death to rid this country of the Romans once and for all.
Dissenter: Uh, well, one.
Reg: Oh, yeah, yeah, there's one. But otherwise, we're solid.

Film Crew Slang

"This ain't Gone With the Wind": Hurry up! Let's get moving!

Pick of the Week

"All You Need is Cash" (1978) -Taking their cue from Beatles documentaries, co-directors Eric Idle and Gary Weis tell the tale of  Dirk, Barry, Stig & Nasty...The Rutles. Tracing the career of the "Pre-fab Four" from their beginnings in Liverpool to status as the greatest rock band ever "All You Need is Cash" combines the forces of some of the greatest counter-culture comedy minds of the 1970's. Monty Python's Eric Idle & Michael Palin teamed with Saturday Night Live's Gary Weis, Lorn Michaels, Dan Ackroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner , Bill Murray and Al Franken for a twisted journey through pop music. Look for appearances by Paul Simon, Bianca Jagger and Rolling Stone Ron Wood (as a Hell's Angel). Produced a full 6 years prior to the brilliant "This is Spinal Tap", you may consider this film to be the progenitor of feature length mockumentaries. Original songs like "Ouch", "Hold My Hand", "Cheese & Onions" & "Piggy in the Middle" are all send ups of popular Beatles tunes. Co-Director Gary Weis took over the film shorts on Saturday Night Live after Albert Brooks left the show in season 2. He has a distinguished career of real documentaries about comedians and music legends like Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison and Steve Martin to name a few. "All You Need is Cash" is a must see for Beatle's aficionados and fans of Spinal Tap. Below is a sample from the "I Am the Walrus" influenced Rutles song "Piggy in the Middle":

I know you know what you know
but you should know by now that you're not me
Talk about a month of Sundays
Toffee nosed wet weekend as far as I can see

Hey diddle diddle
The cat and the fiddle
Piggy in the middle
Doo-a-poo-poo

Bible punching heavyweight
evangelistic boxing kangaroo
Orangutang and anaconda
Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse
even Pluto too....

Film Crew Slang

Mickey Rooney- A slow, slight movement of a camera dolly during the shot. Literally "A little creep". This is for real!  Film crews create many slang terms based on humor and common experience. Sorry, Mr. Rooney.

Film Crew Slang

Locked Down Shot - A shot taken with the pan and tilt locks on the tripod tightened so that the camera does not move. Usually done for effects where camera movement would ruin the illusion. A simple effect is a cut that causes a character to magically disappear from a scene, but much more elaborate effects rely on a locked down as well.

Dialogue Greatness

"Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!" Auntie Mame (1958) starring Rosalind Russell as Mame.

Film Crew Slang

Four-Banger- A large trailer with four doors leading to dressing rooms, production office and a crew bathroom.