The director may be involved to one extent or the other in this process, and most certainly later might adjust whatever performances result from this work, sometimes just by tweaking, sometimes in great measure.

The first AD prepares the shooting schedules and the script breakdowns for principal photography. He or she is the Director's right-hand person in managing the production during the entire process of principal photography, coordinates details of production operations, and often communicates directions to extra talent. The first AD also monitors filming against the production schedule, and ensures that union rules are adhered to as well as that labor contracts and location agreements are followed. She or he also ensures that safety regulations are followed on set (be it in the studio or on location). The first AD works with the unit manager and the line producer to be sure expenditures stay within budget.

The second AD distributes information and reports, as well as cast notification. The second AD works with the first AD on production preparations during principal photography. He or she records all data relative to the working hours of the crew and cast, and is primary in actively managing the extras cast. Second ADs prepare cast and crew call sheets, production reports, and other documentation. Of course, in the absence of the first AD, the second AD will assume her or his duties and responsibilities.

Sometimes the title "assistant producer" can be interchangeable with "associate producer," when the associate producer's work is the same as above. The differences being that assistant producers always take this sort of particular active, substantive role in the project and associate producers often do not take on such a role. "Assistant director" is never an empty title given to someone in the way that "associate producer" sometimes is.

Associate producers may be one of many types of people who are actively involved in a production or who initially contributed in some manner to the creation or pre-production of the project. In other words, sometimes an associate producer is a functioning part of the production who actively works on set or at least in administration for the project; others times he or she has some original involvement or made some passing contribution; or, especially in television, it may be functionally an empty title that reflects no duties that can be associated with "producing" the project.

In all screen media, functioning associate producers are essentially junior producers with varying degrees of responsibility depending on the production or the specific experience level of a given associate producer. They assist the producer or producers with the running of day-to-day operations. People performing in such a manner may be titled "assistant producer" rather than "associate."

Associate producers may be in the project's offices, working the administrative side rather than the production side. It may also be that they work only on a particular segment or location, for instance they only contribute to scenes shot on location in a particular place, either on set or somehow administratively with the arrangements; they may even be local to the region of the shoot.

One who assisted or was involved but not the main force behind raising funds, making arrangements, organizing some portion of pre-production or production, may be titled Associate Producer. Also, Someone who has read and given feedback or advised on the script, perhaps even helping with a revision, may be an associate producer.

Principal actors, especially in lead roles, may get an associate producers credit, which is usually in title only, and a way to bump the actor's wage without touching her or his actor's salary. This practice is more common in television than in movie productions.

Also in television, especially studio live productions such as game shows or news programs, associate producers may be those who do some writing, editing, organizing scripts, running the teleprompter in news casts, or helping the editor by making beat calls.

It may also be the title given to a first-time, or newer, producer who is on a project in an apprentice sort of relationship with another type of producer who is up the food chain.

Writer as Producer
*see "Writer as 'producer'" at Wikipedia

Star as Producer *see "Star as 'Prodcuer'" at Wikipedia

Actors are typically required to do a screentests of a short performances, most frequently from sides that the producers have provided before the audition appointment (which may or may not have a requirement to be memorized). Occasionally they are asked to bring in a prepared monologue. Sometimes they are asked to do cold readings from the script, on the spot. An in-person, live audition may also be required, especially as a callback audition.

Generally, the distinction between an "initial screentest" and a "callback live audition" is very gray as there will usually be audiences in the room for both, and both will be video recorded (or filmed). The big difference will be that the screentest live audience is usually the casting director and accompanying staff, and call backs will be viewed live by production staff.

Other performers will be perform appropriate music, choreography, or other routines.

Any auditioners may also be given pieces or challenges during the audition to demonstrate the breadth of their ranges within their disciplines.

Often, now days, DIY screentests are requested or allowed.

In some cases, an audition may be only an interview. In such cases it will typically be a situation where those conducting the audition are already familiar with the talent and skill level of the auditioner, thus only other variables are under question, such as availability or perhaps a sense of whether the performer will be a good match with the team and other performers involved in the project. The interview-only audition is most common in movie productions where the auditioner is a well-known actor.

Originally the term applied solely to film makers who created a canon of films that have a theme or unified sensibility with a commonality of artistic styles and movie specific themes that showed the auteur's personal worldview. The context of these movies in terms of the auteur's vision and worldview and the overall cumulative artistic statement of the body of work was considered more critically relevant than the technical proficiency of the auteur and of the production values of the films themselves.

2) "Beat" as in timing: a brief pause before a character begins to speak or take an action, each beat is usually a one count. *The beats in a scene are often controlled or manipulated by the editor.

The history of film and television is replete with incidents of the boom mic unfortunately making it inside the shot frame in the final cut.

The most common usage of the term is for the portion of the process of making a cable series, movie, or documentary that consists of any rehearsal and all major or minor filming or video recording, or shooting of live cablecast, of all action or performances involving all actors and other performers, or all subjects of a documentary. As well, the filming, video recording, shooting of live cablecast of all footage that does not include performers or other active subjects (people, animals, or animations) is part of the production phase. Thusly, "in production" means being in this period.

Casting directors do not make the decisions about who will be cast in a production, but they do act as filters, making available to the production only those auditioners that are deemed right for the roles being cast.

Casting directors also are the liaisons between the actors (or other performers,) or their agents/managers, and the the production team, dealing with wage negotiations and other contractual agreements.

See "Casting Director/Agent" at www.media-match.com for more detailed information.

Far more of a movie or TV episode may be CGI than most people realize. For example, most of the buildings of Atlantic City in the outdoor scenes in the popular HBO series Boardwalk Empire are actually CGI images added in post. Very often that lake in the background or that crystal-clear or ominously cloudy sky in a scene from your favorite movie is actually CGI.

CGI is not to be confused with the afore-mentioned special effects, which are effects executed in the physical world: a car that actually is exploded with pyrotechnics, a great canyon that is painted on glass with actors then superimposed in front of it to make it look as if they overlook it, a projection on a screen in the back of the set of the vista on the side of a road moving as actors pretend to drive in a car in front of it -- these are all examples of special effects.

See OVER-ACTING

The chief cinematographer for a movie is called the Director of Photography (or "DP" for short), and is sometimes referred to simply as "The Cinematographer,"

Clips are also shown at broadcast and cable television network upfronts. Clips are also sometimes shown at fan conventions such Comic-Con or other similar conventions for genre film and TV.

Clips are also what make up an actor, director, designer, or other production person's sample reel, which will highlite their past work.

Lastly, clips are used in clip shows.

Sometimes a clipshow may be produced close to a series finale more to generate more nostalgia and sentimentality than for budgetary reasons, though the lower production cost is likely never unwelcome.

In a movie productions the co-exec will be delegated to directly handle or to assist in responsibilities for production that are under the executive producer's umbrella -- which means pretty much all operations -- reporting back to the exec. There may be more than one co-exec, each taking on various parts under that umbrella. one may deal with business management and administrative things; another may handle creative aspects.

In a TV production the co-exec is very often a writer for the show, and may be the head writer. Co-execs otherwise will often have the responsibility to attend or monitor writing team meetings, if not a writer, and perhaps other production team meetings. Co-execs are usually heavily involved in the creative development of the show or series.

Another good example of a recurring cold-open gag would be the purposefully bad puns that always ended the cold opens of episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

In some rarer cases, directors or cast members will be consulting producers; such cast members are more likely to be in a television series, and are very likely to be lead actors who have gained the clout to have input on the further development and story lines of their characters. Though, in film, major movie stars can be in this position, as well.

2) in conjunction, Continuity is also the degree of which a film is self-consistent without errors, jump cuts, or mis-matched shots and details; Continuity shooting and editing moves the viewer seamlessly, unobtrusively, and logically from one sequence or scene to another, propelling the narrative.

The designer may make or "build" costumes, use costumes in the production company's or studio's collection (often with augmentation and tailoring), or buy, rent, or lease costumes. The costume designer is also responsible for the accessories the actors will need for their characters, such as canes, hats, gloves, shoes, jewelry, etc., with such items often being key to helping define the perception of a particular character.

The costume designer usually is who creates the costume plot, which is the written chart of what particular costumes or pieces of clothing the actors need for each scene or segment of the movie, program or video.

The food and beverages provided throughout the day are, themselves, called "craft service," like the department. Full, hot meals are called "catering," and though the Craft Service department is usually responsible to provide those meal (on a union shoot, it is), such meals are usually brought in from an outside source -- a restaurant or independent catering service.

On a SAG/AFTRA production, the Craft Service department is responsible to provide a full hot meal for cast and crew every six hours. For non-union shoots, it's best practice but not a requirement.

In a television production a "curtain call" will appear at the end of the series finale for a program (usually a situation comedy) that was filmed or taped in front of a studio audience. The cast will, after finishing the last scene of the series, take their bows in front of the studio audience in the exact fashion of a theatrical production. In many of these cases, the cast took bows in front of the audience as a standard practice after each episode was wrapped, but the difference here is that the finale curtain call is shown as part of that last episode.

Sketch comedy shows such as Saturday Night Live also have a curtain call as the last minute or so of each show, where the cast members and guest players gather on stage to thank and say goodnight to the studio audience and the viewing public. Late night talk shows and variety shows have a similar practice, but usually it is just the host.

Often the earlier morning hours feature local morning news broadcasts. Most local stations produced their own local evening news at 6:00, and often with a 5:30 p.m. edition as well. At 6:30 p.m., there is usually an edition of the network-produced nightly news on network-affiliated stations.

Many local stations produced their own programming for children, with such programs often airing in the afternoon after children have come home from school or early morning before they leave for school. Networks have gotten out of the business of such programming for children, but at one time, CBS produced the long-running < HREF"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047718/">Captain Kangaroo (starring Robert Keeshan), which aired in the pre-school hours from 1955 till 1984, though some of its run toward the end was during weekend programing.

*Sometimes "Daytime TV" is defined as starting at about 9:00 a.m., after the morning shows and news magazines are over.

For more, see "Daytime television" at Wikipedia.

"Deus ex machina" was a convention of ancient Greek theater, where actual machines, usually cranes, were used to push an actor up through a trap door or lower them from above. In present day it is most frequently criticized as lazy writing.

See the page on "Deus ex machina" at Wikipedia.

Often in the dialect work with students the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is employed.

Directors for the camera have a wide and varied scope of duties and authorities, depending on the medium in which they are working, and also depending on the particular projects they are working on.

In movie productions the director is the primary artistic leader who governs the creative content in all aspects from the performances by the cast members, principal photography, sound effects, Foley sound, special effects, and the editing all the way to the final cut.

Usually the director has a significant amount of creative control, if not total creative control, over the artistic elements of the production. Sometimes there will be restrictions on artistic freedom that is dictated by the producers or the studio, based on goals and visions set for the project during its development. Often a director's artistic decision is vetoed simply due to budgetary concerns.

Depending on the project, the film director will have authority, responsibility, or input over any and all of casting, script development, script editing, cinematography (any or all of shot composition, shot selection, and perhaps even lighting), and the film editing of the movie.

It's not uncommon for film directors and their directors of photography (DPs) to work in collaboration which each other, the DPs using their expertise to give the directors screen images and the visual feelings they want, while the directors relay on the DP's skills and are open to creative ideas and suggestions from the DPs.

On a production where the director can be called an auteur, he or she will have much tighter control over all creative, and probably many managerial, aspects of the movie. Quite often such directors will be primary or solely responsible for casting, and may be the director of photography, or will at least occasionally operate the camera. They'll probably also be the primary driving artistic force behind all other creative design aspects such as costuming and and set design. Auteurs' film productions are almost always independent films.

New film makers, just starting out, frequently shoot several short-subject films that are independent auteur productions, sometimes with that director performing almost all the production duties, or with a small crew, with each member wearing more than one production hat.

In large, big-budget movie productions, the directers might relinquish some director's duties by delegating the shooting of some scenes or sequences of less dramatic principality or complexity to the second unit. This is also true in episodic television productions, especially such programs as single-camera procedural dramas like CSI.

In television productions the director traditionally directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.

The duties of a television director vary depending on the type of production: multiple-camera or single-camera, and variants within those two categories, with directors generally having more overarching creative input in single-camera productions, which are shot and produced virtually like movies, with the caveat that the EXECUTIVE PRODUCER (the show runner) has ultimate creative control.

In multi-camera productions, especially such things as news, sports news, sporting events, talk shows and game shows, the director is responsible for "calling" the broadcast or video recording, supervising the placement of professional video cameras (camera blocking), lighting equipment, microphones, props, graphics, and the overall pacing and feel of the production. In a dramatic arts production, the television director's role can be similar to a film director's, giving cues to actors and directing the camera placement and movement. In a television show composed of individual episodes, the television director's role may differ from a film director's in that he or she will usually work only on some television episodes instead of being the auteur of the entire production. In an episodic television production, the major creative control will likely reside with the television producer(s) of the show. However, the director has input, whether it be how, if, and why something can or can't be done.

Other than quickly calling out commands, the television director is also expected to maintain order among the staff in the control room, on the set, and elsewhere.

A news studio might have multiple cameras and few camera movements. In a sports broadcast, the director might have 20 or 30 cameras and must continuously tell each of the camera operators what to focus on.

While the director is responsible for specific shots and other production elements, the producer (typically seated behind the director in the second row of chairs in the control room) coordinates the "big picture," including commercial breaks and the running length of the show.

2) a program where the subject is one or more disaster, usually a documentary, but might also be a narrative program.

Steadicams now often replace the dolly use, though the resulting shot is still known as a dolly shot.

Independent film makers have improvised their own dolly trucks, with film maker Kevin Smith innovating the use of a wheel chair as a dolly for dolly shots, a practice that has since become common.

*Dress rehearsal and the actual production shooting have seperate audiences.

Sitcom and sketch comedy show dress rehearsals are performed in front of a studio audience so the producers and writers can gage the effectiveness of jokes and gags based on the audience response. Moments that fail will be revised, rewritten, or possibly cut, before the principal photography or live broadcast later that day.

Often, in independent productions, and in some case, studio productions, the director is the editor, especially if she or he is an auteur. Many short films have the director as editor.

In movie productions executive producers are the masters of the finances, either putting up some -- perhaps all -- of the money themselves, or pitching to potential financial backers (for an independent film) or pitching the movie to a studio in hopes they will pick it up and back its production. In the case of independent films, they also are responsible to secure the distribution deals. Often executive producers are in some manner involved in the development of the project, beyond finances, from somewhat to heavily. In some cases the concept for the movie was their idea.

Once a movie gets the greenlight the executive producer may or may not be involved with any further production development, but they are very likely to be heavily involved with the financial and business aspects, such as budgets, contracts and executive operations.

In television productions (network, cable, & streaming) there are several types of executive producer, and a particular show may have more than one, and a particular executive producer may fit into more than one of these categories:

1. Show Runner -- the highest ranked exec (the "chief executive") who is in charge of all aspects of the production, responsible for daily management of the show, and oversees, and probably takes the lead in, the creative development. In most cases the original show runner for a TV production is the, or one of the, show creators.

   In non-narrative TV, especially news programming, the EP usually works for the lead talent, such as the news anchor of the program, and runs the broadcast, cablecast, or production recording, calling the minute-to-minute editorial shots, and generally overseeing the pre-production of each episode. But the EP defers final authority and approval to the lead talent (who, in a news program is usually considered the managing editor).

2. Head Writer -- The head writer of the writing staff is one of the executive producers if not the only one, as she or he may also be the show runner, though sometimes the Co-executive producer is the head writer. As suggested, the head writer is most responisble for the teleplays generated
3. The CEO or equivalent head of a production company that produces and distributes an original syndicated program is an executive producer.
4. Some producers for a program may be promoted to the level of executive producer.
5. The Show Creator -- even if such has diminished his or her active involvement in the production of the show, or has departed, altogether, he or she still has a credit as Executive Producer.

• In television, EPs do have authority over directors, whom usually they have hired and can fire, but they usually leave the directors to their own discretions.

Exposition can be done in clever manners that make the introduction of the information smooth and perhaps even matter-of-fact. The danger is that exposition can also be clumsy and seemed forced and unnatural, which calls attention to it and may take the audience members out of the story, out of their suspension of disbelief.

*Though an "EXT." slug line in a script only indicates that the scene takes place in an exterior location, within the universe of the story -- the scene may have actually been shot on a sound stage made to look like the outdoors.

Related: IN THE CAN

The director may also say "give more."

*as opposed to pulling back

A situation where this most prevalent is with actors who have been hired by medical schools or law schools to play the roles of patients, clients, or witnesses, armed with fact sheets but no script and expected to improvise based on the details they've been given to help teach the medical or law students.

Some producers and/or CDs may also accept 5"x7" or 4"x6" headshot prints.

The most prolific examples of improv are improv comedy troupes such as the famed Second City, which originated out of Chicago, The Upright Citizens Brigade, also founded in Chicago, or The Groundlings (Los Angeles).

But there is also dramatic improv acting both on stage and in movie or TV productions. Often in the latter two there will only be moments that are improvised rather than whole productions. It may be as simple as an actor improvising one line in a scene, or some, most or all of a particular scene may be improvised.

Actors may also be hired by medical schools or law schools to play the roles of patients, clients, or witnesses, armed with fact sheets but no script and expected to improvise based on the details they've been given to help teach the medical or law students. This may be referred to as "guided improv."

Though the term applies to where the scene takes place in the universe of the script, not where it is actually shot, it is unlikely in modern productions for an interior scene to be shot outdoors. In early film making, sets were built outside with three walls and no ceiling or roof in order to utilize sunlight as the lighting for the shoot, often with portable side walls that could be removed to even further utilize sunlight. Such technique has long been antiquated and unnecessary with ever advancing studio lighting technology.

The J cut is a soft transition, much like a lap dissolve, from one scene to the next, or one shot to the next. It is used frequently as part of reversal edits for scenes when characters are in conversations that have been shot over the shoulder.

The name of the effect comes from Documentary Director Ken Burns' extensive use of the effect in his documentaries, but the effect predates his work. He credits Documentary Filmmaker Jerome Liebling as teaching him, but the process goes back to the early 1960's, at least.

In the terms of film making or television production this will mostly apply to the director and/or the screenwriter (or executive producer) but will also apply to anyone else on the creative team: any of the myriad of designers, or anyone contributing creative input, and translates into whatever creative elements such are responsible for.

see "How to 'Kill Your Darlings' and Survive the Process," by Ruthanne Reid.

The L cut is a soft transition, much like a lap dissolve, from one scene to the next, or one shot to the next. It is used frequently as part of reversal edits for scenes when characters are in conversations that have been shot over the shoulder.

The lead role, or roles, will be the character, or characters, the story is about or centered around, and the lead tends to be one of the, if not the, driving force behind the plot.

Of course, lead roles are always principal roles.

2) the actual source of illumination of light for a given scene or situation. It may be electrically generated, created by some sort of flame or other natural source, such as sun light, moon light, or star light. On a movie or TV set, it is electrically generated, with or without diffusion of other manipulations. At an exterior location, it is usually natural light, which is most likely to be sun light, somehow filtered, diffused or reflected; sometime this natural lighting is enhanced by an electronic source.

"Lock it up" means "Don't let anyone unauthorized through, and don't touch anything." Very frequently this command goes over the walkie-talkies to PAs stationed at strategic points on the set or on location.

This is not to be confused with a SAG/AFTRA Ultra-low Pay contract production, which is sanctioned by the union, but has minimum wage requirements and various rules that the producers must follow.

Monologues are much rarer in movies and television programs than they are in stage plays, but they do occur. Often they will be a narrative voice-over. Most frequently they will be key moments at a dramatic high spot in a movie, such as Jack Nicholson's speech from the witness stand as Col. Jessup in A Few Good Men or Tom Hanks' soliloquy, toward the end of Castaway, as his Chuck Nolan pines over the loss of his true love, Kelly (Hellen Hunt).

Auditions for screen productions, including screentest auditions, may require, or at least allow, actors to perform a monologue that would be considered relevant to the role or roles the actor seeks. There probably would be a time restriction in length (such as one minute) and there might be a request for contrasting dramatic intent (i.e.: dramatic and comic).

"MOS" stands for "motor only sync" or "motor only shot." Although legend purports that Director Erich Von Stroheim couldn't pronounce "without sound" correctly due to his accent so he said "Mit out sound."

The camera may be handheld, shoulder-mounted, on a dolly truck, or any other means by which the camera is put into motion.

*see also dolly shot

It is the standard for live studio television programming such as news programs, talk shows and game shows, with the first being a live broadcast or cablecast and the latter two video tape for later broadcast/cablecast. It is also the standard method to produce television situation comedies, which are also usually shot in front of studio audiences.

The typical method of multiple-camera shooting will have two cameras left and right in camera area (occasionally including portions of the scene area), which will angle in to shoot close-up shots ("crosses") of characters primary in the scene, keeping trained on these actors during the performance. Meanwhile one or two cameras will shoot master shots.

Multiple-camera shoots facilitated a great expedience and continuity by capturing multiple images and actions during one performance take of the scene. It eliminates to do multiple shot set-ups, and greatly reduces the amount of takes necessary to capture the different action elements of a moment in the story line -- I.E.: there are much fewer starts and stops, and no waits as the crew re-sets everything for the next shot set-up of the same moment. And, as suggested above, it almost virtually eliminates the chance of continuity errors.

For live studio television productions, like game shows or talk shows, multiple-camera shooting simply creates a more interesting visual look, by being able to switch to different cameras to better capture interesting things happening on the sound stage. In these situations there may also be cameras, often shoulder mounted steady-cams, that will shoot images of the audience reacting to the action on stage. Think Ellen or A HREF="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120974/">Jerry Springer.

Such multiple-camera shoots do constrain choices for lighting and camera angles. The lighting has to be more general, and usually brighter, to assure good light for all the areas of the stage. Some camera angles are impossible, at least in scripted fictional shows, because of the risk that other cameras or portions of the studio that are not part of the set come into frame, thus breaking the fourth wall. There is more flexibility in terms of camera angles on the set of a game show or talk show, since the fact that it is on a sound stage is acknowledged by everyone, so there is no fourth wall to break.

In scripted multiple-camera television productions the directors will likely be on the floor; choices of shots from each of the cameras will be chosen during the editing process.

In live broadcast or live studio audience studio multiple-camera television productions (news, game shows and talk shows), the directors are usually in the control booth calling which camera (and its shot) will be the one going to the broadcast or the master recording, at any given moment. Though all camera shots are recorded throughout the take or the broadcast for shows that will be distributed later rather airing live, in case there is a need to re-edit the master recording, substituting one or more shots.

In dramatic TV series or TV movies productions may occasionally employ multiple camera shooting, usually at specific locations, or for particular sequences or scenes. This will be more likely a special circumstance, with such productions far more likely to shoot most of the episode and the production in general as single-camera.

Historically, multi-camera shoots were "three-camera shoots," as three cameras were traditionally used. Now at least four cameras are very frequently used. Though on a movie production set, multi-camera can simply mean two or more.

"Non-union production" does not necessarily mean "non-commercial venture"; sometimes the producers do attempt to market the finish product, and are not always unsuccessful.

In some circumstances SAG/AFTRA actors can appear in a non-union production, but it must meet narrowly specific criteria as stipulated by SAG/AFTRA, and it cannot be a feature-length film.

Also productions meant to be viewed on websites such as from a domain owned by the producer or on such websites as YouTube, as well as in podcast form (which may be either streamed or downloaded).

2) the production process of making any such programming.

On-line tv programing may also be viewed at websites such as on a domain owned by the producer or on such websites as YouTube, as well as in podcast form (which may either be streamed or downloaded)-- as opposed to Broadcast, Cable, and Satellite TV.

Note 1: some roles or some projects, on the contrary, actually call for such big, overbearing performances, especially if the role or material is comedic, or stylized.

Note 2: sometimes, "over-acting" does not quite meet the heights of "chewing scenery," but still may be too big for what is needed for the moment; or simply means that the perfomance is not appearing like natural behavior.

Networks also show special programming that is not part of the regular scheduling, such as special holiday programming (scripted movies or specials, variety specials, concerts), mini-series, new magazine specials, special sporting events ( like The World Series or the Summer Olympics), special news coverage (major breaking news, Presidential Conventions, The State of the Union, etc.), and major awards shows (such as The Academy Awards).

Primetime is traditionally the period of time with the most television viewers, thus it is the block when networks and local TV stations can charge the most for commercial advertising slots. The more popular a program, the high its ratings, the more can be charged. The advent of cable and satellite television, and now streaming television services is challenging this financial landscape by offering more alternatives (especially with the on-demand capabilities of all three), yet, Primetime TV is still lucrative.

*Technically, 60 Minutes begins its broadcast at 7:00 p.m on Sunday, but it is still considered to be primetime programming.

For more, see "Everything You Need to Know About Primetime TV " at the balance.

As the specific term of "producer" as a level in the rank-and-file of producer categories the producer is just below the supervising producer on the totem pole and is further defined thusly:

In movie productions producers are responsible for physical facilities, including equipment. A writer who has contributed a small amount to a screenplay, in a U.S. production, and thus is not eligible by the Writers Guild of America rules to be credited as a writer will be titled as producer. In both cases the producer's credit will read: "produced by (....)."

In some smaller indepedent movie, video or webcast productions, whether they be low-budget, no-budget, well-paying, short-subject, or feature-length, the "producer" may be the project's auteur and essentially the cheif executive producer and may fill the roles of many of the varying classifications of producers as listed below.

In television productions, as well as governing physical facilities and equipment, like for a film, a TV producer may have written all or most of a series episode or of a stand-alone project. Former executive producers who have stepped out of that role but still write for the show are categorized as producers, as well. For episodic TV, producer credits are used for individual episodes and usually require approval from the Writers Guild of America if work on the teleplay is involved. Again, in all these cases, the producer's credit will read: "produced by (....)."

There are many classifications of producers, in both film and television, listed here in typical order of rank and authority:

1. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
2. CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
3. LINE PRODUCER
4. SUPERVISING PRODUCER
5. PRODUCER *(see "As the specific term of 'producer,'" above)
6. CO-PRODUCER
7. COORDINATING PRODUCER/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR/LI>
8. CONSULTING PRODUCER
9. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
10. ASSISTANT PRODUCER
11. CHASE PRODUCER
12. SEGMENT PRODUCER
13. FIELD PRODUCER
14. EDIT PRODUCER
15. POST PRODUCER

The most common usage of the term is for the portion of the process of making a film, video, TV program, or documentary that consists of any rehearsal and all major or minor filming, video recording or shooting of live broadcast, of all action or performances involving all actors and other performers, or all subjects of a documentary. As well, the filming, video recording, shooting of live broadcast of all footage that does not include performers or other active subjects (people, animals, or animations) is part of the production phase. Thusly, "in production" means being in this period.

Sometime used as a synonym for "movie&qupt;, "program," etc.

Sometimes things that are otherwise considered set pieces will become props if the actors/characters use them in a significant manner. For instance a dinning room chair will still be considered a set piece if all the actor does is pull it out and sit on it as an act incidental to the scene. If it becomes a bone of contention between to characters in the story who argue over where it goes in the room, and each keeps moving it to make a point, or if pulling the chair out to sit on it is significant to the plot of the scene or overall story, it is now a prop.

Conversely, any item mentioned in the first paragraph above is not a prop, but rather a set piece if it is on the set but is not used by the actors/characters. These items may also be referred to as set dressing.

In movie productions The property master comes on board during preproduction, where she or he develops the stylistic concept of the props, then remains during principal photography to oversee the management, integration and use of the props.

The camera may be handheld, shoulder-mounted, on a dolly truck, or any other means by which the camera is put into motion.

*see also dolly shot

The director may also say "give less."

*Though "going bigger" is the term usually used for the opposite of this, "pulling back" is more commonly used for this than is &qupt;going smaller."

Reality TV, in the end, does not reflect the reality of what happens in the events it displays on its episodes. It is manufactured television just like any scripted TV show is. But Reality TV can be produced on a far smaller budget than scripted television and yield big advertising revenue due to the genre's great popularity and high ratings. For a few further insights into the veracity, or lack thereof, of Reality TV, see:

"13 Secrets Reality TV Show Producers Won't Tell You"
"I Was on Reality TV: Behind the Scenes Secrets of Faking Real Life"
"I Work As a Writer For Reality Shows -- Here's the Deal"

In one of the most common configurations of Reality TV, these "normal citizens" are theoretically continuously recorded on camera, virtually twenty-four hours a day, with what are considered the most choice, interesting, and entertaining moments culled for the edited version that makes it to the TV screen. Such programs are designed for entertainment value rather than informative merit. The most common presentation is one where these "normal people" are in isolation, in a house or building they cannot leave (as in Big Brother) or an alleged remote area of wilderness (as in Survivor). The participants compete against each other, often in teams, to meet challenges. Often the cast members vote at the end of each episode to eliminate one or a few fellow cast members from the show. The last cast member remaining wins the overall contest and usually takes home large cash prize, usually one million dollars.

Examples of other variations of this contest theme, but that eliminate the claimed isolation factor and that are focused far more as straight competitive games or contests are:

The Amazing Race
The Bachelor
The Biggest Loser
Dancing With the Stars
Top Chef
Project Runway
American Idol
America's Got Talent
Last Comic Standing
So You Think You Can Dance
The Voice
      -- the latter five specifically focused on contestants who are doing performing-arts performances for judges.

There is also the versions of the genre with the concept that the TV audience is eavesdropping into the personal or professional lives of the subjects. Popular examples of this are:

The Anna Nicole Show
Deadliest Catch
Duck Dynasty
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Flip This House
Hoarders
Jersey Shore
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
Pawn Stars
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills -- and the rest of the Real Housewives franchise)
The Real World
Undercover Boss

In some Reality programs, such as Being Bobby Brown, Dancing With the Stars, or Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List , people who are already celebrities when they start into the show -- rather than becoming celebrities as the result of the show -- are in the cast, often being the driving focus of the show.

"Reel" is a legacy term referring to the days when one would literally be a 16mm film reel. In this third millennium, one's reel is most likely to be a digital movie file that can be viewed or downloaded from a website, or can be sent as an email attachement. It may also be on a blue-ray or DVD disk, and perhaps occasionally on a video cassette tape -- though this last one is not as likely.

For movie productions there usually is not a rehearsal period, rather usually each scene is rehearsed, if at all, on the day the scene is shot, and usually just prior, and tends to focus on technical issues rather than actor's emotional perfomances. Actors may rehearse their scenes with each other off set during the frequent "down time" on set (in TV and video shoots as well).

Some movie directors do schedule a rehearsal period to work with the actors on character and intent, but more often such rehearsal period, which always happens in a theatrical production, does not happen.

In television, most specifically in multi-camera narrative programs -- the standard for sit-com productions -- there is more likely to be more rehearsal, culminating with a dress rehearsal in front of a studio audience. The Dress will be shot both so crew can rehearse, and also footage shot at dress is needed as coverage to substitue for a moment or scene that had problems during principal photography shoot, that which generally happens later the same day as Dress, and usually in front of a different studio audience. In many ways, multi-camera rehearsals and productions are like such for a theatrical play or musical.

For television talk shows, which are also multi-camera productions, rehearsals are right before the episode is shot, and focus on technical aspects -- though the musical guests or any more elaborate perfomances and skits will also be rehearsed.

Single-camera TV productions and rehearsals are rarely not exactly like movie productions and rehearsals, save that, for episodic programs, because of the constraints of schedule -- one episode must be wrapped so the next can be started -- there will not be an extended "rehearsal period" before production, though such could happen for a made-for-TV or made-for-cable movie.

All different production types will start with a table-read rehearsal, however, with very few exceptions.

To be "in rehearsal" means the person or the production is in this stage of preproduction preparation and practice, whether that be the few moments before the shoot, or a period of weeks or days of a rehearsal period before production begins, though such period is not frequently part of movie or video productions, and longer rehearsal periods are rarely part of a television production.

Sometimes referred to as a pickup, though pickups more often refer to shooting additional material.

NOTE: To "punch up" or "sweeten" a script are both forms of revision.

*Generally differentiated from a "rewrite," which is usually considered to result in more significant changes to the script than a revision.

*Generally differentiated, as here, from a "revision," which is usually considered to result in less significant changes to the script as a whole than a rewrite.

2) NOUN: the music score.

see "How to Write a Screenplay: Script Writing Example & Screenwriting Tips."

To some extent or another most of those involved with the production will analyse the script. Directors will need to have as broad and as complete an understanding of their interpretations of their scripts as possible. The designers likewise need to have a firm understanding and interpretation, though they will work in close consultation with their directors, whose visions of the script take precedence.

Actors need, at a bare minimum, to analyse their characters' mental and emotional goals and motivations, and what part they play in telling the story. But it is better if they have more of an understanding that simply just that which concerns their characters.

Often during table work for a production the group as a whole works on script analysis.

Though set dressing items are set pieces they can usually be considered more as garnishes: both a sofa and the knitted throw that covers its back are set pieces, but the knitted throw is also set dressing, while the sofa generally is not considered such.

Other set pieces that are also set dressing include, but are not exclusive to, such things as tchotchkes, refrigerator magnets, items on shelves, pictures or paintings on walls, so long as these things are not used by or interacted with by the actors/characters (which would make them props) or are not somehow a focal point of plot for the scene or overall story line. A painting that hangs on the wall of a set and is not attended to by the characters, is set dressing; one that is a topic of conversation or is somehow a relevant item in the story is a prop, even if not physically used by the actors/characters.

2) as a verb: the act of placing items, which the actors/characters do not use or interact with, on the set of a movie, TV, video, or theatre production, that represent or enhance one or more of the sense of location, time (usually as in era), personality of a character or characters, or events in the universe of the script. Can include the design decisions of such set dressing.

Some set pieces may also be considered set dressing, usually smaller items such as tchotchkes, househild items, decorations, etc., again, so long as these things are not used by or interacted with by the actors/characters, making them props.

Though more and more sitcoms are being shot single-camera, the norm over the history of television has been multi-cam productions, shot in front of a studio audience with the scenes generally shot in sequence as they appear in the script, just as a live theatrical play is performed.

Examples of single-camera sitcoms are: Arrested Development, The Office, Parks and Recreation, and 30 Rock.

Examples of multi-camera sitcoms: Cheers, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, and I Love Lucy.

1) For a screentest -- at the top of the audition performance actors give their names, usually the roles being auditioned for, and in many cases, the agency that represents them, also in many cases the actors must state SAG/AFTRA union affiliation, or lack of such. Sometimes they have a number on a sheet of paper or board that they hold on their chest during the slate, which identifies their spot on an audition list.

If the actor is doing a live audition, they usually still at least verbally slate.

2) For movie, TV, or video productions -- the act of snapping a clapboard in front of the rolling camera at the start of a shot, to identify the shot, scene, production, etc., so the editor can identify and keep track of all footage that is good to use in the final cut, and to help ensure that the audio and visual information is in synch, by matching the sound of the snap with the image of the snap.

"SLATE," "SLATING," "CLAPBOARD," or "CLAPPER" as nouns

For movie, TV, or video productions -- the board with information on it that identifies the title of the production, the names of the director, the director of photography, the scene and take numbers, the date, and the time. It is filmed or video recorded at the top of each take, with the latest take number, date and time. The clapboard has a hinged stick on the top that an AD or PA snaps at the top of the scene to facilitate the synchronization of the sound and visual of the clap snap to ensure the audio and visual information is in sync in the clip of the scene. "Slating" is act of shooting the clapboard and snapping the top at the start of each shot of the scene, as mentioned above.

Studio recorded dialoge gibberish, similar to walla, but rather than a group of voices, an isolated recordings of a single voice speaking walla gibberish that is used to synchronized with the lip movements of an extra who can be prominently seen in the scene to give a better sense of verisimilitude.

It is used rather than the actual voice and words from the extra because, 1) as with group walla, there is an issue of controlling the audio levels and not competing with the dialogue of the principals on the scene, and 2) if this extra was to have a distinct dialogue perceptible in the final mix she or he would be elevated to actor (day player) and thus would be required to be paid a higher wage.

A soap opera is a serialized television drama that has many interwoven story lines about a large cast of characters most of which conform at least to some extent to archetypes. Though, in modern productions, soaps are not fully melodramatic, the writing and acting still often lean in that direction. Most modern soap operas are thirty-minute or one-hour daytime productions, produced by Broadcast Television networks, and airing Monday through Friday. Though they once made up the predominant portion of afternoon programming on TV networks, there are now only a few daytime soaps left in production.

Soap operas began as 15-minute serials in the early days of radio and the term "soap opera" derives from the fact that they were sponsored by soap companies. Guiding Light is the one radio soap that made the transition to television, debuting on the screen in 1952, and actually overlapping the last several years of the end of its radio run. It had a run from its start on radio until the end of its TV run of 72 years, with a 57-year run on television, alone. Several other soaps have had substantial TV runs. Most of the more popular daytime soaps are or have been:

All My Children (1970-2011)
Another World (1964-1999)
As the World Turns (1956-2010)
Days of Our Lives (1964-)
The Edge of Night (1956-1984)
General Hospital (1963-)
Guiding Light (radio: 1937-1956); (TV: 1952-2009)
The Young and the Restless (1973-)

Beverly Hills, 90210
Dallas
Dawson's Creek
Desperate Housewives
Dynasty
Knots Landing
Melrose Place
Peyton Place

The sound designer designs the sound plot for the production, noting all the sounds called for in the script, whether it be a sound that is a direct part of the action (a car honking "outside" because the wife is impatient) or ambient sound (birds "in the trees" to help set place and mood), and may determine that sounds not specifically mentioned in the script may also be appropriate -- especially ambient sounds such as office backgrounds or traffic.

The sound designer also will likely work to greater or lesser extent with the composer who is writing the music score for the soundtrack, perhaps or perhaps not giving input on the dynamics of the score, but always coordinating the lengths of pieces of music to synchronize with moments and scenes in the final cut.

The sound designer may also be invloved to a greater or lesser extent in the curating of music from outside sources, i.e.: music by recording artists. Such task often is done by producers, but the sound designer may have input. In all cases the sound designer will coordinate the length of the recordings to synchronize with moments and scenes in the final cut.

The sound designers will usually have a large library of sound effects and may create sounds specifically for a production through new recordings or through mixing two or more sound from their libraries together, or otherwise altering a pre-existing sound file to make it work (slow it down, add reverb, change the treble-bass equalization, etc.) As alluded to above, some sound designers will delegate Foley work to Foley artists while others are Foley artists, themselves, and will do all or some of the Foley work for the project.

Sound designers work in close collaboration with directors, who have final approval over all sound design.

This will include some or all of recording of some or all of the dialogue and other production sound, any ADR, Foley, and music. It also entails any building of new SFX from a SFX library and/or with Foley sound, applying any other SFX from the sound library, and applying any prerecorded commercial music from the repertoire of recording artists or for which said artists have written and recorded specifically for the project. Sound production further entails modifications of audio elements (for one or more of volume level, monophonic-thru-surround sound mix, equalization, speed, pitch, addition of reverb, echo or other effects). All these elements are then brought together and incorporated into the final cut as the soundtrack.

"Sound production" can also be a synonym for sound design.

Most of the sets on the sound stages for television series will, once built, not be struck until the series ends production.

Soundbytes and their use are often controversial as their brevity often is deceptive in term of the context of the broader material the soundbyte is taken from, frequently leading to inaccuracies in perception of the whole picture. Especially in the context of journalism, the ethics of proper use of soundbytes is a strong, on-going debate.

2) A collection of music heard in a movie or TV program, often marketed as an album of such.

A car rigged to flip then actually explode via engineered pyrotechnics is a special effect; a computer graphic enhancement that make it appear that the car has exploded is not called a "special effect," but rather CGI. In today's movie and television production worlds many visual illusions are the product of a blend of special effects and CGI.

2) Movie & TV production walkie-talkie lingo essentially for "I can't reply right now because I am busy with a task."

See, also, SECOND TEAM.

2) In a negative light, it is to give an undesirable performance that draws undue attention to oneself by exaggerated movement or other over-acting, thus taking the focus away from where it belongs at that moment in the scene.

The second definition may also be known as "upstaging," which is more commonly used in theatre.

Stock footage comes from a variety of sources including footage that is excerpted from a previous production, or outtakes not used from a previous production. It may also be footage that has been shot and produced specifically to be stock footage.

There are stock footage services who provide such to producers and directors, often for a flat fee (i.e: royalty free). Many on-line services offer direct download of stock shots.

Stock photos come from a variety of sources including previous productions. It may also be a photo that has been shot and produced specifically to be a stock photo.

There are stock photo services who provide such to producers and directors, often for a flat fee (i.e: royalty free). Many on-line services offer direct download of stock photos.

The bible's purpose is to maintain consistency in the lives of the characters and the events in their lives. A story bible becomes especially helpful when applied to any of the seriel story-telling mentioned above, especially when different individual scripts, books, or comic books are written by different authors. Often there are additional guidelines about where stories can and cannot go and what can or cannot happen to characters.

Producers, head writers, and editors often demand strict adherence to the applicable story bible and any guidelines, whether all the different stories remain in one medium or cross over into others.

See also ON-LINE PRODUCTION or ON-LINE TELEVISION

Sometimes "86" means, similarly, to throw away, though the term is not commonly used in reference to tearing down a set.

In television productions they play a role in supervising the creative process in the writers room, and, as in movie productions, may be involved in re-writes. In TV news they do much of the oversight of the development of new news and feature stories. Sometimes the supervising producer may be the head writer, though usually the head writer is a co-exec or an executive producer. They may mentor or guide newer writers, though if they are head writer they will delegate that to a senior writer on the team. They likely also work closely with less experienced story editors. In TV news and other non-narrative TV they usually report directly to the EP (executive producer) and thus are usually second in the producer chain of command.

It's also a term used for additions, alterations, or rewriting some portion, or other editing, of a script -- though the term "punch upp" is a little more common.

But any aspect, visual or otherwise, that is somehow altered or enhanced might be considered "sweetened."

See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Management_Relations_Act_of_1947.

Most talk shows have five episodes per week, Monday through Friday, either during the day or late night after the local news. With few exceptions, talk shows are one hour in length.

Most will also have musical guests who appear, usually to perform their latest hit, or would-be hit, and to promote a new album.

Talk shows usually have a house band that performs the show's opening and closing theme music, as well as playing into and out of commercial breaks.

Some also have comedy segments consisting any or all of sketches, some sort of funny list (such as David Letterman's "Top Ten List"), regular bits, funny game competitions that often recruit audience members, and any variety of other comedic features.

There are some talk shows that only feature interviews with guests, either several over the course of one episode, or only one guest for the whole episode. Some prime examples are Charlie Rose or Larry King Now.

It can be argued that Jerry Seinfeld's Netflix streamed program, Comedian's in Cars Getting Coffee is a talk show, though it would be a new twist on the genre, where the talk takes place on location in a car and in some sort of restaurant or café.

Here's just a small sampling of other examples of talk shows:

• Chelsea lately
• Conan
• Donahue
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show
• The Late Late Show with Craig Furguson
• The Late Show with David Letterman
• Lopez Tonight
• The Oprah Winfrey Show
• Piers Morgan Tonight
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Though not entirely the same, in general terms there are not a multitude of differences between the formatting of teleplays that for screenplays.

see "The Screenwriter's Simple Guide to Formatting Television Scripts."

The most common usage of the term is for the portion of the process of making an on-line series, movie, or documentary that consists of any rehearsal and all major or minor filming or video recording, or shooting of live broadcast, of all action or performances involving all actors and other performers, or all subjects of a documentary. As well, the filming, video recording, shooting of live broadcast of all footage that does not include performers or other active subjects (people, animals, or animations) is part of the production phase. Thusly, "in production" means being in this period.

For more information on treatments see:

"Film treatment" at Wikipedia
"How To Write A Treatment," by Marilyn Horowitz at movie outline

*See also, against type

Typecasting can both work to an actor's advantage or be problematic for her or his career. In the first instance especially with the majority of screen actors who book mostly or exclusively guest spots and supporting roles, and, most especially, commercials*, such actor may get a lot of work because he or she is strongly identified as his or her type. However, when a particular actor is identified with a particularly iconic role, she or he may become harder to cast because they have become so synonymous with that character there is a concern that audiences will not accept the actor as another character. Also, some actors may be identified with such a specific type (usually because of some sort of physical attribute) that it becomes hard to imagine them in other types of roles.

*Typecasting is the strong normal practice in commercial advertising.

It should be noted that typecasting is to some extent less of an issue for stage actors than screen actors, the latter who have a much smaller chance of being cast against type.

The term "Upfronts"comes from the TV executives goals to entice advertisers to buy comercial ad space before the new programing is broadcast of cablecast.

See "A Brief History of Viewpoints."

2) In a theatre production: any recorded voice that is played during a live performance.

3) Especially concerning "voice acting" and "voice work," to performa as an announcer for a TV production, an announcer or character for a radio or audio-only production or to perform the voice of an animated character in an animated production or animated sequence.

The words ("walla" or "rhubarb") come from the idea that the particular word is being said, but, in reality those who speak the faux dialogue for the walla recording may be murmuring other things. Most are likely saying coherent sentences. Some of the other words that might be said are: "peas and carrots," "watermelon cantaloupe," "natter natter" "grommish grommish" or some other gibberish a particular speaker is improvising. Again, often these people are constructing coherent sentences, but the conglomeration of all the voices renders it all indistinguishable murmuring.

Beyond audio level control on set, the other reason to add recorded walla for the background extras is that if any of those extras where to have a distinct dialogue perceptible in the final mix they they would be elevated to actors (day players) and thus would be required to be paid a higher wage.

*See also, snazzum.

To "go long" or to "go wide" means to shoot this sort of shot.

Master shots are virtually always wide shots.

Sometimes an excerpt of audio from an unused take is used in the take chosen for the final cut, to add in, or to replace something, and sometimes such is referred to as "wild sound."

2) as a verb: the act of finishing any element or portion of a production, or the act of sending an actor or crew member home for the day, for some period of production time, or from the production from that point forward. For instance the first AD might instruct a PA to tell an actor he or she is wrapped for the day. Also, it's not uncommon, on a movie set, when an actor has finished her or his last scene in the production, for the director or the first AD to announce to the rest of the cast and the crew, &qupt;Ladies and gentleman, John/Jane is wrapped from [the name of the movie]!" Then everyone else claps and cheers for them.

In the television industry, far more than film, there are multiple designations of those who write for the medium with various levels of duties and responsibility. Most designations are as some sort of producer and are generally dictated by the Writers Guild of America. Basically, besides the actual term "writer," which is for those who are staff writers in the writers room, these are the other designations of writers (producers) (click on each for more detail):

• Head writer or Executive producer
• Co-executive producer
• Supervising producer
• Producer -- (as the specific term)
• Co-producer
• Associate producer
• Segment producer
• Edit producer
*All of these designations may belong to people who do not write, as well.

*see "Writer as 'producer'" at Wikipedia

Movie productions may also have a writing room if there is a writing team of screenwriters on the project.