A Paper Tech is a pre-production or rehearsal session where creative and technical teams walk through a scene's cues and transitions on paper before implementing them on set.
Filmmaking
Filmmaking Terms, A to Z
Go behind the camera and explore the art and craft of filmmaking. This category breaks down the technical and creative processes involved in bringing a movie to life — from cinematography and directing to editing, sound design, production roles, and special effects. Whether you're curious about how a scene is shot or how a film crew operates, dive into the world of practical movie-making knowledge.
- filmmaking terms
- 913
- of the whole glossary
- 30%
- starting letters
- 27
Page 10 of 16
All 913 Filmmaking Terms
Listed alphabetically, each with its one-line answer first. This page runs from Paper Tech to Pull Down. S is the busiest letter here, with 146 entries. Jump to a letter to see only the filmmaking terms that start with it.
Filmmaking terms starting with P
60 of 74 on this page · all P entries
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A paperless shoot is a film production methodology that aims to minimize or eliminate the use of paper documents by utilizing digital alternatives.
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A PAR Can is a simple, robust lighting fixture consisting of a housing ('can') and a PAR lamp, which produces a powerful, non-focusable, oval-shaped beam of light.
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In virtual production, a parallax error is a visual glitch where the 3D background on an LED wall does not move correctly in relation to the camera's perspective.
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An editing style that juxtaposes separate storylines to draw thematic comparisons
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A parenthetical is a brief direction for an actor, placed in parentheses within a dialog block, that clarifies the tone, intent, or action accompanying a line.
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A tool traditionally used for marking continuity notes and scene details on set.
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A pencil test is a preliminary version of an animated sequence created from the animator's rough pencil drawings to check timing and motion.
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Advanced motion capture capturing facial and physical acting nuances
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High-speed digital cinema camera capturing extreme slow motion with crisp detail and robust triggering.
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A brief, supplemental shot added after principal photography to address coverage gaps or continuity errors.
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A pick-up unit is a small film crew assembled after principal photography has wrapped to shoot minor additional shots or reshoots.
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Pickups are minor shots or portions of shots filmed after principal photography has wrapped to supplement or fix issues discovered in the edit.
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A picture vehicle is any automobile, truck, motorcycle, or other form of transportation that appears on camera during a film production.
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Picture wrap signifies the completion of principal photography for an entire film project.
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Adding vertical bars to display narrower aspect ratios on wider screens
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A Pinterest board is a digital collage used as an essential tool in film pre-production for creating and sharing a movie's visual identity.
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A pixel tube is a modern, tube-shaped LED lighting fixture where individual sections, or pixels, can be controlled independently for color, intensity, and effects.
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A plate playback server is a high-performance computer system used on set to play back pre-recorded background footage, known as plates, onto LED screens for virtual production.
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A camera lens filter that reduces reflections and enhances color saturation.
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A script polish is the final stage of the rewriting process, focusing on refining dialogue, pacing, and formatting rather than making major structural changes.
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'Porta Video' is an outdated term for a portable video playback system on a film set, the precursor to the modern, more complex Video Village.
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A post-conform change-list is a data file that tracks edits made to a film after the picture has been 'locked' and sent to other post-production departments.
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A brief additional scene appearing after the end credits to tease future content or provide closure.
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The stage after filming that focuses on editing, visual effects, and sound design to complete the film.
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The managerial role overseeing all post‑production operations and deliverables
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A 'potato light' is a humorous slang term for a very simple, often bare-bulb, utility light used on a film set for general illumination rather than for artistic lighting.
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A Power Window is a shape-based masking tool used in color grading to isolate a specific region of the image, allowing for targeted adjustments to be applied exclusively within that area.
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A perceptual quantizer transfer function standardized for HDR distribution.
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An on-set effect achieved without digital manipulation, using physical methods and materials.
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On-screen fixtures double as diegetic illumination, blending narrative logic with cinematographic needs.
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The planning phase of a film project involving design, logistics, and resource allocation before shooting begins.
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A prelight is the practice of setting up and programming the lighting for a scene before the main actors are required on set.
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A premix is an intermediate stage in audio post-production where related sound elements, such as dialogue or sound effects, are blended together into a sub-mix before the final mix.
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A prep day is a paid day of work for a crew member that occurs before principal photography begins, dedicated to preparation, planning, and organization.
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Previs is a 3D computer-animated visualization of a complex film sequence, created during pre-production to plan intricate camera work and action.
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Previsualization, or previs, is the advanced process of creating a digital, often 3D-animated, mock-up of complex film sequences to meticulously plan the shots, camera work, and technical execution before filming.
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Primary Color Correction is the foundational stage of color grading where broad adjustments to brightness, contrast, and color balance are applied to the entire image simultaneously.
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A fixed focal-length camera lens prized for optical clarity and wide apertures
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The primary phase of shooting a film when the majority of the footage is captured by the production crew.
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Final approved mix master combining dialogue, music, and effects into delivery-ready stems or beds.
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Guidance from producers focusing on logistical, budgetary, and narrative efficiency in a script.
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A version of a film edited under a producer’s supervision, often differing from the director’s creative vision.
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Production coordinators orchestrate the paperwork and logistics that keep call sheets, travel and gear flowing on time.
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The overall visual concept of a film, encompassing sets, locations and props.
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The production mix is the live audio mix created on set by the production sound mixer during filming, combining signals from various microphones into a coherent track for dailies and editorial use.
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Comprehensive records of daily shoot progress, challenges, and operational decisions.
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End-of-day summary logs pages shot, scenes completed, expenses, injuries, and equipment notes for studio oversight.
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The production sound mixer heads the on-set audio team, guaranteeing usable dialogue for post-production.
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Production supervisors track cost reports, union compliance and cross-departmental logistics so chaos never reaches the set.
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A prompt library is a curated, organized collection of text commands used to achieve consistent and high-quality results from generative AI tools within a production workflow.
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A prop list is a detailed breakdown, generated from the script, of every single property or 'prop' that appears in a film.
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The person in charge of acquiring, maintaining, and organizing all props used during filming.
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Detailed inventory and instructions for the management and continuity of props.
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An Apple-defined codec family balancing image quality with edit-friendly performance.
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ProRes RAW is a codec from Apple that combines the quality and flexibility of raw video with the high performance of the ProRes family of codecs.
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The use of molded appliances to alter an actor’s appearance for film.
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Custom sculpted appliances used to alter an actor’s physical features.
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The creation of lower-resolution copies of high‑resolution footage to speed up editing and review workflows.
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Pull down is the process used to convert the 24 frames-per-second rate of motion picture film into video formats with higher frame rates.
Other categories
The Other Seven Categories
The rest of the glossary, each with its own A to Z index: genres and styles, characters and tropes, storytelling, industry and awards, pop culture and fandom, general terms, and the odd ones out.
