Filmmaking
The B camera is a secondary camera used during a shoot to simultaneously capture additional angles, coverage, or a different type of shot than the primary A camera.
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Film Terms Starting With B
164 entries in the Movie Wiki begin with B, listed alphabetically with a one-line definition each. Open any of them for the full explanation.
1–60 of 164 entries
Definitions of Film Terms Starting With B
Open any entry for the full definition, where the term comes from and the films that show it best.
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Storytelling
The B Story, or subplot, is a secondary plotline in a screenplay that runs parallel to the main A Story, often used to explore the film's theme and develop character relationships.
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Industry
The B-List refers to a tier of actors who are professionally established and often recognizable but lack the box-office draw and top-tier salaries of the A-List.
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Storytelling
The B-plot is a secondary storyline, typically relationship-focused, that explores a film's theme and develops the protagonist's internal character arc.
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Pop Culture
The secondary song on a single’s flip side, often featuring experimental or lesser-known tracks.
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Filmmaking
Supplementary footage used to enrich visuals, cover edits, and illustrate narration.
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Filmmaking
B‑roll is supplemental or alternative footage intercut with A‑roll to enrich narrative and cover edits.
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Filmmaking
A baby dolly is a compact, lightweight camera dolly designed for smaller crews and tighter spaces where a full-sized dolly is impractical.
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Pop Culture
The collective fan community and franchise surrounding *The Bachelor* and its spin‑offs.
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Industry
An agreement granting participants a share of profits after initial investors are repaid
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Filmmaking
A back-light is a light source placed behind a subject, facing the camera, which creates a glowing outline or 'halo' effect on the subject's head and shoulders.
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Filmmaking
An outdoor area on a studio property used for filming set pieces and exterior scenes.
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General
A backseat director is a colloquial, often pejorative term for someone who constantly offers unsolicited advice and criticism on how a film should be made, whether on set or as a viewer.
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Pop Culture
An exclusive gathering held behind the scenes at film premieres or festival events.
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Industry
A backstage pass provides authorized access to the restricted, behind-the-scenes areas of a film production, premiere, or industry event.
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Industry
A backstage tour is a guided look at the areas of a film production or event that are typically hidden from the public.
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Storytelling
Background information about characters or events that precede the main narrative.
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Storytelling
A backstory dump, or info-dump, is a narrative technique where a large amount of exposition about a character's or world's history is delivered all at once.
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Filmmaking
A backup mag is the secondary, verified copy of the raw footage captured on a film set during a given day.
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Industry
Britain’s counterpart to the Oscars balances royal ceremony with global industry clout.
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Industry
A bake-off is a competitive presentation stage in the Academy Awards process where semi-finalists, most notably in the Visual Effects category, showcase their work.
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Genres
A baking show is a reality television format whose distinct visual style has influenced the way food is filmed and presented in modern cinema.
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Genres
The Baltic New Wave describes the post-Soviet flourishing of auteur cinema in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, often characterized by a poetic, allegorical style used to explore themes of national identity, history, and trauma.
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Industry
A band rate is a fee paid to a crew member for the use of their personal equipment or vehicle on a production, separate from their labor day rate.
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Filmmaking
To bang the scene is film set slang for completing the filming of a scene very quickly, often due to time pressure.
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Industry
Former multi-screen theatrical format using a central screen with flanking side panels for panoramic storytelling.
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Characters
The bartender is a character archetype who serves as a confidant, a source of information, and an impartial observer from behind the bar.
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Filmmaking
Baselight is a high-performance color grading and finishing system developed by FilmLight, renowned in the feature film and high-end television industries for its powerful toolset and unique color science.
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Filmmaking
A battery-powered genny is a large, portable, rechargeable power station that serves as a silent, zero-emission alternative to the traditional diesel generators used on film locations.
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Filmmaking
A modular lithium‑ion power system enabling continuous, emission‑free operation
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Industry
The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) is the independent body that sets age ratings for films and other video content in the United Kingdom.
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Storytelling
A beat is the smallest unit of a story, representing a single, distinct moment of action, reaction, or emotional change within a scene.
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Storytelling
A beat change is the specific moment of transition within a scene where the emotional dynamic or the balance of power between characters is altered.
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Storytelling
A beat change summary is a micro-level analysis that describes the moment-to-moment shifts in power, emotion, and objective within a single scene.
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Storytelling
A beat sheet breaks a screenplay into its essential plot points in chronological order.
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Pop Culture
A beauty guru is a social media influencer who specializes in creating content about cosmetics and skincare, often recreating iconic makeup looks from films.
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General
A measure of gender representation requiring two named women to converse about something other than a man.
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Filmmaking
In immersive audio, a bed channel is a static, channel-based audio layer that provides the foundational, ambient soundscape of a scene.
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Genres
Bedroom pop is a music genre characterized by its DIY aesthetic, with songs written, recorded, and produced by artists in their own homes rather than in professional studios.
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Industry
Unofficial or curated glimpses of production demystify filmmaking while doubling as stealth marketing.
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Filmmaking
A behind-the-scenes clip is a short video featurette that showcases the making of a film, offering audiences a glimpse into the production process, from stunt work to special effects.
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Pop Culture
Supplementary film content showcasing production processes and cast interviews.
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Industry
Below-the-line refers to the fixed costs and wages for the technical crew, equipment, and services required for the physical production of a film.
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Characters
The Benevolent Dictator is a character archetype who rules with absolute authority but is portrayed as wise, just, and acting in the best interests of their people.
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General
A social photography app encouraging unfiltered, simultaneous sharing among friends.
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Industry
An A-list international film festival in Berlin known for its politically engaged programming.
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Industry
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals, celebrated for its focus on politically charged and artist-driven cinema.
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Industry
The best boy is the chief assistant to either the key grip or the gaffer, handling administrative duties, equipment, and personnel for their department.
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Industry
The gaffer’s chief assistant, managing the electrical crew and power logistics.
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Pop Culture
A controlled trial phase for digital film services or interactive content with real users.
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Industry
A bias audit is a systematic evaluation of AI systems to identify and mitigate demographic, cultural, or technical biases in film applications.
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Others
The biblical epic mounts scripture on grand canvases, mixing doctrinal reverence with box-office pageantry.
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Storytelling
The Big Damn Heroes trope refers to a dramatic moment when allies arrive at the last possible second to save the protagonists from certain doom.
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Industry
The term 'Big Picture' in the film industry refers to a project's overall commercial viability, creative scope, and its strategic fit within a studio's slate.
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Filmmaking
A large-scale miniature model used for highly detailed visual effects photography.
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Industry
The Billboard Hot 100 is the music industry's standard chart for song popularity, analogous to the box office and streaming charts that rank films.
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