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Filmmaking Camera, lighting, sound, editing and the crew roles behind every shot.

Prosthetics: Meaning & Definition in Film

Custom sculpted appliances used to alter an actor’s physical features.

  • 4 sections
  • 1 min read
  • Updated
On this page 4 sections

Purpose and Creation

Prosthetic artists sculpt clay models, create molds and cast foam latex or silicone appliances that adhere to skin for transformations.

Prosthetics: Applications

Used for aging, creature design, injuries and fantasy characters, prosthetics enhance realism where digital effects cannot suffice alone.

Prosthetics: Process

Fitting sessions ensure comfort and mobility, while touch-ups and blending techniques hide seams under makeup.

Prosthetics: Iconic Uses

Examples include the xenomorph design in Alien, the Joker’s scars in The Dark Knight and Gollum’s partial prosthetics in The Lord of the Rings.

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More Filmmaking Terms

Entries filed on the same shelf as Prosthetics, each with the one-line answer first. They are the words that usually come up in the same conversation.

All 913 terms

  • Offline Cut

    An offline cut is the creative editing stage of a film, performed using low-resolution copies of the original footage to focus on storytelling, pacing, and performance.

  • Music Editor

    A music editor is a technical and creative specialist responsible for managing and seamlessly integrating all musical elements into a film's soundtrack.

  • ACEScg

    A high dynamic range, wide gamut color space for visual effects and compositing in the ACES workflow.

  • Buck Shot

    'Buck Shot' is on-set slang for a camera shot that is wide and generic, often used as a simple establishing shot or basic coverage.

  • Previs

    Previs is a 3D computer-animated visualization of a complex film sequence, created during pre-production to plan intricate camera work and action.

  • Prop List

    A prop list is a detailed breakdown, generated from the script, of every single property or 'prop' that appears in a film.