Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in the movie industry? Do you watch the credits for a film and wonder what a grip or a gaffer is or what they do? Do you want to learn the behind-the-scenes lingo used by the cast and crew?
With the A to Z Guide to Film Terms, you’re sure to be talking like Steven Spielberg in a hurry.
Learn strange sounding terms and phrases such as:
"Gaffer" (the person in charge of the lighting and electrics crew)
"Honeywagons" (the washroom trailers)
"Jack Lord" (50mm lens)
"Magic Hour" (that golden time just before the sun sets)
"Martini Shot" (the last shot of the day)
The A to Z Guide to Film Terms is a comprehensive pocket-sized dictionary that contains photographs, illustrations and over 700 definitions of current terms and phrases used in film theory and filmmaking. Written by a film industry veteran of more than 15 years, the book has sold over 14,000 copies to film students, movie buffs and film industry professionals world-wide. This book explains terms actually in use by film crews, and contains many colorful real-life examples of being on-set, written from an insider's perspective. There are also icons that link each definition to its department, allowing you to see at a glance which aspect of filmmaking it relates to.
Stand by, picture's up! Cameras are rolling. Scene 24, take 2, A and B camera common mark…Speed! And…Action!
Tim Moshansky is a veteran location scout of dozens of films and tv productions. He has also worked as a location manager, grip, extras wrangler, production assistant and sound assistant. He has worked with many stars, including William H. Macy, Eric Stolz, Farrah Fawcett, Chevy Chase, James Coburn, Don Johnson, Charlton Heston, Dirk Benedict, Lou Gosset Jr., Thora Birch and others. He has been fortunate enough to have many adventures during his film career, including working as a 16th century squad sergeant in charge of 40 extras on the Japanese Samurai epic "Heaven and Earth" in 1989. The film used 2000 foot soldiers and 500 horses with riders for the elaborate battle scenes. Another great filming experience was filming the children's movie "Alaska" in 1995. During the filming Tim rode in helicopters, played with a baby polar bear and rubbed shoulders with Charleton Heston and Thora Birch. Filming was done on Vancouver Island and Whistler, B.C. The crew filmed on rivers, mountain tops, forests, beaches and in the air. Since 1995 Tim has primarily worked as a location scout for movies and TV shows such as The X Files, Smallville, Mysterious Ways, Out of Order, Reindeer Games, Double Jeopardy, The Dead Zone, and many more. Tim is currently in the development of a 1/2-hour TV series based on content from his book called the A to Z Film Guide.
