Movie Magic Budgeting
A widely-used software program designed specifically for budgeting movies. MMB makes it easy to create, rearrange, and compare different versions of a budget. Gorilla Film Production Software also does the same thing.
Narration
The oral telling of a story. In documentary filmmaking narration is often laid in as a voice-over the picture.
Narrative filmmaking
Fictional filmmaking genre that tells a story. Narrative is almost always scripted, but can be improvised as well. If there are actors and a script, it’s a narrative.
ND gel
Clear gray lighting gel used to cut down the intensity of lights without affecting color.
Noise
Video static and artifacts caused by using the camera’s gain, digital zoom feature, or other electronic function that results in grainier, poorer image quality.
Non-linear editor (NLE)
Final Cut Pro, Avid, Premiere, and iMovie are all examples of popular NLEs.
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GLOSSARY
On the D.L.
Short for “on the down low.” Means to travel and shoot as low key as possible and not draw any unnecessary attention to yourself when shooting without permission or in hostile areas. Just keep it on the D.L.
Opening up the lens
To increase the camera’s aperture so that more light comes into the lens to make the image brighter.
Out-point
The ending time code of a shot or edit.
Over-modulate
When sound levels are set so high that they distort, sound rumbly, or are unintelligible. Over-modulation can’t be fixed in post-production. Avoid it at all costs.
Paper edit
A preliminary editing of a doc project by cutting and arranging sections of transcripts into the order they will appear in the film. You can then use this paper version of your project as a guide to create a rough cut.
Pick-up pattern
Outlines the direction(s) in which a microphone best captures and records sound. Common pick-up patterns are cardioid, hypercardioid, and omni.
Plan B
This is what you plan to do when your first idea doesn’t work out. To be successful at guerrilla filmmaking you always need to have back-up plans when things don’t work out . . . plans B, C, and D.