Extras

Think of all the people you see in the background at the diner in Seinfeld, Cheers, or even the Stormtroopers in Star Wars.

They say nothing, or pantomime gibberish to each other to make it look like they’re having a conversation.

Famous Extra Fact: James Michael Tyler was a ‘background’ actor in NBC‘s Friend’s café, Central Perk, when one day in the second season he was given a line, and suddenly he was the character Gunther on the show... for ten seasons!

The Assistant Director usually corrals and directs the background actors.

If you're interested in becoming an extra, there are many websites (try this one!) and resources out there. Remember that this is a profession, and the days can often be long, and in the elements. It's not for tourists. And also note that asking for autographs is extremely unprofessional and might get you tossed off the set.

D.P. - Director of Photography

Maybe you've heard the title Cinematographer before? Or been on set and someone keeps talking about the "DP" and you've always wondered, who's that person? What does a DP do? And why are they so important?

The D.P. or Director of Photography has many rolls and supervises many hats. Many of these professionals have worked their way up to be the head of the camera, grip and electric departments - as all these departments report to the DP before they report to the Director.

On some shoots, the DP is in charge of even more than just the camera placement and what's in the frame. On other shoots, he or she may be a lighting director in addition to making choices about costumes, make-up and wardrobe - and why a pin-stripe suit will Moiré on the screen. 

The DP also looks after the footage, often making choices in post-production and editing regarding the color grading of the film or footage, color correction, and helping with the special effects.

C is for C-Stand

B is for Best Boy (or Girl)

In the film and television world, there are lots of strange terms and jargon that really don't translate off the set. One great example os the term 'Best Boy.' It's even more confusing when gender rolls and assumptions are applied to the title. So what is a Best Boy (or Girl)? Where does the term even come from?

The Gaffer - which is the electrician, and usually the head of the electrical department will call his second in command his Best Boy Gaffer. Similarly, the Key Grip, or leader of the grip department will have their own Best Boy, or Best Boy Grip. A grip, since you're wondering, is the head of the lighting and/or rigging department. There are many types of grips, such as Dolly Grips - who build and push the door frame sized camera 'cart' or dolly, or the cranes. Now it's getting complicated again. Grips,  simply boiled down, tend to move things and hold things. On Union jobs, the grips are responsible for the non-electrical components - such as flags, diffusion, nets, and gobos. We'll get to these terms later in our series.

The term grip either originated from the tools that these professionals carry on them, or the idea that they were required to, 'keep a good grip on the floor," while moving giant camera gear back in the early days of Hollywood. It's debated on set and off where the term really came from.

The term 'Best Boy' though, was probably from a Director of Photography asking his gaffer or key grip to loan him his, "best guy." The name stuck, and it's been used to provide the hierarchy of the grip and gaffer departments ever since.

PS, When you're on set and you need some non-permanent sticky tape, find a grip. He'll most likely have a roll of Gaffer's tape on him, and probably a few color choices. Yes, the grip with gaffer's tape is kind of confusing, now when you stop and think about it.

A is for Apple Box

The Apple Box, as it's known in the grip department is an extremely versatile tool used in film and television set production. It's a wooden box, with handles, and comes in a variety of sizes.

The large size, or Full Apple, is uniformly 20" x 12" x 8". The size and term come from the old-fashioned produce crate that you might find at a grocery store, apple orchard or your favorite farmer's market.

The next size is a Half Apple (20" x 12" x 4"), then Quarter Apple (20" x 12" x 2") and then the Pancake or Eighth Apple (20" x 12" x 2").

These sturdy boxes are used for propping up items, often temporarily, and even as chairs or lifting stands for actors and also crew. Sometimes they're needed to help elevate dolly tracks or actors. Sometimes they are referred to as "man makers", but often not in front of actors who are shorter than their leading ladies.

There are also Mini Apple Boxes, which are 10" in length rather than 20", and sometimes you'll find a grip department that uses nesting Apple Boxes as well, but their structural integrity isn't nearly as strong.

To read more, Sources: Uva, Michael. The Grip Book (Fourth ed.)