Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Ostinato – Riff
| Terms: Rif - Rzz
| Term (optional text) {Frame of Reference} |
Definition |
| Category |
| riff | A short melody repeatedly played in a tune (sometimes with variation) often between vocal lines. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Ostinato – Riff | |
| Sound |
| Rigger | See: | Key Rigging Grip | |
| Roles & Responsibilities |
| rigging | Positioning lights without stands, often from overhead grids. |
| Grip & Electric |
| right to work state | A state which does not honor certain union provisions. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Right-to-work law | | Wikipedia – Taft–Hartley Act | |
| Movie Business |
| rigs | Improvised or official assemblies that support lights, backgrounds and paraphernalia of all persuasions. |
| Grip & Electric |
| rim | See In: | lighting - rim lighting | |
| Grip & Electric |
| rim light(ing) | See In: | lighting - rim lighting | |
| Grip & Electric |
"ring(ing) out a room"  |
Testing, often done during the setup of a sound system, intended to prevent audio feedback between on-stage microphones and loudspeakers, and to maximize volume before feedback does occur. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Ringing out | |
| Sound |
| ring light | A circular lamp or bundles of optical fibers arranged around the perimeter of an objective lens to illuminate the object in the field in front of it. A wide variety of sizes are available on both a stock and custom basis. |
| Grip & Electric |
| ringing {Sound} |
An undesirable resonance at the cut off frequency of a filter that has a high rate of cut-off. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Ringing {signal} – Audio | |
| Sound |
| ringing {Video} |
A common filter artifact in video that appears as ghost-like images with sharp edges. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Ringing {signal} – Video | |
| Video Camera |
| ripper | A software program that "grabs" digital audio from a compact disc and transfers it to a computer′s hard drive. The integrity of the data is preserved because the signal does not pass through the computer′s sound card and does not need to be converted to an analog format. The digital-to-digital transfer creates a WAV file that can then be converted into an MP3 file. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – CD ripper | |
| Equipment & Components |
| ripple | Automatic updating of an EDL after a length-altering edit. "Ripple the list." |
| Post Editing |
| rise time | How fast an audio waveform makes a sudden increase to a higher level. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Rise time | |
| Measurements |
| riser | #1: A cylindrical metal device placed between the dolly head and the camera base to raise the camera. #2: A prebuilt platform used to raise the Set, camera or lights. #3: A pole that can be added to the top of a substantial stand to extend its height. Safety tip: Weight the stand and check its stability. |
| Grip & Electric |
| rising action | Notion of dramatic rhythm in which events in a story build upon one another with increasing momentum. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Dramatic structure – Rising action | See Also: | story structure | |
| Film Theory |
| rivas | A type of tape splicer which uses perforated splicing tape. Two models exist: One for straight cuts used for picture and one for slanted cuts used for sound. |
| Post Picture |
| RLM | Abbreviation For: | exposure meter - reflectance light meter | |
| Measurements |
| RMS | Abbreviation For: | root mean square | |
| Measurements |
| RMS detecting | A control circuit that recognizes and responds to the effective average (RMS) level, rather than to the peak level. |
| Measurements |
| Roach Coach | See In: | Caterer | |
| Roles & Responsibilities |
| roadshow | #1: Films that were released early and shown in prestigious theaters. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Roadshow theatrical release | #2: The exploitation films (such as "sex-hygeine" films) with controversial content (disguised as educational medical information) that were heavily promoted and shown on the road and would be packed up quickly in case of the authorities. |
| Film Theory |
| robotic camera | Any one of several types of remotely-controlled, automated camera positioning systems. Most allow for camera pan, tilt, dolly and truck. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Pan tilt zoom camera | |
| Camera |
| rock ′n roll {Mix} |
Swiftly fix or finish a section of the mix and move on. |
| Post Sound |
| rock in / rock out | The Actor places his weight on one leg to shift his balance and position in or out of a shot. |
| Talent |
| rocky mountain leg | AKA: | lazy leg | leveling leg | A leg extension allowing the leveling of a stand on uneven terrain. |
| Grip & Electric |
| RoHS {EU Directive} |
Abbreviation For: | Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive | |
| Equipment & Components |
| ROLL CAMERA! | The AD′s call to have the Camera Crew(s) start filming. |
| On-set Calls |
| ROLL OVER! | AKA: | TURN OVER! | The AD′s call for the Camera Operator and Production Sound Mixer to start recording. |
| On-set Calls |
| ROLL SOUND! | The AD′s call to have the Sound Crew start recording. |
| On-set Calls |
| ROLLING! | Term used when the film camera is on and operating. Small wheels and gears actually roll the film out of the magazine, into the camera body, past the film gate and lens, on through the camera body and back into the magazine — hence the term rolling. |
| On-set Calls |
| roll-off | The reduction of signal level as the frequency of the signal moves away from the cut-off frequency, especially when the cut-off rate is mild. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Roll-off | |
| Sound |
| rolloff rate {Filters} |
The rate at which low-pass, high-pass and bandpass filters attenuate frequencies outside the passband. Expressed in dB/octave, it is a measure of the attenuation slope. Slopes occur in 6 dB/octave increments, due to the natural storage effects of capacitors and inductors (e.g., 12 dB/oct, 18 dB/oct, 24 dB/oct, etc.). Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Roll-off | |
| Sound |
| roll-up title | See: | titles - creeper title | |
| Post Picture |
| ROM | Abbreviation For: | read only memory | |
| Equipment & Components |
| roman à clef |
(French meaning "novel with a key") Refers to a film in which actual persons/events are disguised or masked as fictional characters — but with a "key", the true persons/events are revealed. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Roman à clef | |
| Film Theory |
| rombone gobble | Classic sound effect used when Warner Brother′s cartoon characters are hit in the head. |
| Post Sound |
| room acoustical speech transmission index | See In: | speech intelligibility - room acoustical speech transmission index | |
| Measurements |
| room criteria rating | AKA: | RC rating | A new noise criteria adopted by ASHRAE to replace the NC criteria. The RC rating is based on ASHRAE sponsored studies of preference and requirements for speech privacy ratings for "acoustical quality". It contains both a numerical value and a letter to describe the expected spectral quality of the sound: The RC curves serve as optimum spectrum shapes for background sound in buildings. Octave band analysis that meet a specific RC curve are considered neutrally balanced, i.e., they have the desired amounts of low-, mid- and high-frequency content to be heard as not offensive. RC curves are straight lines set at −5 dB/octave slopes. Reference(s): | How to Determine the RC Noise Rating | speech interference level: (Abbreviation: | SIL | ) The numerical part is equal to the arithmetic average of the measured SPL in the 500 Hz, 1 kHz and 2 kHz octave bands. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Speech interference level | timbre: AKA: | sound quality | The letter part denotes the sound quality as subjectively described by an observer as neutral (N), rumbly (R), hissy (H) or acoustically induced vibration noise (RV). |
| Measurements, Science of Sound |
| room curves | Reference(s): | Cinema Manual FINAL 2 Booklet | | ISO 2969:1987 | Academy curve: AKA: | Academy mono | N curve | normal curve | The name of the standard mono optical track that has been around since the beginning of time (well … at least the beginning of film sound). Standards were not codified until 1938, although they have "improved" slightly over the years. The response is flat 100 – 1600 Hz, and is down 7 dB at 40 Hz, 10 dB at 5 kHz, and 18 dB at 8 kHz. extended curve: AKA: | wide-range curve | wide-range monitoring | X curve | The X curve is codified in SMPTE/ISO Bulletin 2969. Specifications call for pink noise, at the listening position in a re-recording situation or two-thirds of the way back in a theater, to be flat to 2 kHz, rolling off 3 dB per octave after that. This curve is found in all motion picture theaters and re-recording stages worldwide. modified small-room extended curve: AKA: | modified small-room X curve | This is designed to be used in rooms with less than 150 cubic meters or 5,300 cubic feet. This standard specifies flat response to 4 kHz, rolling off 3 dB per octave after that. small-room extended curve: AKA: | small-room X curve | This is designed to be used in rooms with less than 150 cubic meters or 5,300 cubic feet. This standard specifies flat response to 2 kHz, rolling off 1.5 dB per octave after that. SMPTE curve: Reproduce equalization curve standard in the U.S. for 35 mm mag film. |
| Presentation |
| room EQ | See: | equalization, room | |
| Equipment & Components |
| room equalization | See: | equalization, room | |
| Equipment & Components |
| room modes {Acoustics} |
AKA: | eigentone | modes | The acoustic resonances (or standing waves) in a room (or any enclosed space) caused by parallel surfaces. It is the dimensional resonance of a room, where the distance between the walls equals half the wavelength of the lowest resonant frequency (and resonates at all harmonic frequencies above it). Room modes create uneven sound distribution throughout a room, with alternating louder and quieter spots. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Room modes | See Also: | room ratios {Acoustics} | |
| Science of Sound |
| room ratios {Acoustics} |
See In: | ideal room dimensions - room ratios | |
| Science of Sound |
| room sound | See: | presence | |
| Sound |
| room tone | See: | presence | |
| Sound |
| room tuning | See: | equalization, room | |
| Equipment & Components |
| root mean square | (Abbreviation: | RMS | ) The effective average value of an AC waveform. The square root of the mean (average) of a series of numbers that have each been squared. A way of averaging a series of numbers, particularly that includes positive and negative values, in order to get a meaningful effective average. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Root mean square | |
| Measurements |
| rotary fader | See In: | fader - rotary fader | |
| Equipment & Components |
| rotating head | A circular head with two (or more) gaps that rotates against the direction of tape motion at a slight angle to the tape travel. |
| Equipment & Components |
| rotating head digital audio tape | (Abbreviation: | R-DAT | ) A standard format for recording digital audio on a very small tape cassette, using a rotating head. |
| Digital Media |
| rotation | Refers to camera rotation, which can be a vertical or horizontal pan, or it may refer to a camera move in which the camera is moved in a complete (or half) circle to produce a spinning, disorienting effect to the viewer. A partial rotation is termed a tilt. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Panning {camera} | | Wikipedia – Tilt {camera} | |
| Shots & Coverage |
| Roto Painters | See: | Rotoscope Painters | |
| Roles & Responsibilities |
| Rotoscope | See: | animation - rotoscoping | |
| Post Picture |
| Rotoscope Painters | AKA: | Roto Painters | Rotoscope Painters may rotoscope the footage, manually creating mattes for use in compositing. They may also paint visual information into or out of a scene, such as removing wires and rigs, logos, dust busting, scratch removal, etc. |
| Roles & Responsibilities |
| Rotoscoping | See In: | animation - rotoscoping | |
| Post Picture |
| rough cut | An early edited (or "cut") version of a film, with all the pieces of the film assembled in continuous, sequential order, but without any fancy editing. One of the stages toward the final cut. Often used in a focus group screening. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Rough cut | |
| Post General |
| rough mix | See: | pre-mix | |
| Post Picture |
| round character(s) | See In: | character(s) - round character(s) | |
| Talent |
| round sound | A pleasingly balanced sound (having a pleasing mixture of high-frequency to low-frequency content). |
| Science of Sound |
| round steering | See In: | dolly {Noun} - round steering | |
| Grip & Electric |
| rounds | This is when an Actor makes in-person visits to Producers, Directors and such to introduce himself or herself in hopes of impressing the people enough to hire him/her to work. |
| Talent |
| roundy-round {Shot} |
See: | reverse angle shot | |
| Shots & Coverage |
| roundy-round {Steering} |
See: | dolly {Noun} - round steering | |
| Grip & Electric |
| router | AKA: | matrix switcher | An audio device used to selectively assign any input to any output, including the ability to add inputs together. In this way, one input could go to all outputs, or all inputs could go to just one output or any combination thereof. An N × M matrix forms the core of any router, where there are N inputs and M outputs. Typically, level controls are provided on all inputs and outputs. Balanced and unbalanced designs exist. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Audio router | See Also: | matrix-mixer | |
| Equipment & Components |
| royalty fees | Copyright fees paid to artists for the use of their work. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Royalties | |
| Post Sound |
| RP | Abbreviation For: | rear projection | |
| Set/Location Related |
| RS-232 | See In: | data circuits - RS-232 | |
| Equipment & Components |
| RS-485 | See In: | data circuits - RS-485 | |
| Equipment & Components |
| RT | Abbreviation For: | reverberation time | |
| Measurements |
| RT60 | Abbreviation For: | reverberation time | |
| Measurements |
| RTA | Abbreviation For: | real-time analyzer {Test Equipment} | |
| Measurements |
| RTP | Abbreviation For: | real-time transport protocol | |
| Equipment & Components |
| RU | Abbreviation For: | rack unit(s) | |
| Equipment & Components |
| rub and buzz | A fairly broad term typically used to describe mechanical defects in manufacture, particularly of loudspeakers, that exhibit noises characterized by rubbing and buzzing, as well as rattle defects and noises caused by loose particles. |
| Measurements |
| rubber numbers | See: | film edge numbering - code number(s) | |
| Film, Post Picture, Post Sound |
| ruggedness | Ability to withstand a lot of use, rough use or abuse. |
| Equipment & Components |
| rule of thirds | A composition guideline that suggests putting the center of interest at the cross points of two vertical and two horizontal lines that divide the frame into three equal segments. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Rule of thirds | |
| Shots & Coverage |
| rules | The cumulative craft wisdom that beginners need to learn so they can anticipate the consequences of breaking them when appropriate. Not the same as formulas. Quote: ″Lighting is really common sense and personal observation. This is applied to a few rules of photography which cannot be broken and to others which I tend to bend a little.″ — Paul Beeson Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Rule of thumb | |
| Grip & Electric |
| rumble | A low-frequency noise, especially that caused by earth/floor vibration or by uneven surfaces in the drive mechanism of a tape recorder or playback unit. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Rumble {noise} | |
| Sound |
| rumble filter | AKA: | infrasonic filter | A high-pass filter used with phonograph turntables to reduce the effects of low-frequency noise and vibration, called rumble, caused by imperfections in turntable performance and warped records. Often mistakenly called a subsonic filter. Since typical rumble frequencies occur in the 3 – 10 Hz area, most infrasonic filters have a corner frequency of around 15 Hz, with a steep slope, or rolloff rate, of 18 dB/octave, and a Butterworth response. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – High-pass filter | |
| Equipment & Components |
| "Run Down" | Musicians playing the tune before recording so that the Engineer can get levels and check the sound quality. |
| Sound |
| run of the picture | A Cast member whose work may be required any of the days scheduled for Principal Photography without incurring liability for additional compensation. |
| Movie Business |
| run off | A quick reference mix recorded on cassette (or other format) after a multi-track recording or overdubbing session, so the client can listen to what was recorded. |
| Sound |
| runaway production | Refers to how the film industry describes motion picture productions and television shows that are "intended for initial release/exhibition or television broadcast in the US, but are actually filmed in another country" or in the case of Hollywood, in any other state. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Runaway production | |
| Film Theory |
| Runner | AKA: | Gofer | Their primary function is to run errands such as picking up and delivering packages, videotape, scripts, contracts and lunch. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Gofer | |
| Roles & Responsibilities |
| running master | See: | printmaster | |
| Post Lab |
| running shot | A mobile camera to keep pace with the Actors as they cross the Set or location. |
| Shots & Coverage |
| running time | See In: | time - running time | |
| Film Theory |
| runout signal | A few seconds of black at the end of a videotape recording intended to keep the screen in black and the sync stable while other programming is switched up. |
| Video Camera |
| run-through | A rehearsal. Reference(s): | Wikipedia – Rehearsal | |
| Set/Location Related |
| rush call | The last minute booking of an Actor or Extra. This usually occurs when another Actor or Extra cancels at the last minute. |
| Movie Business |
| rushes | See: | dailies | |
| Set/Location Related |
| Russian (dolly) | See In: | dolly {Noun} - Russian (dolly) | |
| Grip & Electric |
| Russian montage | AKA: | dynamic montage | A style of editing, typical of prominent Soviet Film-makers in the 1920s, which employs dynamic cutting techniques to evoke strong emotional, and even physical, reactions to film images. |
| Film Theory |
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