This section continues our A-to-Z film glossary, covering essential filmmaking terms, movie jargon, and technical concepts that begin with the letter B. From B-Cam to Blocking, these definitions explain the tools, techniques, and slang that keep productions moving.
Each entry is more than just a quick description—you’ll find context, history, and examples of how the term is used on set or in post-production. Whether you’re learning the basics or brushing up on industry terminology, this resource helps you speak the language of filmmaking with confidence.
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Film & Television Dictionary – Letter B
B-Cam
B-Cam refers to the second camera unit used on a film, television, or commercial shoot. While the A-Cam is typically assigned the primary or most important angle, the B-Cam captures complementary coverage, secondary angles, or inserts that enhance the edit. On multi-camera productions, cameras are labeled alphabetically—A, B, C, and so on—according to their priority and role.
B-Roll
B-Roll refers to supplemental or alternative footage that is intercut with the main footage (A-Roll) of a film, television show, or video. It is used to add atmosphere, illustrate context, or cover edits between shots. B-Roll is one of the most versatile tools in filmmaking and video production, helping editors smooth transitions while enriching the visual storytelling.
Baby
- On a film set, the term “Baby” has two common meanings, depending on the department using it:
- In lighting, a “Baby” refers to a 1K (1,000-watt) light, typically a tungsten Fresnel. It’s a smaller, versatile fixture compared to larger units.
- “Baby” describes equipment sized for 5/8-inch mounting pins, such as baby stands or baby plates, used for lightweight fixtures and accessories.
Understanding context is key—when someone calls for a “Baby,” they may be referring to either a light or a spigot size.
Baby Plate
A Baby Plate is a small, flat mounting plate with a welded 5/8-inch pin (baby pin), used to secure lighting fixtures or grip gear to surfaces such as walls, floors, ceilings, or apple boxes. It allows crew members to rig lightweight lights or accessories in places where stands cannot fit.
In Canada, the Baby Plate is often called a 750 Base Plate, reflecting local industry terminology.
Baby Stand
A Baby Stand is a small, lightweight stand used by the grip and electric departments to support small sized lighting fixtures or accessories. It is designed with a 5/8-inch baby pin at the top, making it compatible with lights and grip gear built for the baby standard. On some sets, it is also called a “Preemie Stand.”
Backdrop
A backdrop is a piece of imagery, fabric, or constructed scenery placed behind actors or objects to establish the background of a shot. Commonly used in studio settings, backdrops can range from a simple solid-colored cloth (black, white, or chroma green) to elaborate scenic paintings, printed graphics, or photographic images representing landscapes, cityscapes, or interiors.
Background
In filmmaking, the term background has two primary meanings:
- Visual Background: The portion of the image that lies behind the main subject or actors in the frame. This includes scenery, set dressing, and atmosphere that provide depth and context.
- Background Performers (Extras): Non-speaking talent who appear in the background of a scene to create a sense of realism, scale, and environment.
Both uses of the term are essential in building the visual world of a film or television production.
Back Light
A back light is a lighting source placed behind a subject, aimed toward the camera, to create a rim or halo of light around the subject’s edges. This separation adds depth by visually distinguishing the subject from the background. Back lights are most often used on people, but the same principle applies to objects, props, or set pieces.
Barn doors
Barn doors are adjustable metal flaps attached to the front of film and photography lighting fixtures. They are used to control the spread and direction of light, preventing unwanted spill and shaping the beam for precise illumination. Barn doors may be permanently attached to a fixture or designed as removable accessories that slide into filter frames.
Base Light
Base light refers to the general level of illumination in a scene before additional motivated, practical, or stylistic lighting is introduced. It sets the foundation upon which the rest of the lighting design is built. In cinematography and television production, base light ensures that the camera has a consistent minimum exposure level across a set or location.
Beat
In film, television, and theater, a beat is a pause or moment of change in dialogue, action, or emotion. It can signal reflection, realization, hesitation, or a shift in tone. In scripts, the word “(beat)” is often inserted to indicate that the actor should pause briefly before continuing. While the length of a beat is open to interpretation, it is always purposeful, marking a change in rhythm, thought, or dramatic tension.
Behind-the-Scenes (BTS)
Behind-the-scenes (BTS) refers to the activities, processes, and people involved in making a film, television show, or video that are not visible in the final product. It can also describe documentary-style footage captured by a secondary crew to showcase how the production came together. This content is often released as bonus material on DVDs, Blu-rays, or streaming platforms, and has become a popular form of promotional and educational media.
Below the Line
In film and television production, below the line refers to the crew members and expenses that are not directly involved in the creative decision-making process. These roles are primarily technical, logistical, or support-based, and include departments such as grip, electric, camera, wardrobe, makeup, sound, and locations. The term comes from traditional budget breakdowns, where creative positions were listed “above the line,” and all other crew and costs were listed “below.”
Best Boy Electric
The Best Boy Electric is the second-in-command in the electric department, working directly under the Gaffer (Chief Lighting Technician). While the gaffer focuses on executing the director of photography’s lighting plan, the best boy manages the department’s logistics, crew, and equipment to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Best Boy Grip
The Best Boy Grip is the second-in-command in the grip department, working directly under the Key Grip. While the key grip focuses on the creative and technical rigging solutions that shape light and support camera movement, the best boy grip manages the department’s logistics, equipment, and personnel to keep everything organized and efficient.
Big Close-Up (BCU)
A Big Close-Up (BCU) is a camera shot that frames a subject’s face tightly, often from the forehead to the chin, or even closer. It is more intimate than a standard close-up, emphasizing fine details such as eyes, mouth, or subtle expressions. By filling the frame with the face, the BCU draws maximum attention to emotion and psychology, leaving little room for distraction.
Billing
In film, television, and theater, billing refers to the order and placement of credits that acknowledge the creative and financial contributors to a production. Billing usually includes production companies, lead actors, directors, producers, writers, and other key crew members. It determines not only who is credited, but also the hierarchy of recognition—which can carry significant artistic, contractual, and marketing weight.
Bit Part (Player)
A bit part, sometimes referred to as a bit player, is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue, but with limited screen time and minimal involvement in the story. Unlike background performers (extras), who do not speak, bit players are credited with short lines or minor interactions that contribute to the scene without carrying significant narrative weight.
Black List
In Hollywood, the term Black List has multiple meanings depending on context. Historically, it refers to the 1940s–1950s blacklist of industry professionals accused of communist ties, which barred them from working in film and television. In modern use, “blacklist” generally means a list of people or companies someone refuses to work with. Separately, The Black List is also the name of a popular industry website and podcast that highlights the best unproduced screenplays each year.
Blimp
In film and television production, a blimp is a cover or housing designed to reduce unwanted noise. The term has two common uses:
- Camera Blimp: A soundproof enclosure placed over a film camera to dampen its mechanical noise.
- Microphone Blimp: A windscreen housing for a shotgun microphone, used to block wind noise during location recording.
Both uses serve the same purpose—protecting clean sound recording on set.
Blocking
Blocking refers to the precise staging of actors’ movements, positions, and interactions within a scene, as planned by the director and communicated to the heads of department. Blocking is typically rehearsed before filming begins, allowing the crew to understand where the action will take place so that lighting, camera, and set elements can be properly adjusted.
Blocking Rehearsal
A blocking rehearsal is a rehearsal session where the director, actors, and camera team work together to plan and refine the movement and positioning within a scene. The goal is to determine where actors will stand, move, and interact with props while allowing the camera and lighting departments to adjust accordingly. Blocking rehearsals are essential to ensure that performance, camera work, and technical elements align before shooting begins.
Blow Up
In filmmaking, a blow up refers to the process of enlarging a film or video format to a larger one, most commonly transferring 16mm film to 35mm for theatrical distribution. The term can also apply to digital workflows, where lower-resolution formats are upscaled for projection or broadcast. While blow ups increase compatibility with industry-standard exhibition formats, they can also introduce changes in image quality, grain, and sharpness.
Blue Screen
A blue screen is a chroma key technique where subjects are filmed against a solid blue background so that the background can later be digitally removed and replaced with other images, environments, or effects in post-production. It functions similarly to a green screen, with the choice of color depending on wardrobe, lighting, and the specific needs of the production.
Board(s)
In filmmaking, the term board has multiple meanings depending on context. Most commonly, it is shorthand for a storyboard, but it can also refer to scheduling tools such as a shooting board or a Day Out of Days (DOOD) board. In all cases, “board” is a tool for planning and communication, helping filmmakers visualize or organize the work ahead.
Book Light
A Book Light is a popular lighting technique that creates a very soft, flattering quality of light by combining bounce and diffusion. The name comes from the way the setup resembles an open book: light is bounced off a reflective surface (like a wall, card, or fabric) and then passed through diffusion before reaching the subject. It is commonly used in interviews, beauty shots, and narrative filmmaking when a natural, wraparound softness is desired.
Boom Mic (Microphone)
A boom mic is a microphone mounted on a boom pole, used by the sound department to capture dialogue or sound effects on set while staying out of the camera frame. Typically a shotgun microphone is used because of its highly directional pickup pattern, allowing it to isolate voices even in noisy environments. The boom mic is one of the most important tools in production sound, ensuring clean and natural recordings.
Boom Operator or Boom Op
The Boom Operator, often shortened to Boom Op, is a member of the sound department responsible for operating the boom mic during production. Working directly under the Production Sound Mixer, the boom operator’s job is to capture clean, consistent audio—primarily dialogue—while keeping the microphone out of the camera frame. On smaller sets, the sound mixer may also handle boom operation in addition to recording audio.
Boom Pole
A boom pole is a long, extendable pole used to position a microphone—usually a shotgun mic—close to the actors or sound source while keeping it out of the camera’s frame. Operated by the boom operator (boom op), the boom pole is one of the most essential tools in the sound department, enabling clear dialogue capture without relying on visible microphones like lavaliers.
Boom Shadow
A boom shadow is the unwanted shadow of a boom microphone or boom pole that appears in the camera frame during filming. It is considered a common mistake on set and can be highly distracting to audiences if not corrected. Boom shadows typically occur when lighting is positioned in such a way that the boom equipment casts a visible silhouette on actors, walls, or the set.
Bounce Board
A board with a reflective surface used to bounce light onto a subject or object. Commonly used with exterior shoots to bounce the light coming from the sun. You can purchase 5-in-1 bounce boards or make them from materials such as styrofoam. You can also use 4×4, 6×6, 8×8, 12×12 & 20×20 bounces.
In filmmaking and photography, bounce boards are commonly employed outdoors to reflect sunlight or indoors to bounce artificial lighting creating a soft source. They are a versatile, low-cost tool for shaping light, ranging from small handheld discs to large professional frames.
Bottle Episode
A bottle episode is a television episode produced with minimal sets, locations, and cast, typically to reduce production costs or meet scheduling demands. These episodes often take place in a single setting (like a living room, office, or ship) and rely heavily on dialogue and character interaction rather than action, stunts, or elaborate effects.
Box Office
The term box office refers to the financial performance of a film in theaters, specifically the revenue earned from ticket sales during its release. It is one of the most common measures of a movie’s commercial success and is often reported daily, weekly, and in total (gross). The phrase originates from the literal “office” or booth at a theater where tickets were once sold.
Breakaway
A breakaway is a specially designed prop or set piece made to break safely and easily during stunts, fight scenes, or action sequences. Breakaways are typically constructed from lightweight or fragile materials that mimic the look of real objects but prevent serious injury to actors or crew. Common examples include breakaway glass, bottles, chairs, or doors used in scenes involving physical impact.
Breakdown Sheet
A breakdown sheet is a production tool used to organize and categorize the elements of a script once it has been broken down for scheduling and budgeting. Each sheet corresponds to a single scene in the script and lists all the requirements needed to shoot that scene, from cast and props to special effects and stunts. Breakdown sheets are the foundation of the production schedule and help the assistant director, producer, and department heads plan efficiently.
Bridge Shot
A bridge shot is a type of transition shot used in film and television to connect two scenes separated by a jump in time, place, or narrative flow. It helps maintain continuity by providing a visual “bridge” for the audience, smoothing over what would otherwise feel like an abrupt cut.
Bug Light
A bug light is a type of simple, open-face film light often used for basic illumination when precise control isn’t necessary. Its nickname comes from its resemblance to a bug zapper, with its exposed bulb and minimal housing. Bug lights are compact, versatile, and inexpensive, making them a staple in many lighting kits, especially for low-budget productions or quick setups.
Budget
In filmmaking, a budget is the complete financial breakdown of all costs associated with a production. It accounts for everything from development and pre-production through shooting, post-production, marketing, and distribution. A budget may start with a fixed amount of money already raised, which is then allocated to departments, or it may be built from the ground up as a projection of costs to guide fundraising efforts.
Butt Dolly
A butt dolly is an informal slang term for a manually operated camera dolly, typically controlled by the grip department. Unlike larger, motorized dollies with hydraulic arms and precise steering systems, a butt dolly is a simpler, low-profile platform on wheels that a camera operator (and sometimes the camera assistant) can sit on while the dolly grip pushes or pulls it along track or flat surfaces.
That concludes our Film & Television Dictionary – Letter B entries. This project is always growing, with new terms and updated explanations added regularly. If you notice a missing definition or want to suggest a term, we’d love to hear from you.
Ready to keep learning? Explore the full A–Z index below, or continue straight to Letter C for more film and television terminology.