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False Color
A monitoring tool that assigns colors to exposure levels, used to judge exposure in-camera.
F-Stop
The name of the number associated with the opening in a lens’s aperture.
Fade In
To fade in, is to come into an image by fading from white or black.
Fade Out
To fade out is to come out of an image by fading to white or black.
Fade to Black
The complete fade of an image to black, often used as a dramatic scene or film ending.
Fast Lens
A lens with a large maximum aperture (e.g., f/1.4), allowing more light and shallower depth of field.
Feature
A feature is a film that is released in theaters or on video. They average 90 minutes in length.
Feathering
Adjusting a light so the edge of the beam hits the subject, creating a softer effect.
Fernie
A term used for all purpose furniture pads that protect furniture, camera and talent, also used by sound to reduce unwanted noise.
Fill Light
Light used to fill in the shadows in a scene.
Film Look
A combination of visual traits (grain, contrast, color, motion cadence) that emulates celluloid footage.
Film Noir
A style and genre of film marked by pessimism, fatalism and menace.
Film Out
The process of transferring digital footage back to film.
Final Touches
The final tweaks hair, makeup and wardrobe departments make to the talent before cameras roll on the scene.
Finder
Refers to either a director’s viewfinder or optical viewfinder in a camera.
Finger
A very small flag.
Fire Watch
To “fire watch” generally means to stand watch on a set and keep an eye out for any hazards or issues. This may mean standing by set while crew has lunch or watching after a vehicle filled with equipment that is parked away from set. This task is usually given to production assistants.
First Assistant Director (1st AD)
Also known as the 1st AD, their main responsibility is to create and keep the schedule. The 1st AD gets involved in pre-production and works with the director and producers to create the shooting schedule for a project. The 1st usually has a 2nd and 3rd AD to help them along the way. During production the 1st runs the floor during the shoot, they are the main voice on set that is telling everyone what is happening.
First Positions
When the 1st AD calls for first positions it means that everyone goes back to where they need to be at the start of a take. Actors resume their starting marks, dolly moves back to its start point, lighting cues, special effects etc. all get ready to do a take again.
First Team
The main actors. Often times the 1st Assistant Director will call for the First Team when everything is ready.
Fix It in Post
A sarcastic or serious phrase implying a problem on set will be corrected in post-production.
Flag
A rectangular object used to cut and shape light.
Flame Bar
A gas powered bar used to simulate fire in a scene.
Flare
A flare is when light hits the camera’s lens, causing streaks or haze.
Flashback
A part of a film or scene which refers back to an earlier part of the story or narrative.
Flash Frame
An unintentional single bright frame caused by camera roll or stock issues, often seen in old film reels.
Flat
A 4? x 8? lightweight and movable wooden structure that is used as part of a wall or backdrop in a studio and/or set.
Flat Lighting — Lighting that produces little contrast or shadow, often used for informational or sitcom-style content.
Flicker
Unwanted visible pulsation in lighting, especially from incompatible shutter speed and lighting frequency.
Fluid Head
A tripod head that uses internal fluid to aid in smooth camera movements.
Flyaway Set
A set piece designed to be easily removed or repositioned to accommodate camera placement.
Focal Length
The distance from the optical centre of the lens to the film plane when the lens is focused to infinity.
Focus Puller (1st AC)
A.K.A. First Assistant Camera – The camera Assistant that adjusts the focus of the lens while filming.
Foam Core
Lightweight, white or black boards used to bounce or block light.
Fog Filter
A filter that is placed over the lens to create a foggy effect.
Foley
Foley is sound that is created and recorded after principal photography to add to the soundtrack of a project. This may including recording someone’s footsteps or any other sounds that were not recorded on the shoot days.
Foley Artist
A Foley artist is the person responsible for creating the sounds that need to be added to a soundtrack, they may use pots, pans, food or any other items required to recreate sounds.
Footage
In 35mm and 16mm film days, the amount of film used during a shoot was measured by the foot, Therefore you filmed 35mm and 16mm film was referred to as “Footage”. In modern days, and video or film images captured is generally referred to as Footage.
Foot Candle
A measurement used for the intensity of a light source.
Foreground
Anything that is in front of a camera’s field of vision and not blocked by anything else.
Foreground Wipe
A transition effect where an object passes in front of the lens to create a wipe to the next shot.
Fourth Wall
The imaginary barrier between the actors and audience. “Breaking the fourth wall” means addressing the audience directly.
FPS (Frames Per Second)
Frames Per Second – Sometimes pronounced as ‘FIPS’.
Frame Line
The edge of the recorded image. Important in framing, especially for VFX and compositing.
Freeze Frame
An image that is stopped or frozen in film, segment, scene or shot.
French Flag
A small adjustable flag used for shading the camera lens from light.
A small, adjustable light-blocking accessory mounted near the lens to block flares or stray light.
French Hours
A shooting day that begins with a one-hour sit down breakfast and followed by nine hours of work with no break. Food is usually served through out the day, so the crew can snack while they work.
Fresnel
A type of convex glass lens used for focusing lights. Pronounced “Fre-Nell”.
Frost
A semi-opaque sheet of plastic gel used to diffuse light sources.
Full Shot
A framing that includes the subject from head to toe.
Fuller’s Earth
A clay based “dirt” used on movie sets as double for real dirt.
Funded Development
When a project is put into funded development, it means that the studio or network has agreed to give the production company an allotted amount of money to develop the idea further. Once the development has been presented the studio or network will decide whether or not to green light the project.
That wraps up our Film & Television Dictionary – Letter F entries. This glossary is a living resource—new terms and updated definitions are added regularly as the industry evolves. If you have a suggestion or notice a term we’ve missed, feel free to reach out and share your input.
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Want to keep building your filmmaking vocabulary? Browse the full A–Z index above, or continue directly to Letter G for more film and television terminology.