Last Updated 5 days ago
Filmmaking Dictionary / Letter G
Browse filmmaking terms starting with G, including Gaffer, Gaffer Tape, Gag. Find a quick explanation below and follow the full-definition links where a detailed guide is available.
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Jump to a term · 34 entries
- Gaffer
- Gaffer Tape
- Gag
- Gag Reel
- Gak
- Gak Truck (Slush Truck)
- Gate
- Gate Flare
- Gaussian Blur
- Gear Head
- Gel / Gels
- Genie Boom (Condor)
- Genny
- Genny Operator
- Gimbal
- Giraffe Boom
- Gobo
- Godardian (Jean-Luc Godard Style)
- Go for Picture
- Golden Hour
- Go to 2
- Grain
- Graticule
- Greeking
- Green Light
- Green Room
- Greens
- Green Screen
- Grid Cloth
- Griff / Griffolyn
- Grip
- Ground Row
- Guerrilla Filmmaking
- Guide Track
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Gaffer
The head of the lighting department, working with the cinematographer to plan and execute the lighting. The gaffer directs the lighting crew, with the best boy electric helping organise personnel, equipment and logistics.
Gaffer Tape
A cloth-backed tape commonly used for temporary production work. It comes in different colours and grades and is distinct from ordinary duct tape. Adhesion, residue and suitability for a surface vary by product.
Gag
A set term for a joke, effect, trick or planned action, depending on the department. A practical-effects gag might involve a specific physical event in a shot. The surrounding conversation establishes the meaning.
Gag Reel
An edited collection of amusing outtakes, mistakes or unexpected moments from production. It may be made for the cast and crew or released as bonus material. It is separate from footage selected for the main story.
Gak
Informal set slang for gear, tools or miscellaneous equipment. Its exact meaning depends on the department and situation. “Clear that gak” usually asks for the unnecessary items in a particular area to be moved.
Gak Truck (Slush Truck)
Informal names for a vehicle carrying miscellaneous production equipment or overflow gear. The contents and department responsible vary between productions, so the nickname does not identify a standard truck package.
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Gate
In a film camera, the assembly that positions the film at the exposure aperture. Dirt or hair at the gate can intrude into the photographed image. A sensor check on a digital camera is a related but different task.
Gate Flare
Unwanted light scatter or reflection associated with a film camera’s gate or nearby surfaces. It can affect contrast or produce an artefact in the image. It is distinct from a general light leak or ordinary lens flare.
Gaussian Blur
An image-processing blur based on a Gaussian weighting of neighbouring pixels. It softens detail and can be used in effects, compositing or image preparation. The amount of blur determines how much local detail is lost.
Gear Head
A camera head operated with geared handwheels, usually for pan and tilt. It allows controlled framing and repeatable movement with practice. It is different from a fluid head moved directly by a pan handle.
Gel / Gels
Filter material used with lighting to change colour, colour balance, transmission or diffusion. The correct product depends on the intended effect and fixture’s heat requirements. Clear-looking material may still have a specific optical purpose.
Genie Boom (Condor)
Set terminology associated with aerial boom lifts used for suitable lighting work. Genie is a manufacturer’s name; “Condor” is commonly used as a nickname. The actual lift model and approved use determine its capabilities.
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Genny
Set shorthand for a generator supplying electrical power. The nickname does not establish voltage, capacity or distribution arrangements. Those specifications are determined by the equipment and the production’s electrical plan.
Genny Operator
The person assigned to operate and monitor a production generator within the electrical department’s working arrangements. Responsibilities can include checking its operation and coordinating power needs. The role requires appropriate equipment knowledge and training.
Gimbal
A pivoting or stabilised support that permits controlled movement around one or more axes. In camera work it often means a motorised stabiliser; in effects work it can describe a moving platform supporting a vehicle or set.
Giraffe Boom
A nickname for a large supported microphone boom, often used in studio work. It allows the operator to place a microphone over the action from a floor-mounted system rather than holding a conventional boom pole throughout.
Gobo
A pattern placed in a compatible projection fixture to shape its light, or more broadly a light-blocking object in some set usage. A projected metal or glass gobo differs from a cookie placed outside the light.
Godardian (Jean-Luc Godard Style)
A description of filmmaking recalling Jean-Luc Godard, including discontinuous editing, direct address, quotation and visible challenges to conventional storytelling. Such devices may draw attention to the film’s construction and encourage viewers to question how images create meaning.
Read the full Godardian (Jean-Luc Godard Style) definition →
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Go for Picture
A call indicating readiness to proceed with filming the planned take. It signals a move from preparation or rehearsal toward recording, although the camera, sound and action calls still follow the production’s agreed procedure.
Golden Hour
The period near sunrise or sunset associated with low-angle, often warm sunlight. Its duration and appearance depend on location, season and weather. It is a useful lighting description rather than a guaranteed sixty-minute window.
Go to 2
A walkie-talkie request to switch to channel two for a separate conversation. The channel’s purpose depends on the production’s radio plan. A separate channel is not inherently private or suitable for confidential information.
Grain
The visible granular texture of a photographic film image. Its appearance depends on stock, exposure, processing, enlargement and scanning. Digital grain effects imitate that texture but are different from sensor noise.
Graticule
A set of reference markings in an optical viewing system, such as a camera viewfinder. The marks can indicate image boundaries or alignment references. They guide the operator without necessarily being recorded in the image.
Greeking
Covering, replacing or altering visible branding or text on props and scenery. Productions use it for design, storytelling or clearance decisions. The appropriate treatment is determined with the relevant production and art personnel.
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Green Light
Approval for a project or production phase to proceed. In common use it means the move toward production has been authorised. It is distinct from funding development, which may still leave production undecided.
Green Room
A waiting or preparation room for performers before an appearance or recording. It is not necessarily painted green and is separate from the set where the actual performance takes place.
Greens
Plants, foliage and other vegetation used in a set, and the department or crew responsible for arranging and maintaining them. Work may involve live, artificial or dressed natural materials according to the design.
Green Screen
A green background photographed so it can be isolated with chroma keying and replaced or combined with other imagery. Wardrobe, spill, exposure and lighting consistency affect how cleanly the subject can be separated.
Grid Cloth
A family of woven diffusion fabrics used to modify film lighting. Different grades transmit and spread light differently. The fabric’s strength label alone does not specify the softness of every finished setup.
Griff / Griffolyn
Set shorthand for reinforced sheeting used in suitable bounce, masking or light-control applications. White and black surfaces serve different purposes. Product construction, reflectance and required fire rating must suit the intended use.
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Grip
A member of the grip department, working with camera support, movement and rigging. On North American sets the department also shapes light with non-electrical tools. Responsibilities differ by region and production structure.
Ground Row
A row of lighting fixtures positioned near floor level, commonly to illuminate a backdrop or cyclorama from below. Fixture placement and distribution are selected to achieve the intended coverage across the surface.
Guerrilla Filmmaking
An informal approach associated with small crews, limited resources and flexible location work. It is sometimes used to describe unauthorised filming, but the label does not remove requirements for permission, permits or safe production practices.
Guide Track
A reference sound track used to support editing, synchronisation, ADR or another part of post-production. It helps the team understand timing or content but is not necessarily intended for the final mix.
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