Glossary of terms associated with POP
- 1st AD (Assistant Director) : Easily mistaken for the director since they are normally the person doing all the shouting and giving everyone their cues. They are the person in charge when you are on set. Listen very carefully to what they say.
- 2nd AD (Assistant Director) : Normally your first point of contact, but they are not always on set as they are often at the Unit Base planning ahead. The 2nd AD is responsible for making sure all members of the Cast and Crew are in the right place at the right time. They liaise with the casting agent for background requirements.
- 3rd AD (Assistant Director) / Runner : On set the 3rd AD and runners are the people who will be looking after you. They liaises with the 1st AD and 2nd AD and will be giving you instructions on where you should go.
- BECTU : Union that represents supporting artists. Stands for the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematographic and Theatre Union.
- Broken Meal : Under the FAA/PACT agreement it is an additional payment if you are not given a meal break within 6 hours of your starting time or 7am (whichever comes latest).
- Buy Out : On certain jobs you may be offered a Buy Out of the right to use your image, this only relates to advertising jobs.
- Call time : The time you must report to your given location. You must be on time.
- Chit/Voucher : The paperwork given to you when you arrive for work on a film or some TV shows. You must get it signed before you leave to ensure you get paid. Occasionally we will ask for a copy of your chit so keep it safe. You are often not given any paperwork on a commercial or some TV shows, in this case it is essential you keep tabs of your working hours.
- Confirmed booking : This is a firm commitment to work on this day. Do not take another job on that day.
- Continuous working day / night : A filming day or night where you will not be given a meal break but a running buffet is provided while filming continues.
- Continuity : A sequence filming over more than one day. It is therefore essential that nothing changes to upset the continuity of the scene you must be available for continuity shooting days and you must not change your appearance between one shooting day and the next.
- Costume fitting : You may need to have a costume fitted before filming. You may also be asked to go to a wig or prosthetics fitting if they are going to change your appearance.
- Crowd Base : On bigger calls this is where you will be asked to report.
- Crowd Assistant Director : On bigger productions there may be a separate Assistant Director to look after the supporting artists.
- Double : A background artist with similar build/appearance to an actor used in their place usually from long distance or from behind or for a part of the body such as hands and feet.
- Equity : Union that represents actors and supporting artists.
- FAA : Film Artists Association, part of BECTU.
- Location : Not filming at a studio? Filming will take place here.
- Look-alike double : An artist who is used because they have a strong physical resemblance to another person, usually an actor.
- Night shoot : Filming through the night. No set hours but could start as early as 2pm and finish as late as 7am.
- Pencilled booking : A provisional booking yet to be confirmed. Sometimes you may be given a heavy pencil. This is more likely to happen but still not confirmed. Once you have responded to an availability check from us to say you are available for a job you are immediately on a pencil. Whilst on a pencil you must contact POP if you are offered other work on the same day so that we can either confirm or release you from that job. Once you are on a pencil POP has first refusal on your diary.
- Prosthetic : An artificial body part applied in the make-up dept.
- Rehearsal : This is when you rehearse a scene before filming.
- Repeat fee : Featured artistes sometimes receive a fee every time something is shown.
- Shift call : Not a full day’s work. Only used under the FAA/PACT agreement and is a maximum of four hours work.
- Second Unit : A completely separate crew filming different scenes to the Main Unit often Insert or Pick-Up shots.
- Set : Where filming is taking place.
- Stand by : This is a warning that filming is about to commence. When you hear this on set, be quiet, in position and ready for shooting.
- Stand-in : A person used in place of an actor to set up initial lighting and camera. Usually of a similar height age and skin tone to the actor.
- Split day : A shoot that is half in daylight and half in darkness. For example, a mid-morning start and a late evening finish. Pay is usually a standard day rate depending on finish time.
- Unit base : This is where the production team will base itself on any given day when on location.
- Walk-on : A step-up from a supporting artist someone the viewer is more likely to identify as an individual.
- Marks : These are positions in which you would start or finish during the scenes. They may be static, but there may be a requirement to move between marks.