If you have a slang gripology term you'd like to submit for consideration and inclusion in our Gripedia, please email us correct spelling and a sufficient description to: info@normsstudio.equipment
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| A | |
|---|---|
| Anchor Spike | A durable, long spike with a large welded head, designed to securely drive into the ground for tying off stands safely. |
| Angle Iron | A sturdy connector, also known as an Angle Bracket, used to join apple boxes securely. |
| ANSI | The American National Standards Institute, an organization that oversees standards for products, services, and systems. |
| Apple Box | A versatile wooden box used to adjust actor height, elevate furniture, or provide a seat for teamsters on set. |
| B | |
|---|---|
| Baby | A term for 750-watt or 1000-watt lighting fixtures, typically equipped with a 5/8" female receiver in the yoke or bale. The 5/8" size is standard for Baby pins, receivers, and plates. |
| Baby Plate | Also called a Baby Nail-On, this steel plate features a 5/8" Baby pin and pre-drilled holes for securing to walls or floors. Known as Baby Pigeons on the East Coast. |
| Baby Stand | A stand with a 5/8" pin at the top, used for mounting lighting instruments under 2000 watts. Available in rolling and non-rolling types, such as Matthews Baby Junior and Beefy Baby stands. |
| Baffle | A device used to soften and diffuse light, reducing harshness. |
| Bale | Also called a Yoke, this "U"-shaped bracket on lighting fixtures allows for tilting and pivoting. |
| Bar Clamp | A large clamp, often used with a Bar Clamp Adapter, for attaching small fixtures to larger objects. |
| Bazooka | A stand without legs, designed for studio catwalks. Fits into deck holes and attaches to safety railings. |
| Beard | Black foil used to block light leakage from the bottom of a fixture. |
| Becky | An adjustable hanger, similar to a Baby Trombone, used to mount lights on set walls. It features two 5/8" baby pins. |
| Best Boy | The second-in-command for the Gaffer or Key Grip, coordinating department personnel and equipment. |
| BFG | Stands for "Big Freakin' Light." |
| Big Ben Clamp | A Cheeseboro clamp with a Junior (1-1/8") pin welded on, ideal for spanning pipe between overhead stands. |
| Big Eye | A Mole Richardson 10K light fixture with a 29" Fresnel lens. |
| Billy Barty | A 20-inch C-Stand with a compact base. |
| Blond | Italian-made, 2000-watt open-faced light fixtures. |
| Bobbinet | Black cotton netting used in Open Ends, dots, fingers, and overheads. White Bobbinet is also available. |
| Bottomer | A flag or cutter designed to control light on the lower portion of a subject or architecture. |
| Brute | A carbon arc lighting fixture, one of the heaviest in the industry. |
| Bumble Bee | Cable crossovers or ramps, also called Yellow Jackets. |
| Butterfies | Known as "Rags," these materials are mounted on Butterfly Frames to control light. Options include scrims, silks, solids, and advanced reflective materials. Common sizes are 6'x6', 8'x8', 12'x12', and 20'x20'. |
| Butterfly Frame | Aluminum frames for holding "Rags" to control light, often used outdoors. Frames are made from round or square tubing and can be dismantled for transport. |
| C | |
|---|---|
| C-Stand | Also known as a Turtle Base C-Stand, this versatile stand is popular in photography and video production. The riser column detaches from the base for easy transport. The latest C+Stand features the Posi-V-Lock receiver. |
| C-47 | A spring-loaded pin used to secure diffusion, cinefoil, or gels to barn doors of lights like Peppers. |
| Candle Stick | A pipe with a 1-1/8" Junior receiver, designed for mounting large lighting units in lifts. |
| Century Stand | Also called C-Stand, Grip Stand, or Gobo Stand, this multi-purpose stand features nesting legs for efficient use of floor space. |
| Chain Vice Grip | Locking chain clamps designed to secure irregularly shaped objects, often modified with welded 5/8" pins for mounting equipment. |
| Cheeseboro | A scaffolding or grid clamp available in various styles, such as swivel or fixed at 90 degrees, sometimes with welded pins for additional functionality. |
| Cine-Net | See Bobbinet, a black cotton net used for light control. |
| Cinevator | A motorized heavy-duty light stand with a 300-pound load capacity. Operates on 110V or 220V, designed to raise and lower loads with ease. |
| Clipboard | A flat piece of metal or wood in various sizes (e.g., 3"x6", 8"x14") with an attached clip, used as an extended or additional barn door. |
| Condor Bracket | A bracket used to mount lights on the small bucket of a construction crane (Condor), enabling high-angle lighting without the need for stands. |
| Crafty | Short for Craft Services, which provides snacks, drinks, and meals on set. |
| Crank-o-vator | A double riser crank-up stand that lifts lighting fixtures weighing up to 150 lbs. A Low Boy version is also available. |
| Cucoloris | A tool that creates shadow patterns, mimicking sunlight filtering through trees, to break up flat-lit walls with interesting light and shadow effects. |
| Cup Blocks | Wooden blocks with a recessed cup for stabilizing light stand wheels, widely used before wheels had built-in brakes. |
| Cutter | Large or uniquely shaped flags used to block or "cut" light from specific areas on set. Cutters are typically larger than 30"x36" or come in odd shapes like 12"x42" or 18"x48". |
| D | |
|---|---|
| Daddy Long Legs | A wide-base Hi Hi Overhead Stand for added stability. |
| Day Player | A part-time crew member hired for specific days, often for busy schedules or as a replacement. |
| Diff | Short for diffusion paper, available in various grades to soften light and create even illumination. |
| Diffusion | Wire diffusion that reduces light intensity but does not soften or diffuse it. |
| Donut | A square plywood piece with a center hole, used to stabilize rolling stands without wheel locks. Often nailed to the studio floor for precision setups. |
| Dot | A small round scrim, net, or solid available in 3", 6", and 10" sizes for precise light control in tight spaces, like tabletop setups. |
| Double Net | Two layers of bobbinet used in overheads, butterflies, and scrims. Black double nets reduce light by approximately 1.2 stops, while white nets reduce it by 1.0 stops, adding ambient bounce. |
| Drop Down | A hinged accessory with a 5/8" receiver and baby pin or a junior variant, allowing fixtures or reflectors to stay level or adjust to low angles without shadows. |
| DuckBill | Also called a Bead Board Clamp or Quacker Clamp, used for gripping and positioning materials like foam core. |
| Duvetyne | A versatile cotton fabric used for making flags, cutters, and solid overheads. Known as Commando Cloth on the East Coast. |
| E | |
|---|---|
| Electrical box tie-in | A clamp-style cable end for connecting to a 3-phase electrical box. Features a threaded twist-lock mechanism and is also called a "tie-in cable set" or simply "tie-ins." |
| Elephant Blocks | Triangular, stackable blocks used to level gear like dolly tracks. |
| Elvis | Checkerboard Grifflectors with alternating gold and white surfaces. |
| Extension Arm | Also called a Gobo Arm or Grip Arm, this is a tube with a 2-1/2" Grip Head permanently attached. Matthews Extension Arms feature a stainless steel 5/8" shaft, allowing standard baby fixtures to mount and be used as booms. Available in 20" and 40" lengths. |
| F | |
|---|---|
| Finger | A small, rectangular wire frame covered with Bobbinet, Silk, or Duvetyne, used for precise lighting control in tight spaces. Sizes include 2"x12" and 4"x14". |
| Flag | A rectangular frame made of thin-wall tubing covered with Duvetyne, used to block or shape light. Often mounted on Century Stands for shadow control. |
| Flex Arm | A flexible arm with multiple lockable ball joints for mounting Dots, Fingers, or Flex Scrims in small or awkward spaces. |
| Flex Scrim | Lightweight scrims available in solid or open-end designs, used with Flex Arms. Available in sizes 10"x12" and 12"x20". |
| Floppy | A Cutter with an extra Velcro-secured panel that can be released to double its size when needed. |
| French Flag | A shading tool for camera lenses. Made of firm but flexible ABS plastic or steel, it attaches to a French Flag Arm or Flex Arm for precise placement. |
| G | |
|---|---|
| Gary Coleman | Slang for a 20" C-Stand. |
| Gator Grip | Also called a Gaffer Grip, a clamp with adjustable jaws and 12 rubber pads for surface protection and secure clamping. |
| Globe | A general term for a light bulb used in film and stage lighting. |
| Goal Post | A setup using two stands to support a rail or pipe for mounting textiles or lights. |
| Gobo Ball | A bright orange rubber ball that fits on Extension Arms to prevent injury. Not recommended for sports but great for spotting your car antenna in a parking lot. |
| Gobo Head | Also known as a Grip Head, used for mounting Extension Arms, Flags, Cutters, and similar equipment on stands. |
| Grieb Arm | A flexible arm that can bend into various positions to hold French Flags, Dots, Fingers, or Flex Scrims. |
| Grip | The rigging experts and problem solvers on set, handling non-electrical lighting controls like scrims, flags, butterflies, and more, ensuring smooth operation of cranes, dollies, and camera rigs. #GripLife |
| Grip Head | Another term for a Gobo Head. |
| Grub Screw | Also known as a Set Screw, used for securing parts in place. |
| H | |
|---|---|
| High Boy | Slang for a Hi-Hi Roller or High Overhead Stand. |
| High Hat | A low mounting adapter for camera heads, often attached to a wooden board. |
| Hollywood Riser | Also called a Junior Riser or 2K Riser, used for extending the height of Junior stands. |
| Hurricane Stock | Another term for a Cornet Boom or 750 Boom. |
| I | |
|---|---|
| Inky | A 300-watt Mole light fixture. |
| J | |
|---|---|
| Jib Yoke & Dan Stand | A portable and user-friendly platform for building Jib arms, designed by veteran Jib operator Dan Hagouel. |
| Juicer | Slang for an Electrician on set. |
| K | |
|---|---|
| Key Light | The primary light source in a lighting setup, forming the foundation of the lighting design. |
| Knurling | A textured pattern applied to smooth surfaces for better grip and handling of equipment. |
| L | |
|---|---|
| LamÉ - or, Lame with E accent acute | Silver or gold laminated onto a tricot fabric, used to reflect light. Available in sizes up to 20'x20'. |
| Lenser | A flag used to shade a camera lens from direct light. |
| Lettuce | Single wire diffusion; a double wire diffusion is called a Tomato. |
| Lollipop Mafer | Slang for the Double Matth Gag, a legendary clamp with a hexagonal receiver for attaching 5/8" Baby Pins, Flex Arms, and more. Upgraded to the Super Mafer and Double Super Mafer for dual attachments. |
| Low Boy | A short light stand commonly used for low-angle lighting setups. |
| M | |
|---|---|
| Man-Maker | Slang for a Full Apple Box, used to elevate actors or props on set. |
| N | |
|---|---|
| N.D. | Gels used to reduce light intensity without altering its color. Applicable for lights or windows. |
| Net | Short for Bobbinet, a material used in scrims and overheads to control light. |
| Nyloc | A nut with an internal nylon collar that resists turning, preventing loosening. |
| O | |
|---|---|
| Open-Ended | Scrims or flags with a wire frame on one side to eliminate frame shadows. |
| Over-Saver | A small camera slider used to adjust over-the-shoulder shots. |
| P | |
|---|---|
| Pancake | East Coast term for an Eighth Apple Box. |
| Pidgeon | East Coast term for a Baby Plate or Junior Wall Plate. |
| Pig Tail | A short electrical cable with connectors at both ends. |
| Polito Bracket | Adjustable bracket for holding expendable reflectors, bead board, or foam core. Features mounting ears, ground spikes, and a handle for hand-holding. |
| Polly | Polystyrene bounce cards made from foam core or other reflective materials. |
| Poultry Bracket | Converts objects like poles, trees, or lamp posts into light stands, with a 1-1/8" Junior receiver and a 5/8" pin for versatility. |
| Priscilla | Checkerboard Grifflectors in silver and white. |
| Pumpkin | A drawstring canvas or nylon bag with multiple pouches, commonly used for storing screws or small accessories. |
| Pup | A 1000-watt (1k) light fixture. |
| Q | |
|---|---|
| Quality | Refers to the standard of an image, distinguishing between good and bad pictures. |
| Quick Stand | A lightweight stand with quick setup and extra height capabilities. |
| R | |
|---|---|
| Rags | Fabrics used on Butterfly and Overhead Frames to control light. |
| Ricky Rods | 5/8" steel rods that screw together for rigging. |
| Rocky Mountain Legs | Adjustable leg extensions for leveling stands on uneven terrain, also called leveling or lazy legs. |
| S | |
|---|---|
| Senior | A 5000-watt (5K) light fixture with a 1-1/8" Junior Pin, used for large-scale lighting. |
| Set Screw | A headless screw driven by a hex socket, used to secure parts. |
| Single Net | A single layer of Bobbinet, available in black (0.6 stops light loss) or white (0.5 stops light loss). White nets also create ambient bounce. |
| Space Saver | A compact setup combining an Apple Box, Junior Plate, and Riser for efficient support. |
| Sparky | Slang for an Electrician on set. |
| Stair Block | Wooden blocks stacked like stairs, used to elevate furniture on set. Also called Step Blocks. |
| Stinger | A single heavy-duty extension cord. |
| Stirrup | A mounting device for attaching fixtures to Telescoping Hangers with pipe clamps. |
| T | |
|---|---|
| T-Bar | A 40" steel tube with a 1-1/8" Junior Pin, often used for hanging theatrical lights. |
| T-bone | A large Junior Wall Plate with a welded Junior receiver, designed for low-angle lighting. |
| Tomato | Double wire diffusion; a single is called Lettuce. |
| Trombone | Telescoping arms for hanging lights on set walls, available in Baby or Junior versions. |
| Turtle Stand | A C-Stand with a removable base, also called a C+Stand. |
| TVMP | Stands for "TV to Motion Picture adapter," allowing TV lights to mount on Baby or Junior stands. |
| U | |
|---|---|
| Underslung | Positioning a camera system on the underside of a suspended dolly, like the Dutti Dolly. |
| V | |
|---|---|
| Video Village | A designated area on set where monitors are set up for directors or producers to view shots. |
| W | |
|---|---|
| Wall Sled | Rigging equipment for mounting lights or flags on set walls. |
| Western Dolly | A large Doorway Dolly designed for rough terrain, used for transporting equipment or camera support. |
| X | |
|---|---|
| No items under this letter; send all slang submissions to info@normsstudio.equipment. | |
| Y | |
|---|---|
| Yellow Jacket | A rubberized cable protector, shaped like a speed bump, with dividers for cable organization. |
| Z | |
|---|---|
| No items under this letter; send all slang submissions to info@normsstudio.equipment. | |