ESL Podcast 781 - Filming a TV Show or Movie
set - the area that is filmed by video cameras when producing a movie or TV show
This TV show looks like it was filmed in an apartment, but it was actually filmed in a specially constructed set.
extra - a person who appears in a film or movie, but does not have any role and does not say anything, often just sitting in a room or walking by the main actors
Aunt Harriet was an extra in a movie last week, and now she's acting like she's a Hollywood celebrity.
scene - one part of a play or movie showing action in a single place
Were you nervous when you had to kiss the actress in that scene at the end of the play?
lighting - the arrangement of powerful lights on a stage or set, used to shine light on the actors and other objects being filmed or shown
The dialogue between the actors would be much more dramatic with dark blue lighting.
crew - a group of people who work together as a team for a particular purpose, especially when that work involves manual (physical) labor
The construction crew starts hammering at 5:30 a.m. each weekday.
staging - a plan for where actors should stand, how they should move, and when in a particular scene
We need to change the staging so that everyone can see Eli when he starts singing.
sound effect - a recorded or artificial sound used to add emphasis or drama to a film or stage scene
This play uses doorbells, telephone rings, and similar sound effects.
to get right on (something) - to do something right away, without waiting or delaying
The boss asked us to write up that report right away. He needs it for his 3:00 meeting.
cast - all the actors who are hired to act in particular movie, scene, or play
The cast includes some famous Hollywood stars and a few lesser-known actors.
to shoot - to record images with a camera, either a video camera or a photographic camera
The director wants to shoot the scene right when the sun is setting.
to mill around - to slowly walk around an area without any particular purpose, usually waiting for something to happen
Between classes, the high school students mill around the hallways and talk to their friends.
script - the written plan for a play, movie, or TV show, including everything the actors say
How long would it take a professional actor to memorize the dialogue in a 100- page script?
to call it a day - to stop doing something and not do it again for the rest of the day, planning to start again the next business day
We're both too tired to figure out what's wrong with these accounts. Let's call it a day and try again tomorrow after a good night's sleep.
luxury - something that is very nice, pleasant, and desirable, but that is expensive and/or difficult to get and is not necessary
Samar dreams of having the luxury of paying someone else to clean her home each week.
time is money - a phrase used to show that time should not be wasted, because it represents an opportunity to be productive and be paid for one's work, often used when one wants another person to work harder or more seriously
I can't believe I was on the phone with the electric company for 25 minutes to update my payment information. Don't they know that time is money?
budget - a plan showing how much money one will spend for a particular purpose, and where that money will come from
More than 50% of the researcher's budget is for travel and lodging.
the shirt on my back - a phrase referring to the maximum contribution one can make, or the maximum amount of money someone can lose
Doctor, I'll give you the shirt on my back if you can save that little girl's life.
production - the effort and coordination needed to make a movie, play, or TV show
Laura is going to audition for a local production of Shakespeare's Othello.