Dear Slow Clap: What’s a call sheet (and other film set jargon)?

Apr 22, 2025

Dear Slow Clap,

The other day I was on the set of a video production and didn’t understand a word they were saying. Could you walk me through some of the most common terms on set?

– Joe Jargon

Dear Joe Jargon,

Thanks for your message— you raise a valid concern. There are many unusual terms used on a film set! I'll gladly break down some of them for you so you don't get mistaken thinking “10-1” is a football defensive play, as it's actually a restroom break.

Working on a film set is like stepping into a whole new universe with its own quirky vocabulary. “Crafty” (short for craft services, aka the snack table) is the heartbeat of the set, ensuring everyone stays fueled with snacks and caffeine. If you’re ever stuck by the snack table, you’re not alone. And when it comes to filming, the “B-Roll” is your secret weapon—those extra shots that make the “A-Roll” footage, like a sit down interview, shine! Think of it as the cinematic sprinkles on your film’s ice cream.

On set, the “Call Sheet” is your main source of information, outlining who needs to be where and when, also for those lunch lovers to know when it’s grubbing time. Meanwhile, if someone yells “Striking!” it's not a protest but a heads-up that the lights are turning on. You can’t forget the all-important “Clapper/Slate.” The clap from a slate or someone's hands is for editors to match sound and video, saving them hours of hair-pulling when matching sound to camera.

Behind the scenes, an “Apple Box” isn’t for apples—it’s for adding height for talent or props or… anything. You’ll also hear requests for “Room Tone”—the ambient sound of the space—to make post-production audio flawless. The “Boom Pole” is a pole that swoops in to capture crystal-clear dialogue, while the “Video Village" is where the bigshots (producers, studio execs, clients) gather around monitors to critique the footage. Now, when someone asks if you want an extra apple box for a video village, you'll know it's not some weird tribal ritual, but in fact just an extra seat to watch the magic happen.

Next time you're on set, you'll feel like one of the cool kids when you use film set lingo!

Kiante at Slow Clap

Film Jargon List

"Crafty" is a term used in film, TV, and video production to describe the department that provides food, drinks, and other assistance to cast and crew members. The department is also known as craft services.
“B-roll” is supplemental footage that is used to support the main action in a film or video. It is often used to establish scenes, smooth transitions, and cut out unwanted frames. B-roll can include: Close-up details of objects or hands, Atmospheric scene-setting shots, Photo inserts, Establishing shots, and Cutaway shots.
“Call Sheet” is a daily document that outlines the schedule and logistics for a film or television production.
“Striking" can refer to turning on a production light or series of lights. When this happens, it's a courtesy to warn the crew and actors to avoid looking directly at the light to prevent eye damage. Some say it's better to say "mind your eyes, light coming on" instead.
“Clapper/Slate” also known as a film slate, is a tool used on film sets to synchronize audio and video, and to mark scenes and takes.
”Apple boxes” are wooden boxes or crates of varying sizes with holes on each end used chiefly in film production. These boxes are specialized pieces of equipment belonging to the grip department, and should not be confused with simple crates, other boxes, or boxes for apples.
“Room tone” is a recording of the natural sounds of a room when there are no actors speaking, and is used in film and television production to create a more realistic sound track.
“Boom pole” is a long, extendable rod used in film and video production to hold a microphone close to a sound source while keeping it out of the camera's frame. It's also known as a fishpole or fishing rod.
“Video village” is a monitor connected to the camera. Ideally, the monitor is placed out of the way, separate from the cameras, crew, and action on set.