Definitions by Ian Ragsdale

pancake 

Film industry slang term for an apple box that is simply a very strong, film industry-sized board, onto which various items can be attached, placed, or supported.

We need the actor to be about an inch higher, so just let him stand on a pancake.

pancake by Ian Ragsdale December 28, 2005

pigeon 

Film industry slang term for a small steel plate with a pin welded onto it that is the right size for mounting small lights on. Often screwed into a pancake to make a beaver board.

It's great to have a pigeon around when you need to put up a light in a tight space.

pigeon by Ian Ragsdale December 28, 2005

beaver board 

Film industry slang term for a pancake with a pigeon attached, for mounting lights low to the ground, on top of shelves, etc.

We want the actor to be lit from below, so put a lamp on a beaver board and slide it between his legs.

beaver board by Ian Ragsdale October 14, 2005

apple box 

Film industry slang term for any of the variously-sized tough wooden boxes used in movie production, which all have the same length and width dimensions, but are of various heights. Sizes include and are called, full apple, half apple, quarter apple, and pancake.

I had to stand on an apple box to be able to read the top of that light stand.

apple box by Ian Ragsdale October 14, 2005

c-47 

Film industry slang term for a clothespin. Legend has it that it was a crew's item code for clothespins. Also see bullet.

If the lamp is hot enough to melt tape, you can instead use a c-47 to attach a filter to the hot part of the light.

c-47 by Ian Ragsdale October 14, 2005

brechtian 

In Rice University's theatre community, an adjective meaning bad. Comes from a play that the director kept referring to as "Brechtian," in reference to Bertolt Brecht's theory of street theatre as the purest form of theatre, but which resulted in an awful play. Has countless variations, e.g., "Just do it like Brecht" and "We're going to brecht it up."

If you do not remember your lines during the performance, we will have a very brechtian play on our hands.

brechtian by Ian Ragsdale October 14, 2005