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Film & Television vocabulary · Lighting

Gaffer

Meaning in film & television, with examples

/ˈɡæfə/nounCommon term

In film & television, gaffer means: The head of the electrical and lighting crew on a film set, who carries out the cinematographer's lighting plan.

In Turkish: ışık şefi, baş ışıkçı

How it is used

The gaffer leads the electricians (sparks); the best boy is the gaffer's chief assistant. The key grip leads the grips, who handle rigging and camera support. Gaffer tape, a strong cloth tape, is named after them.

Example sentences

  1. Ask the gaffer if we can bring in a bigger light for the window.

  2. The gaffer and his team pre-lit the hall the night before.

Common collocations

  • gaffer and key grip
  • best boy
  • gaffer tape
  • chief lighting technician
  • cinematographerThe head of the camera and lighting departments, who decides with the director how the film will look: framing, lenses, camera movement and light.
  • lightingThe use and arrangement of light sources on set to show the action clearly and to create the mood and look of a scene.
  • crewThe people who work behind the camera on a film or TV production, such as the camera, lighting, sound, art, costume and production teams.
  • key lightThe main and strongest light on a subject, which sets the overall brightness and direction of light in a shot.

More terms: Lighting

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