A Funny but Informative Guide to Video Production Slang
Walk onto a video set and it might feel like you’ve stumbled into a parallel universe where people speak English, but none of it makes sense. Someone just asked for a stinger. Someone else is yelling “Crossing!” while carrying a pancake. And somewhere in the chaos, a director is mumbling something about a martini shot, and nobody’s drinking anything.
Welcome to the strange and wonderful world of video production slang, where the words don’t mean what they sound like, and the people using them are too tired to explain. If you’ve ever been on a shoot and pretended to know what everyone was talking about—this article is your survival guide.
Let’s demystify the most baffling terms used in the world of professional video production and, while we’re at it, laugh at ourselves a little.
C-47
Translation: A wooden clothespin.
This is the Holy Grail of video production slang. A C-47 is used to clip colored gels onto hot lights, because nothing says “cutting-edge visual effects” like wooden laundry tools from 1952.
Why not just say clothespin? Because “C-47” sounds more like something NASA uses to secure rocket thrusters. The real reason? Legend has it production folks gave it the technical-sounding name so they could sneak clothespins past accounting on equipment lists. And honestly—respect.
Pancake
Translation: A very short wooden box.
Part of the “apple box” family, a pancake is the flattest of the bunch. It’s often used to raise a monitor, level a tripod, or give an actor that crucial half-inch height boost that makes all the difference in their IMDB profile photo.
And no, there is no syrup involved. If someone on set yells “bring me a pancake,” they’re not hungry—they’re behind schedule.
Apple Box
Translation: A wooden box that can solve all your problems.
These boxes are the Swiss Army knives of the film world. You can stand on them, sit on them, or prop gear with them. They come in sizes: full, half, quarter, and pancake. Despite the name, there are no apples. There never were apples. If someone tells you there were once apples, they’re lying or nostalgic.
Stinger
Translation: Extension cord.
It’s a cable. Just a cable. But calling it a “stinger” makes it feel more like you’re doing something dangerous or elite. And let’s be honest—yelling “I NEED A STINGER, NOW!” sounds way more exciting than “Can I borrow an extension cord?”
10-1 and 10-2
Translation: Secret codes for bathroom breaks.
10-1 means you need a short break. 10-2 means you’ll be a while and people should probably reschedule lunch. These codes exist so you don’t have to yell “I gotta poop!” across a film set filled with executives and extras.
If you ever hear someone say, “The director is 10-2 with the iPad,” you don’t want to know the rest of that story.
“Fix It in Post”
Translation: We have officially given up.
This phrase is the unofficial anthem of production crews everywhere. When a shot is rushed, the sound is bad, the lighting’s weird, and the actor blinked six times mid-line, someone will inevitably say, “We’ll fix it in post.”
Spoiler alert: post-production can’t fix everything. It just ends up with a lot of coffee, crying, and passive-aggressive emails.
Room Tone
Translation: Standing in complete silence while pretending not to breathe.
Room tone is a short audio recording of the “silence” in a room, used to fill gaps in dialogue during editing. In theory, it’s a quiet moment of calm. In practice, someone always coughs, sneezes, or tears into a bag of trail mix.
Martini Shot
Translation: The last shot of the day.
The word “martini” doesn’t mean anyone’s drinking. It just means you’re almost done. The martini shot gives everyone hope—hope that they’ll soon escape to a land where the lighting setup doesn’t take 40 minutes and the bathroom has paper towels.
Crafty
Translation: The snack table that holds the production together.
Crafty, short for “craft services,” is where all the food and drinks live. It is sacred. It is holy. If the snacks are bad, morale collapses. If the coffee runs out, people start to question their life choices. If there are fresh donuts, everyone suddenly finds the energy for one more take.
Why It Matters
Understanding video production slang isn’t just about sounding cool (though it definitely helps). It’s about working efficiently on set. These quirky terms have evolved to save time, reduce miscommunication, and confuse new interns just enough to keep things entertaining.
Whether you’re hiring a video team, starring in your own brand story, or just trying not to embarrass yourself in front of the gaffer, a little slang fluency goes a long way.
At Episode 11 Productions, we know this language inside and out—because we live it every day. From stingers to room tone, we speak fluent film. And if you’re not quite fluent yet, don’t worry. We’ll translate—with subtitles, if needed.
Final Take on Video Production Slang
Video production slang may sound ridiculous, but every term has its place in the cinematic circus. And once you learn the lingo, you’ll not only understand your crew—you’ll finally stop looking for syrup when someone asks for a pancake.
If you’re ready to work with a crew that knows the language, tells great stories, and always has extra C-47s on hand, Episode 11 Productions is ready to roll.
Citations
1.American Society of Cinematographers. “Glossary of Production Terms.” ASC Magazine, 2023.
2.Hurlbut, Shane. “Film Set Lingo You Need to Know.” Filmmakers Academy, 2022.
3.Lights Film School. “What’s a C-47?” LightsFilmSchool.com, 2021.
4.StudioBinder. “Film Production Terms You Should Know.” StudioBinder.com, 2023.
