High speed (film) normally movie is shot at twenty-four frames per second. However, for the effect of slow movement, you can shoot the movie at a faster rate and then project at the normal speed. High-speed movie can be shot at as much as 500 or even 1,000 frames per second. This is used quite a lot in technical or medical movies, where very fast movement needs to be analyzed carefully. For instance, one movie used 1,000 frames per second to snap an athlete running. The camera, which had to be static at that speed, picked up his foot and leg each time he landed on a given place. When the movie was processed and probable at normal speed, it showed all the muscle movement that occurs during fast running in ultra-slow movement – something the naked eye could never see and for which videotape slow movement could never have been so effective.
Hit (VT, film, BT) to switch something on, e.g. ‘could you hit play button, please?’
Honey wagons (VT, film) a somewhat bizarre euphemism for the portable loos used by crews on location.
Hook (VT, film, ST, sound) a major aspect of a script, story or piece of music which grabs the viewer’s attention and/or provide the platform on which to build the whole production. For instance, the hook of a movie on industrial security might be the dramatization of a typical accident.
Hosepiping (VT, film) a rather rude term to describe bad hand-held camera work, usually by amateurs. The ides is that the operator has held the camera in the same way as somebody would while watering the garden with a hosepipe – shakily.
Hospitality room (VT, film, BT) a room set aside at a studio, editing group or business-theatre location where the clients can be entertained, or where clients can entertain their own clients or colleagues, at times euphemistically corrupted into ‘hostility room’.
Hot (sound) is written on a piece of paper and stuck, or china-graphed, on to a sound-editing device. It indicates that the tape
on the device is being edited and must not be removed for any reason.
Hot set (VT, film, BT) a set or performing spot which has been lit and otherwise prepared for shooting or for a show.
Houselights (BT) are on loan, from traditional theatre. House- lights are the lights in the viewers areas – used while they walk in, during any intervals, and when they walk out.
House show (VT, film, ST) the presentation a production company will give to a prospective client, will normally contain instance or the company’s past work for other customers.
Hunting (VT, film) is used to describe a videotape device or a movie camera which can’t maintain a steady speed.
Hymnbook (VT, film) is the camera script.
Hyphenate (all) when a production crew member does two jobs, e.g. producer-director, composer-arranger, etc.