Word Bank Inventory: S
s / a
Chat speak for “same as above”
S & P / Safety and Protocol
Policies followed to ensure that assets and animation follow the protocols set regarding safety.
sampling
To gather information from a pixel or pixels.
saturation
The intensity of a colour’s vibrance.
scale / scaling
To change the overall size.
scan line
A horizontal row of pixels.
scene
A series of consecutive shots happening in the same set and timeframe/time of day.
scope
The project’s deliverables and the work required to produce them.
scope creep
The uncontrolled changes to the scope of the project. Often results to deliverables or requirements that were not planned during the initial budgeting and planning phase of a project.
score
The music specifically written/composed for the film.
scratch / scratch record
The temporary recording of lines and dialogue.
screening
To show the film to an audience.
script
(1) The written version of the story.
(2) A code or tool that helps workflow processes and efficiency.
Script Supervisor
Role in the Script Department whose responsibility often includes maintaining continuity, keeping track of changes between script passes, pacing, and keeping the integrity of the story.
scrum
A project management term common in an agile project referring to a way of facilitating progress and product delivery through collaborative methods, constant and fast feedback, and iterations.
seam
Usually an error where a noticeable unintended line across the surface of an object.
sequence
(1) A series of images.
(2) Usually, each change of environment requires a change of sequence. A sequence will contain a series of shots/scenes happening at that one specific set.
server
Computer(s) that can be accessed by multiple users at once.
set deck / set dressing
A phase in the pipeline where a department is required to “redecorate” an existing set for story needs, or to fill in the negative space of a set with various props.
set extension
Adding additional elements at the edge of a modeled set to create an illusion of the set being much larger or expansive than its original built.
SFX
(1) Special Effects; visual effects that are performed on set and/or using practicals.
(2) Sound Effects; Beats or sound added to specific moments, movements, or assets in a shot.
shader
An output by the Look Dev team, a shader is a file that contains the info on how to generate an object a specific way when rendered.
Shading / Surfacing Department
Builds on top of Texturing and makes 3D objects appear to be made out of specific materials.
Responsible for developing how materials react to light and what the final look of models / FX will be after lighting and rendering.
shadow casting
Term used if an object or objects in a scene, in shot/on camera or not, will produce a shadow when the scene is lit and rendered.
shadow pass
A type of layer or render pass that isolate only the shadow info of the object(s). See pass.
sharpen
To emphasize the edges in an image.
short lens
Sometimes “wide-angle lens;” Shorter focal length that allows for a wider field of view capturing more of the scene at once.
shot
A series of images or frames played very quickly (e.g. 24 frames in a second) in a specific place and in one continuous camera movement. When/If the place or camera changes, that usually constitutes a separate shot.
Shotgun Studio
(SG / Shotgrid / Shotgun / Flow Production Tracking)
One of the most common database in production. A project management software considered as an industry standard in film, TV, and game production. It enables teams to schedule, track, and review assets/shots under one platform. Following Autodesk's acquisition, it has since been named ShotGrid, and then most recently in March 2024, Flow Production Tracking.
For Shotgun/Shotgrid tutorials: watch here
shutter speed
The duration of time it takes for a camera to capture an image.
SIGGRAPH
Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics & Interactive Techniques. A 4 day conference, hosted annually in North America and Asia, featuring various presentations and exhibitions of the latest innovations in CG. It brings together a community of researchers, artists, developers, filmmakers, scientists and industry professionals, experts, and students alike.
simulation / sims
Usually refers to renders that require some form of FX work like particle systems, elements like fire/smoke/water, cloth movement, crowd, etc.
skeleton crew
Often used to describe a very small (remaining) team.
SketchUp
A 3D modeling software mostly used for architectural purposes
skinning
A task in rigging that handles how much influence a rig control has over the surface of a model.
skip frame
To delete a number of frames at regular intervals from a footage to create a sped up effect.
skydome
A geo in a spherical shape or half a sphere that is painted to simulate sky in the background.
SL / Screen Left
If the area is on <— this half of the screen.
slap comp
A rough pass of Comp or layering of elements meant for early testing and not for final approval.
slate
A frame at the start of a sequence or scene that indicates additional information such as specs, frame rate, duration, scene number, title, and/or related crew info.
slow motion
To expand movement across a higher number of frames thus giving a slowed down effect.
slug
Used in editorial pertaining to a chunk of time/section of the timeline where shots/audio are eventually meant to be cut in.
SME / Subject Matter Expert
Someone who has enough knowledge on the topic, department, or process to provide and share valuable insights.
smoothen / smoothing
In assets, it is to smoothen out the faceting appearing on the surface of a 3D object.
In shots, it is to smoothen the flow of animation so it’s not so choppy or rigid.
SOD / Start of Day
Chat speak for the beginning of the work day.
sound design
Part of the pipeline that creates and handles all the audio in the film/video.
sound mix / sound mixing
Editing specifically a media’s audio; sometimes includes adding special effects to the audio track.
soundtrack
The list of music used in a film or episode.
SPARK
Spark CG Society; Vancouver-based CG community and organization that hosts conferences, screenings and job fairs for VFX and Animation.
spec / specularity
An attribute in Look Dev that pertains to how shiny a material appears when rendered.
SpeedTree
A software for creating CG plants and grass.
spill
When another object’s colour is bleeding into another surface.
Sample: Green colour being seen through the edges of someone’s blonde hair even after keying.
spill suppression
To remove green spill or blue spill. To remove traces of the green/blue screen reflecting or tinting the edges of the object(s) on screen.
spline / spline curve
A continuous line connecting several points to each other. In modeling, this is helpful in modeling curved surfaces or geo that follows a specific path. In animation, this is a key component in controlling and generating a smooth action/animation and similar to modeling, curves can also be used to rig a model to follow a specific path when animated. Cameras, for example, can be rigged to follow a specific animation path/spline. FX and other animatable renders can do the same.
split screen / split-screen
Dividing the frame we see in a shot into different images/footage at once.
spool
Where a physical film is rolled around on.
spotting session
To sit through an edit to call out specific requirements or requests.
spreadsheet
Tool for data entry, analysis, and projection. Excel and Google Sheets are commonly used.
sprite
A 2D element or texture often used in a particle system to represent one single particle.
SR / Screen Right
If the area is on —> this side of the screen.
sRGB
A type of colour space.
staging
How assets, characters, or objects are placed on a set based on how we see it in the shot.
static image
An image with no motion.
steadiness / stabilize
To reduce the amount of jitter, shaking, or movement.
stereoscope / stereo / stereoscopic
Creates the illusion of seeing images pop out of the screen when viewed through special glasses. Images are split into separate layers so that sections of the shot get filtered in a specific way through the glasses and tricks the human eye and brain into seeing depth outside the flat screen.
still frame
A shot is made up of individual images played through rapidly to simulate movement. A still frame is taking one of these images.
stock photo / footage
Ready made image or video that can be added directly in the frame/cut/edit.
stop-motion animation
A type of animation technique where movement of an object is taken via photo, one frame at a time. Move a little, take a photo, move a little, take a photo, and so on. This results in a “steppier” kind of animation when played back. This can be done with practical tools (real props/people and a camera) or recreated to mimic the effect digitally.
Storyboards Department
Transforms the script into an illustrated sequence of shots.
Sets the staging, cameras, cuts, and acting needed while using the approved assets.
stretching
An error where textures are not appearing as they should be on a surface of an object and gets stretched out of proportions when rendered.
stroby/ strobey / strobing
An error in shot when there is an irregular movement noticed during the rendered Comp.
Studio Library
A Maya plugin that allows artists to store and reuse poses and animations. Poses or animations can be saved in a library and later reapplied to the same or different characters, saving time by avoiding the need to recreate them from scratch.
sub-surface scattering / SSS
An attribute in Look Dev that pertains to how much light passes through an object.
Sample: When you shine a light behind your fingers, it’s more translucent around the edges, and becomes more opaque to the light towards the middle. Sub-surface scattering is how artists recreate this phenomenon in CG objects.
Substance 3D
Software that enables artists to paint texture and add materials directly on models in real-time.
sup
Short for “supervisor.”
superimpose
To overlay an image on top of another.
surrounding shots
Pertains to the shots before and or after the current shot.
swimming texture
An error seen in shots when an asset’s texture appears to move around almost separate from the object it is applied to.
