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Glossary
A-B | C-D | E-L | M-P | Q-Z
MAHG/MUAHS: Make-up and Hair Stylists Guild.
Major: One of the eight major film studios (Disney, MGM, Paramount, Sony, 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks, Universal, Warner Brothers).
Merchandising Rights: Right to sell tangible property based on a film or TV show; often toys, books, games.
MOW: Movie of the week. This programming strategy has almost disappeared from network television but some cable stations (Lifetime) still produce and air MOWs.
MPA: Motion Picture Association -- international arm of Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) that represents the interests of the Hollywood studios abroad.
MPAA: Motion Picture Association of America -- represents the interests of the major motion picture studios; the MPAA initiated its ratings system for motion pictures in 1968.
Narrative: Genre of film that entails a story plot and developed characters as opposed to documentary or experimental films.
Negative Cost: Cost of producing a motion picture including above-the-line and below-the-line costs and certain miscellaneous costs such as financing costs, the completion bond fee, and a contingency reserve (usually 10% of above-the-line and below-the-line costs) but does not include post-production costs, P&A costs. Commonly referred to as the cost of getting a movie "in the can."
Negative Pick-Up: Agreement in which a studio acquires substantial rights of an already-shot film in consideration for a fixed payment due upon delivery plus royalties.
Net Profits: Gross receipts minus any and all costs relating to a film, including negative cost (and interest accumulated), distribution fees, residuals, distribution costs, and participations. If you are given a deal saying you will get a percentage of net profits -- always assume there will never be any net profits.
NSFC: National Society of Film Critics.
Niche programming: TV programming or channels targeting particular demographics or interests; for example, History Channel, TLC, AMC.
Non-Theatrical: Exploitation of a film on small-venue screens, such as at schools, churches, and military installations.
NSG: Not so good.
Off-the-Top: Specific deductions taken from gross receipts in calculating adjusted gross including checking, collection, currency conversion, trade dues, taxes, and residuals. Again, more things a studio or network can subtract before "break-even".
Nut: Operating expenses to be recovered; often used to refer to live performances such as Broadway plays.
Off-Net: Network TV series repeats sold into syndication.
On the Bubble: TV series that has adequate ratings but is not consistently popular in its time slot and therefore has an uncertain future and could be canceled at any moment.
OTN: On the nose -- note given to writers when script dialogue is too explicit rather than using subtext to get the information across.
Output Deal: Contract requiring one party to acquire all films produced by the other party.
Overages: If a project goes over budget, these additional expenses are referred to as "overages." Often the producer will have to pay for overages out of pocket.
Overhead Deal: Deal between a studio or network and a producer, director, writer, or performer in which the studio gets to see any new projects developed prior to any other studios seeing these projects in exchange for certain perks, such as office space and overhead expenses. See also First Look Deal.
Pact: (n.) Contract; (v.) Sign a contract.
Par: Short for Paramount.
Participations: Contingent payments to talent based on a percentage of gross receipts or net profits from a film/TV project.
P & A: Prints and advertising.
Payola: Bribery or under-the-table payments; used generally by record executives to pay radio djs to play new songs by the record executive's artists.
Pay-or-Play: Contractual provision providing that if talent is not used in a specific film for any reason the talent will still be paid full compensation.
Peacock Web: NBC television network -- named for its colorful mascot.
Pen: Write.
Pitch: (n.) Anything from a one-line description to a two-to-three-page treatment of an idea and, as such, not yet a script; (v.) Describe an idea.
Pre-Production: Process of preparing all the elements involved in a film; usually only starts once a project has been greenlit. At this point a project is fully financed and has most of the key elements -- such as principal cast, director, cinematographer, and a screenplay -- that are satisfactory to all the financiers.
Post-production: Stage at which editing, scoring and effects are executed on a filmed motion picture or TV production.
Pre-Sale: Sale of a film’s rights for a fixed payment upon delivery. Sale is entered into prior to completion of a particular film’s production.
Praiser: Publicist.
Profit Participation: Contractual percentage of gross or net profits. Unless you’re A-list talent, don’t hold your breath.
Project: Any film, TV, new media, short, etc. that is more fleshed out than an idea or pitch.
Put Pilot: Deal to produce a TV pilot that includes substantial penalties if the pilot is not aired; a virtual guarantee that a pilot will be picked up to series.
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