letters from barabbas

I get this daily definition thing in my email. A word a day: AWAD. Each week the words are themed, and this week I thought the theme was really cool and informative, and I thought I'd let you in on the secret code we all puzzle over in the dark. Here's the whole week of words, complete with snazzy intro and an inspirational quote, to boot!

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What does it take to make a movie? A producer, a director, actors and what else? Lots of money, of course. Often overlooked are hundreds of other people who work for months or often years behind the scenes to help create a couple of hours' magic.
If you ever stay behind at the end of a movie (or stay tuned on TV) to read the rolling credits you'll see many funny sounding titles. They describe people who are essential to the movie-making business. Without them no movie would be possible, no matter how good the actors or director. What do those titles mean? This week's AWAD defines them.

grip (grip) noun
A general assistant on a movie set responsible for handling production equipment, such as setting up and moving camera dollies, lighting, etc. The head grip is called the key grip.
[From English grip since the task required firmly holding bulky material.]

gaffer (GAF-uhr) noun
1. The head of the electrical department responsible for the lighting setup on a movie or television set.
2. An old man, especially a country man.
3. A foreman, supervisor, or boss.
[Contraction of godfather, influenced by grandfather.]
Sense 1 comes from the fact that in the beginning longshoremen were employed to move heavy lighting equipment on a production set. They worked in a hierarchy and the one at the top was called gaffer as a term of respect. Sense 2 and 3 are chiefly British. The feminine equivalent of sense 2 is gammer (contraction of godmother).

best boy (best boi) noun
The first assistant to the gaffer (head electrician) of a film crew.
[Apparently borrowed from the sailing terminology.]

foley (FO-lee) adjective
Of or relating to the sound effects.
[After Jack Donovan Foley (1891-1967) who pioneered the techniques of adding sound effects during his three decades at Universal Pictures.]

stuntman (stunt-man) noun
A man who substitutes for an actor in scenes involving dangerous feats. Also known as double.
[From English word stunt (an unusual or dangerous feat) which is of unknown origin.]

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So there you have it. Most weeks the words aren't quite so applicable to everday life, but they're still fun. It's nice to know I'll always have one non-spam message in my inbox every weekday. This way I don't have to feel like a loser for checking it every day. :)
If you'd like a free subscription, fill out this form. Then we can elevate ourselves above our peers by utilizing our superfluous vocabulary in everyday conversation.

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Here's the quote I promised (every AWAD email also comes with a quote to make you think or laugh):

I never saw a discontented tree. They grip the ground as though they liked it, and though fast rooted they travel about as far as we do.
-John Muir, naturalist, explorer, and writer (1838-1914)