Grip and Lighting Equipment Illustrated Dictionary for Film and Video production -

M - from Mafer to Musco.

M

Mafer - is a small clamp used in film/video grip lighting extensively. This versatile clamp can take a variety of inserts such as baby studs and other mounting accessories. It works on smaller pipes, planks, furniture and other mounting opportunities, and is somewhat gentle to surfaces, having a slightly padded clamp. A thumbscrew is used to lock in or unlock the chosen accessory mount (baby stud, cable hooks, and more), while a larger handle is used to control the clamp mechanism when mounting or dismounting the Mafer.

Magic hour - is the time of day right after the sun goes down, and the sky is still lit from beyond the horizon. The level of light is close to the level of just illuminated street and building lights, and often has a golden yet rosy tone. It's all very soft, pretty and... magic! Magic hour really only lasts about 15 minutes, so shooting in it requires being set up and ready to go fairly well ahead of time.

Manual dimmer - is a hand-operated (as opposed to automated-type) device used to lower or raise the amount of current running to a lighting unit.

Male plug - is any electrical or other connector that has prongs suited to fit the receptacles on the female or outlet end of an electric cable. Edison (3-prong), two-pronged, as well as cam-lok and other connection types all have male and female components.

Maxi-Brute - is a strong though sometimes difficult to use light that carries nine individual PAR 64 1000 watt lamps on pivoting frames within the outside frame. Maxi-brutes are less used than in years past since the advent of large wattage HMI lights.

Modeling lights - a phrase sometimes used to describe lighting units that key, fill, backlight, highlight of create shadows on actors or subjects, as opposed to background lights or set lights.

Motivated lighting - a lighting style or technique based on simulating light from or blending with existing (or imaginary) windows, practical lamps, skylights, and other viewer-expected sources.

Musco light - is named for the company that originated them The name has come to be used for any permanently crane mounted array of HMI lights. Muscos put out a lot of light and are mobile, so they are often used in "night" scenes and large area fill applications.

Contacts     Privacy Policy