You've captured their STUNT DOUBLES
Daenerys stunt double Rosie Mac poses with her fellow stand-ins
One night in 1837 a bright light beamed on a juggler in Covent Garden in London. It was the first use of a Limelight - an intense white beam produced by heating a piece of lime (Calcium Oxide) in a flame burning oxygen and hydrogen.
First discovered in the 1820’s by Goldsworthy Gurney, and demonstrated by Michael Faraday, the application of the light was brought to land surveying by Sir Thomas Drummond. By 1856 limelights were used at Fort Sumter at the beginning of the Civil War, and during the night construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. The first theatrical installation was put to use in London's Princesses Theater.
Operators would sit on bladders of oxygen and shift their weight to control the pressure. Not unlike a bagpipe of light? Not surprisingly, accidents were common. London’s Drury Lane Theater burnt to the ground after a bag burst.
Actors on stage, in the center of the beam were literally ‘in the limelight,’ however the turn of the phrase outside of the theater really caught on around the turn of the century.
Because the light was so intense, and because (reportedly) the light had a slight greenish hue, actors would get ready and rest in a room painted green. This was to allow the actors to adjust their eyes. It’s been said this is the origin of the term ‘green room.’ Although other sources say that ‘green’ is the area of grass where actors would wait to go on stage, the term is still used for the talent preparation room to this day in theater and television production.
Gaffer Tape binds the universe together!
Gaffer Tape
Much like the Force in Star Wars, Gaffer Tape has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the universe together. Gaffer Tape, not to be confused with Duct Tape, is a heavy cloth pressure sensitive tape. The adhesive is rubber based, which makes it more resistant to heat, and much easier to remove from the surface it has been applied to. And once you see it used on set, you'll be amazed how many applications it's used for! Again, not to be confused with Duct Tape - which is great, in some circles, isn't nearly as awesome as Gaffer Tape!
Gaffer tape is used by all departments, even though it's named for the head electrician. Camera, grip, production, even make-up and wardrobe use gaffer tape! Common uses are to secure cables to prevent tripping or to hide cables from the camera, a quick label maker, to mark focus points or ‘spikes’ noted for talent blocking, holding props or paper, and of course to repair broken things. There are as many colors of gaffer tape as colors in the world, but the most common is matte black, as it tends to not reflect light.
Focus Puller or 1st AC
Focus Puller or 1st AC
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A is for Apple Box
The Apple Box, as it's known in the grip department is an extremely versatile tool used in film and television set production. It's a wooden box, with handles, and comes in a variety of sizes.
The large size, or Full Apple, is uniformly 20" x 12" x 8". The size and term come from the old-fashioned produce crate that you might find at a grocery store, apple orchard or your favorite farmer's market.
The next size is a Half Apple (20" x 12" x 4"), then Quarter Apple (20" x 12" x 2") and then the Pancake or Eighth Apple (20" x 12" x 2").
These sturdy boxes are used for propping up items, often temporarily, and even as chairs or lifting stands for actors and also crew. Sometimes they're needed to help elevate dolly tracks or actors. Sometimes they are referred to as "man makers", but often not in front of actors who are shorter than their leading ladies.
There are also Mini Apple Boxes, which are 10" in length rather than 20", and sometimes you'll find a grip department that uses nesting Apple Boxes as well, but their structural integrity isn't nearly as strong.
To read more, Sources: Uva, Michael. The Grip Book (Fourth ed.)