This is very much a work in progress, with new updates, additions, definitions, terms, revisions daily. If you have comments, input, edit, additions, etc., please e-mail me.
~
1:1: 1:1 is a scale representing and classifying a piece as to scale with normal use; as opposed to miniatures produced in various scales (ex. 1:6, 1:32, etc.).
Animatronic: Technology and electronics used to animate puppets and other props.
Anti-Provenance: A circumstance in which the seller or prior owner of an original prop, costume, or artifact adversely affects the provenance of the item. Provenance is the documented evidence and records which support claims of authenticity. Anti-provenance is a direct connection to a specific individual, individuals, or company that raises questions about the legitimacy of the piece and any accompanying provenance and/or certification that speaks to authenticity as “Original”. Any item for which anti-provenance is a factor requires extraordinary tangible, material, and verifiable records and other proof in order to counterbalance the anti-provenance to reach a satisfactory conclusion of authentic and “Original”. Anti-provenance is a consequence of the seller and/or prior owners of the piece having been involved in questionable, fraudulent, and/or other activities in the marketplace which are detrimental to the hobby. See Provenance, Chain of Ownership, History of Ownership, Authenticity, Original; See articles Original Prop Provenance & Authenticity, Part I and What is “Original”? and Building on the Original Prop Lexicon: “Anti-Provenance”
Antique: Over 100 years old. See Vintage
Archivist: A person employed by a studio to assess, collect, organize, preserve, and provides access to studio assets such as props, wardrobe, and other material.
Armorer:A person or company who manufactures, repairs, services, and/or supervises the use of firearms and/or prop weapons and armor/costumes for a production or under hire by a production.Armorers can be used by film and television productions to rent and/or coordinate the use of live fire, blank fire, and other weapons.Armorers can also be employed to create weapons and costumes for productions (ex. Simon Atherton’s work with the film Gladiator).See Weapons Coordinator, Blank Fire, Live Fire, Rental Agreement
Asset Tag:A tag or label used by the production to identify the use (i.e. “stunt” or “hero”), actor (real and/or character name), scenes used, and or any other special notes or instructions.Typically made of card stock and attached to a costume via safety pin or a prop via string or tape.See Costumer’s Tag
Auction:A public sale of items sold to the highest bidder (or immediately, if offered using features such as “Buy It Now” on eBay).
Auction House:A firm that conducts (typically “live”) auctions (ex. Profiles in History, Christie’s, Bonhams).Items are sold to the highest bidder via a variety of bidding options (mail, phone, fax, Internet, live in person).It is common that both “Buyers” and “Sellers” premiums are assessed for items meeting or exceeding their reserve.See Buyer’s Premium, Seller’s Premium, Auction, Live Auction, Auction House Catalog, Reserve, No Reserve
Auction House Catalog: Auction houses typically produce and publish hardcopy and/or electronic catalogs which include information about the auction event, conditions of sale, and photos, descriptions, and estimates for items in the auction.
Authentic, Authenticity:A prop or wardrobe conclusively determined to be “original” with appropriate “provenance”.See Original, Provenance, Inconclusive, Inauthentic; See article Authenticity & Burden of Proof
Background Prop, Background Costume:A prop or costume made for and intended to be used in the background, hence 1) detailing and quality of construction made with the understanding it will not be as scrutinized by the audience, 2) it can therefore be produced more inexpensively and quickly, 3) not required to hold up to extensive use, 4) typically used by or worn by non-stars and/or extras.Related to collecting, not as desirable as a “hero” or “working” props or “hero” costumes.See Hero, Stunt, Working
Backlot (or Studio Backlot): A space on studio property or a studio lot in which sets are built for filming for a film or television production. See On Location, On Set, Set, Sound Stage
Back-Up:A prop or costume (or other production asset) intended for use when there is a problem with the original one.
Bad Source: An individual or company that has consistently or knowingly sold bad, questionable, problematic, and or fraudulent props. See article, A Case Against Enabling “Bad Sources”
Blank Fire:A live fire weapon that has been modified to discharge blank-fire cartridges.This gives the illusion of discharge but does not fire actual bullets. See Armorer, Weapons Coordinator, Live Fire, Decommission
Bluescreen (or Greenscreen): A filming technique that employs the used of an evenly lit monochromatic background for later replacement/manipulation. See Special Effects
Blu-Ray Disc: Blu-Ray Disc, also known as “Blu-ray” or “BD”, is an optical disc storage medium sold at retail that offers high-definition versions of movies and television programs. The disc format can store substantially more data (6-10 times, depending on the number of layers) than DVD format discs (which are physically the same size). The 1080 lines of resolution (up to 1920×1080 resolution) offers a much more detailed picture, which is very helpful to original prop hobbyists in researching and authenticating original film memorabilia. See Screen-Match
Broker: A person with the consent of an owner to sell an original prop on his or her behalf, typically handing all details of the transaction as if it were his own piece. By acting as an intermediary, it is assumed that the broker facilitates the transaction by way of managing the following with the prospective buyer: communications, payment, and shipping of the merchandise. It is not unusual for an intentional break in the chain of ownership in conjunction with brokering in order to provide the actual seller with anonymity.
Buyer’s Premium:A premium charge assessed to the winning bidder/buyer in a public Auction House offering above the winning bid amount.Typically 10-20% of the final winning bid amount.See Auction House, Seller’s Premium
Call Sheets:Paperwork related to day-to-day scheduling during the production of a film or television program.Typically lists actors, crew, locations, props, wardrobe, times, and other detailed information outlining the work planned on a daily basis.Relevant to prop collecting in the it can potentially provide information related to use and authenticity of a piece.
Casting: [as verb] To form an object by pouring a material in a fluid or softened state into a mold and letting it harden or cure. [as noun)] Sometimes called a “pull”, the cured result of the casting process (i.e. a solid resin stunt gun is a casting made from a mold taken from the original). See Mold, Resin
Certificate of Authenticity (COA): A document that attests to, verifies, and guarantees the provenance, history, and authenticity of an original piece.The details, warranty, and validity of COAs vary from dealer to dealer, source to source.See Letter of Authenticity, Dealer Certificate of Authenticity, Studio Certificate of Authenticity, Provenance
CGI: Computer Generated Imagery. Effects created through the use of computers. See Special Effects
Chain of Ownership:The succession of owners of a particular original prop or wardrobe piece.See History of Ownership
Clapperboard:Equipment used to synchronize picture and sound in a film or television production.Also used to mark and denote specific scenes and takes.Traditional clapperboards were made of wood (and then plastic) with a hinged clapstick on top, which original prop hobbyists have found collectible.Increasingly, productions have adopted electronic devices in place of the traditional wooden and plastic types.Also referred to as slate, slateboard, clapboard.
Close-Up:A term attributed to prominent use of a prop asset in close view in the film or television production.See Hero
Consignor: One who places personal items for sale into an auction house sale or with a dealer. Typically charged a percentage of the realized sale price upon sale. See Dealer, Auction House, Seller’s Premium
Costume:Dress or clothes or wardrobe used in film and television productions. See Wardrobe
Costumers Tag (Wardrobe Tag):A tag or label used by the production to identify the use (i.e. “stunt” or “hero”), actor (real and/or character name), scenes used, and or any other special notes or instructions.Typically made of card stock and attached to a costume via safety pin or made of material and sewn into a costume; a costume can also have hand-written designations in the costume itself.See Asset Tag
Crew Gift:Memorabilia typically created specifically for the purpose of showing gratitude to the crew and production staff from the studio and/or principals of the production (i.e. director, producer, star, etc.).Gifts such as t-shirts and other such items are commonly collected in the resale market as general film and television memorabilia.
Dealer:An individual or company that offers original props and wardrobe for sale.
Dealer Certificate of Authenticity:A Certificate of Authenticity produced and issued by a prop dealer.Dealers typically personalize their own standardized COAs.See Dealer, Certificate of Authenticity
Decommission: To deactivate and render harmless a live fire or blank fire weapon by way of modifying the piece so that nothing can be discharged. See Live Fire, Blank Fire
Development: The development phase of a film project starts at the idea stage, may or may not result in a script or screenplay, and includes discussions among potential principals of the production as well as attempts to secure financing. Transitions to the Pre-Production stage once a project has secured financing and been greenlighted. See Pre-Production, Production, Post Production, Distribution, Script/Screenplay, Greenlit
Distribution: The phase at which a film is released (to the theaters in original release; via DVD and other media for home/personal use). See Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post Production
Filmed:A prop or wardrobe asset that was at some point filmed and “used” in the course of production.Used as a distinction of use in outlining authenticity.Even if a piece is not “screen-matched”, it could be determined to be “filmed” if it is determined to be “one of a kind” and is it seen in the film.See Screen-Matched, One of a Kind, Production (Principal Photography)
Fraud:An intentional and deliberate act, expression, omission, concealment, or other activity related to a material issue devised to deceive another.See Misrepresentation, Puffery, Material Fact; See article Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Puffery
Greenlit/Greenlighted: The formal approval of production finance, which transitions a project from development to pre-production status. See Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post Production, Distribution
Guns – Hard Rubber Guns/Hard Stunt Guns: Prop guns, cast from real firearms in a hard and durable, high-density urethane rubber. These prop stunt guns are characterized by their durability, inflexiblity, and detailing. As a rubber casting, there are no moving parts but appear real from a distance. These hard rubber guns are used in scenes that don’t require a firing or functioning prop and that are not shot in close-up.
Guns – Soft Rubber Guns/Soft Stunt Guns: Prop guns, cast from real firearms in a significantly softer rubber. These prop stunt guns are characterized by their flexibility and softer detailing. As a rubber casting, again, there are no moving parts but can act as a substitute for a real firearm under specific filming conditions. Typically, these soft rubber guns are used in scenes that involve possible injury to the subject while filming. These are most often used in true “stunt” scenes.
Guns – Function Guns: Prop guns, constructed of metal, with moving parts. These typically feature a working slide, trigger, and hammer, and allow insertion of magazines. These prop guns have no chamber and cannot be modified to fire real “live” ammunition. These function guns are used in scenes in which a gun is manipulated by an actor during filming, but not fired. These are also used by actors not legally capable of using a true firearm.
Guns – Blank Fire Non Guns: Prop guns, constructed of metal, with moving parts, capable of firing blank cartridges. These typically feature a working slide, trigger, and hammer. These are designed to use proprietary, uniquely-sized blank cartridges (real “live” ammunition cannot be chambered or fired). These are characterized by a solid barrel so that no flash or blast or projectile can be fired through the muzzle. Gas pressures are vented through a slot in the slide. The prop gun will fire and the slide will cycle; the expended cartridge ejects similar to a real live firearm.
Guns – Blank Fire Live Guns: Real, live fire firearms subsequently converted to fire blank ammunition. As real firearms, they are imprinted with unique serial numbers at the time of manufacture. The firearm is modified in a variety of ways (dependent on the make and model of the weapon) to fire blank ammunition, which is sized to match the real ammunition.
Hero:A type of prop or wardrobe that is regarded as the type of highest and best use; often attributed to use by the star or a principal of the production as well as close-up shots.1) The “hero” prop is not the “stunt” version or “special fx” version, or any other special/specific use version of the prop; 2) the “hero” version of the prop is frequently the most highly detailed and/or functional and is usually (though not always) made of superior materials (i.e. metal vs. rubber or resin) and of a higher quality of workmanship; 3) the “hero” version of the prop is frequently intended for use in close-up shots and/or publicity material; 4) the “hero” version of the prop is frequently used by the star/lead of the film; 5) with regard to firearms, the “hero” version of the prop is frequently live fire or blank fire; 6) in terms of collecting, “hero” props command a premium in price due to rarity and demand.
High Definition:Content provided with enhanced screen resolution when compared to analog and DVD media.HD digital content, HD DVD, Blu-Ray Disc, and other emerging platforms provide content in 16:9 aspect ratio at up to 1080p (1920×1080).Relevant to Original Props in relation to research, authenticity, etc.A exciting emerging capability to obtain more detailed images of props and wardrobe.See Wikipedia Entry for more details
History of Ownership:A detailed outlining of the succession of owners of a particular original piece.See Chain of Ownership, Provenance
Hype Deflation: The “Hype Deflation” is the difference in price realized for items acquired via Studios or Studio Resellers at the time of theatrical release compared with subsequent resale by a private collector. See Hype Premium, See article The “Hype Premium”
Hype Premium: The “Hype Premium” is the difference in price realized for the same or similar props or wardrobe offered by Studios or Studio Resellers at the theatrical release of a film compared with the subsequent home video release. Typically, significantly higher prices are realized at the time of the original theatrical release. See Hype Deflation, See article The “Hype Premium”
Inauthentic: A prop or wardrobe piece proven to be not “Original”. It may be a replica, or fraudulent (depending upon intent of the seller/maker), or simply mistaken to be authentic and proven otherwise). See Original, Authentic/Authenticity, Inconclusive; See article Authenticity & Burden of Proof
Inconclusive: A prop or wardrobe piece neither proven to be Original (or Authentic) nor Inauthentic (or replica, fraudulent, etc.). Not enough information is available to come to a conclusion in regards to provenance. Any piece examined should be considered inconclusive at the outset, with the authenticator working toward a case for authenticity or inauthenticity based on facts and information available. See Original, Authentic/Authenticity, Inauthentic; See article Authenticity & Burden of Proof
Innocent Misrepresentation:An action of misrepresentation or omission of a material fact or issue by virtue of the fact that the information is not known at the time; lacking any malicious or devious intent.See Fraud, Negligent Misrepresentation, Material Fact; See article Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Puffery
Latex or Foam Latex: A special mix of latex which is baked into a sponge-like material. Lightweight and flexible, it has been used for many years in the makeup effects industry for appliances, puppets, masks and animatronic work. Over time, foam latex becomes dry and brittle and must be handled and cared for with this in mind. Foam latex is also sensitive to oils and excessive handling should be avoided.
Letter of Authenticity (LOA):A document that attests to, verifies, and guarantees the provenance, history, and authenticity of an original prop or wardrobe piece.An LOA is typically drafted by a non-dealer, individual, or principal or crew member from the production.See Certificate of Authenticity
Live Auction:A public sale of items sold to the highest bidder in real time; sometimes in conjunction with a live, “in person” event.Typically promoted and conducted by an auction house (ex. Profiles in History, Christies, Bonhams).Items are sold to the highest bidder via a variety of “live” or real-time bidding options including phone, Internet, and in person at the event.An auctioneer typically conducts the actual sales in person.It is common that both “Buyers” and “Sellers” premiums are assessed for items meeting or exceeding their reserve.See Buyers Premium, Sellers Premium, Auction, Auction House, Auction House Catalog, Reserve, No Reserve
Live Fire:A weapon used in a production that has not been altered for safe use in a production.Leased or rented to the production due to gun laws and requires special handling as overseen by a weapons coordinator and/or armorer.See Armorer, Weapons Coordinator, Blank Fire, Decommission
Made for Production: Something produced with the intention of it being used in the production. A distinction for many reasons, including a proliferation of offerings in the marketplace with claims of being “made for but not used in production” which at times appear spurious. Since “original” encompasses what is defined as “made for production”, the latter often includes the qualifier “not used in”. See Original
Master, Master Prop: Essentially a master is the initial sculpted or fabricated representation of a prop when multiples are required. A mold or molds would be created from that master and duplicates would be cast from those molds for use in the production. Masters may or may not be used on screen, depending on the production. A master could also rightly be called a prototype but in the hobby it seems “prototype” is reserved for alternate versions of an item that are different than what ended up on screen. See Prototype
Material Facts: Of importance or consequence. Relevant to the subject matter or of impact on a decision. See Fraud, Negligent Misrepresentation; See article Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Puffery
Matte Painting: Paintings used to create digital effects. Often painted on glass to extend or enhance an existing traditional set. Typically painted on glass and composited with original footage. Increasingly, similar tasks are accomplished with digital effects.
Memorabilia: A more generic and broad-based reference to collectibles in general. Original Props would be a subset of “Entertainment Memorabilia”. See article The Hobby Without a Name…
Miniature: A piece used in filming that is not 1:1 but of some reduced scale. Often employed in efforts to save money as it can be much more economical for obvious reasons. See 1:1
Mold: A hollow form for giving a particular shape to something (i.e. A silicone mold that is used to produce resin stunt gun castings. [as verb] The act of creating a mold of an object or sculpture. See Original Mold
Money Back Guarantee: Some Professional Dealers offer varying kinds of “money back guarantees” with or as part of their COA. See Certificate of Authenticity, Professional Dealer, Professional Dealer Certificate of Authenticity; See article Challenging The Hobby: The COA & The Guarantee
Movie Prop Forum, The: The primary discussion forum for the Original Prop Hobby. Began many years ago as an “ezboard” forum and moved to private hosting in 2004. Includes active participation of the major stakeholders in the hobby. See Online Forum (Discussion Forum)
Negligent Misrepresentation: An action of misrepresentation or omission of a material fact or issue typically via an untrue statement made while lacking the facts and/or due diligence to back up the false claim or assertion. See Fraud, Innocent Misrepresentation, Material Fact; See article Fraud, Misrepresentation, and Puffery
No Reserve: An auction in which there is no minimum (or a nominal minimum, say $1) bid required to win the auction. Such auctions put the seller at risk of losing money on the proposition. Is attractive to buyers in that they know they can win, and perhaps secure a good deal. See Reserve, Auction
“Off the Shelf” Props: Props, wardrobe pieces, set pieces, and any other artifacts used in a production that are: 1) Mass produced (past or present),
2) for non-production purposes (i.e. not specifically manufactured for use in the production), and 3) are or were available for purchase from those not associated with the production. Also referred to as “Found” props. See article “Off the Shelf” and “Found” Props & Wardrobe
One of a Kind: A piece known to be very unique in that it is the only one to have been made for production or the only one to have survived. Can be of a type (perhaps one “hero” piece and numerous stunt pieces) or the only one exclusively. Obviously, compelling supporting facts must back up such assertions. In short, a qualifier used in describing a piece in detail regarding provenance, use, origins, and authenticity. See Provenance, Authenticity, Use
Online Forum (or Discussion Forum): An online forum characterized by the following: 1) topics which can be introduced and responded to, as if in dialogue, 2) a registration process by which a username and password is used for access and accountability to contributions, 3) areas of discussion broken into different sub forums, 4) an archiving of discussions for future reference. Online forums can be “public” or “private” in terms of access (i.e. some require registration to view as well as participate; some are publicly viewable regardless of registration status). Some can be “private” in terms of granting access/membership; some are “open” to any and all members. See Movie Prop Forum, Private Forum
On Location (or Filming Location): Term used to describe filming activity on the set of a film or television production in a specific place (town, state, country) as opposed to filming on a set. See On Set, Set, Backlot, Sound Stage
On Set: Term used to describe activity taking place at the point of filming and photography in a film or television production. See On Location, Set, Backlot, Sound Stage
Original: An artifact from a film or television production that was 1) made by the production or acquired by the production, 2) during the production, and 3) used or intended to be used during the production. All three of these criteria must be met in order for a piece to be considered “Original”. See Provenance, Authentic/Authenticity, Replica, Inconclusive, Inauthentic; See article What is “Original”?, See article Authenticity & Burden of Proof
Original Mold: A mold used in a production to make original props. See Mold, Original
Photo Double: A photo double is used for wide (or, at times, stunt) shots, when an up-close shot of an actor is not required. A photo double is essentially a stand-in though is actually filmed, whereas a stand-in is typically used for blocking/lighting. See Stand-In
Post Production: Post Production generally includes all phases of production following principal photography. Examples would include editing, soundtrack, music, special effects, sound effects. See Development, Pre-Production, Production, Distribution
“Post Production” (Outside of Production): An important distinction from the stage of production called Post Production, hobbyists often refer to activity that occurs subsequent to and not authorized or serving the production as “post production”. As an example, a prop made by the original prop maker, but not intended for use in the actual production, and therefore is not Original but a replica. See Original, Post Production, Production Used, Replica
Pre-Production: Pre-Production usually formally commences once a project has been developed and subsequently greenlit. At this stage, productions have typically identified/secured key production and cast principals. See Development, Production, Post Production, Distribution
Private Forum: An online forum characterized by “private” or restricted access to register, view, and/or participate. See Online Forum (Discussion Forum), Public Forum
Production (Creative/Financing Entity): A generic reference to the studio and/or assemblage of entities involved in the development of a specific film or television product. See Studio
Production (Principal Photography): The stage which is primarily characterized by the fact that the project is filmed and principal photography is undertaken. See Development, Pre-Production, Post Production, Distribution
Production Made: An oft used and misunderstood term. Some use the term as synonymous with “original”, when in fact a “production made” piece could be “original” or a replica, depending on the circumstances. A piece can be “production made” yet not meet all three criteria required in order to fit the definition of “original”. See article Problematic Words in the Hobby: “Production Made”
Production Used: An original artifact used during one of the following three phases of production: Pre-Production, Production, Post Production. Important: Cross reference definition of “Post Production” (Outside of Production). See Pre-Production, Production, Post Production, “Post Production” (Outside of Production)
Professional Dealer: A company practicing in full time retailing of original props and wardrobe. To be considered a “Professional Dealer”, the company must have a registered business and have a business address and contact information.
Professional Dealer Certificate of Authenticity: A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) issued by a professional dealer. The main function of the Professional Dealer COA is to certify the piece as original. Another function, which is not typically discussed, is that it frequently “reinitializes” provenance – which restarts history of ownership for both new to market pieces as well as “resale” pieces. Each piece is essentially “reborn” from the newly established Professional Dealer point of ownership going forward, and the prior history of the piece is lost to the new owner (and likely subsequent owners). One of the inherent issues with Professional Dealers buying, trading, and selling original props is that the history of the piece is typically rendered confidential. This is because dealers are typically very proprietary about information. Therefore, in many cases, Professional Dealer (and other non-studio/non-studio sanctioned COAs) are lacking in terms of provenance, since the history of ownership and/or original source is often not cited. The piece is not necessarily “free and clear” of any legal/ownership issues. Some Professional Dealers do offer varying kinds of “money back guarantees” with or as part of their COA. See Certificate of Authenticity, Studio Reseller/Dealer, Studio Certificate of Authenticity, Provenance, Money Back Guarantee; See article Challenging The Hobby: The COA & The Guarantee
Prop: An original artifact from a film or television production. Derived from the word “property”, as in property of the studio or production. See Original, Provenance, Authenticity, Replica; See article What is “Original”?
Prop Art: A term coined by the Propstore of London which represents their view of the products they sell. A perspective that bucks the “widgetization” trend and illustrates, in broad terms, the difference between professional dealers and studio resellers. See Widgetization, Studio Reseller, Professional Dealer
Prop Butcher: One who cuts an original prop or wardrobe into smaller pieces in order to sell them, in part to achieve more profit than selling the piece intact. Credit to x-mart of the MPF for coining the term.
Property: Any tangible item (i.e: scripts, storyboards, sketches, props, wardrobe, set-dressing) that is used by the studio in production of a film or television product. Typically owned by the production (hence “property of”). See Assets, Prop
Propmaster: A member of the production usually charged with making/obtaining, cataloging, tracking and providing the props, as required, during the course of a production. See Prop
Prototype: An alternate or earlier revision of a piece that is different from what is ultimately used in the production.
Provenance: Tangible and material documented evidence and records establishing the history/chain of ownership/custody of the accompanying piece, back to the original source. Preferably this includes information speaking to the circumstances under which the artifact was converted from studio (or studio agent/vendor) property to personal property and/or the circumstances under which it was released into the marketplace. Provenance is used to establish and support the claim of authenticity of an “Original” film or television artifact (prop, wardrobe, etc.). See Chain of Ownership, History of Ownership, Authenticity, Original; See articles Original Prop Provenance & Authenticity, Part I and What is “Original”? and Building on the Original Prop Lexicon: “Anti-Provenance”
Public Forum: An online forum characterized by “public” or open access to register, view, and/or participate. See Online Forum (Discussion Forum), Private Forum
Puffing: Puffing is generally viewed as “sales talk” or “salesmanship” and is, in essence, a statement or statements of subjective opinion (and can be characterized as highly exaggerated); does not pertain to material facts. See Fraud, Innocent Misrepresentation, Negligent Misrepresentation, Material Facts; See article Fraud, Misrepresentation, Puffing
Rental Agreements: Used in productions in which a prop or wardrobe piece or pieces are rented rather than produced or acquired by a production. See Armorer
Replica, Prop Replica: Licensed and fan-made props and wardrobe made to be a close/accurate representation of an original piece from the production. Methods include examination and molding/casting original artifacts from the production. Infrequently, attempts are made to pass off replicas as original. See Original, Mold, Casting
Repro: A word used to describe a new item that has been purposefully created with the intent to deceive and sell at its genuine counterpart original prop price. Essentially, a repro is a fake. See FTC Consumer Alert
Reproduction: An item created to look like an original, but that has no value in the original prop collecting hobby.
Resale: An original prop or wardrobe offering that has had one or more owners following release from the production.
Reserve: An auction in which there is a set (sometimes hidden) minimum bid amount required to win the auction. Such auctions reduce the seller’s risk of loss on the proposition. It is less attractive to buyers in that they can “win” the auction and be denied in completing the transaction if the reserve is not met or exceeded. See No Reserve, Auction
Resin: A hard, plastic-like material used in the production of props. Often used in conjunction with molds to make copies of a prop which has been casted. See Mold, Casting
Rubber: A generic term referring to silicone and latex materials. Collectively, “rubber” props are often used as stunt props in order to protect the actors in stunt/action scenes or in place of hero props in which the piece would not be visually scrutinized on screen. See Mold, Casting, Hero, Stunt, Silicone, Latex
Screencap, Screen Capture: Conversion of a frame of film (from DVD, 35mm, or other source) into a static image. Often done in order to compare and contrast an image of a prop or costume as seen on screen with that of an original piece, in pursuit of research or perhaps finding a screen-match. See Seen on Screen, Screen-Match; See article “Screen-Match” Examples
Screen-Match: The method by which an original prop or costume has been literally “matched” to a screencap or still (a static frame captured from the film or television program and/or a publicity photo). This is accomplished via matching highly unique and specific marks, damage, weathering/painting, etc. on the prop or costume to the same highly unique and specific marks, etc. on the same piece seen in the screencap or still. The screen-match is more compelling based on 1) the uniqueness of the match and 2) the quality and resolution of the screencap or still. See Seen on Screen, Screencap; See article “Screen-Match” Examples, Original Prop Provenance and Authenticity, Part I
Screen-Used: A frequently misused term to refer to “original” props, whereas it literally refers to a very obscure circumstance of 1) attesting to the fact that a piece was filmed, 2) made the final cut of the film, yet 3) cannot be screen-matched (or it would fall into the superior “screen-matched” category). Generally, can only be applied with certainty to one of a kind pieces that cannot be screen-matched, or pieces in which all of a given type were used. As noted, many use the term to refer to the hobby and its collectibles at large, rather than a more appropriate term, such as “original props”. See Original, Screen-Match, Filmed, Used; See article The Hobby Without a Name…
Script/Screenplay: The written script for a film or television production, including dialogue, scene descriptions, character descriptions, action, and, in some cases, camera direction.
Seen on Screen: A phrase used to describe something as having made the final cut of the product, and literally identified on screen. Used more loosely than the literal “screen-match”, in that it is sometimes qualified with “as”, such as “as seen on screen”, meaning it is like what is seen on screen, but not necessary the exact one seen in a given scene or sequence. See Screen-Match
Seller’s Premium: A premium charge assessed to the seller/consignor of a sold lot in a public Auction House, assessed as a percentage of the winning bid amount.Typically 10-20% of the final winning bid amount.See Auction House, Buyer’s Premium, Consignor
Set: Artificial and reproduction enclosures in which productions film (as opposed to filming on location). See Sound Stage, Backlot, On Location
Set Decorator: Set Decorators are key members of the design team for film, television and commercials. Once the sets are built and painted, or the location is chosen, the Set Decorator’s job is to fill out the environment by selecting furniture, drapery, lighting fixtures, art and other objects to “dress the set”. [SDSA Definition]
Set Dressing: Props and other artifacts used to enhance a set and make it appear more real or authentic. See Set, Sound Stage, Backlot
Silicone: A flexible material often used to create molds as well as flexible appliances and castings. As a casting material, it is often used for effects makeup appliances, masks and animatronic work. See Casting, Mold
Sound Stage: Alternate shooting locations used for economics and other reasons. Examples include hangar-like structures, buildings, rooms, or other customized structures that are soundproof for the filming of film and television. See Set, Backlot, On Location
Source: A supplier of original props and wardrobe. See Dealer, Broker
Special Effects (SPFX, SFX): To realize films and visuals that cannot be obtain through the use of filming live action exclusively. Often employs the use of technology, specialists, and computers/CGI. See CGI, Bluescreen
Stand-In: In relation to costumes and wardrobe made for use by stand-ins on set for lighting and color tests, etc.; i.e not worn by actors filmed in the production outside of testing purposes. See Photo Double
Static Prop: A detailed version of a prop but with no moving parts. Typically more detail/intricate than a stunt prop, but not functional, as a hero or working prop might be. See Hero, Stunt, Working Prop
Storyboard: A panel or series of panels on which a sequence of sketches depict the scenes and actions to be filmed in a production.
Studio: A company which serves as the financing entity behind a film or television production, which can include various levels of participation in the creation of such products. See Production
Studio Certificate of Authenticity: A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) issued directly by the studio or endorsed by the studio responsible for the film or television production in question. Well-regarded in terms of provenance, since it is studio-endorsed and officially released into the marketplace. More, there is no gap in the chain of ownership and the first buyer of the piece, outside of the studio sanctioned reseller. See Certificate of Authenticity, Studio Reseller/Dealer, Provenance; See article Challenging The Hobby: The COA & The Guarantee
Studio Reseller/Dealer: A dealer who is officially authorized to sell original props and wardrobe on behalf of the studio. Typically the selling venue for these endeavors is eBay and/or the dealer’s own website. See Studio Certificate of Authenticity, Dealer, Original, Provenance
Stunt: In the production of a film, as related to actors and filming, a stunt is a unusual, difficult, or dangerous feat requiring special skill. As related to original props and costumes, a stunt prop is often a prop that is specially made to minimize the possibility of the prop causing harm to the actors. This is often accomplished by using safer, less complicated props in place of hero props. As an example, a rubber casting of a live fire pistol. Because stunt actors are filmed in place of the stars/principals, wardrobe is often made specifically for stunt men, and designated as such on the costumes themselves by way of asset tags and wardrobe tags. Obviously, original stunt pieces are of a lower value compared with the non-stunt version. See Rubber, Hero, Asset Tag, Wardrobe Tag
Used: One of the criteria of analysis in the research of an original piece is whether it was “used” in the production. If it can be proven to have been used, it is of a higher value than a piece that was not used.
Vintage: Over 50 years old. See Antique
Wardrobe: Clothes and costumes worn in the production of a film or television show. One of the two most collectible artifacts from a production (the other being props).
Weapons Coordinator: A weapon coordinator supplies, maintains, and supervise the use of all weapons during production. A person who supplies, maintains, repairs, and/or supervises the used of all weapons during production. See Armorer, Blank Fire, Live Fire, Rental Agreement
Widgetization: An increasing trend in which companies in the hobby have commercialized the process of selling original props and wardrobe, with both positive and negative consequences. See Studio Reseller/Dealer; See article Trend: The Widgetization of the Hobby
Working Prop: A prop with moving parts and/or functionality. See Hero, Stunt, Static Prop