Gel
Definition
A Gel (short for "gelatin," though modern gels are made of polycarbonate or polyester) is a thin, transparent sheet of colored or diffusion material placed in front of a light source to alter its color or quality. Color correction gels (such as CTO — Color Temperature Orange — and CTB — Color Temperature Blue) are used to change the color temperature of a light source to match other sources in the scene. Colored gels are used for creative effect. Diffusion gels (such as 216, Opal, or Tough Frost) are used to soften and spread the light beam.
Contextual Usage
The gaffer briefs the electrical crew: "We're going to gel all the practicals with a half CTO to warm them up slightly and make them feel more like incandescent bulbs. And I need a full CTB on the HMI outside the window to bring it down from 6000K to match the daylight coming through the other windows."
About this section
Production — or "principal photography" — is the phase in which the film or video is actually shot. It is the most visible and, typically, the most expensive phase of the entire process. Every day on ...
View all 76 terms