Retake: Reshooting a scene.

Close-up: The camera zooms in to show just the face of the actor.

Medium Shot: The camera shows the actor(s) from the waist up.

Long Shot: The camera is pulled back to show the full body of the actor(s).

Pilot: A pilot is generally one episode of a new TV series produced for a network or an independent studio to see if it would be successful. There are several hundred pilots produced each year. Many of them do not cut the mustard and thus are never aired on TV.

Pilot Season: Generally from the end of January through the end of April. However, since the writers' union strike a few years ago the industry is slowly moving towards an all-year-round pilot season. Some actors insist that they have a better advantage if they move to LA for the entire pilot season. I have mixed feelings about that. I think if you are going to LA (for a short period of time such as pilot season), you either need to be represented or coming off a recognizable theatre, film or TV gig (something that makes you "hotter" than the rest of the actors just hitting the pavement trying to get work). In NYC all the networks are represented, and all have casting directors that can put actors on a tape to send to LA, so booking a pilot in NYC is very possible. There are also fewer actors in NY than in LA, and that can sometimes work to your advantage in being seen. There is also a lot of theatre in NYC that can expose you to the network casting directors.

Screen Test: Basically reserved for pilots. A test means a network or studio is VERY interested in you for the particular project you auditioned for and very few other actors are competing against you. You are asked to "audition" yet again (usually before you ever get to a test you have auditioned several times) for ALL of the executives and creative team in FULL costume, hair, makeup and on a set shot with the same camera set up intended for the TV show. You enter a test with a fully negotiated contract as if you have booked the project and you are not allowed to test for any other properties until you are officially released for this particular test. If you book the part then you generally make a pilot of the TV show, and you hope and pray that the network agrees to air it and orders 13 or more episodes to be shot.

Primetime: Primetime is from 8pm to 10pm, and in some cases 8pm to 11pm.

Late Night: After 11pm.

Series Regular: A contracted leading role of a television series that regularly appears in all or most episodes.

Everyone knows the upside to being a series regular on TV: it transports your career and status to another level, as well as your pocketbook. Sometimes life as a series regular is not as glamorous as you may think. Some series are shot in relatively remote locations such as Vancouver, Canada, which is a beautiful place, but if you are here for 10 months of the year for several years (if your series is renewed), you are removed from family and friends (who may think twice about visiting you so far away). Much of your down time is filled with publicity stints, and unless your show is shot in L.A. or NYC where it may be possible to do a guest star role, you are less able to secure other work; your hiatus is sometimes only a couple of months, and you'd have to be very lucky to find a project you are right for that shoots during that small window of opportunity.

Still, most of us would be happy to have these problems!

Guest Star: A guest star is one of the leads of a TV episode who is not a series regular. The storyline of the episode revolves around (or involves) the guest star.

Day Player: A day player is an actor who has more than five lines in the script and is not the guest star of a TV episode. Great if you are working in the theatre; you can work as a day player during the day and still be at the show at night, although this only works for daytime TV that shoots during the day.

Under Five: An Under Five is a role that has less than five lines in the script of a TV episode.

Residuals: A residual is a payment made to a union performer when a recorded broadcast is repeated, such as a film, a television show or commercial, and also voice-over and radio. For example, say you were a principal in an episode of "Law & Order" (extra work does not qualify for residuals in any venue): you will be paid for the day you worked on the set. That fee covers the day you worked and the first Primetime airing. Whenever it is shown again (network, cable, internet, video/DVD, pay TV, foreign sales) you will receive a check (residual); how much depends on where the show re-ran and how many times.

Copy: Copy is the script for commercials. Copy is often provided to the actors when they arrive for a commercial appointment, so they will be familiar with it at the audition. It's always best to memorize commercial copy.

First Refusal: A first refusal is when a commercial production company is considering you for a principal part but is not ready to hire you or book you. They are simply asking you to hold the first refusal date or dates free and clear of any other obligations. The reason for this is if they want to book you, they want to make sure you are available.

Holding Fee: A Holding fee is paid to an actor in a commercial every 13 weeks, until the commercial expires. The fee is the same amount that you were paid for your session (the day you worked). It is an advance on potential residuals earned during that 13 week period, and also to hold your conflict (so that you will not make another commercial for a competitor).

Conflict: When booked as a principal in a commercial, you now have a conflict with any similar product. For example, if you book a TD Bank commercial, you cannot do a commercial for any other bank. TD Bank would not want to see you in an ad for their competition.