Stop-motion glossary

Definition

The glossary is the expandable index of stop-motion terms, job names, tools, materials, workflows and regional expressions that are needed to read the larger craft articles. A term starts here when it is useful but not yet substantial enough to become a full article.

Overview

A stop-motion database needs a glossary because the same craft is described differently across studios, countries and production cultures. English-language credits, Japanese production terms, European workshop language and software-specific labels often overlap without matching exactly. The glossary should not flatten those differences; it should record them clearly and link each term to the craft area where it matters.

Terms should be short, concrete and cross-linked. A good glossary entry says what the term means, where it appears in the production, what it should not be confused with, and whether it has regional or language-specific variants. Once a term begins to need examples, images, a workflow or a historical explanation, it should become a full concept page and the glossary entry should point to it.

Initial term families: capture method, frame-by-frame, on ones, on twos, exposure sheet, X-sheet, onion skin, animatic, previs, layout, look development, scale test, puppet, armature, ball-and-socket armature, wire armature, replacement face, replacement mouth, brow replacement, eye replacement, clay, plasticine, silicone, foam latex, resin, tie-down, rig, rig point, flying rig, animation table, shooting stage, motion control, multiplane, forced perspective, cleanup, rig removal, flicker correction, compositing, practical effect, CG support, DOP, animator, lead animator, puppet fabricator, armature maker, model maker, set dresser, rigger and compositor.

Regional and language notes belong in the glossary when the difference is mainly a name, translation or usage distinction. If the difference changes how the work is built or performed, it should also appear in the relevant craft article. For example, a regional difference in animation table height is not just vocabulary; it touches stage construction, animator ergonomics, tie-down access, ceiling height and the practice of raising the animator's footing.

Workflow

1. Add every new technical word, credit role, material name, tool name or regional expression encountered during research as a short glossary candidate.
2. Attach each candidate to one production area, one topic family and, when possible, at least one work, person, studio or source.
3. Promote a glossary term into a full concept page when it needs more than a short definition or when it becomes a useful entry point for multiple related pages.

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