In this lesson, we go through a complex conversation about deep relationships and science fiction! You’ll learn some specific professional English vocabulary and common phrases while practicing how to handle a real, practical situation. A scene from The Fall Guy is used.
In today's lesson:
- 'Little bump on the dolly' — what does it mean?
- 'flung into the deep end' — what do you think this phrase means?
- 'they shared a moon season' — why does she say that?
Today we learn English with stuntman Colt and film director Jody. They are in the middle of shooting a movie scene. Colt is getting ready for his next stunt, where he is going to be set on fire and blown against a wall. Let's watch and learn.
Learn vocabulary
"cut" is the director's way of saying, 'Stop!' in a film, a command used in filmmaking to stop recording.
"thumbs up" means a hand gesture where you raise your thumb to show approval, like saying, 'Good job!'.
"technical issue" means a problem with equipment or technology, like when a machine stops working correctly.
"bump" here means a small problem that happened with the equipment because something hit it.
"dolly" means a piece of equipment used for smooth camera movements. It helps create steady shots by allowing the camera to glide along tracks.
The phrase "back to ones" is used in filmmaking to tell everyone to return to their original starting position before shooting the scene. It's a way for the director to signal that the scene will be shot again from the beginning.
"flung" is the past tense of "fling," which means to throw something with force.
"flung into the deep end" means being put in a difficult situation without much preparation. It's like being thrown into the deep part of a swimming pool without knowing how to swim.
'backstory' is the background information about a character or situation that helps explain their actions and motivations. In the clip, Jody wants to tell Colt some backstory to help him understand his role better.
'context' means the background information that helps you to understand the meaning of a particular phrase, or explains the situation or story better.
"moon season" is used to describe a short, but intense romantic relationship between two characters. In this case, 'moon season' means a period where these two characters were deeply involved with each other, but it didn't last long.
'fling' is an informal term that means a short period of enjoyment, or a short romantic relationship. It is usually very intense but doesn't last long.
'neither' is used to refer to two things or people, and means 'not either' or 'none of the two'. In the clip, the line 'neither of them' means that both people had never been in such a deep relationship before.
'she was like' is a common phrase used in everyday spoken language to describe what someone said or felt.
'chill out' is a casual expression that means relax or calm down. It’s something people say when someone else is being too nervous, excited, or intense.
'wounded' means injured, especially with a cut or hole in the skin.
'trace' means a small sign, piece of evidence, or mark, left behind that shows something was there or happened.
'without a trace' means that someone disappears completely and there is no sign left behind to show where they went.
Alright, now get ready for some listening practice and tests. Let's watch the clip without subtitles and check yourself.
Tests
1. Let's check your understanding with a quick test!
What does "cut" mean in a film context?
- a) Continue filming
- b) Stop the filming
- c) Start editing the scene
- d) Pause the scene
Correct answer is: b) Stop the filming
2. What does 'flung into the deep end' means?
- a) well-prepared
- b) in a difficult situation
- c) relaxed
- d) has time to prepare
Correct answer is: b) in a difficult situation.
3. What is a "moon season" in this scene?
- a) a long romantic relationship
- b) a brief but intense romance
- c) a period of time spent on the moon
- d) a term for travel between planets
Correct answer is: b) a brief but intense romance.
You did an excellent job. Now, let's watch the last segment, and, I look forward to seeing you next lesson.