Hair In The Gate

This term applies to images shot on film. When a frame of film is exposed it is held still momentarily in an aperture known as the "gate". If there is any dust or dirt in the gate when the film is exposed, the image of this particle will be transferred to the film and appear on the image when the film has been processed. The generic term for any particle in the gate is a"hair". For this reason, it is good practice for the camera operator to periodically look into the gate with a magnifying glass to check for dust or dirt. If anything is found the operator will declare a "hair in the gate" and the decision must then be made whether or not to re shoot the preceding take or sequence.