Charlie bar

English

Noun

Charlie bar (plural Charlie bars)

1. (film, television) A vertical bar positioned in groups to break up the illumination from a light source.
   • 2012, Blain Brown, Motion Picture and Video Lighting, page 56:

     Adding texture to lights. Charlie bars (vertical bars, in this case made from tape on an open frame) and also some lace create texture in the scene.

   • 2013, Blain Brown, Cinematography: Theory and Practice, page 115:

     […] traditionally these include things such as vertical Charlie bars — vertical wooden bars used to create shadows.

   • 2013, Michael Uva, Sabrina Uva, Uva's Rigging Guide for Studio and Location, page 260:

     Charlie bar A 1- to 6-inch wide by 3-foot long strip of wood with an attached pin used to create shadows on an object (thin long flags, gobos).