Below are some common abbreviations that appear in our guides and finding aids:

• arch. pos. - archival positive
• mas. pos. - master positive
• dupe neg. - duplicate negative
• ref. print/copy - reference print/copy
• b&w - black and white
• col. - color
• (inc.) - incomplete
• unid. – unidentified
• sd – sound
• si - silent
• Alt. title - Alternate title
• Dist. - Distributor
• Dir. - Director
• Prod. - Producer
• Prod. Co. - Production Company
• Prf. - performer

Below are some terms you may come across in our guides and finding aids:

• Access copy - a copy created for the use of patrons so that the original is protected from wear and damage. These copies are what you will view in the Research Center and can be digital or on a physical medium (ie. film).
• Actuality film - non-fiction film of real events, places, people, and things. Actualities are generally brief (several minutes or less) and were popular in the early days of film, when viewers were eager to see even ordinary events through the medium of film.
• Archival positive - non-viewable archival copy, created for preservation.
• Duplicate negative - non-viewable archival copy, created for preservation.
• Kinescope (also, Kine) - a film recording of a television program made by pointing a camera at a television monitor. This was a way to record live TV programs before videotape was available, as well as to distribute the same program to multiple stations.
• Master positive - non-viewable archival copy, created for preservation.
• Reference print/copy - another term for a viewable copy; see Access copy.