A flag is a device used in lighting for motion picture and still photography to block light. It can be used to cast a shadow, provide negative fill, or protect the

lens A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements ...

from a

flare A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala in some Latin-speaking countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, ...

. Its usage is generally dictated by the

director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

, but the responsibility for placing them can vary by region, usually devolving to either the gaffer and electricians (in the UK and much of

The Commonwealth The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the ...

) or the key grip and lighting grips (in the US and Canada). Photo Studio (17239891739)

Flags come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from mere square inches ("dots and fingers") to many square feet ("meat axes"). Most "industry-standard" flags consist of a square wire frame stitched with black

duvetyne Duvetyne, or duvetyn, (also known as Molton and Rokel) is a twill fabric with a velvet-like nap on one side. It may be woven from cotton, wool, or—in rare cases, mainly in the early 20th century—silk. Duvetyne has a matte finish and its ...

, which minimizes any reflected light and keeps the flag lightweight. Flags are distinguished from larger light-cutting tools such as overhead rigs or butterflies in that they can be mounted on individual C-stands, as opposed to being affixed to collapsible frames. The above notwithstanding, given smaller budgets or extenuating circumstances, virtually any opaque object can be used to flag light. A smaller variant with an articulated arm, colloquially known as a French flag, is occasionally attached to the

movie camera A movie camera (also known as a film camera and cine-camera) is a type of photographic camera that rapidly takes a sequence of photographs, either on an image sensor or onto film stock, in order to produce a moving image to project onto a movie sc ...

at the discretion of the

focus puller A focus puller or first assistant camera (1st AC) is a member of a film crew's camera department whose primary responsibility is to maintain the camera lens's optical focus on whatever subject or action is being filmed. "Pulling focus" refers t ...

(also known as the 1st AC) solely for the purpose of blocking light flares which the matte box and its accessories cannot reach.

See also