A goof is a
mistake. The term is also used in a number of specific senses: in cinema, it is an error or oversight during production that is visible in the released version of the film.
Etymology
Several origins have been proposed for the word. According to Merriam-Webster, "goof" is likely a variation of "goff" in an English dialect, meaning simpleton. Some say the word may come from an identically pronounced
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
word meaning "body", some even say it was just a mistake that happened while typing the word "good", hence the word "goof" is also known as another word for mistake See the etymological explanation of
Hessu Hopo, 'Goofy' in Finnish language.
The Spanish word ''
gofio
Gofio is a sort of Canarian flour made from roasted grains (typically wheat or certain varieties of maize) or other starchy plants (e.g. beans and, historically, fern root), some varieties containing a little added salt. Gofio has been an i ...
'' refers to the balls of toasted flour and salt eaten by the original inhabitants of the
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...
. In Latin America (esp. Cuba) the word "comegofio" (lit. "gofio-eater") came to refer to anyone from the Canaries, stereotyped as primitive or stupid.
Cinema
In
filmmaking
Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
, a ''goof'' is a mistake made during film production that finds its way into the final released picture. Depending upon the film and the actual scene, the goof may have different effects: a loss in
realism
Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to:
In the arts
*Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts
Arts movements related to realism include:
*American Realism
*Classical Realism
*Liter ...
, an annoyance, or it could just be funny. It is often a type of
continuity error. Goofs are also known as "
blooper
A blooper, or gag reel, is short clip from a film, television program or video production, usually a deleted scene, containing a mistake made by a member of the cast or crew. It also refers to an error made during a live radio or TV broadcast or ...
s"
[Normally used on th]
IMDb site
for bloopers. or "mistakes".
There are several types of goofs, for example:
* Somebody or something from the film crew is in the picture that wasn't planned (e.g.,
camera
A camera is an instrument used to capture and store images and videos, either digitally via an electronic image sensor, or chemically via a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. As a pivotal technology in the fields of photograp ...
and cameraman is reflected in a mirror, or the
microphone
A microphone, colloquially called a mic (), or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publi ...
is visible, a rope pushing a character over is visible, a hook pulling a character up in the air is visible).
*
Chronological
Chronology (from Latin , from Ancient Greek , , ; and , ''wikt:-logia, -logia'') is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time. Consider, for example, the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the deter ...
or
continuity error
In fiction, continuity is the consistency of the characteristics of people, plot, objects, and places seen by the audience over some period of time. It is relevant to many genres and forms of storytelling, especially if it is long-running.
Conti ...
s (e.g. a
cigarette
A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into Rolling paper, thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhale ...
getting longer with the next scene, a cup or glass gaining in volume in the next scene, damage to a building that disappears, or moved props)
* Historical inaccuracies and anachronisms (e.g., an
HDTV
High-definition television (HDTV) describes a television or video system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since at least 1933; in more recent times, it ref ...
set in a film set in the 1970s, radio tower in a cowboy movie).
* Geographic: an object or landmark reveals the scene was filmed in a different city than the city it is set. This is very common in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
films that are shot in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
.
* Problems in audio or soundtrack (e.g. a
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
barking before its mouth moves, a person's lips carry on moving after they have finished speaking).
*
Intertitles
In films and videos, an intertitle, also known as a title card, is a piece of filmed, printed text edited into the midst of (hence, ''inter-'') the photographed action at various points. Intertitles used to convey character dialogue are referred ...
displaying wrong words (e.g. a character called "John" may have his name misspelled ''Jhon'' in the subtitles by accident).
*
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written language, written, Image editing, visual, Audio engineer, audible, or Film editing, cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing p ...
errors, where dialog or events in one scene refer to material that occurred in a prior scene in the
screenplay
A screenplay, or script, is a written work produced for a film, television show (also known as a '' teleplay''), or video game by screenwriters (cf. ''stage play''). Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of w ...
, but which was deleted in the final cut of the film.
Goofs can be found in a large number of films and episodes, even in very expensive productions. The 1977 film ''
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'', for example, has been counted to have 200 goofs in it, ranging from disappearing props to a storm trooper hitting his head on an opening door.
See also
*
Gaffe
A political gaffe is a mistake or blunder in speech or action made by a politician that attracts media attention and public scrutiny. While often unintended, political gaffes can have significant consequences, as they may reveal the politician's p ...
*
Goofball comedy
Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, or wit, an inability to learn. It may be innate, assumed or reactive. The word ''stupid'' comes from the Latin word ''stupere''. Fool (stock character), Stupid characters are often use ...
References
External links
{{Wiktionary, goof
Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics
Film and video terminology
Error