# Producer lingo: "Hold the role" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 7, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219 "2015-08-07T05:55:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/1 "2015-08-07T05:55:03Z")
So what does a producer mean, during shooting, when she says to the talent, “Hold the role”? Or is she even talking to the talent? No guesses please. Only answer this if you know, I am quite capable of making guesses and suppositions on my own. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/2 "2015-08-07T06:03:41Z")
Are you sure it’s “Hold the role” and not “Hold the roll”? The latter would make more sense and be fairly obvious. If you are sure it is indeed “Hold the role” then I’ll bow out. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/3 "2015-08-07T06:47:44Z")
TV and doc producer. I have never heard anyone say this, but I’m pretty sure it’s “roll,” as in “don’t roll film/tape, don’t begin shooting.” “Role” doesn’t make sense, and “hold the roll” does makes sense because a director on the productions I’m familiar with will usually ask of both camera and sound, before beginning a scene, either “rolling?” or “speeding?” to which the responses are “camera/sound rolling” or “camera/sound speeds.” Now that we don’t use tape and rarely use film, “speeding” is the generic term for “recording picture/audio,” but “roll” persists from the days when an actal wheel turned in the recording medium. “Speed” I think refers to the need for recording media to actually crank up to the right speed from a standstill, but I don’t know that for sure. On a bigger production than I’ve done the producer may well be looking at a larger overall ‘picture’ than the director, who is focused on actors and the shot, so it may fall upon her to hold up filming for, say, a train scheduled to pass by in 45 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/4 "2015-08-07T07:53:52Z")
Okay, “hold the roll.” I googled both ways and did not get an answer. I’ve only heard it. “Hold the roll” is still not that obvious to me. “Stop rolling” would make sense, if that’s what “hold the roll” means. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/5 "2015-08-07T07:59:37Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Okay, “hold the roll.” I googled both ways and did not get an answer. I’ve only heard it. “Hold the roll” is still not that obvious to me. “Stop rolling” would make sense, if that’s what “hold the roll” means. “Hold the roll” would presumably mean “don’t start the roll”. I’m no expert but my impression is that if you want to stop the command is just “cut”. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/6 "2015-08-07T10:06:22Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Okay, “hold the roll.” I googled both ways and did not get an answer. I’ve only heard it. “Hold the roll” is still not that obvious to me. “Stop rolling” would make sense, if that’s what “hold the roll” means. If you Google " ‘hold the roll’ film term" you should get better results. Here’s a few definitions: [Cite 1](http://soundsofnewmexico.com/B1_glossary_of_terms-H07.html): > [@](#): > > HOLD THE ROLL! The AD′s call that there is a delay for some reason. If the Production Sound Mixer has started to roll, it′s his cue to stop recording while the problem is fixed. [Here’s another](https://books.google.com/books?id=lw0K0x5Yi7UC&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105&dq=%22hold+the+roll%22+film+term&source=bl&ots=XJ9Vy1Oyqa&sig=tTXbrv9nzyOHujgUmV8O_5Lth4E&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDUQ6AEwA2oVChMI79PzxduWxwIVAVo-Ch0VDApP#v=onepage&q=%22hold%20the%20roll%22%20film%20term&f=false). > [@](#): > > On set, the AD will say, “Hold the roll” to suspend the start of a shot briefly, due to some unforeseen last-minute change. When the problem is resolved, it’s time to “Roll sound!” [Cite 3](https://books.google.com/books?id=HjmNAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA336&lpg=PA336&dq=%22hold+the+roll%22+film+term&source=bl&ots=QQDHpMxqr_&sig=B2-UunxnophKdDP4GofyKglVGjE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBGoVChMI79PzxduWxwIVAVo-Ch0VDApP#v=onepage&q=%22hold%20the%20roll%22%20film%20term&f=false): > [@](#): > > Called out by the AD if something minor goes wrong on the set during the call that marks the beginning of each take. If the sound recording was started, it is stopped. Everyone waits while all is made ready under the presumption that this will be a very short interval, certainly not long enough to touch up makeup, adjust lights, etc. Generally this happens when one of the actors is not actually ready or if there is some other problem on the set that can be quickly fixed. Once the problem is resolved, the business of shooting the scene begins again. And so on. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/7 "2015-08-07T15:33:32Z")
I also remembered it from school as hold the “roll” - referencing the roll of film. From what I remember, it was the “hold on, something went stupid at the last minute but it won’t take long to fix, just gimme a jiffy and we’ll be back on again in a sec” call. Usually followed by frantic action from various crew. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/producer-lingo-hold-the-role/727219/8 "2015-08-07T17:30:27Z")
Actually, the producer is talking to Craft Service. 😛