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Movie Terminology Glossary: N

National Film Theatre

AKA: NFT
Main showcase cinema in the UK. Located in London, England.

On the web: Official Home Page

National Association of Theatre Owners

AKA: NATO
NATO helps exhibition influence federal policy-making and work with movie distributors on all areas of mutual concern, from new technologies to legislation, marketing, and First Amendment issues. The largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 29,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 50 countries worldwide. Their membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners too. On the web: Official Home Page

NC-17: NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED

AKA: NC-17, X-Rated, X Rated, X
A certificate issued by the MPAA indicating that no person aged 17 or under will be allowed to attend a screening of the movie. This category was formerly called "X", but many people's mistaken association of "X" films with XXX films caused the MPAA to change this on September 27, 1990.

On the web: MPAA Ratings Explanation

Negative Cost

The cost of a movie through the production of a finished negative, not including the costs of prints, advertising, or distribution.

Negative Cutter

A person who matches the negative of a movie and conforms (matches) it to the final version of the film as decided by the filmmakers. From this negative the prints are made.

Negative Pickup

An agreement where a distributor acquires a finished negative and agrees to pay P&A and distribution costs. As opposed to deals where the distributor is involved during production.

Negative Print

AKA: Negative, Neg
A reverse light image capture. See also positive print.

NG

AKA: No good
An abbreviation of the phrase "no good", which can be used to describe various aspects of filmmaking, i.e. "a ng take".

Negative Ratio

The aspect ratio of the negative used to shoot the film

New Deal

Changing setup, either for a new camera position or a new scene.

Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema

AKA: NETPAC

Non-linear Editing

The computer-assisted editing of a movie without the need to assemble it in linear sequence. The visual equivalent of word processing.

NTSC

The standard for TV/video display in the US and Canada, as set by the National Television Standards Committee, which delivers 525 lines of resolution at 60 half-frames per second. See also PAL and SECAM.

Nut

Operating expenses to be recovered, often deductible in an exhibitor's contract with distributors.