cookie

n. a screen, board, card, or cloth, cut with shapes or holes, used to throw a light pattern when shooting film or television; the light pattern thrown by such a device. Also cucoloris, cucolorus, cucaloris, kukaloris, kookaloris, cuke, coo-koo, kook, dapple sheet, ulcer, gobo. Subjects: United States, Entertainment, Slang

Etymological Note: A claimed etymology is that kukaloris is Greek for “breaking of light,” but there seems to be no evidence to support this, nor can the etymological claims in the 2001 cite below be verified. Another claim is that it is named after its inventor, a Mr. Cucoloris; however, this, too, lacks supporting evidence.

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Citations: 1994 Steven Bernstein Film Production (July 19) 2nd ed., p. 206: Ulcers or cucalorises (cookies) can also be used on faaces to create dramatic mood. 1997 Gerald Millerson TV Scenic Design (July 3) p. 96: An all-purpose shadow device, known variously as cookie, cuke, cucoloris, or dapple sheet, has found regular use in all types of program. 2001 Ivan Curry Directing & Producing for Television (Nov. 29) 2nd ed., p. 28: Cookies. Also called coo-koos, or cucaloris, these metal or wood templates are placed in front of instruments to create shadow patterns, often of clouds or leaves. The word “cucaloris” comes from the Greek for shadow play. 2004 Johnny North (personal email) (New York City) (May 4) “Re: Punishing the light”: The effect he explains, though is what we would refer to as “modeling” the light, which involves taking it away in certain spots to create shadows and add mystery. one way to achieve this effect, and what I think he is referring to specifically, is by using a cucoloris, or a “cookie.” a cookie is a frame, usually made of wood that has a pattern of amorphous blobs cut out (sort if like camouflage) that gets rigged in front of a light source creating random pools of light and a lot of shadows. 2006 Victoria Advocate (Texas) (Nov. 29) “Cocaine arrests made”: Special response officers went to the apartment in the 300 block of Westwood Drive where the man was, according to the arrest report. Inside they found two cookies, a term used to describe a formation of crack cocaine, in the kitchen cabinet along with powdered cocaine.

Posted 5 Jun 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

I think it’s more like “cookie cutter”, i.e they seem stamped out in the same way as one would make cookies in different designs.

by dwintonusis 05 Jun 04, 0620 GMT

That’s a logical theory, but there’s no evidence to support it, not even enough to mention it as a theory. I’m still looking, though.

by Grant Barrett 05 Jun 04, 0631 GMT

(One theory I saw but also has zero evidence supporting it, was that “cookie\” came first, then someone invented the word “cucaloris” which it was supposedly short for.)

by Grant Barrett 05 Jun 04, 0639 GMT