Apple box
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Apple-box.jpg
The term apple box is used in the production of film or photography to indicate a box or platform used for various purposes. The generally accepted dimensions for an apple box are 12" x 8" x 20", though they may vary by three to five inches in any direction. Any insignificant deviation in size does not disclude an object from being an apple box, though significantly smaller or larger items may be termed a "half-apple," "quarter-apple" or sometimes "double apple." An "eighth-apple" is sometimes called a pancake or a lift.
While the very first apple boxes were simple crates used in apple orchards, the modern variety should not be confused with the crates used in modern orchards as they vary in size up to a four-foot cube.
Common uses of an apple box
The apple box is rarely intended to be on camera. Because it is often out of frame, the apple box is used for propping and leveling of items or scenery in frame. These items are frequently not only props but short actors. A prime example would be a leading man who is acting opposite an individual several inches taller than he. An apple (or half apple) can be used in place of lifts to give the illusion of desired height. Conversely, to make an actor appear shorter, the other person in frame can be placed on an apple to create the desired illusion. There are a myriad of other uses for an apple box.
Though a simple tool, the apple box continues to assist in redefining the ingenuity exercised in the creation of modern film.
See also: motion picture terminology