British shorthand for film camera used on UK and commonwealth sets. Common in commands: 'Came one rolling?' or during camera swaps between takes.
On British and many European sets, "Came" is the standard shorthand for film camera — not just an abbreviation, but actual everyday usage. The Assistant Director doesn't call out "Is the camera ready?" but rather "Came ready?" into the room. This saves time, creates clarity, and is so established that everyone immediately knows: it's about the main camera, its setup, and its operational status.
The practical relevance is evident in the workflow. When the focus puller racks focus, the DoP says "Came is sharp." When changing between takes, one speaks of "Came move" or "Came shift." This isn't slang; it's operational language — just like one talks about "Grips," "Electrics," or "Sound." "Came" permeates the entire production day: setups are organized by came position, lighting is aligned by came angle, even dolly moves are described with "Came moves stage left." Everyone on set — from the cable runner to the director — immediately understands what's going on.
The differentiation in multi-camera productions (e.g., drama series or talk shows) is interesting. Here, there's "Came 1," "Came 2," "Came 3" — each with its own operator, its own focus puller. A line producer might say, "Came 1 takes Wide, Came 2 takes Close-Up, Came 3 stays locked on B-Roll." This is more efficient than speaking full designations. In television, where speed counts, this shortening has never caught on — it's dominant.
The term originates from British film tradition and has been exported to German-speaking and Scandinavian productions that operate according to Anglo-Saxon structures. In larger houses (ZDF, ARD, ORF), the designation is also present, especially in documentaries and during internationally coordinated shoots. Beginners working on an English-speaking set for the first time must learn the word specifically — it's not in any standard glossary, but it's indispensable in practical daily work. Those who don't understand "Came" miss half the communication.