• Alphabet web -- the ABC television network; "The Alphabet web came in second in last week's Nielsens race."
• SAG -- the Screen Actors Guild, the union for film and TV actors.
• scatter -- the TV network commercial time left over after upfront (before season) sales are made; "The network source said scatter sales have been so-so to this point."
• scribbler -- writer; "Neil Simon was a TV scribbler before becoming a playwright." Also "scribe."
• scripter -- screenwriter; "Joe Eszterhaus was the scripter on the project." Also "scribe."
• SDMM -- Set Designers and Model-Makers Union.
• SDSA -- Set Directors' Society of America.
• seg -- segment or episode of a TV series; " 'ER' made its season debut with a live seg."
• sell-through -- prerecorded videocassettes priced lower to be sold rather than rented; "The next batch of Disney releases will be priced for sell-through."
• sellout -- sold-out performance; "The U2 tour was a sellout the day tickets went on sale."
• sesh -- session or meeting; also a time frame, such as a weekend; "The convention will hold a sesh on film financing Tuesday afternoon" or "The film was down 36% at the B.O. this sesh."
• sex appeal -- a term coined by Variety now in common usage meaning to be attractive to audiences owing to sexual aura; "Jean Harlow's sex appeal put the picture over."
• shingle -- A small business, often set up by an actor or established player at a larger company; "Tom Green has launched production shingle Bob Green Films."
• showbiz -- show business; "The annual Oscar ceremony is one of the biggest events on the showbiz calendar."
• showrunner -- executive producer of a television series.
• shutter -- to close a legitimate play or musical; "Moose Murders" shuttered on Broadway the night it opened."
• sideman -- A member of a band or a session musician; "Virtually every member of the 'Tonight Show' bands --- from Conte Candoli to Kevin Eubanks --- has had his fair share of local gigs as a leader and sideman."
• sitcom -- a term now in common usage originally coined by Variety, shorthand for situation comedy TV series; "A new Tom Selleck sitcom is in the works."
• sked -- schedule; "Alan Smithee's new sitcom is expected to be added to NBC's fall sked."
• skein -- a TV series; "It is not known whether ABC will renew the skein for next season."
• sleeper -- a film or TV show that lacks pre-release buzz or critical praise, but turns into a success after it is released, usually due to good word-of-mouth, "Sixth Sense was the surprise sleeper of the summer of 1999."
• soap opera -- radio (now TV) serial originally sponsored by soap companies; "The networks still rely heavily on soap operas to anchor their daytime schedules." (See also sudser)
• sock (also socko) -- very good (usually refers to box office performance); " 'My Best Friend's Wedding' has done socko B.O." (See also, boff, whammo)
• solon -- an authority; someone in the know; from the ancient Greek wise man, Solon; "Solons say the deal is likely to go down by the end of the week."
• spec script -- a script shopped or sold on the open market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio or production company; "Alan Smithee sold a spec script to Fox for a mid-six against high-six-figure sum."
• spesh -- a television special; "HBO has pacted with Britney Spears to do a live concert spesh."
• sprocket opera -- film festival; "The actor plans to attend the annual Sundance sprocket opera next year."
• SRO -- standing room only; a sold out show; " 'Rent' has been SRO since it opened on Broadway."
• STCPDS -- Story, trailer, cast, production notes, downloads and stills -- the basics of every movie Web site ever; "MGM's Goodboy! Web site offers the standard STCPDS."
• strip -- a five- or six-day-per-week TV series, usually in syndication; "Roseanne will return to TV in a talkshow strip next fall."
• sudser -- soap opera; "Sudser star Susan Lucci was nominated for an Emmy again this year."
• suspenser -- suspense film; "The studio is planning a remake of the Audrey Hepburn suspenser 'Wait Until Dark.' "
• syndie -- syndicated television programming, those sold to stations, rather than provided by one of the networks or netlets; " 'Xena: Warrior Princess' was at the top of the syndie ratings last week."

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