hair in the gate

The narrower frame line (between frames) emphasises imperfections (i.e. hairs in the gate, lens flares).

Yet, take an accident like that hair in the gate, put it together with the coincidental gaze of a ghost, and it's as if Fonda really has come back to life.

However, a variety of other factors including environment, humidity, type of film stock, camera position, film ridging, and lacing can each be responsible for a "hair in the gate".

He also wrote the panel game Wordly Wise and the sit-com Hair In The Gate, which starred Allistair McGowan.

A "hair in the gate" will remain in front of the film and create a dark line that sticks into the edge of the film frame as the camera is filming a shot.