Video/Film Production Glossary of Terms
Action
The moving pictures we see on screen. Also, the direction given by
a director indicating that filming begins.
ad lib
Dialogue in which the characters or actors make up what they say
in real time on the movie set or on stage. From the Latin ad
libitum, "in accordance with desire.
ADR -
Automatic Dialog Replacement - also known as "looping." A
process of re-recording dialog in the studio in synchronization with
the picture.
Aerial Shot:
An extremely high angle view of a subject usually taken from a
crane or a high stationary camera position, but may also refer to a
shot taken from an actual airplane or helicopter. (Production).
Aliasing:
An undesirable distortion component that can arise in any digitally
encoded information (sound or picture). (Jaggies)
Ambient Light:
General, non-directional, room light. (Lighting)
Ambient noise:
The total sound in a given area which is peculiar to that space
(room tone). (Post Production)
Anamorphic
An optical system having different magnifications in the horizontal
and vertical dimensions of the image. 720x480 becomes 854x480
Square pixels become rectangle pixels.
Aperture:
A variable opening inside a lens that regulates the amount of light
reaching the image plane. Also known as an iris.
Automatic Slating:
A camera attachment which records the film shot and take numbers
and a visible sync mark which corresponds to a tone fed to an
audio recorder.
Angle of View
This is the size of the field covered by a lens, measured in degrees.
However, because of the aperture masks in film, the angle of view
for a given lens is generally described in terms of the height and
width of a lens. (Cinematography).
Angle
A particular camera placement.
Audio/Visual Script
A dual column screenplay with video description on the left and
audio and dialogue on the right, used in advertising, corporate
videos, documentaries and training films.
Background:
This is a term with a broad range of meanings, depending upon the
context. In production, it has the same connotation as 'atmosphere',
meaning extras who are staged to supply detail in the form of
normal human traffic in a scene. In sound, it can mean the same as
'ambience' or it may refer to relative volume
BKG
Abbreviation for "background" (i.e. In the b.g., kids are fighting).
Barndoors:
Folding doors which are mounted on to the front of a light unit in
order to control illumination. (Lighting)
Beat
A parenthetically noted pause interrupting dialogue, denoted by
(beat), for the purpose of indicating a significant shift in the
direction of a scene, much in the way that a hinge connects a series
of doors.
Bed: (music bed)
Background music used underneath a narrator or foreground
dialog. Primarily applied to commercial radio or television spots.
B-Roll Coverage
Video footage that covers over voice-over.
Boom:
A telescoping arm for a camera or microphone which might be
available in a variety of sizes from the very small handheld types
to the very large, which might be transported as an integral part of
a motor vehicle. (Production)
Burn-in Time Code:
A videotape in which a "window" displaying the time code count
on the tape is superimposed over part of the picture.
Butthead:
A producer who thinks he knows more about a film technicians job
than the tech himself knows. (Film) Someone who changes lanes
without looking. (General)
CGI
Computer Generated Image; a term denoting that computers will
be used to generate the full imagery.
CG - Character Generator
Text on screen; used for adding titles
CU - Close Up
A very close camera angle on a character or object.
Copyright
Proof of ownership of an artistic property that comes with
registering your script through the United States Register of
Copyrights.
C-47:
Ordinary wooden clothespins which are used to secure gels to
barndoors. They are also known as a #1 wood clamp.
C Stand:
A general purpose grip stand. (Grip/Lighting)
Camera Angle:
The view point chosen from which to photograph a subject.
Clipping:
The phenomenon where an input signal exceeds the capability of
electronic or digital equipment to reproduce the signal. This results
in an audible distortion (analog) or an incomprehensible noise.
Compression:
The reduction of a span of amplitudes done for the purpose of
limiting the reproduction of those amplitudes. (Post Production)
Condenser Microphone:
The simplest type of microphone in which the capacitance
(electrical charge) is varied by sound, causing movement in one
plate (diaphragm) in relation to a fixed backplate. (Sound)
Cookie:
A perforated material which is used to break up light or create a
shadow pattern. Also known as a cucoloris. (Grip/Lighting)
Coverage:
An indeterminate number of more detailed shots which are
intended to be intercut with a master shot or scene. (Production)
Crossfade:
The gradual mix of sound sources accomplished by the
simultaneous manipulation of two or more mix console faders.
Crossing the axis:
Mistake in shooting where the camera physically crosses an
imagery line drawn from the nose of interviewer to the nose of
interviewee. The result of crossing the axis is both heads face the
same direction when edited together. (Bruce demos!)
Cutaway:
A single shot inserted into a sequence of shots that momentarily
interrupts the flow of action, usually introducing a pertinent detail.
Many times used as a reaction shot to some action. Also covers an
edited to the A-roll.
Cyclorama:
Permanent background built in a studio which is nearly always
coved or curved at the floor line to create a shadowless, unending
backdrop. (Grip/Lighting)
Cyc Lights:
Row lights for evenly illuminating a cyclorama or other
background. (Lighting)
Depth of Field:
The amount of space within lens view which will maintain
acceptable focus at given settings (i.e. camera speed, film speed,
lens aperture). (Cinematography) Shallow depth of field has the
background out of focus. Created with telephoto lens or open iris.
Dialogue
The speeches between characters in a film or a play.
Draft
A version of a script. Each draft of rewrites/revisions should be
numbered differently.
Dissolve:
A transition between two scenes where the first merges
imperceptibly into the second. (Film/Video)
Dolly Shot:
Any shot made from a moving dolly. These may also be called
tracking or traveling shots. Officially a dolly shot moves the
camera towards the subject or away from the subject.
Doorway Dolly:
A plywood dolly with four soft tires which is narrow enough to fit
through a doorway. It is used to carry a camera on a tripod or for
transporting other heavy items. (Grip)
Double-System Sound:
Sound and picture on separate transports. This refers to the normal
methodology of recording the picture on a camera while recording
sound of a separate magnetic tape recorder. (Film)
Drop-In:
The process of inserting recorded audio by playing up to a chosen
point and switching from playback to record mode. (Video/Audio)
Drop Frame:
American system of time code generation that adjusts the
generated data every minute to compensate for the spread of the
NTSC television system running at 29.97 frames per second.
Technical legacy issue from the days of black and white
TVtransitioning to color broadcasts.
Dubbing:
An actor's voice synchronization with lip movements which are not
the originally recorded sound. This is used to replace unusable
dialogue or recordings, and also used to prepare foreign films.
Dutch Angle:
This is the process where a camera is angled so that the horizontal
frame line is not parallel to the horizon. (Production)
Duvetyne:
A heavy black cloth, treated with fire proofing material, which is
used for blacking out windows, making teasers, hiding cables, and
hundreds of other uses. (Grip)
Establishing Shot
A cinematic shot that establishes a certain location or area.
EXT.- Exterior
Outdoors
Edit Decision List (EDL):
The list of SMPTE codes, in footage and frames, and including
instructions for fades, dissolves and other special effects which
corresponds to all the segments that the editor of a film or
videotape production has decided to use in the final cut. Used
mostly in the old days of linear editing. Editing from offline to
online editing.
Edit Master:
Video industry term for the tape containing the finished (edited)
program.
Edit Points:
Also known as "edit in" and "edit out." The beginning and end
points of an edit when a video program or soundtrack is being
assembled.
Equalization:
The alteration of sound frequencies for a specific purpose, such as
to remove 'noise' frequencies or to improve speech clarity.
5.1 Channel Digital Sound:
The film digital sound exhibition standard which utilizes five
output speaker channels (left, center, right, right surround, left
surround, and subwoofer). (Sound) FCPX can provide SS now.
Fade:
An effect in which the image of a scene is gradually replaced by a
uniform dark area or vice versa.
Fade-to-Black
Dissolve video to black screen
FG - Foreground
Abbreviation for "foreground" (i.e. In the f.g., kids are fighting).
FLASHBACK
A scene from the past that interrupts the action to explain
motivation or reaction of a character to the immediate scene.
Font
The look of the printed text on the page or TV screen.
FF - FREEZE FRAME
The image on the screen stops, freezes and becomes a still shot.
Flood:
The widest beam spread on a lensed light. (Lighting)
Flop-over:
An optical effect in which the picture is shown reversed from left
to right. Easy to do in FCP.
Foamcore:
Polystyrene which is sandwiched between paper. It is used to
relectors, soft boxes, and other items because it is stable and easily
cut. (Grip/Lighting)
Focus Pull:
The refocusing of a lens during a shot to keep a moving subject in
focus or to change the person or object of attention.
(Cinematography)
Foley:
Creating sound effects by watching picture and mimicking the
action, often with props that do not exactly match the action.
Format:
The size or aspect ratio of a motion picture frame. 4x3 16x9
Frame:
The individual picture image on a strip of motion picture film.
Also, one complete screen on videotape.
Frame Rate:
The frequency at which film or video frames run (i.e. 24 fps; 29.97
Hz in NTSC; 25 Hz in PAL European format).
Freeze Frame:
An effect in which a single frame image is repeated so as to appear
stationary when viewed.
Frequency:
The number of times a signal vibrates each second as expressed in
cycles per second (cps) or Hertz (Hz). (Sound)
Fresnel:
A stepped convex lens. It is most commonly used to describe
tungsten-incandescent lamps. (Lighting)
Frequency Response:
This represents the sensitivity of a given sound, video, or other
recording/playback system.
Gaffer:
The chief lighting technician for a production who is in charge of
the electrical department.
Gain:
The ratio of the signal level at the output of an audio device to the
signal level at its input. Expressed in decibels (db).
Gamma:
The degree of contrast in a negative or print.
Gigabyte (GB):
A unit for measuring computer memory capacity, equivalent to
1,000 megabytes (MB).
Gobo:
A grip head or "C" stand head used as a clamping device for
holding other equipment. (Grip)
Grip Tape-Gaffer Tape-
This is Duct tape style tape, also known as gaffer's tape or cloth
tape. Usually not as sticky as regular duct tape.
Genre
The category a story or script falls into - such as: thriller, romantic
comedy, action, screwball comedy
Handle:
An extra number of frames attached to the head and tail of a video
clip as a safety precaution, in case you need extra for a transition.
Hard Disk:
A data storage and retrieval device consisting of a disk drive and
one or more permanently installed disks. Increasingly common for
storing sound effects and archiving for future use.
Harmonic Distortion:
Acoustic distortion characterized by unwanted changes between
input and output at a given frequency. (Acoustics)
HMI:
An enclosed, AC mercury arc lamp. Color balanced for outside.
Insert Editing:
Used in videotape or digital audio editing to describe the process
of replacing a segment located between two specific and
previously dubbed segments.
Intercutting:
An editing method whereby related shots are inserted into a series
of other shots for the purpose of contrast or for some other effect.
INT. - Interior
Indoors.
Intercut
A script instruction denoting that the action moves back and forth
between two or more scenes.
Iris:
A variable aperture that controls exposure or the amount of light
which is released from a lighting unit. (Camera/Lighting)
Iris Wipe:
A wipe effect in the form of an expanding or diminishing circle.
Jump-Cut:
An editorial device where the action is noticeably advanced in
time, either accidentally or for the purpose of creating an effect on
the viewer. (Film Editing)
K:
Kelvin, the unit of measurement used for absolute temperatures
and color temperatures. 6500K (daylight color temperature) versus
3000K (tungsten color temperature) versus 4500K (florescent color
temp)
Key Light:
The main light on a subject. (Lighting)
Kick:
An object with a shine or reflection on it from another object.
L-C-R-S (Left, Center, Right, Surround):
The four playback channels used in 35mm motion pictures, now
available on home hi-fi systems. L, C and R speakers are located
behind the screen. The S channel surrounds the audience and may
be mono or encoded stereo.
Lamp:
A reference to the bulb inside a lighting unit, but may sometimes
be used to refer to the entire lighting unit. (Lighting)
Latitude:
The range between overexposure and underexposure in which a
film will still produce usable images. (Camera)
Lavalier Mic:
A small microphone that can be easily hidden on a piece of
clothing so as not to be seen by the camera. Shortened to “Lav”
Layback:
Transfer of the finished audio mix back onto the video edit master.
Leko:
An ellipsoidal reflector spot light. Usually used for theatrical
purposes. Also used with cookies (Lighting)
Level:
The ratio of an acoustic quantity to a reference quantity. A
measurement of amplitude in decibels. (Acoustics)
Library Shot:
Stock footage shot or other footage which is germane to a given
visual presentation but which was not generated for that specific
film or television presentation. www.pond5.com
Lip-Sync:
The relationship of sound ad picture that exists when the
movements of speech are perceived to coincide with the sounds of
speech.
Looping:
A continuous sound track that runs repeatedly in playback as a
guide for re-recording. (Post Production)
Lowkey:
A high contrast lighting style with lost of shadows and large areas
of darkness. (Lighting)
Lowpass Filter:
A filter that attenuates frequencies above a specified frequency and
allows those below that point to pass.
Master (print master):
A positive print made specifically for duplicating purposes.
Match Cut (match-action cut):
A cut made on action or movement between two shots in which the
action has been overlapped either by repetition of the action or by
the use of more than one camera. (Film Editing)
Match Dissolve:
A dissolve linking images which have similar content.
Match-Image Cut:
A cut from one shot to another shot having an image of the same
general shape as the one in the prior shot. (Film Editing)
Matching:
Arranging for the impedances presented by a load to be equal to
the internal impedance of the generator. This is essential to avoid
loss of power. In microphones, the loss results in poorer signal-tonoise
ratio. Matching is done by means of a transformer.
Matching Action:
The process of aligning or overlapping the shots of a film sequence
in order to achieve a smooth transition from the action in one shot
to the action of the succeeding shot. (Film Editing)
Montage:
The assembly of shots and the portrayal of action or ideas through
the use of many short shots. (Film Editing)
M.O.S.
Without sound, so described because a German-born director
wanting a scene with no sound told the crew to shoot "mit out
sound." In TV news, MOS means “Man on the Street” interviews.
Motivated Lighting:
A lighting style in which the light sources imitate existing sources,
such as lamps or windows. (Lighting)
Multimedia
Writing and filmmaking encompassing more than one medium at a
time which, script-wise, usually refers to CD-ROM games or
Internet-based programming.
Music-
Instrumental Stock music library music cut
Neutral Density (ND):
Colorless filters that reduce the amount of light in controlled
degrees. ND gels used inside to cut down on window lighting. ND
filter used by TV cameras outside during very sunny days.
Noir:
Usually refers to the classic black and white film noir style used in
detective mysteries, typically employing hard lighting and dark,
low key lighting. (Camera/Lighting)
NTSC:
National Television Standards Committee. The organization that
sets the American broadcast and videotape format standards for the
FCC. Color television is currently set at 525 lines per frame, 29.97
frames per second. (Never Twice the Same Color)
Numbered Scenes
Numbers that appear to the right and left of the scene heading to
aid the Assistant Director in breaking down the scenes for
scheduling and production.
O.C.- Off Camera
Abbreviation for Off Camera, denoting that the speaker is resident
within the scene but not seen by the camera.
O.S. -
Abbreviation for Off Screen, denoting that the speaker is not
resident within the scene.
Opening Credits
On-screen text describing the most important people involved in
the making of a movie.
Pan
A camera direction indicating a stationary camera that moves left
to right or right to left. A horizontal movement of a camera on a
fixed axis.
PAL (Phase Alternating Line):
The European color television standard that specifies a 25Hz frame
rate and 625 lines per frame.
Phantom Power:
A method of remotely powering the preamplifier or impedance
converter which is built into many microphones by sending a
voltage along the audio cable. Many lavs use phantom power
instead of batteries. Same with many shotgun mics.
Practical:
Any light that appears in the scene. (Lighting)
POV – Point of View
Point of View; a camera angle placed so as to seem the camera is
the eyes of a character.
Production Script
A script in which no more major changes or rewrites is anticipated
to occur, which is used day by day for filming on a movie set.
Reaction Shot:
A shot of a player listening while another player's voice continues
on the sound track. (Production)
Revised Pages
Changes are made to the script after the initial circulation of the
Production Script, which are different in color and incorporated
into the script without displacing or rearranging the original,
unrevised pages.
Reverse Angle:
A shot that is turned approximately 180 degrees in relation to the
preceding shot. (Cinematography)
Room Tone:
The "noise" of a room, set or location where dialog is recorded
during Production. Used by film and dialog editors as a "bed" to
form a continuous tone through a particular scene. This is often
confused with ambience, which might be sound effects and/or
reverberation added when the dialog is mixed.
Rotoscoping:
Creating animated characters by tracing an action movie with real
actors frame by frame. Performed via the computer today,
rotoscoping was originally accomplished in the early 1900s by
projecting each movie frame onto a frosted glass easel, from which
the illustrator traced and redrew the image.
Rough cut:
A preliminary trial stage in the process of editing a film. Shots are
laid out in approximate relationship to an end product without
detailed attention to the individual cutting points. (Film Editing)
Screen Right
Right side of TV screen – when viewer is viewing it.
Screening
The showing of a film for test audiences and/or people involved in
the making of the movie.
Script
The blueprint or roadmap that outlines a movie story through
visual descriptions, actions of characters and their dialogue. The
term "script" also applies to stageplays as well.
Set
The physical elements that are constructed or arranged to create a
sense of place.
Setting
The time and place of a play or screenplay.
SFX – Sound Effects
Abbreviation for Sound Effects.
Shooting Script – Editing Script
A script that has been prepared to be put into production.
Shot
What the camera sees. For example, TRACKING SHOT would
mean that the camera is following a character or character as he
walks in a scene. WIDE SHOT would mean that we see every
character that appears in the scene, all at once.
Simultaneous Dialogue
When two characters speak at the same time, written in two
columns side by side.
Slug – Name of Story
Another name for the SCENE HEADING
SMASH CUT
A quick or sudden cut from one scene to another.
SPFX
Abbreviation for Special Effects.
Split Screen
A screen with different scenes taking place in two or more
sections; the scenes are usually interactive, as in the depiction of
two sides of a phone conversation.
Screen Left
On stage, the actors' left, assuming they are facing the audience.
"Left" for short.
Screen Right
On stage, the actors' right, assuming they are facing the audience.
"Right" for short.
Stock Shot
A sequence of film previously shot and available for purchase and
use from a film library.
Suggested Setting
A setting on stage in which a few set pieces or lighting or other
technical elements take the place of elaborate set construction.
SUPER
Abbreviation for "superimpose" meaning the laying one image on
top of another, usually text over a scene.
Scrim:
A metal 'window screen' that can be placed in front of a lighting
unit to decrease the lighting intensity by a predetermined amount.
Shotgun Mic:
A highly directional microphone, usually with a long, tubular
body; used by the production sound mixer on location or on the set
for film and television productions.
Sight Line:
An imaginary line that is drawn between a subject and the object
that he/she is looking at.
Silk:
A lighting diffusion or reflective material, formerly real silk.
(Grip/Lighting)
Single:
A shot with only one subject in the frame. (Production)
Single System:
A method of recording sound and picture on the same medium,
most typically used in news gathering.
Slate:
The identifier placed in front of the camera at beginning of a take.
SMPTE:
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
SMPTE Time Code:
Also known as Longitudinal Time Code. A high frequency signal
that allows the accurate "locking" of film audio and video
equipment. Locator information is displayed as numbers.
Sound Effect:
A recorded or electronically produced sound that matches the
visual action taking place onscreen.
Spill:
Light that is escaping from the sides of a lighting unit, or any light
that is falling where it is not wanted. (Grip/Lighting)
Split Screen:
An optical or special effects shot in which two separate images are
combined on each frame.
Spot:
On a lensed light, the smallest beam spread. (Lighting)
Stinger:
A single extension cord. Most often referred to a single 'hot'
extension that is left lying around for occassional use.
Surround Sound:
Sound that is reproduced through speakers above or behind the
audience.
Sweeten/Sweetening:
Enhancing the sound of a recording or a particular sound effect
with equalization or some other signal processing device.
Sync Beep (sync tone):
In double system shooting with certain cameras, a tone feed into a
magnetic tape recorder at the same time that a light in the camera
exposes a few frames of film. The fogged section is later aligned
with the beep tone to achieve synchronization of the sound to the
picture.
Tag
A short scene at the end of a movie that usually provides some
upbeat addition to the climax.
Title
Text that appears onscreen denoting a key element of the movie, a
change of location or date, or person involved in the making of the
movie.
Transition
A script notation denoting an editing transition within the telling of
a story. For example, DISSOLVE TO: means the action seems to
blur and refocus into another scene, and is generally used to denote
a passage of time.
Treatment
A scene by scene description of a screenplay, minus all or most of
the dialogue.
Time Base Signal:
A signal recorded on the edge of film in a camera to match a signal
recorded on a magnetic recording which is used as a fast means of
synchronizing film and sound workprints.
Time Code:
Also known as Longitudinal Time Code. A high frequency signal
that allows the accurate "locking" of film audio and video
equipment.
Traveling Matte:
A process shot in which foreground action is superimposed on a
separatel background with the image is moving.
TV Safe/Title Safe/Action Safe:
The area of a image which will normally appear on a home
television set.
Underscore:
Music that provides emotional or atmospheric background to the
primary dialog or narration onscreen.
VITC:
Vertical Interval Time Code. A time code signal that is written in
the vertical interval by the rotating video heads, allowing it to be
read when the tape is not moving.
Voice-over:
Narration or non-synchronous dialog taking place over the action.
V.O. – Voice Over
Abbreviation for Voice Over, denoting that the speaker is narrating
the action onscreen.
VU Meter:
A meter designed to measure audio level in volume units which
generally correspond to perceived loudness. (Audio)
Widescreen:
A general term for film presentation in which a film is shown in an
aspect ratio of greater than 1.33 to 1. HD is widescreen with a
ratio of 16x9. (1.777 ratio) 1920 x 1080.
Wild Line:
A line of dialogue, recorded either on set or at a looping stage,
without any picture running.
Wild Track:
Audio elements that are not recorded synchronously with picture.
Wipe:
An transition effect in which one image is replaced by another with
a boundary edge that moves in a selected pattern across the frame.
XLR:
One of several varieties of sound connectors having three pins plus
an outer shell which shields the connectors and locks the
connectors into place. (Sound)
Zoom:
An optical effect in which the image rapidly grows larger or
smaller as though the camera is moving closer or away from its
subject.
