Glossary

.AIFF (audio interchange file format)—An uncompressed audio format created by Apple

.WAV—An uncompressed audio file format developed by Microsoft and IBM

.WMV—A Windows audiovisual media container format

1/3–2/3 Rule—A rule for depth of field, which tells us that two-thirds of the depth range that will be in focus along the z-axis is behind the focal point, and one-third is in front

180° Lighting—A lighting setup with lights pointing toward the subject at two ends or sides of a space

180° Principle/180° Line/Line of Action—An imaginary line drawn through a scene used to maintain consistent sightlines and screen direction; all shots used in a sequence must be filmed from one side of the line

3:2 Pulldown—A method of recording video at 24 frames per second in a 30 fps timespace, or a method for converting from 24 fps (23.976) to 30 fps (29.97) in postproduction

3-Point Edit—Editing method that uses either 2 in-points and 1 out-point, or 1 in-point and 2 out-points, to define the length of a source clip and it’s placement in a sequence

3-to-2 Adapter—Connector used for plugging 3-pronged, grounded AC plugs into 2-pronged outlets

4K Image Format/4K Video—A video format that has approximately four times the image area of HD video, with a horizontal resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels. See UHD and DCP

Acquisition Format—A video format used for recording with a camera

Advance—An amount of money loaned to a person before their work is due or completed

Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC)—A consortium of engineers, telecommunications companies, and government policy makers responsible for setting broadcast video standards in North America and certain other regions

Ambient Sound/Backgrounds—The aural environment in which a scene takes place

Amp—A unit of electrical current equal to a flow of one coulomb per second, short for “ampere”

Amplitude—The measure of the loudness of a sound

Analog—A recording medium in which the light and color of the image correspond to the strength and frequency of its analogous electronic signal

Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)—A digital signal processor that samples analog audio or video information and translates it into binary code

Angle of Acceptance—The area from which a microphone will gather acceptable sound

Angle of View—The maximum angle a camera is capable of capturing through a lens of a specific focal length

Aperture—An opening that all light gathered by a lens must pass through before it is registered on the sensor

Aperture Ring/F-Stop Ring—The adjustable ring on a lens that controls the iris

APS-C—An image sensor size used in DSLRs, approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System film negative size of 25.1 x 16.7 mm

Archival Footage—Footage retrieved from a public or private archive that can be used in films

Archival Material—Historical footage or stills not created for the film it is included in

Artificial Light—Any light source that generates light through electricity

Artistic Identity—The creative voice within an individual shaped by their experiences and worldviews

Aspect Ratio—The relationship between the width and the height of the frame expressed as a ratio of width:height

Associate Producer/Production Coordinator—Crew member who handles a variety of tasks including confirming locations and meeting times, coordinating transportation, helping things stay on schedule, making sure release forms are signed, and generally providing backup for the director and other crew

Associative Editing—An editing technique characterized by comparing or contrasting the content of the shots to create an association that is not contained in the individual shots

Audio Continuity—A seamless sound transition between cuts or scenes

Audio Filter—Audio signal processing that alters the audio data, and therefore the characteristics of the sound

Audio Outputs—The jacks on a camera or sound recording device where cables can be connected to send audio signals to another device

Audio Record Level—Setting on an audio recording device that will give maximum audio quality with sufficient dynamic range and minimum noise or distortion

Audio Sample Rate—Determines how many times a sound is measured or “sampled” per second by a digital recorder. See sample rate

Audio Sweetening—Process of enhancing the quality of the audio, including repairing poor audio and creating audio effects

Audio Waveform—Audio levels shown in the timeline or viewer of an NLE

Authenticity—The apparent sincerity or truthfulness of a film’s intentions

Authority—The position and knowledge of a filmmaker or subject in relation to the subject matter of the film, and how their position, background, education, and upbringing gives their stance believability in the documentary

Auto Exposure/Auto Iris—A camera function that will take the average meter reading for a scene and automatically set the camera’s aperture

Auto Functions—Modes of automatic function that allow a camera to determine exposure, aperture, focusing, light metering, and white balance

Autofocus—A camera setting that focuses automatically

Auto-knee/Production Coordinator—An automatic setting that is designed to give a maximum level of detail depending on the highlight values of the particular image in the frame

Automatic Gain Control (AGC)—A sound recording option that automatically adjusts audio levels to a predetermined average

Autosync (Avid)—A command used to create a single synced clip

Available Light—The light available in a particular shooting situation without adding lights

Average Audio Level Range—The consistent audio level across time, from clip to clip, from start to finish, across a timeline

Avid Pro Tools—A common DAW/software for sound editing and mixing

B-Roll—Images and footage that will accompany a voice-over or narration

BD-R—Recordable Blu-ray disc only able to record once

BD-RE—Recordable Blu-ray disc that is rewritable

Baby Legs—A set of short tripod legs that have a height range from 1 foot to about 3 feet

Backlight—A light positioned at a high angle from behind the subject to help separate the subject from the background

Back Plate—The fixed plate in a capacitor

Back Up—The process of creating a copy of digital material and saving it, usually on a separate drive

Balance—In journalism, the idea that if one side of a story is told, the opposing side should be represented as well

Balanced Audio—An audio signal that runs through a 3-wire cable: two wires for the signal and a hum-resistant shielding cable that is usually grounded

Balanced Output—A signal free from interference caused by AC or fluorescent hum and radio frequencies

Bandwidth—In broadcasting, the bit-rate of available or consumed information capacity in a system, expressed typically in multiples of bits per second

Barn Doors—Attachment with several metal leaves placed in front of a light to keep light off of areas of the set where light is not needed

Bars and Tone—The color bars and reference tone at the head of recorded media used to calibrate sound levels and color and luminance settings for broadcast and post-production

Bass—Sound frequencies at the low end of audibility

Bass Roll-Off—A filter used to suppress unwanted low frequency sound from sources such as wind, traffic, and low machinery hum

Bayer Pattern Filter—On an image sensor, an array of color filters that allocate pixels to the three colors: green, red, and blue

Best Practices—Refers to industry standard approaches to using copyrighted material, dealing with subjects, and so on

Bias—A systematic judgment in favor of or against a person, group, or thing. In documentary, it can be linked to questions about funding or sponsorship

Binary Code—A base-2 numerical system using ones and zeros, so that 1=1, 10=2, 11=3, etc. The basic numerical system used in computers

Bins—Second-level folders that are used to organize all audio and video clips and graphic files in an NLE

Bit Depth—The number of bits of information in each sample of a digital video or audio file

Bit Depth Setting—The sample size for an individual digital sample. In video the RAW sample size could be 14 bits, while the recorded size could be as low as 8 or 10 bits. In audio, 16-bit or 24-bit sample sizes are common

Bit Rate—The number of bits conveyed or processed per unit of time. Also called the data rate; in video it is measured in Mbps, and is a crude measure of overall image quality

Bits—Digital information expressed as binary digits

Black Diffusion—Special effects filter that softens the image by delicately flaring the dark, shadow areas

Black Stretch—A setting that can extend a digital camera’s sensor sensitivity range in the darkest parts of the image

Blacks—The darkest parts of the image, such as dark objects, dark clothing, and shadows

Blown Out/Clipped Whites—Complete overexposure

Blu-ray—A digital optical disc data storage format

BNC—A locking connector used to carry composite video [SDI] and uncompressed HD [HD-SDI] signals

Boom Pole—A long, lightweight pole that telescopes out to various lengths, designed to hold a microphone for film recording

Booming—Lifting a camera up and down. Alternatively, recording sound with a boom pole

Bounce Card/Show Card—A card with a reflective surface used to bounce light. See reflector

Breakaway Cable—A cable that sends two channels of audio to the camera and then brings the output of the camera back to the sound person so they can monitor the recorded signal through headphones

Breaker Box/Fuse Box—A box containing circuit breakers (or fuses), safety devices that will disconnect when the circuit overheats or short-circuits. It is located where raw power comes into a building and is divided into separate circuits

Breaker Switch—A switch that is automatically operated to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit

Brightness—The overall lightness or darkness of a shot

Broads—Open-faced lights with no spotting capability used to deliver a hard, efficient bright light

Bubble Leveler—A level found on some tripods that is designed to assist in leveling the head

Burned Discs—Disc created through a process called duplication

C-stand/Century Stand—All-purpose grip stand, used for hanging, holding, or positioning flags, scrims, or other rigging on a film location

Call Sheet—A document that is circulated before a shoot to everyone involved in a production that includes crucial information including location, key personnel, contact information, necessary equipment, and transportation information

Camcorder—An electronic device that is a combination of a video recorder and a video camera

Camera Adjustment—A small alteration of a framed shot to maintain composition or focus on a person or object that is moving slightly

Camera Filter—Glass or hard plastic elements mounted on the camera, in front of the lens, to change the quality of the light from all sources entering the camera

Camera Microphone—The typically low quality microphone built into a camera. See also onboard microphone

Camera Mounting Plate—A removable piece of the tripod head where the camera is attached

Camera Profile—A specific exposure curve and color response used by a digital camera. These are available as presets on many cameras, and can be user-generated as well

Camera Take—The footage generated from the moment the camera is on to the moment it is turned off

Canted Angle/Dutch Angle—Tilting the camera to the side so that the horizon of the composition is oblique

Capacitor—A device capable of storing a small amount of electricity made of two plates oriented parallel to each other, with a very narrow space between them. Also called a condenser, as in a condenser microphone

Capture Drive (Avid)—Determines where the NLE will put any files it creates while importing or during editing

Cardioid—A somewhat directional microphone with a heart-shaped pickup pattern

Cards—Titles or credits that appear one page at a time

CCD / Charge Coupled Device—A type of image sensor (an array of light sensitive pixels on a silicon chip) that captures the entire image at once, and then sends the result to the camera’s signal processor one line of video at a time

Center-Averaging—Basing exposure on light values at the center of the image

Center On Cross-Fade—The process of cross-fading between two clips; the audio of the first clip is extended beyond the cut point by half the duration of the cross-fade in order to accommodate the full fade-out, and the incoming shot is extended at the head by half the cross-fade duration to accommodate the fade-in

Character—The personality, aspirations, and internal conflicts of the people in a film

Character-Based—The type of film where characters’ actions and interactions are the main action

Characteristic Exposure Curve—A curve that represents how the camera sensor responds to the light hitting it

Checkerboard—To alternate audio clips over 2 (or more) tracks

Chinese Lanterns—A paper lantern that throws a soft even glow in all directions

Chroma Subsampling—A compression system that eliminates color data from a video signal to save space. Chroma subsampling is expressed as a ratio of color samples (red and blue) to luminance (identified with the green signal). Typical subsample ratios are 4:1:1 and 4:2:2

Chrominance (chroma)—The color component of a video signal

CineGamma/Log Gamma—A camera profile setting that flattens the straight-line portion of the video signal’s characteristic curve and introduces a shoulder to the highlight areas, resulting in highlight detail and added dynamic range in terms of f-stops

Cinéma Vérité/Production Coordinator—A style characterized by the use of small crews, lightweight handheld equipment, and filming unscripted action with a highly observational “fly-on-the-wall” approach

Cinematographer—Chief operator of the camera, in charge of lighting crew and the general look and shooting style of the film

Climax—The moment of highest emotional impact, where the conflicts that have been put into motion come to a head

Clipping—Overexposure of bright areas of the image. It results in a uniform white area

Clipping (Audio)—When the limiter suppresses the loudness by cutting the sound before it can peak

Clips—In an NLE, the icon that points to an underlying media file. Or, the media file itself

Close-Up (CU)—A shot that places the primary emphasis on the face or other part of the body

Closed Frame—When all of the essential information in the shot is neatly contained within the parameters of a frame

CMOS/Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor—A type of image sensor (an array of light sensitive pixels on a silicon chip) that creates an image one row of pixels at a time

Codec—A specific compression scheme used to reduce digital file size while maintaining image quality. Short for “compression/decompression.”

Color Balance—The adjustment of the intensities of colors in a frame

Color Bars—A screen display of specific colors used to calibrate the projector or recording device to match that of a camera’s viewing system

Color Correction/Grading—Part of the postproduction process where image color and light values are evaluated and altered to create a consistent look

Color Grading—The adjustment of color and brightness to achieve a specific mood or look

Color Sampling—The number of times brightness and color information are measured and translated into data by the DSP

Color Space—A model that indicates the reproducible color possibilities in a specific system. Common color spaces are CMYK (print) and RGB (video)

Color Subsampling—See chroma subsampling

Color Temperature—The color hue of light, measured using the Kelvin scale.

Color Wheel—A wheel that arranges red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet into a natural progression on a rotating disk

Colorist—A member of the postproduction team who alters and enhances the color of a film using specialized software

Combing—A visual artifact generated when an interlaced image is viewed on a computer screen (with progressive scan)

Compact Flash (CF) Card—A flash memory mass storage device that is used in portable devices such as digital cameras and audio recording devices

Composite Video—An analog video signal that carries both chrominance (color) and luminance (brightness) information

Compositing—The combining of visual elements from separate sources in a single frame

Compositional Frame—A two-dimensional space defined by its horizontal and vertical dimensions

Compound Lens—A lens made up of multiple glass elements

Compound Move—A type of shot created by combining two or more different camera moves, such as a dolly and a pan

Compression—A method of reducing file size or the amount of data by discarding visual detail in the case of an image file, or through analogous methods for audio data

Compression Filter—A filter that detects when a sound will peak above or near 0 dB, used to suppress the sound to keep it within range without affecting the average audio levels of the track

Condenser Microphones—A microphone that uses a capacitor with two charged plates, one fixed and the other forming a diaphragm that is moved by sound waves

Consistency (Sound)—Ensuring there are no noticeable differences in overall sound quality and character as a scene unfolds

Consistent Color and Brightness Values—Color and brightness continuity created through the process of color correction, e.g., no abrupt shifts in luminance or color temperature

Constant Bit Rate (CBR)—A compression type which compresses the image the same amount regardless of the content. Used particularly in NLEs

Constants—Recurring portions of a budget such as monthly charges or days of shooting

Container Format—A metafile format such as Quicktime or MXF that packages image, audio, and other data into a format that a computer can recognize. See file wrapper

Content—The actual information in a film, usually used to delineate aspects of a film that do not relate to form

Continuity (Continuity Style Editing)—An approach to film editing that assures that individual shots, when cut together, will give the illusion of smooth and continuous time, movement, and space

Contrast—The difference in dark and light values within a shot

Contrast Range/Production Coordinator—The difference between the brightest and the darkest areas of the scene being shot

Cookie (Cucoloris)—A metal or foam core gobo with shapes cut into it, used to create patterns on a wall, floor, or other surface

Copyright—Law used to ensure that the creator of a work of art has rights to determine where an image, for example, can be seen, and especially into which works it can be incorporated

Countdown—A numeric on-screen title counting backwards in seconds, from 10 to 2, placed at the head of recorded media intended for exhibition

Coverage—A strategy for filming in a way that will tell the needed story as completely as possible. Includes what will be shot, where the camera is positioned, and how the frame is arranged

Crane Shot—A shot in which the camera is raised very high in the air, above a subject’s head, using either a crane or a jib

Creative Commons—A licensing system that offers a variety of options for creators to license their work

Crop Factor—The ratio of a camera’s imaging area, typically to that of a 35mm frame, used to calculate relationship between sensor size, focal length and angle of view

Cross Lighting—A lighting setup, often used for two-person interviews, where lights act as both key and fill

Cross-Fade/Audio Dissolve—An audio transition where one sound slowly diminishes while another rises into audibility

Crowdfunding /Crowdsourced—A method of funding a film by raising money from a large number of people, usually via the Internet

Crushed Blacks—Underexposure in video, such that black levels are at or below 0 IRE units

CTB—Color temperature blue, a color conversion gel used to convert a tungsten light source to daylight color temperature

CTO—Color temperature orange, a color conversion gel used to convert daylight into tungsten

Cut—The joining of two shots

Cutaway—A shot used to help “smooth out” discontinuity in the main action, or a jump cut. It is usually followed by a return to the shot before it

Cycles Per Second—The measure of frequency in a wave, whether of sound or electricity

Data Card—A small removable device for data storage

Data Rate—Bit rate in Megabits per second (Mbps) used to determine the amount of storage space needed for a project, type of recording and storage media, and connector types

Data Track—A long, ultrafine spiral track of data, as on disc media such as Blu-ray or DVD

DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives)—A working group that has developed the digital image and sound standards for exhibition of digital media

Dead—An acoustic environment with poor reflective surfaces that absorbs sound after it leaves the source

Deal Memo—A contract between the filmmakers, cast, and crew, defining the specifics of the production

Decibels (dB)—A logarithmic measurement of audio volume or loudness

Deep Depth of Field—When objects along the z-axis, from foreground to background, are in crisp detail. Also called “deep focus.”

Deep Frame—A frame that accentuates the compositional element of depth through use of foreground and background elements

Deliverables—This refers to what a filmmaker actually delivers to a broadcaster (or to a festival, etc.). Deliverables can include the actual film, a list of music used, credits, subject releases, a script for closed captioning, and more

Demo Reels—A video or audio presentation of a person’s specific expertise

Depth of Field (DOF)—The range of distances along the z-axis where objects appear to be in sharp focus

Derivative Work—Refers to creative work based on an existing work, such as a film based on a novel

Detail Budget—A line item budget that specifies all expenditures

Dialogue—Speech that emanates from characters within the film, whether they are on- or off-screen

Diaphragm—The thin vibrating membrane that is the sound sensitive portion of a microphone

Diegesis—The world of the film, consisting of the characters, actions, objects, locations, time, and story

Diegetic—Sounds that naturally occur in the world of a film

Dielectric—In a condenser microphone, the space between the two plates that holds the electrical charge

Diffused/Production Coordinator—Lighting typically coming from a unit that does not illuminate directly from the bulb, but instead bounces the light off a reflective surface, or light from an overcast sky

Diffusion Media—Gel or lighting filter used to soften the output of a hard light source

Digital Audio Recorder—Device for recording sound where an input audio waveform is sampled and recorded digitally

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)—Editing hardware/software combination designed specifically for professional sound editing

Digital Cinema—The use of digital technology to distribute or use digital theatrical projection

Digital Cinema Package (DCP)—A set of specifications for digital exhibition defined by the industry consortium Digital Cinema Initiatives

Digital Loader/Production Coordinator—A crew member specifically devoted to media management, preparing media for editing, transcoding, syncing picture, and downloading media from cards into a computer or onto hard drives

Digital Signal Processor (DSP)—A DSP combines the three sets of color information from the sensor(s) and determines the brightness and color value of every pixel in every frame of video to create the full-color image, and encodes it, along with the audio signal, to create the final digital signal

Digital Sound Recorder—See Digital Audio Recorder

Digital Zoom—An in-camera digital special effect in which the circuitry in the camera magnifies the captured video signal by selecting specific pixels and blowing them up

Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC)—A converter that changes digital audio information into analog electronic waveforms and outputs a line level signal

Diopter—A magnifying lens, part of the camera’s viewfinder, that can be set for the camera operator’s eye

Direct Address—When a subject speaks directly to an audience, or straight to the camera

Direct Cinema—A documentary genre that focused on directly capturing reality, using flexible camera movement and a highly observational “fly-on-the-wall” approach

Direct Sound—Sounds recorded at the actual location

Directionality—Where light is coming from, or appears to be coming from

Directionality/Production Coordinator—In sound recording, the tendency of a microphone to be more sensitive to sound from a particular direction

Display Format—A set of specifications for how video is broadcast, received, and displayed

Dissolve—A transition in which the outgoing shot gradually disappears as the incoming shot gradually appears

Distribution—The process of getting a film seen by audiences or viewers

Distributor—A third party entity that specializes in the work of getting a film seen, and getting financial return in the process

Ditty Bag—A filmmaker’s general utility tool kit

Documentary Director—The person responsible for the vision of a documentary film

Documentary Producer—A person whose duties vary but typically include raising the funds for a documentary, budgeting, and making sure a film is delivered on budget and on schedule

Dolly—A camera support on wheels that is used when the shot requires a smooth, controlled, and dynamic move

Dolly Shots—Moving shots in which the camera moves closer or farther away from a subject. May or may not involve an actual dolly

Dolly-In—To move the camera closer to a subject

Dolly-Out—To move the camera farther away from a subject

Double-System—A version of sync sound where sound is recorded on a separate audio recorder and combined with the picture in postproduction

Drag—On a tripod head, the amount of resistance to a pan or tilt

Drama—The entire tradition of narrative storytelling

Dramatic Arc—The introduction and resolution of conflict over the course of a film

Dramatic Structure—The shape of the story arc of a film, over time

Dressing Cables—An on-set term for taping down and safetying cables

Drone—A flying device that can mount tiny cameras

Drop-Frame Time Code (DF TC)—A time code that does not drop any video frames, but skips over some time code numbers from time to time in order to adjust the frame count to accurately reflect the true 29.97 fps of SD video

DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) Camera—A digital camera that combines a single-lens reflex camera’s optics and mechanisms with a digital imaging sensor

DTMB (Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast)—Digital television standards used in China and Hong Kong

Duplication—In DVD burning for distribution, the process of creating a disc by using a laser to burn a color dye layer in the media surface, which turns various colors and densities that mimic the depth and shadows of the physical pits in a pressed disc

DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial)—Digital television standards used throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, Australia, and many nations throughout Asia and Africa

DVD—Optical discs that store the binary data for sound and images as microscopic bumps and indentations and play back at standard resolution

DVD+R—Record-once only DVD format

DVD-R—Record-once only DVD format

DVD+RW—DVDs that can be erased and rewritten

DVD-RW—DVDs that can be erased and rewritten

Dynamic Camera Moves—A shot where the camera moves along any of the axes of motion

Dynamic Microphone/Production Coordinator—A microphone that generates a signal through an electromagnetic moving coil attached to the diaphragm

Dynamic Range—The range of signal levels a system can handle. In audio, the range between the loudest and quietest sounds recorded and/or played back, usually expressed in dB

Echo—A long delay return of sound caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface

Edit Decision List (EDL)—A list of all of the editing decisions made to create a sequence or film—length of shots, order of shots, layering of audio—in a standard format

Electret Condenser—A type of condenser microphone that uses a permanently charged material (the electret) to create the electrical signal, eliminating the need for a polarizing power supply

Elements—The components that create a film, which includes interviews, observational footage, archival materials, etc.

Encoding System—In the world of digital media, a system for turning picture or sound information into digital information that can be stored and manipulated in a computer environment

End Credits—The credits shown after a film that acknowledge subjects, cast, and crew, and other people/organizations that helped with the production of the film

Engagement Plan—A strategy for developing audience engagement and action in relationship to a documentary

Equalization—The manipulation of the frequencies in an audio signal to improve audibility and clarity

Errors and Omissions—Insurance that protects a filmmaker from claims involving violation of certain personal rights or copyright infringement

Essay Documentary—A type of documentary film that typically foregrounds the process of thought and the processes of representation, while employing a poetic or personal voice-over

Establishing Shot—A shot that gives the viewer a sense of the location of a particular sequence

European Broadcast Union (EBU)—Organization of European Broadcasters. They develop shared broadcast and transmission standards

Exclusive—The rights detailed in a contract a filmmaker signs with a distributor ensuring that they will not be able to assign those same rights to a distributor in or outside of the designated market

Exclusivity—A deal that a documentary subject makes with a filmmaker guaranteeing exclusive access to their story in return for specified compensation

Expansion Filters—A filter used to lower the amplitude of extremely low-level sounds in order to drop them below the level of audibility

Exposition—Information a viewer needs to know in order to understand what is happening on the screen

Expository—An informative style of documentary that typically proceeds by argument, employs narration, graphics, etc. and has educational goals

Exposure—Amount of light per unit area that reaches an electronic image (or film) sensor in relation to shutter speed, lens aperture, and scene luminance

Exposure Control—Controlling the amount of light coming through the camera lens by balancing the various factors such as scene lighting, filtering, and camera factors such as f-stop and gain

Exposure Range/Production Coordinator—The range of luminance values a specific imaging device can render with detail before falling off into complete overexposure or underexposure

External Hard Drive—A data storage device that is separate from a computer

External Microphone Input—The connection for audio coming from sources other than the camera’s internal microphone

Extract—A type of edit performed by placing in- and out-points and taking selected material out of a timeline, closing the gap, or rippling

Extreme Close-Up (ECU)—A stylistically potent shot that isolates a very small detail or feature of the subject

Extreme Long Shot/Production Coordinator (ELS)—A shot that shows a large view of the location, setting, or landscape

Eye Light—A very small spot light carefully set to put a bit of sparkle into the eyes of a subject

Eye-Level—A shot where the lens of the camera is positioned at eye level with a subject regardless if they are sitting, standing, or lying down

Eyeline—The direction a subject on screen appears to be looking in

F-stop Scale—A measure of the amount of light entering a lens, based on a particular aperture or iris opening. It is a ratio of the lens’s focal length and its diameter, and proceeds in steps such that each f-stop represents a doubling or halving of the light from the next one

Faceplate (Front of Image Sensor)—Place directly behind the camera lens where the light information strikes the sensor or prism

Fade-In—A slow appearing of an image

Fade-Out—A slow disappearing of an image into a color, usually black

Fair Use Doctrine—A doctrine, written into law in some countries, including the United States, that allows creators to use copyrighted material in certain specific contexts

Fast Color Corrector—A filter in Premiere Pro used to adjust brightness, contrast and color

Fast Lens—A lens with a small f-stop that can open up for low lighting

Festival Screener—A copy of a film designed for use by film festival judges

Field (video)—In interlaced video, a half frame, containing half of the picture information, and displayed for half of the time of the full frame

Field Monitor—A flat-screen LCD display that can mount on the camera or the shoulder mount of a DSLR or stand alone, used during a shoot to display live footage of the camera for framing, critical focus, lighting, or continuity

File-Based Media—Said of digital sound or picture to differentiate from analog media stored on film or videotape

File Format—>A scheme for storing information in a computer. For video, this usually includes a compression codec, and a file wrapper, often proprietary, and the possibility of including different types of data (sound and image) and metadata (time code, etc.)

File Wrapper—A metafile format whose specification describes how different elements of data and metadata coexist in a computer file. It does not describe how the media is encoded. It does tell the computer that the file may contain video, audio, time code, and more. See container format

Fill Light—A soft light that is positioned to fill in the shadows created by a key light

Film Festival—An organized event for presenting and premiering films

Film Permit—A permit to film in public spaces, typically issued by a city government

Filter—In cinematography, a piece of glass placed in front of the lens to alter the light entering. Typically affects color, the amount of light, or distorts the image

Filter Preset—In audio recording and postproduction, a filter that offers a specific effect (for example on defined frequencies)

Filtering—A method of controlling light by putting it through something that will alter the amount or quality of light. See audio filter for sound

Fine Cut—The last stage of editing before sound editing/mix and color correction

Firewire/IEEE 1394—A high-speed interface developed by Apple, used to send digital data from a camera to a computer at speeds of 400/800 Mbps

Fiscal Sponsorship—A service that allows individual filmmakers to receive money from funders that only give to non-profit organizations

Fisheye Lens—An extreme wide-angle lens, with an angle of view greater than 180°

Fixer—The person who knows the lay of the land, speaks the local language, or otherwise has specialized knowledge that will help filming in a foreign environment

Flags—Free-standing frames covered with black cloth, used to sharply define where light falls and where it doesn’t

Flaring—Visual effect created when light enters the lens and reflects off the elements

Flat Frame—A frame that emphasizes the two-dimensionality of an image

Flat Response—An equal response throughout all frequencies of the sound spectrum resulting in a flat line graph of frequency response

Flicker Effect—The unsteady strobe-like visual effect that happens when film is projected or filmed at a low frame rate

Flood/Spot Control—A control used to alter the quality of light and intensity along a soft (flood) to hard (spot) spectrum

Fluid Head—A type of resistance mechanism in a tripod head that uses pressurized hydraulic fluid to provide the adjustable drag necessary for smooth camera moves

Fluorescent—A light that generates illumination by passing an electric charge through mercury gas trapped within a hollow tube coated with phosphors, causing it to glow

Focal Length—The distance between the optical center of the lens and the focal plane determining the degree of magnification or demagnification of the subject being filmed

Focal Plane/The Recording Surface—The plane inside the camera where the image is in focus. Generally coincides with the recording surface

Focus—In optics, the point where light rays originating from a point on the object converge, hence where the clearest and most exact reproduction of the image will be found

Focus Assist—A focusing aid which magnifies a portion of the image allowing critical focus with the viewfinder or LCD viewscreen

Focus Point—The subject or area that is in sharpest focus

Focus Ring—A device on a lens that brings a subject into focus by very precisely moving the front elements of the lens forward and backward in relation to the focal plane

Foley Artist—A person who creates and records foley effects as they watch each scene in a film

Foley Effects—A system for recording sound effects in postproduction, where a foley artist watches scenes and produces sounds with whatever objects or surfaces needed to create the right sound

Follow Focus—A situation where the camera operator or assistant retains focus on a subject while they are moving along the z-axis either closer to or farther away from the camera

Foot-Candles—Unit of measurement for the intensity of light. Foot-candles is a measurement, used in the United States, based on the light intensity of one lux per square foot. Equal to approximately 10 3/4 lux

Foreshortening/Production Coordinator—The perceptual understanding that objects will appear to be smaller the farther they are from the viewer, and conversely, that objects will appear larger the closer they are to the viewer

Form—A film’s stylistic approach, usually used to differentiate from the content

Format—See file format

Four-Walling—A situation where filmmakers pay for the theatrical release of their own film by renting a theater to promote the film themselves

Frame—Each individual still image captured on film or on video

Frame Rate—Refers to the number of still frames that are captured by a camera, or played back on a viewing system, expressed in frames per second (fps)

Frequency—The number of waves that pass a fixed point over a period of time, expressed in terms of number of waves per second and measured in Hertz (Hz)

Frequency Bands—In audio, the different ranges of sound frequencies, typically divided into low, midrange, and high frequencies

Frequency Filters—Filters used to automatically remove unwanted portions of the frequency range

Frequency Range—The range of detectable pitches for a given apparatus

Frequency Response—The frequency range that a microphone or a sound recorder can duplicate in a useful way, measured in a frequency response chart

Fresnel—A type of closed face spotlight that uses a lens with series of concentric focusing rings to achieve a long throw with a soft edged spot

Friction Head—A type of tripod head that uses a resistance mechanism employing surface friction between internal plates to create movement resistance

Frontal Light—Illumination that comes from the angle of the camera

Frontal Shot—A shot taken from directly in front of a subject

Full Blue—A color conversion gel that converts 3,200K light into 5,600K

Full CTO—A color conversion gel that converts 5,600K light directly into 3,200K

Fundamental Tone—The central and dominant shape of a sound wave

Fuse—A safety device inserted into an electrical circuit that will “blow” or melt when the circuit overheats or is short-circuited

Gaffer—Crewmember who is the head electrician

Gaffer’s Tape—Special tape used on set, rips easily into any width and length strip you need, holds well, and leaves no adhesive residue behind

Gain—A measure of electronic amplification, said of the boosting of the video signal coming from the image sensor or the record level of a sound signal, expressed in dB

Gamma—The way that an imaging device differentiates between the various luminance tonalities in a scene. It is represented by the deviation from the straight-line portion of the characteristic exposure curve. Gamma defines the relationship between a pixel’s numerical value and its actual luminance

Gator Clamp—Heavy-duty spring clamp with rubber teeth that ensure a very tight grip

Gel—Sheet of material used in front of a lighting unit (or over a window) to alter the color or quality of that particular light source before it falls on the scene

Genre—A way to categorize film according to its narrative and stylistic elements

Gimbal Mount—A camera stabilizer rig that uses gyroscopes to allow the camera to remain suspended on a horizontal plane regardless of how it is moved

Global Shutter—A method of electronic image capture where all the pixels on a sensor are exposed to light at the same moment and register a complete image

Gloves—Protective garment worn on the hands, important to wear when handling lights

Goals—What a character would ideally like to accomplish

Gobo—The general name given to anything placed between a light source and the scene that throws a shadow pattern

Gobo Head/Production Coordinator—The adjustable parts that attach to a C-stand to hold gobos, flags, and scrims, etc.

Graduated Filter—A filter that incrementally introduces a filter effect into only a portion of the frame, leaving the rest of the frame unaffected

Graphic Match—When shots are connected for their compositional similarities

Graphics—Visual material that can be created using your NLE’s title tool or other software such as Photoshop or Aftereffects

Grid Cloth—A waterproof textile or fabric diffusion that is reinforced to allow it to be sewn or grommeted

Grip—The crewmember who sets up, rigs, and supports camera equipment

Gross Revenue—The total amount of sales revenue without subtracting any expenses

Group Shot—A shot that includes more than three people

Gyroscope—A camera stabilizer rig that functions on a spinning wheel or disc so the axis of rotation can assume any orientation and correct for tilt, roll, and pan movements

Half Blue—CTB gel that converts 3,200K to 4,100K

Handles—The extra frames at either side of a cross-fade. Alternatively, any extra media added when exporting media files

Hard Effects—The sound effects that are gathered as nonsync sound and then inserted into the sound design either as postsynchronous sound or as a nonsync sound effect

Hard Light/Production Coordinator—Light that travels directly from a lamp to the subject

Harmonic—An audio frequency or tone that accompanies the main tone at another fixed frequency

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)—An audio/video interface for transferring uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from a source device, such as a digital camera, to a compatible field monitor or projector, etc.

Head—The part of the tripod where the camera is mounted. If it is a pan head, it swivels left and right for panning, and up and down for tilting

Head (Editing)—Beginning of a frame

Headphone Jack—A connector used for standard headphones, typically a 1/422 miniplug

Headroom—In digital audio recording, the range between the maximum record volume and 0dB, which allows a buffer for any unforeseen and sudden audio spikes

Height/Production Coordinator—The vertical position of a lighting unit

Hertz (Hz)— A unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second

High Angle (Lighting)—When the lighting unit is positioned high above the subject

High-Angle (Camera)—A shot composed when raising the camera above eye level

High-Definition—Higher resolution and quality than SD or standard resolution video. Measured in lines of horizontal image resolution, as in 720P with 720 lines, or 1080i, with 1080

High-Key Lighting—Lighting with bright and even illumination, minimizing shadows, texture, and dimensionality

Histogram—A graph shown on cameras and monitors displaying the light value of every pixel registered by the sensor on an axis from black to white

HMI (Hydrargyrum Medium-arc Iodide)—Large mercury vapor lights developed as an alternative to tungsten lighting, they are daylight balanced (5,600K)

Hue—The color values of an image

Hybrid Large Sensor Camera—A camera that attempts to bridge the gap between the ease of use of video cameras and the large sensors and interchangeable lenses of DSLRs

Hypercardioid/Production Coordinator—A microphone with a pickup pattern that has a narrow range of acceptance and increased sensitivity

Hypothesis—A basic claim about the world or society that your film expresses, subject to change over the course of the production process

I/O Connector—Input/Output connector used for outputting digital video and audio

Icon—A symbol used in computer software to indicate a specific function; in editing an icon corresponds to a specific item, task, or tool

Ideation—The process of conceptualizing a project

Image Plane—The place where the image coming from the camera lens resolves or focuses. In digital video the image plane is the sensor surface. See focal plane

Image Resolution—The reproduction of visual detail, sharpness of line, subtlety and degrees of luminance, and accuracy of color, usually expressed as lines of resolution or number of pixels

Impressionistic—A stylistic approach, whether to storytelling, camerawork, lighting, or sound, with a focus on emotion and subjectivity, associations, and patterns often contrasted with realism

In Sync—When sound and picture correspond with frame accuracy

In-Kind—Donated financial support, can include the directors and producers’ time, airfare, office rent, or equipment rental

In-Point—The point indicated in editing where a shot will begin

Incident Meter—A light meter that can read the intensity of light falling directly on a subject. Readings are taken from the position of the subject

Infinity—The situation where an infinitely distant object would be in focus, represented on the focus ring scale with the symbol ∞

Infographic—An image used to represent information or data, such as a chart or other visualization

Informed Consent—The principle that subjects should know what a film is about and what their role will be, and what the possible consequences of participation might be, before giving consent to be filmed

Ingest—The process of bringing material into a NLE environment

Input Connectors—On a camera these are how external signals, audio, and time code, are brought in for recording

Inputs/Production Coordinator—The signal route for a device that processes or reproduces signals, typically audio

Insert—An edit which works by opening up a space in the timeline for the new clip and pushing any existing material further down the timeline

Intellectual Montage—Conceptual editing that juxtaposes shots with the goal of creating new meaning, or illustrating a concept

Intensity—The strength of an emitted source, whether sound or light

Interlaced Scanning—A method of scanning in which the camera’s imaging device first outputs the odd-numbered horizontal pixel lines, one at a time, from the top to the bottom, creating a half-resolution image that is called a field of video. Then, the imaging device returns to the top of the frame to output the even-numbered rows, from the top to the bottom, to fill in the rest of the information with a second field. These two fields of video are interlaced to make up one full frame

International Driver’s Permit—A permit issued by most national drivers’ associations that allows a person with a driver’s license to drive in a foreign country

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)—A specialized agency of the United Nations that is responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies; they are also involved in defining video standards globally, as for 4K UHD

Interview—A face-to-face meeting where a person poses questions to a subject

Introduction/Production Coordinator—A concise, one-paragraph description of a project: what the film is about, how long it will be, and what the general significance of the story is

Inverse Square Law—A law that states the intensity of a given sound or image decreases by the square of its distance from the source

Iris—A diaphragm inside the camera lens made up of flat metal blades that controls the amount of light striking the sensor

ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial)—Digital television standards used in Japan, Brazil, and most of South America

Isolated Tracks—Unmixed single recorded audio tracks

Isolation Pads—Found on over-the-ear headphones to ensure that what is being heard is only the audio being picked up by the microphone

J-Cut—An edit where the sound comes in before the picture

Jamming—Refers to matching the time code of two devices such as a camera and a sound recorder, or two cameras, usually by briefly connecting with a cable

Jello Artifact/Skew—An effect caused by a rolling shutter where the image wobbles unnaturally

Jib—A boom device that holds the camera on one end and a counterweight on the other, with a balance point close to the counterweight, used to create acrane or boom shot

Jump Cut—When two shots of the same subject are cut together and the frames are very similar, causing the image to “jump”

Juxtaposition—The placing of two shots one after the other to create filmic meaning

Kelvin Scale—Unit of measurement for color temperature. In the Kelvin scale 0 is absolute zero, and the units are the equivalent of centigrade degrees. The color is based on what is known as black body radiation where a piece of iron, for example, will glow first red, then orange, up the spectrum as it is heated

Key Light—A light that provides main illumination of a scene

Keyframe—In computer graphics, a frame used to indicate the beginning or end of a change made to the signal. Used in NLE systems for image transitions, audio level alterations, etc.

Key-toFill Ratio—The ratio between the key and the fill lights as they hit a subject. The formula is Key + fill: fill

Kicker—A small low-powered hard light source that shines from a side or back angle to provide definition in the subject’s body, face, or hair

L-Cut—An edit with new picture coming in before the new sound

LCD Monitor—A liquid crystal display flat screen video monitor, typically backlit

LCD Viewscreen—A small LCD monitor that flips open, found in most digital cameras

Lead Room—Extra vertical space in front of a moving figure in the frame. Also called “walking room.”

LED (Light Emitter Diode)—A technology that uses sets of tiny individual cells for both monitor and lighting applications. As light sources they are highly efficient, and use DC power, which means that LED lights can be powered with batteries

LED Monitor—A display that uses tiny LED lights

Legs/Sticks—The part that holds the tripod up, the legs adjust to define the tripod’s height and therefore the camera angle

Lens—A set of one or more elements, typically glass, taking light reflecting off of a scene to create an image in conjunction with a camera body or other sensing device

Lens Element—An optical lens that is part of a series that go to make up a compound lens

Lens Filter—A filter used to adjust the quality, color, or intensity of the light entering the camera

Lens Flare—When light scatters in a lens system creating visible artifact across an image. See flaring

Lens Housing/Barrel—A light-tight housing where lens elements are held parallel to each other

Lens Speed—The largest possible aperture opening of a particular lens, hence a definition of its maximum light gathering capability

Letter of Inquiry—A short version of a proposal, often the first approach to a funder

Level Control/Gain Control/Production Coordinator—On an audio mixer or recording device, the control that increases or diminishes the strength of the incoming audio signal

Levels—The strength of your audio as it enters the recorder, as in, “Your levels are too high”

Licensing Agreement—A legal contract that grants the rights to use a still image, a piece of music, a sound effect, or a film clip in a person’s work

Lift—An edit that is performed by placing in- and out-points and removing selected material from a timeline, leaving a gap in the timeline where the deleted material used to be

Light Stand—A stand for mounting lights

Lighting Ratio—The ratio that reflects the relative intensities of light sources illuminating a subject or scene. See key-to-fill ratio

Limiter—An automatic volume control that brings down peaking sounds that are unacceptably high

Line Level Signal—The audio signal used between audio devices such as cameras, mixers, and amplifiers. Distinguished from the mic level signal, which is much weaker

Line Producer—A producer who focuses specifically on the daily logistics of the shoot

Link—An editing command that is used to marry two files, such as a video file with its corresponding sync audio

Live—An acoustic environment with hard surfaces that reverberate easily

Location or ID Shot—A shot that tells an audience where the events they are seeing are unfolding

Location Permit—A permit allowing one to film in an institutional or restricted locale, whether privately owned or public

Location Scout—In documentary this is typically someone on the production crew, whether the director, producer, or cinematographer who will be involved in location choices and assessing a location

Location Survey—A visit to a location before shooting to develop a shooting plan, and to assess resources and issues that may arise in terms of sound or picture recording

Log Gamma/Extended Dynamic Range—A camera setting that stretches the dynamic range of the exposure to the maximum the sensor is capable of, typically expressed in the added number of f-stops between the darkest and brightest parts of the image

Logging—The process of naming and describing clips at the beginning of the editing process

Long Shot (LS)—Generally a shot that contains the whole human figure

Long Throw—The capability for hard light to travel a long distance

Looking Room—Extra vertical space, to one side or the other of a frame in the direction a subject is looking. Also “look room.”

Lot—A box of archival material

Loudness—The magnitude of sound

Low Angle (Lighting)—When the lighting unit is positioned low, below the subject

Low-Angle (Camera)—A shot composed when lowering the camera below eye level

Low-End Roll-Off—A microphone switch that makes the microphone less sensitive to low frequencies

Low-Frequency Attenuation Filters—A filter used to automatically suppress low frequencies

Low-Key Lighting—A lighting setup with a high key-to-fill ratio

Low-Pass Filter—A filter used to pass signals with a frequency lower than a certain cutoff frequency and attenuate signals with frequencies higher than the cutoff frequency

Lower Third—Title used to identify the people in a film, as well as locations

LPCM Audio (Linear Pulse Code Modulation)—A system used for converting an analog sound signal to digital data via sampling

Lumen—An SI (metric) measurement of light intensity, about a tenth of a foot-candle

Luminance—The part of a video signal that carries information about different light levels, or shades of black and white

Macro Lens—A special type of lens that allows for very close focusing on an object

Mafer Clamp—Heavy-duty clamp designed to lock onto pipes, doors, etc., featuring a stud for holding a light, or other grip gear

Magic Hour—The period just before sunset when there is still enough light to film, but the strong shadows of normal daylight are missing

Manual Aperture Override—A function used to turn the auto iris on briefly to get an average exposure and then return to manual iris function for fine tuning

Manual Mode—A camera setting that forces the user to manually adjust aperture, shutter speed, gain/ISO, or other functions

Manual Override—When the user is given control over an otherwise automatic system, as on a camera or sound recording device

Marker—A reference tab that can be put on audio and visual files while editing

Market—As in film market, one of the various ways a film will reach audiences, such as theatrical, broadcast, or video-on-demand

Master List—In editing, a list of all the elements of footage shot, and sound recorded, with the date created and a short description of the material

Master Mix Track—In audio postproduction, the final mix track used to create versions for distribution

Master Shot—A shot used to establish a space and where characters are relative to one another and their environment

Master Use License—Grants the right to include a specific recording of the composition in a film, controlled by the record label

Mastering—The process of outputting the final film to a sturdy, archivally sound digital form from which distribution copies can be made

Material Exchange Format (.mxf)—A container or wrapper format used extensively for media files in both acquisition and editing contexts

Matte Box—Equipment that is attached to the front of the camera and allows for the use of external filters in front of the lens

Media Bay—The place on a digital camera where media is inserted for recording

Media File Indicator—In an NLE system, the time code and clip name used to “point” to or identify the original media file

Media Files—In digital production, the data form of visual or audio footage

Media Format—The physical medium on which video or audio data is recorded

Media Transfer Device—A camera or card reader used to download footage into an NLE system

Medium Close-Up (MCU)—A shot that generally frames a subject from the chest or shoulders up

Medium Shot (MS)—A shot that frames a subject from approximately the waist up

Merge Clips (Premiere Pro)—A command used to create a single synced clip out of components including, for example, separate sound and picture files

Metadata—In digital files, information included along with the media. It can include data from creation date, and iris settings, to copyright info, and other user-defined information

Metric Montage—Editing where cuts are based on regularities in the duration of the shots

Microphone Attenuation—A switch that cuts the overall volume of incoming audio by 10 or 20 dB

Microphone Level Signal—The fluctuating voltage created by a microphone sent as electronic signal to a preamp or amplifier

Mids—The central range of luminances in an image, between the shadow area and the highlights

Milky Blacks—Blacks that are not rich in all portions of an image and that have low luminance levels. Typically a side effect of adding shadow detail

Mini-Jack—Electrical connector used to carry line audio and microphone audio with an adaptor

Miniplug Connector—A 1/8” connector for external microphone input

Mirrorless Shutter Camera—A digital camera, typically with a still photography form factor and lacking an optical viewfinder

Mise-en-Scène—Everything that the audience sees on the screen, including props, costume design, staging

Mix Track—A master track, either stereo, mono, or surround sound, that is mixed down from the output of multiple tracks to accompany the image for exhibition and distribution

Mixed Lighting—A situation where available light sources and film lighting units are combined

Modeling—In cinematography, creating depth by casting shadows

Moleskin—Soft, heavy cotton fabric, using to wrap lavalier microphones and prevent rustling noises

Monitor/Production Coordinator—A screen capable of playing back a video (and audio) signal from a camera or other playback device, as in field monitor and studio monitor

Monitor Hood—A cover for a monitor that protects from sun glare in location situations

Mono Mix—An audio mix designed for single channel playback where both channels of audio are the same

Mono Recording—An audio setup where each microphone or sound source has its own recorded channel

Monopod—A type of camera support with a single pole or leg that can be used to reduce camera shake in the vertical plane

Motivated Light Source—A light that appears to come from a natural source such as the sun, or an overhead light in a room

Music Cue Sheet—A schedule of the music contained in a film or television program. It is the essential document for a licensing company to distribute royalties for musical performances in audiovisual media

Musical Score—Nonsync and non-diegetic music that generally accompanies action or dialogue to underscore the events of a scene with a tone, a mood, or musical commentary

Narration—Spoken commentary in a film from a source that is non-diegetic or outside the story

Narrative Promise—A point early in a documentary where you give your audience a taste of what is to come

National Television System Committee (NTSC)—A committee in the United States that creates broadcast standards for television

Natively—Said of a situation where digital files can be ingested as they are, without transcoding

Natural Light—The light coming from a natural source or another source that is not electric

Naturalistic/Realistic—A filmmaking approach that strives to appear as plausible and harmonious with the real environment as possible

Needle-Drop Music—Prerecorded music from music libraries

Net Revenue—The total income of a film minus any expenses a distributor has incurred marketing the film

Nets—Netting material stretched across a frame used purely to cut the intensity of light, by one, two, or three stops, mounted on a C-stand

Neutral Density Filter (ND Filter)—Gray-tinted filters that cut down the amount of light entering the lens in measured steps

Neutral Density Gels—A gel used to cut down the intensity of a light source without affecting the color or light quality

Noise—Residual low-level sound generated by a sound recording system that is always present, as in signal-to-noise ratio

Non-Diegetic Sound—Sound that has no source in the world of film. Examples are film music and narration

Non-Drop-Frame Time Code (NDF TC)—A time code that counts frames according to the original black-and-white video frame rate, assigning a new number to each video frame at a consistent rate of 30 frames per second

Nonexclusive—Rights granted to a party with the understanding that the licensor can grant those same rights to another third party

Nonlinear Editing System—Video or audio software that uses nondestructive editing

Nonsynchronous—In sound recording, audio that has no corresponding image

Nonvolatile—Said of computer memory that can be stored and retrieved after the device has been powered down

Normal Lens/Medium Lens—A lens that creates a field of view close to what to the human eye would experience

Object Overlapping—When one object overlaps with another to achieve a feeling of deep receding space

Objectivity—Judgment ostensibly not formed by personal opinion or emotion, but by fact

Observational Filmmaking—Style of filmmaking characterized by unscripted action with a highly observational “fly-on-the-wall” approach

Observational Material—Material within the raw footage that passively observes a subject or situation

Obstacle—In dramatic terms, an opposition or a conflict that needs to be overcome

Off-Line Editing—Using low-resolution proxies for editing

Off-Screen—The real world environment that is cropped, and not shown in the frame

Off-Screen Dialogue—When the voice of a person who is part of a scene is speaking but they are not in the view of the camera

On-Axis—Correct placement of the mic in relation to the audio source so that it is directly in line with the microphone’s optimal sensitivity range

Onboard Microphone—An external microphone mounted on a camera or camera rig

Online Editing/Conforming—Re-creating a cut on a high-end edit system using high-resolution footage or original source material; can include color correction or insertion of final graphics

Online Session—A picture finishing session in a postproduction facility

On-Screen Dialog—When the voice of a person who is part of a scene is speaking while being in view of the camera

Open Frame—When the composition leads the audience to be aware of the area beyond the edges of the visible shot

Open Media Framework (OMF)—A file format for moving sound files as well as edit information, and even effect information, between applications

Open-Faced Spot—A common lighting unit producing hard light that has a movable lamp, allowing one to focus its throw from a broad to a more narrowly defined area

Opening—The beginning of a dramatic arc; is meant to draw the audience into a story, give them a basic sense of what the topic is, introduce the audience to at least one of the main characters, establish the style of a film, including major elements, and give the viewer a sense of the scope of the discussion

Opening Montage—Associative editing montage located at the beginning of a film

Optical Center—The point inside a lens where the image reverses itself

Optical Refraction—A process of gathering the light reflecting off a scene and bending it to form an image on the focal plane

Optical Zoom—A type of lens that allows for the alteration of the focal length, for instance, from wide to telephoto by adjusting the front lens elements

Out-Point—The point indicated in editing where a shot will end

Output Connectors—A connector used for monitoring sound or picture, or transferring files

Outtake—The shots within the raw footage a filmmaker does not use

Overexposed—What happens to an image when too much light goes through the lens, creating a washed out image with no definition in the highlights

Overlay Edit—A type of edit that will cover over the excess portion of the outgoing shot starting at the edit insertion point

Overmodulated/Overloaded—In sound recording when a signal is too strong to be sampled accurately and the result is distorted sound, or “clipping”

Overtonal/Associational Montage—A montage that is the combination of metric, rhythmic, and tonal montage properties

Overtones—Any frequency that is higher than the fundamental frequency of a sound. See harmonic

Overwrite—An edit that covers up whatever was in the timeline before the source material came in

P2—Short for “Professional Plug-In,” a professional digital recording solid-state memory storage media format created by Panasonic

Pacing—The rate of speed that a scene, or sequence of scenes, plays out

PAL (Phase Alternate Line)—Analog SD video standard based on 50 fps and 625 lines of resolution. Since replaced with Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standards in countries using PAL

Pan—A dynamic camera move that scans space horizontally by pivoting the camera left or right

Pan Handle—A handle used to control the movements of the tripod head

Pan Head—A type of tripod head that gives the camera independent rotation horizontally and vertically

Pan Slider—In NLEs and audio software, a tool used to select which channel on a mix track each audio track should be directed to, or the real world equivalent on a hardware audio mix board

Pan With/Follow Pan—A pan that follows a subject as they move through space

Panning From/To—A pan that moves from one subject to another

Paper Edit—A preliminary edit written on paper, and based on an initial evaluation of the raw material before actual editing

Participatory—Style of filmmaking where the filmmaker catalyzes events within the film

Payroll Service—A service that can be used to pay the salaries of staff, such as a film crew, and deal with workman’s compensation, social security, and other tax-related issues

Peak Reading Meter—A hardware or software device that measures and indicates the momentary highest levels of sound entering the recorder

Perspective—Relationship between objects in a scene based on the focal length and field of view of the lens

Phantom Power—A method for powering condenser microphones where electrical current flows through the output to the microphone from the recorder or camera

Phase Error—An error that occurs when sound waves arrive at different times from the same source, canceling each other out. The result is a noticeable muffling of the audio

Photosphere—The light sensitive half-globe light diffuser on an incident light meter that gathers the light falling on a subject from the front and sides and averages out these light intensities to arrive at an overall incident light intensity reading

Picture Lock—The point in postproduction when the placement of all the picture elements is perfect, and all of the creative editing decisions are complete

Pillarboxing—A system for inserting an image with a 4:3 aspect ratio into a wider aspect ratio frame, where the sides of the frame are filled with black

Pistol Grip—A small handle attached to a shock mount to allow the handholding of a microphone

Pitch—The property of sound caused by the frequency of the sound waves that determine how high (treble) or low (bass) the sound is

Pits—The microscopic bumps and indentations found on DVDs, CDs, and Blu-rays

Pivot Camera Move—A shot where the camera pivots, horizontally or vertically, from a stationary spot

Pixel—Light-sensitive photodiode, mounted in an array on a CCD or CMOS image sensor

Plane of Critical Focus—The precise region in front of the camera that will be in sharp focus

Plasma Display—A flat display screen or monitor in which pixels are colored fluorescent cells

Platforms—A hardware/software context for seeing media. Used particularly for video on demand and other net-based distribution situations, but also applicable to broadcast television or cable

Playhead—On an NLE timeline, a horizontally scrolling vertical line running through all edited tracks indicating where the media will play back from the timeline

Plot—What happens during a film, what the characters do, and what happens to them, including how and why those things happen, and the results

Pluraleyes—A software program by Singular Software that synchronizes audio and video clips automatically without the need for time code or slates

Point of View—A type of shot that reflects the perspective of someone in the film

Point Source—In lighting, a light that is generated from something approximating a single point, for example a filament in a light bulb, or a candle

Polarizing Filter—A filter used to reduce or eliminate the obstructing glare and reflections coming off transparent surfaces like glass and water, works by eliminating all light waves except for those with one orientation

Pop Filter—A filter used to diminish the strength of a plosive “P”

Portable Field Mixer/Microphone Mixers—Small audio consoles that allow for independent level control of multiple microphone inputs, and then output this audio as either a microphone or a line signal to your camcorder through two channels

Postproduction—The creative and technical processes that go on after the shooting stops

Postproduction Binder—A binder that holds important information such as the master list of footage, logs, and transcripts, used while editing

Postproduction Supervisor—Someone who oversees the postproduction process, organizing the workflow, and taking care of aspects other than editing such as obtaining archival material, clearing rights, maintaining schedule between different personnel

Postsynchronous—Sound such as effects that is synced up to a corresponding image in the editing

Practical—Lights that are part of your location, such as household lamps or overhead fixtures

Preamplifier/Preamps—Part of electronic sound reproduction equipment that boosts the incoming signal

Presence—The overall sound of a location

Presetting Focus—Finding focus on a subject by zooming in and focusing on a detail and then zooming back out to one’s frame

Pressed Discs—A way of making DVDs or Blu-ray discs in large quantities, also called replication

Pressure Zone Microphones (PZMs)/Boundary Mics—Specialized mics mounted on a plate that eliminates reverb in situations where many people are speaking from different parts of a room

Preview Monitor (Avid)—Window used to view an entire clip and then set in-points and outpoints to delineate the exact piece of footage from a longer shot. A source monitor

Primary Sources—People in a documentary who have experienced an event such as eyewitnesses or participants

Prime Lens—A lens with one fixed focal length

Prism Block—A solid geometrical grouping of optical glass where light gathered from the lens is split into the three primary colors of light

Pro-Filmic Reality—The real world that encompasses the world of the film

Production Assistants—Crewmembers who help with various logistical aspects of production

Production Insurance—An insurance package that will cover liability, as well as loss or damage to production equipment

Production Management—The practical dimension of producing a film, including the organizing of scheduling and personnel and managing expenses

Production Sound—Audio gathered on location, also called field recordings

Production Value—The overall quality and aesthetic impact of a film’s technical aspects like lighting, sound, and cinematography

Profile Shot—A shot of the subject taken from the side

Program Leader—Footage placed at the head of your program master, including color bars and tone, a slate, and a countdown

Program Master—The definitive version of a film, used for creating exhibition and distribution copies

Program Panel (Premiere Pro)—The window used to watch the sequence as you build it, displays wherever the timeline playhead rests

Program Slate—A simple title at the beginning of a film intended for a broadcaster or programmer that typically includes title, running time, audio information, production date, and maker’s name

Progressive Scanning—A method of scanning in which the sensor scans a full frame of video from top to bottom in a continuous line

Project File—The main file created by a NLE; it includes EDLs for various sequences, source media information, user preferences, and settings

Project Panel (Premiere Pro)—The main window for storing, organizing, and accessing all of the visual and audio elements for a project

Project Window (Avid)—The main window for storing, organizing, and accessing all of the visual and audio elements for a project

Proposal—Initial plan for filmmaking used to communicate the vision for a film clearly and powerfully, and used for fundraising efforts

Provenance—The history of origin and ownership of an image or an object

Proxies—Lower-resolution versions of high-resolution media files used for off-line editing

Public Domain—Material that has either aged out of copyright, was produced before a copyright existed, or material produced by a government agency

Pulldown Menus—A type of software interface. In NLE software, these menus are a place where any given command can be found

Pulling Focus—The act of changing the camera’s focus distance so the subject can remain in focus while changing position

Quality (of Light)—The texture of a light: how hard or soft its beam is

Quantizing—The process of transforming analog information into digital data

Quantizing Error—The round-off error introduced by quantization, noticeable in lower bitrate digital sound or image

Quick Release—A small easily detachable plate used to pop the camera on and off the head of a tripod quickly

Radio Mic/Production Coordinator—A small pocket-size transmitter/receiver system (typically transmitting in the UHF band) to which a microphone is attached

Random Access—The ability of a computer to access any piece of media instantly

Rarefaction—Low pressure in a sound wave

Rationale—The portion of a proposal that informs readers why the film needs to be made

RAW File Format—A digital image file that has not been compressed

Raw Footage—Everything shot during production

Raw Media—Uncompressed media

RCA Plug—Electrical connector used to carry line audio and composite analog video signals

Reenactment—The recreation of prior events for film

Re-Link—Reestablishing the relationship between the media file indicator (the clip) and the underlying media files if it has broken for some reason

Remix Culture—The generational idea that creators can easily borrow and adapt images and sounds created by others

Rerecord Mixer/Dubbing Mixer—A postproduction audio engineer who mixes recorded dialog, sound effects, and music for a film

Reaction Shot—A shot that breaks away from the action of the film in order to show a character’s reaction to that action, particularly other people speaking

Realism—An approach to documentary filmmaking that creates the effect of reality, of being a “slice of life,” without any manipulation of events

Recordable Disc—A media storage disc such as a DVD, Blu-ray, or CD that can be used to record and play back using lasers

Recording Level—The levels that are monitored while recording audio during production, also known as record level

Recording Media Format—Includes both the type of media the data is stored on and the file type, sample rate, etc.

Recording Surface—In a camera, the faceplate of the sensor, or the face of the prism block. This is where the image is registered

Reference Audio—In double-system shooting, audio recorded with the camera’s built-in microphone, used as a reference while syncing sound in post

Reference Tone—A 1-kHz pure tone used to calibrate a chain of audio devices in the field

Reference Track—The most important track in a mix, used as the base for creating sound levels

Reflecting/Bouncing—A method of moving light where it is needed using a specular or light-colored surface

Reflective Light Meter—A light meter that measures the light bouncing off of a surface

Reflector—Any device that can be used to bounce light, either cloth, metallized cloth, or a show card

Reflexive—Style of filmmaking that draws attention to the film’s construction, often through the presence of the filmmaker on- or off-screen

Reflexivity—When the filmmaking process is revealed in the film

Refutative Argument—Presenting the opinions of people who counteract the essential claim of the documentary

Release Form—A legally binding contract between the filmmaker and the subject being filmed, stipulating that the subject consents to being filmed and included in the final work

Render Files—Process of creating temporary video and audio render files for segments of a sequence that are altered digitally in editing, such as transitions, or sound level alterations

Replication—Process of physically molding the pits of the data track into the surface of the polycarbonate plastic, which is then coated in aluminum to create a disc

Resistance Mechanism—The mechanism that creates the resistance or drag of the tripod head against the weight of the camera and the speed of a pan or tilt

Resolution—In story structure, the final outcome of rising action and climax. For cinematographic definition, see image resolution

Reveal—A single shot that starts with one frame, and then gives new information, often through a camera move

Reverberation (Reverb)—A very short delay in the return of a sound

RGB—The three primary colors of light: red, green, and blue as used in a computer color space

Rhetoric—Effective use of language or speech and the impact of a message on an audience

Rhetorical Approaches—A filmmaking approach that explores real-life situations and conflict, crafting arguments through the presentation of events, evidence, information, and analysis

Rhythm—The duration of shots relative to each other, and the patterns of emphasis, or pulses, these durations create

Rhythmic Montage—Montage where changes in rhythm create new meaning

Riding the Gain/Production Coordinator—Raising or lowering the record level as needed

Rights-Managed—A way to license copyrighted work where a person pays for rights that may be restricted by time (a certain number of years) or platform (broadcast, theatrical) or market (national, international)

Rim Light—A lighting unit that is positioned 180° away from the camera and pointing near or toward it, illuminating the subject’s back

Rising Action—The bulk of a film, includes the development of voices, events, and the nuances that contextualize the basic conflict to create a larger and more complex picture

Rocker Switch—A pressure sensitive switch that controls the servo zoom control on a camera lens

Roll-Off Filter—In audio recording, a roll-off filter cuts the sensitivity to unwanted frequencies, typically very low or high sounds. They can be found on microphones, mixers, and recorders

Rolling Shutter—A method of image capture that exposes and reads out one line of pixels at a time (as opposed to the whole frame)

Room Tone—The ambient sound of a location when no one is talking

Rough Cut—Preliminary cuts of a film that follow a paper edit, and precede the fine cut; where the scenes and structure of the documentary are worked out

Rough Cut Screenings—A screening of an unfinished film for sample audiences

Royalties—Money paid to a filmmaker for the sale or use of their film

Royalty-Free—Category of material that is owned, but that can be used freely under some circumstances without licensing

Rule of Thirds—A guide to composing an aesthetically pleasing frame where it is divided into thirds with imaginary lines along the horizontal and vertical axes (making four points of particular interest), where significant objects, focus points, and elements of interest are positioned along these lines

Sales Agent—A person who represents the filmmakers’ interest, often when selling to distributors, and negotiates the contract and conditions of the sale of a film

Sample—In digital recording, a single measurement of a waveform whether sound or light

Sample Rate—In digital media, the number of samples per second. For an HD video luminance signal, the sample rate is 75.25 MHz. For audio, a sample rate of 48 kHz is standard for film work

Sample Size—A measure of the accuracy and detail of each audio sample, determined by the number of binary digits assigned to each sample. See bit depth

Sandbags—A bag or sack made from sturdy material filled with sand, placed over the legs of light or grip stands as a safety measure to prevent their toppling over

Saturation—The intensity of a particular color, expressed as the degree to which it differs from white

Scanning—In video, the process that analyzes an image line by line and outputs it as a continuous signal for recording

Scanning Type—There are two types of scanning used in digital recording, interlaced (i) and progressive (p)

Scene—A dramatic unit in which action ostensibly happens in continuous time and within a single location

Scratch—A placeholder to indicate any footage or elements that remain to be acquired, typically said of preliminary music or narration

Scratch Disk (Premiere Pro)—The destination storage drive for any files created by an NLE, such as render files

Scratch Mix—A preliminary mix where audio levels are at a comfortable range without spending too much time developing a full mix

Scratch Narration—Temporary narration, a placeholder for final narration

Scratch Track—A placeholder audio track used to sync audio and visual footage, usually deleted after the syncing process is complete

Screen Direction—The movement of a character through the frame in an edited shot must maintain the same direction, left to right or right to left, in order to sustain continuity

Scrim—Wire mesh screens that fit directly in front of the lighting unit and reduce the light’s intensity

Script—A written description of what the audience sees and hears

Scroll—The movement of titles or credits from bottom to top or top to bottom of the screen

SDI/HD-SDI (Serial Digital Interface)—The US broadcast standard for digital video signals (set by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, or SMPTE)

SECAM (Séquential Couleur Avec Mémoire)—Former European analog standard

Secondary Sources—Experts, academics, or policy makers used in interviews

Secure Digital (SD)—A type of small nonvolatile memory card commonly used in cameras and sound recording devices

Selective Focus—Focusing on an aspect of the frame to isolate and highlight a particular part of the image

Selects—In editing, shots chosen by the editor from the raw footage that a filmmaker deems most usable

Sensor (Image Sensor)—In a camera, the light sensitive device that converts an image from the lens into a digital file. See CMOS and CCD

Sequence—In story structure, a part of a film, usually longer than a shot or a scene, that is unified by a theme or a larger idea. In NLE editing, the actual series of shots in one timeline

Sequence Monitor (Avid)—The window used to watch the sequence as you build it, displays wherever the timeline playhead rests

Sequence Settings—The settings for frame rate and size and codec, used to determine the format of any new sequence created

Servo Zoom Mechanism/Servo Zoom Motor—A motorized system that enables a user to glide through the zoom range, from wide-angle to telephoto and back smoothly at different speeds

Set Lights—Lights used to light the space of a set, as opposed to the main action

Setting Levels—Adjusting the strength of the recorded audio signal

Setting Tone—A process that uses a standard tone to calibrate the gain levels of linked recording devices, such as a mixer and camera or digital audio recorder in order to maintain audio level consistency

Shallow Depth of Field—In cinematography, when a narrow vertical plane is sharply defined and objects in front of or behind that plane are blurry

Shock Mount—A device that holds the microphone securely in place using rubber or other mounting that absorbs vibrations or handling noise

Shooting Flat—A shooting approach where the image has extended dynamic range in highlights and shadow detail, but looks flat and unnatural to the eye until it is corrected or graded in postproduction

Shooting from Behind—When the camera is directly behind the subject

Shooting Ratio—The ratio of total footage shot to footage being used in the final film

Short Lens—See wide-angle lens

Short-Range Apparent Motion—A phenomenon that happens when shown a rapidly changing series of sequential still images in which there is only slight difference from image to image; humans process this visual stimulus with the same perceptual mechanism used in the visual processing of real motion transforming the still images into motion through the psychological and physiological interpolation of information between the still frames

Short Throw—Light that spreads rapidly and does not travel far, said of soft light

Shortcut—In editing, a quick alternative way to perform a function, usually a designated keystroke

Shot—A continuous run of images, unbroken by an edit. Technically speaking, a shot is the footage generated from the moment the camera rolls to the moment it is turned off

Shot/Reverse Shot—A shooting technique used when two characters are speaking to each other. One character is shown looking at the other from his point of view, then the second character is shown looking back at the first character, from the first character’s point of view

Shotgun Mic/Unidirectional—A microphone with a narrow pickup pattern and hence excellent response in one direction

Shoulder—In cinematography, the brighter end of a characteristic curve where you will find the highlights

Shoulder Mount—A device that allows the support of camera equipment on the shoulder

Show and Tell Sequence—A sequence where a subject explains something to an off-screen director

Shutter Speed—The amount of time for which each frame of film or video is exposed

Sibilance Suppressor—A filter used to decrease the hiss of an “S” sound in dialog or narration

Sidelight—A lighting unit that is positioned at 90° from the camera

Sightline—The direction a character is looking

Signal—In communications, refers to the part of image or sound that contains information, as opposed to noise

Signal-to-Noise (S/N)—The ratio between the part of the signal, typically audio, that we want to record and unwanted interference that contaminates that signal

Significant Detail—A shot that provides important information

Silk—Said of any material that is stretched on a frame to diffuse light

Single-System—A sync sound recording system where audio and video are gathered at the same time and recorded to one apparatus as linked files on the same media

Sit-Down Interview—A formal interview, one where the subject or subjects are seated and focusing their attention on the interviewer or camera

Sizzle Reel—A collection of a filmmaker’s best material, used to give viewers a sense of the documentary’s style and the range of material that has been shot

Slate—When shooting double-system, a device that creates a one-frame, easily identifiable reference “moment” of an image and sound event with which to line up the picture and sound, which is recorded by the camera and the audio recorder at the beginning of every take

Slider—A small lateral dolly capable of a few feet of motion

Slow Lens—A lens with a larger f-stop and hence a reduced ability to let in light

Snap—In NLE software, an editing tool that connects two clips together as if they were magnetic, allowing quick placement of shots end-to-end

Solid State Drive (SSD)—A data storage device with no moving parts that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently

Solid-State Memory—A nonvolatile method of storing data that does not use magnetism, found on solid state drives

Sound Design—The formal approach to a film’s total aural impression

Sound Design Element—The layers of sound that add to the overall feel of a film

Sound Designer—A member of the postproduction team who is responsible for the overall aural impression of a film

Sound Edit—The part of the postproduction process that focuses on preparing the sound tracks for the sound mix

Sound Editor—The person who performs the sound editing, and prepares the sound tracks for the sound mix

Sound Effect/SFX—A sound in a film that is not speech or music, typically of short duration

Sound Effects Library—A resource that houses pre-recorded sound effects to use in films, either off- or online

Sound Mix—The process of setting levels, polishing and finalizing the various audio tracks in your sound design, and creating a mixtrack

Sound Perspective—Refers to the apparent distance of a sound. Clues include the volume of the sound and the balance with other sounds, and the amount of echo and reverberation

Sound Recordist—In media production, the crew member who decides on a sound recording strategy for a given scene, places microphones, and makes sound recordings

Sound Scout—Refers to a stage of preproduction where the sound recordist examines a location for sound issues

Sound Wave—A pressure wave, consisting of an alternating pattern of high pressure and low pressure traveling through the air or other medium

Source—In production, the origin point of a sound, or alternatively, of a particular light hitting the scene

Source Music—The name given to any music that has a visible origin in a scene

Source Panel (Premiere Pro)—A window used to view an entire clip and then set in-points and out-points to delineate the exact piece of footage used from a longer shot

Special—Low-wattage, unobtrusive light whose function is to illuminate a specific object or a small area of the frame for emphasis

Special Effect—Category of camera filter that alters or distorts the quality of the light. Also an illusion created for movies and television by props, camerawork, or generated using computer software

Specular—A mirror-like reflector, as behind the bulb of an open-faced light

Speed of Sound—How fast sound travels, at sea level in dry air, can be about 340.2 meters/sec or 1,126 feet per second

Spill Light—In cinematography, light that falls where it should not on the set

Split Edits—Edits in which the transition from one image to the other happens at a different time than the transition in the audio track

Splitters—Extension cord used for plugging multiple devices into one outlet

Spotting—In sound editing, the process of watching the picture-locked film to identify, scene by scene, the placement and character of any additional sound effects, ambience tracks, or music that are needed

Spotting Sheet—A sheet detailing the location of each sound effect, along with thoughts on the tone, mood, or other contribution that each sound is supposed to make

Spreader—A piece of the tripod attached to the legs, which keeps them from sliding out from under the camera

Staging Area—On set, an area for equipment that is safe and secure, where the subjects and crew can store their personal belongings while they are on set

Stakes—The investment the characters in a film, or the audience have in the outcome of the story or argument

Standard Legs—A type of tripod leg that has two or three stages of extension and can position the camera between about 3 feet and 6 feet high

Standard Sample Rate—In sound recording, the number of samples of audio recorded per second. For media production, this is 48 kHz

Standard-Definition/SD—The standard image resolution for broadcast television before the advent of HD recording. 525 lines in the US NTSC system, and 625 in the European PAL system

Stereo Recording—An audio setup where two microphones are used for each sound source to give a sense of sound dimensionality and perspective

Still Photo—A non-moving photograph

Stinger—The on-set name for an extension cord

Stock Footage—Footage that can be used in other films

Stock Houses—Large private collections that are in the business of collecting and licensing still and moving images

Stop—In cinematography, signifies each number on the f-stop scale

Straight Cut—An edit where picture and sound are both cut together at the same point

Strands—A television term referring to a particular program or series that acquires media of a particular type

Stream—A file structure found in cameras that shoot in the AVCHD format where the media typically is accompanied by external metadata and must be “wrapped” in a container file format for editing

Structure—How the film is organized and arranged

Stylistic Approach—A filmmaker’s aesthetic strategy for telling a filmic story

Stylized/Production CoordinatorA filmmaking approach used to draw attention to the aesthetic dimensions of representation, or to the emotional import of the situation by being overt or exaggerated in ways that make a specific narrative or thematic point

Subcarrier Frequency—A digital or analog signal riding on a main radio transmission carrying extra information like voice, color, or data

Subclips—In NLE editing, excerpted sections of an original long take that can act as independent clips

Submaster—A copy of the master film used for a specific purpose, such as duplication

Superimposition—When two images are layered one on top of the other

Surround Sound—A technique for playing back sound that provides sound from a 360° radius around the listener, typically on six or more channels

SxS—A flash memory standard used by Sony for camera recording

Synchronization Rights—An aspect of music licensing that refers to the rights to use a particular composition (as opposed to a particular recording of that music)

Synchronous (sync) Dialogue—Dialogue recorded with the picture during the production phase, and the picture and sound from the shot are both used on-screen, and frame-accurate sync is maintained during editing

Synchronous Sound—Audio that is recorded with the image, so sound and picture correspond to each other with frame accuracy

System Noise—The electronic junk that contaminates the audio signal being recorded

Tail—The end of a shot

Talking Heads—Interview footage that prominently features people talking

Target Audiences—A group of people a film is aimed toward, an intended audience

Telephoto Lens/Production Coordinator—A lens with a long focal length that magnifies the subject and gives a narrow field of view

Temp Music—In editing, music from any source used to get a feel for the style and tone that will work for a scene

Term—The amount of time noted in a distribution contract

Territory—The geographical area noted in a distribution contract

Texted Master—The version of a master that includes titles

Textless Master—A master without any titles or lower thirds

Theme—The deep central ideas in a film, that may not be referenced directly but are at the core of its meaning

Three Shot—A shot that includes three subjects

Three-Band Equalizer—A filter used to manipulate three broad areas of the sound spectrum more or less independently

Three-Point Lighting—A three light unit set up with a key light, fill light, and backlight

Three-Quarter Back—The camera shoots the subject facing away from the camera at a three-quarter angle

Three-Quarter Backlight—A lighting unit that is positioned at 45° from the camera, behind the subject

Three-Quarter Frontal (Camera)—When the camera is positioned at a 45° from where the subject is facing

Three-Quarter Frontal Light—A lighting unit that is positioned at 45° from the camera, in front of the camera

Three-Way Color Corrector—A filter used to make brightness, contrast, hue, and saturation adjustments to three regions of exposure of an image, shadow, midrange, and highlights

Threshold Level—The amplitude level above which or below which a sound must be in order to be affected by a filter

Threshold of Hearing—The minimum a human ear can hear when there are no other sounds present (0 dB)

Threshold of Pain—Where the threshold of pain and hearing meet (120 dB)

Through the Lens (TTL) Metering—A reflective light meter used to measure light levels from a scene after it has entered the lens

Throw—The ability for light from a lighting unit to reach a subject

Tilt—A dynamic camera move that employs a shift in the camera’s perspective vertically, as in “tilt up” or “tilt down”

Tilt From/To—A tilt that moves from one subject to another

Tilt Lock—A device on the tripod head that locks the head mechanism, preventing tilt

Tilt With/Follow Tilt—A tilt that follows a subject as they move

Timbre—The unique tonal composition and characteristics of a sound

Time Code—A coded signal in video that marks each frame with a unique number in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames

Time Lapse—A type of filming where a long time period is condensed to a short one by shooting frames at a very slow rate

Timeline—In an NLE display, the window where an editor inserts, deletes, arranges, rearranges, and fine-tunes clips

Timing—The specific placement of a shot within a sequence

Title Safety—The inner portion of a frame that will be visible in a variety of exhibition venues

Title Tool—Tool that creates titles and credits

Toe—The dark end of a characteristic curve

Tonal Montage—Montage that uses the emotional meaning or “mood” of the shots to determine their placement relative to one another

Tool Palette—A window used to access timeline tools

Toolbar Window—On an NLE display, a small window used to access timeline tools

Topsheet—A one-page summary of a film budget

Tough—In lighting, indicates any gel that is heat resistant and can be used on lights

Tough Frost—A heat-resistant diffusion that attaches to barn doors to create a softer light

Tough Opal—A heat-resistant diffusion that attaches to barn doors to create a slightly softer light

Tough Spun—Diffusion made of spun glass

Tracking Shot—A dynamic camera move where the camera follows a subject, typically from side to side

Trailer—A short preview of a film

Transcode—The act of converting media to a new codec, for instance, one that a NLE is optimized to work with

Transcribing—The process of a creating a word-for-word transcript of interviews and dialog from a documentary

Transcript—Word-for-word written account of an interview or other dialog

Transfer—The act of moving sound and visual components as digital data to a computer, especially one running specialized editing software

Transition Shot—A shot used to start or end a scene or sequence

Treatment—Part of a film proposal, describes what viewers will see and hear as they watch the film

Trimming—In lighting, the process of blocking light to keep it from falling where it is not needed

Tripod—A three-legged device designed to both hold the camera steady for precise subject framing and allow for fluid pans, tilts, and compound moves

Tungsten-Halogen Light/Production Coordinator—A common artificial lighting source for documentary production, with a color temperature of 3,200K. Employs a tungsten filament in a halogen gas such as iodine or bromine

Two Shot—A shot that includes two subjects

Two-Channel Stereo—See stereo recording

UHD (Ultra High Definition)—The broadcast standard for 4K digital video developed by the NHK and supported by the International Telecommunications Union. Typically an option on 4K cameras. UHD-1 supports 3840 x 2160 pixels

Unbalanced—A two wire system for audio, prone to interference and hum

Underexposed—What happens to an image when there is not enough light in a scene or part of one to get an exposure, creating an image that is too dark

USB—Universal Serial Bus, one of several connectors used to carry digital audio, video, and auxiliary data

User Preferences—In an NLE, the settings created at the start of editing that define personal preferences such as layout and display

Variable Bit Rate (VBR)—Codecs that compress less when there is more movement or color shifting from frame to frame than when the image is more static

Vectorscope—A vectorscope shows a waveform representing the amount of saturation of each color in an image, used for color correction and grading

Venue—The place where an audience encounters a film

Veracity—The truthfulness of a film

Video and Audio Tracks—The parts of the timeline where video and/or audio clips are assembled

Video Diary—A method in documentary filmmaking where subjects speak to the camera directly, often in a confessional mode, with the assumption that there is no interviewer present

Video Knee—A signal compression adjustment that, confusingly enough, affects the representation of highlights in what is also known as the “shoulder” in a characteristic exposure curve

Video Noise—Unwanted electronic aberrations and artifacts noticeable at higher gain

Video on Demand (VOD)—A service that allows users to view a selection of video or audio online whenever they choose

Video Only Icon—A button used in Premiere Pro to edit video without accompanying audio

Video Standards—In broadcasting the specifics including frame rate, image size, resolution, and more, as defined by a governing body such as the ATSC

Viewfinder—The viewing system built into a video camera that is designed for the eye

Visual Evidence—Images that convey the story or confirm a point being made with little or no explanation

Voice Coil—A wire coil with a permanent magnetic charge found in a dynamic microphone

Voice-Over Dialogue—When the film cuts to other visuals while the interviewee or subject continues speaking

VU Meter (Volume Unit Meter)—A meter used to monitor the incoming audio signal by indicating an average sound level

Walk-and-Talk—A scenario where the main subject walks around a neighborhood, or some other location, and speaks, for instance to an off-camera director

Watermark—A mark holding a company logo or icon used to mark footage

Wattage—A unit of electrical power used to rate lighting and other film equipment

Watts = Volts x Amps—Formula used to determine how many watts of lighting can be plugged into any single circuit

Wave Cycle—Refers to the frequency of a wave, for example a sound wave. Measured in cycles per second, or Hertz

Waveform Scope / Waveform Monitor—A tool, based on an oscilloscope, used to measure luminance levels in a video image by displaying a graphical representation of the brightness levels across the image

Wavelength—The length of one cycle of a sound wave plotted from one highest pressure point to the next highest pressure point

White Balance—The act of adjusting a video camera’s color circuitry to compensate for the color temperature of a light source

White Diffusion—Special effect filter that creates a soft haze, from the subtle refracting of white highlights

Whites—Brightest parts of an image

Wide-Angle Lens/Production Coordinator—A lens with a short focal length that broadens the angle of view

Wild Sound/Nonsync Sound—Audio that is recorded on location, but not simultaneously with the picture

Wild Sound Effects—Sounds recorded from the environment that can be added in to help build a richer, more complex soundtrack

Wind Noise—Audio disturbance caused by wind

Windows—In distribution, holdback periods between release times

Windscreens—A microphone attachment used to dampen the effects of wind on the diaphragm without altering the incoming sound waves

Witness Mark—A line etched into a nonmovable part of the lens barrel used while setting the focus

Work Sample—A sample of previous or current work to show potential funders the filmmaker is capable of completing a high-quality project

Workers’ Compensation—A form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment. In the United States, it is paid as part of a worker’s salary by the employer

Workflow—The technical path a project will take from acquisition to exhibition

Wrapping—Involves putting media into a container file format that the NLE can understand and work with, without necessarily changing the original shooting format encoding

X-Axis—The horizontal dimensions on a screen

XLR Connectors—The professional standard three-pin connector for microphones and mic cables used to send balanced, distortion-free audio between microphones and recorders

XLR-to-Mini Adaptor/Pigtail—An audio input that connects an XLR cable to a mini adapter to connect balanced audio to an unbalanced input on a camera or recorder

Y-Axis—The vertical dimensions on a screen

Z-Axis—The dimension of depth and distance to and from screen

Zebra Function—A setting that uses a striped overlay to indicate areas of the image that are over a specified luminance level

Zone Lighting—A naturalistic lighting strategy where certain areas of a location will be lit and others not

Zoom Lens/Variable Focal Length—A lens that offers a range of focal lengths usually expressed in a ratio between long and short focal lengths, as 10:1 or 20:1

Zoom Ring—A device on the camera that allows you to manually set the desired focal length of a variable focal length lens

Zooming In—Making the image size larger by manipulating the focal length of the image while keeping the camera stationary

Zooming Out—Making the image size smaller by manipulating the focal length of the image while keeping the camera stationary