A/B ROLL Editing process using two separate rolls (cassettes or reels) of tape. Each cassette contains alternate shots of the sequence, enabling the editor to use transitions other than straight cuts between shots.
ABSTRACT One of three basic media aesthetic choices. Abstract goes beyond realism, as seen in the way some music videos and science fiction dramas stretch the audience’s imagination and sense of reality.
ADDITIVE The colors used in mixing light and on which both film and video signals are based: red, blue, and green.
ADVANCED TELEVISION SYSTEMS COMMITTEE (ATSC) An American professional group formed to set standards for television broadcasting beyond analog National Television Standards Committee, including high-definition and digital television standards.
AESTHETIC ASPECT One of two choices that need to be made during any media session. Aesthetic covers the creative, artistic values; the other consideration is the practical aspect.
AMBIENT Prevailing environment; in audio, the background noise present at a location.
AMPLITUDE The instantaneous value of a signal; the electronic equivalent of level or loudness in audio.
ANALOG Electronic signal that is constantly varying in some proportion to sound, light, or a radiofrequency.
APERTURE (IRIS) The size, measured in f-stops, of the lens opening.
APPLE BOX A series of various sized boxes used to stand on or to carry production items. It is manufactured in standard sizes with holes on two sides to ease carrying them about the set or location.
ASA EXPOSURE INDEX Numerical system that refers to the ability of a film stock to react to light. It is set by the American National Standards Institute.
ASPECT RATIO The measurement of width to height of the visual frame: 4:3 in National Television Standards Committee; 16:9 in high-definition television.
ASSEMBLE EDIT Sequential arranging of shots in a linear manner. It can be accomplished on raw tape without previously recording a control track.
ATSC-DTV (ADVANCED TELEVISION SYSTEMS COMMITTEE–DIGITAL TELEVISION) The digital video broadcast standard set by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
ATTENUATE To decrease the level of an electronic signal.
AUDIO The sound portion of the videotape. Frequencies within the normal hearing range of humans.
AURAL Having to do with sound or audio.
AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL (AGC) Circuit that maintains the audio or video gain within a certain range. It prevents overdriving circuits, which causes distortion, but can increase signal-to-noise ratio.
AUTOMATIC LEVEL CONTROL (ALC) Circuit that maintains set levels at the output of an audio compressor to set the proper level for the next stage.
AVAILABLE LIGHT Illumination existing at a location.
BACK FOCUS The distance the lens must be mounted from the focal point for maximum focus.
BACKLIGHT Light placed behind the subject, opposite the camera; it is usually mounted fairly high and is controlled with barn doors to prevent light from shining directly into the camera lens.
BALANCED LINE An audio cable constructed with two conductors and a shield designed to provide the best protection from outside interference.
BARN DOOR Movable metal flap attached to lighting fixtures to allow control over the area covered by the light from that lamp.
BARREL A cable adapter designed to connect two cables ending in similar plugs.
BARS/GAIN ROLL A switch that allows the camera operator to record color bars or change the gain setting of the internal video amplifier.
BASE LIGHT The minimum amount of light required to provide an acceptable picture.
BASIC THREE-POINT LIGHTING Lighting designed to satisfy the need for basic lighting to create an image and provide a realistic setting for a scene. This design derives its name from the three lighting instruments used to achieve satisfactory levels and appearance: key lights, fill lights, and backlights.
BASS The low end of the audio spectrum.
BEL Basic unit of audio measurement. It is usually too large for normal usage; therefore, decibels 
bel) commonly are used instead.
BETACAM A ½-inch professional videotape format developed by Sony specifically for use in a camcorder. Betacam has replaced ¾-inch U-matic as the predominant news gathering video format. Currently, it has been upgraded to BetaSP and Digital Beta.
BIDIRECTIONAL Microphone that picks up sound from the front and back but rejects most sound from the sides. The pickup pattern appears in the shape of a figure eight.
BIT The smallest digital measurement: 8 bits = 1 byte.
BLACK BURST A composite video signal including synchronous and color signals, but the video level is at black, or minimum.
BLACK LEVEL The normal level for pedestal or video black in a video signal. See also Setup.
BLEED Space beyond the critical or essential area that may be seen on some television receivers but not on others.
BLOOM The effect seen when a video signal exceeds the capabilities of the system: white areas bleed into darker areas.
BNC A type of twist-lock video connector; currently, it is the most common type for professional equipment.
BODY MICROPHONE A microphone concealed or hung directly on the body of the performer, sometimes called a lapelor lavalier microphone.
BODY MOUNT A method of holding and controlling a camera without the use of a tripod or other fixed mounting. The most common type is the Steadicam, which uses a series of gyroscopes, springs, and counter weights.
BOOM Movable arm from which a microphone or camera may be suspended to allow for movement to follow the action.
BOOST To increase the level of an electronic signal.
BRIGHTNESS The luminance value of a video picture.
BROAD A type of open-faced fill light, usually rectangular in shape.
BUBBLE Leveling device mounted on a tripod pan head consisting of a tube containing liquid with a bubble of air trapped inside. Centering the bubble on a circle or cross-hair indicates that the pan head is level.
BURN A condition caused by exposing camera tubes to excessive light levels. An image is retained on the face of the tube that is the negative of the original subject.
BUST SHOT The composition of framing a human from slightly above the waist to the top of the head.
BYTE A measurable number of bits treated as a unit. Also, a convenient measurement of digital memory.
C FORMAT One of three 1-inch helical videotape formats specified by the SMPTE. C format was the analog production standard for studios in the United States before digital video became practical.
CAMCORDER Camera–recorder combination. Designed originally for news coverage but is now becoming popular for EFP and other field productions.
CARDIOID MICROPHONE Specialized unidirectional microphone with a heart-shaped pickup pattern.
CASE Style of letters. Uppercase letters are capital letters; lowercase letters are small letters.
CASSETTE Prepackaged container of either audio tape or videotape containing a specific length of tape stock, a feed reel, and a take-up reel. U-matic, BetaSP, VHS, and Hi-8 Systems all use incompatible videocassettes.
CATHODE RAY TUBE (CRT) The large picture tube used as video monitors and television receivers.
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU) The main control and operating circuits of a computer.
CHARACTER GENERATOR (CG) Computerized electronic typewriter designed to create titles or any other alphanumeric graphics for use in video.
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICE (CCD) A solid-state element designed to convert light to electronics; it replaces the pickup tubes in video cameras.
CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING Lighting accomplished with high-contrast areas and heavy shadows.
CHIP Semiconductor integrated circuit. Depending on its design, a chip can replace tubes, resistors, and other electronic components. The most important development for EFP is the light-sensitive chip that replaces the camera tube.
CHROMINANCE The portion of the video signal controlling color.
CINEMATOGRAPHER Its narrowest definition is the operator or supervisor of a motion picture camera. Over the years, the job description of a cinematographer often has come to include the field of operating a video camera.
CLOSE-UP (CU) The second tightest shot in a sequence. Camera framing showing intimate detail; often a tight head shot.
CLOSURE Psychological perceptual activity that fills in gaps in the visual field.
COLOR BARS Electronically generated pattern of precisely specified colors for use in standardizing the operation of video equipment.
COLOR TEMPERATURE See Kelvin Temperature.
COLOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL A series of filters enabling the camera operator to compensate for the variations in Kelvin temperature of the location.
COMPACT DISC READ-ONLY MEMORY (CD-ROM) A permanently recorded digital compact disc.
COMPRESSION In the digitizing process, certain unnecessary or redundant portions of the signal are not digitized, which saves precious storage memory.
CONDENSER MICROPHONE Transducer that converts sound waves by conductive principle. It requires a built-in amplifier and a power source. Also called electrostatic or capacitor mic.
CONNECTOR PANEL Usually a section on the rear of a piece of equipment where the jacks are located.
CONTINUITY 1. A depiction of continuous action, location, direction, or time. 2. Script written for spots—commercials, public service announcements, or promotional announcements.
CONTINUITY ASSISTANT (CA) The member of the crew who follows the shooting script, keeps track of the logs, and checks to ensure that the sequence between shots will match later in the editing process.
CONTRAST RANGE Ability of a camera to distinguish between shades of reflected black and white light: 30:1 in television, 100:1 in film, and 1,000:1 with the human eye.
CONTRAST RATIO The mathematical comparison of the measured light value reflected from the brightest part of the picture with detail and the darkest part of the picture with detail.
CONTROL TRACK Synchronizing signal recorded onto a videotape to align the heads for proper playback.
CONTROLLER A specialized computer designed to accurately maintain control over a series of videotape decks during the editing process.
COOKIE See Cukaloris.
COPY The words on a script.
COUNTER A meter designed to indicate either a position on a reel of tape or the amount of tape already used. It may be calibrated in revolutions, feet, meters, or time.
COVER SHOT Any one of several shots, usually close-ups, designed to give the editor a means of preserving continuity. See also Cutaways and Cut-ins.
CRAB DOLLY A small platform large enough for a tripod and camera operator. It usually has four wheels; two are designed to provide a way to steer the dolly. It is usually pushed by a crew member and sometimes is set on tracks for a tracking shot.
CRANES One of the support systems used for single-camera production. Cranes are designed to permit the camera to be raised and lowered over a wide range, as well as to swing back and forth 360 degrees when necessary.
CRITICAL AREA (ESSENTIAL AREA) Space occupying approximately 80% of the center of the video frame. This area is seen with relative surety by the majority of the television receivers viewing that particular program. The 10% border outside of the critical area may not be seen by many receivers.
CROSS-KEY LIGHT A single instrument used to provide key light for one subject and, at the same time, fill light for another subject.
CUE 1. Signal to start talking, moving, or whatever the script calls for. 2. To ready material to be played back or edited by running and stopping a tape, film, or record, among other items, at a specified spot.
CUKALORIS A pattern inserted into an ellipsoidal spotlight to throw a mottled design onto the background. Also known as cookie.
CUT (TAKE) 1. Cue to stop an action. 2. An instantaneous change in picture or sound. “Cut” is considered a film term, and “take” is considered a video term, but they have become interchangeable.
CUTAWAY Close-up shot of an image related to, but not visible in, the wider shot immediately preceding or following it.
CUT-IN Close-up shot of an image visible in the wider shot immediately preceding or following it.
CYCLE Time or distance between peaks of an alternating voltage. It is measured in hertz (Hz).
DECIBEL (DB) Logarithmic unit of loudness. A dB is of the original unit, the bel.
DECK In media, a machine that plays and/or records audio or video signals.
DEMODULATOR Separates audio and video signals in a cable.
DEPTH OF FIELD (DOF) The range of distances from the camera within which subjects remain in acceptable focus.
DIALOGUE Speech between performers, usually seen on camera.
DICHROIC Filters designed to reflect certain colors of light and to pass other colors.
DIGITAL Binary-based, constant-amplitude signals varying in time. Professional video signal recording without noise or distortion.
DIGITAL CINEMA (DC) Formerly known as Electronic Cinema. A video format designed to rival the quality of 35-mm film.
DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE (DSL) A standard telephone line set up to carry broadband signals.
DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA (DVC) A ½-inch digital videotape format. Various versions range from DVCam (prosumer level) to DVCPro (professional broadcast level) to PVCProHD (professional high-definition level). There is some compatibility among levels and manufacturers.
DIN (DEUTSCHE INDUSTRIE NORMEN) The German standards organization. DIN usually refers to a type of plug or jack.
DIRECTOR Commands the creative aspects of a production. In the field, the director makes creative decisions. In the studio, the director calls the shots on live productions. In the editing room, the director provides opinions.
DISC A digital recording medium. It may be either magnetic or optical. Examples range from the 3.5-inch floppy disc to 5-inch CD-ROMs and DVDs to large hard drives.
DISSOLVE Transition of one image fading into and replacing another. If stopped at the midpoint, it is a superimposition. Also called a lap.
DISTORTION An undesirable change in a signal.
DISTRIBUTION AMPLIFIER (DA) Electronic amplifier designed to feed one signal (audio, video, or pulses) to several different destinations.
DOLLY 1. Three- or four-wheeled device that serves as a movable camera mount. 2. Movement in toward a subject (dolly in) or back away from a subject (dolly out).
DOWNLINK Transmission path from a satellite to a ground station. Sometimes used to describe the ground station capable of receiving a satellite signal. See also Uplink.
DRAG The back pressure designed to make panning and tilting a camera head smooth and controlled. The drag can be created by friction, fluid, spring, or geared mechanisms.
DUAL-COLUMN FORMAT A scripting format used primarily for live or tape-to-live video and television productions. It has been developed over the years from radio and audio/video formats. All video and movement instructions are located in the left-hand column, whereas audio instructions are in the right-hand column.
DUB 1. Copying a recorded signal from one medium to another. 2. Replacing or adding voice to a preexisting recording; now called automatic dialogue replacement (ADR).
DVB-T (DIGITAL VIDEO BROADCAST-TERRESTRIAL) The high-definition technical standard developed by European on-air broad-casters.
DYNAMIC MICROPHONE Transducer designed to convert sound to electronics by using an electromagnetic coil attached to a light-weight diaphragm.
DYNAMIC RANGE Loudness range from the softest to the loudest that can be reproduced by any system without creating distortion.
DYNAMICS The difference between the loudest and the quietest passage.
EDGE ATTRACTION THEORY When an object appears to move toward the edge, even if it remains stationary in the frame.
EDGE BLEED AREA The 10% border around a frame that may be seen by some viewers.
EDIT DECISION LIST (EDL) List of precise locations of edit points. It may be generated manually or by a computer.
EDITOR Tape or film specialist charged with assembling stories from footage and recordings to create the final production.
EIAJ (ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN) Organization that sets standards for Japan. At one time, EIAJ referred to a specific ½-inch open-reel videotape system.
ELECTRET A small condenser microphone often used as a lavalier or microphone built-in to equipment.
ELECTRONIC FIELD PRODUCTION (EFP) Process of researching, shooting, and editing materials to be used in non-news productions.
ELECTRONIC NEWS GATHERING (ENG) Process of researching, shooting, and editing materials to visually report on occurrences of interest using video cameras and electronic editing specifically for newscasts.
EQUALIZATION Process of compensating for required changes in frequency, level, or phase of an audio or video signal.
EXTERIOR (EXT) An outdoor setting or location.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU, ALSO XCU) The tightest framing of a shot in a sequence. It is usually reserved for an effect. A very close view of a product would be an ECU.
EXTREME WIDE SHOT (EWS, ALSO XWS) The widest shot of a sequence—for example, a shot from a blimp, an entire city block, or a football stadium.
F A type of connector for a cable intended to carry a modulated signal or signals. See also Radiofrequency (RF).
FACILITIES Technical equipment, lights, cameras, microphones, and so on.
FACSIMILE (FAX) Transmission of information by an optical/electronic system through telephone lines.
FADE-IN/FADE-OUT A gradual change in signal, either from zero to maximum or maximum to zero. Can apply to either audio or video.
FAY A series of fixed-focus lamps mounted in a bank. A Fay has a color temperature of 5,400 K. See also Par.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) Federal agency charged with the supervision and regulation of all electronic communication media in the United States.
FIELD One-half of a complete interlaced television picture; 262.5 lines of the 525 NTSC system occurring once every 
of a second. Two interlaced fields make a complete frame. One complete progressive video field may consist of from 360 to 1,040 lines in a single fame.
FIELD OF VIEW The range of subjects and settings that a camera shows in a single shot.
FILL LIGHT Soft, shadowless light used to reduce contrast and lighten shadow areas. It is usually placed on the opposite side of the camera from the key light and low enough to remove harsh shadows.
FILTER A colored element placed in front of or behind a lens.
FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394) A standard for transmission of data between digital equipment. A high-performance standard is becoming one of the preferred methods of moving data in the media production world. Also known as iSync.
FISH POLE Handheld expandable microphone boom.
FIXED-FOCUS INSTRUMENTS One of the three basic types of field lighting instruments. Fixed-focus instruments are designed around a lamp similar to an auto headlight.
FLAG An opaque piece of material hung between a light and the subject or set to control light or throw a shadow.
FLASH FRAME An unwanted frame between two edited shots.
FLOODLIGHT A nonlensed instrument that provides soft, diffused light.
FLUORESCENT LIGHT Gas-filled tube that emits light when an electrical current ionizes the gas. It does not emit light of a specific Kelvin temperature but is bluish green in color.
FLYING ERASE HEAD Erase head mounted on the rotating head mount of a helical recorder. It is designed to allow precise editing of the video signal without losing synchronization between shots.
FOCAL LENGTH Theoretical distance from the optical center of the lens to the focal plane. It is determined by the size of the image surface, the angle of view, depth of field, and image size.
FOCAL POINT The position behind the lens where the image is concentrated.
FOCUS The ability of a lens to create the sharpest image of a subject.
FOCUSING SPOTLIGHTS One of the three basic types of field lighting instruments. Focusing spotlights are either open faced without a lens or have a Fresnel or plano-convex lens. Focusing spotlights are essential for critical creative lighting.
FOLEY SESSION A studio designed to create sounds in postproduction. It is named for Jack Foley, an early sound operator in film.
FOOT CANDLE Older measurement of illumination. Originally, the amount of light from one candle, falling on an area of 1 square foot, 1 foot from the candle.
FORMAT, VIDEOTAPE Specifications of a specific type of videotape. There are approximately 23 different formats currently in use.
FRAME 1. Complete video picture, made up of two 262.5-line, interlaced, scanned fields. There are 30 frames per second in the NTSC system. 2. In HDTV, there are 360 to 1,040 lines in the progressive system at a rate of 24 to 60 frames per second. 3. The outline of the available area in which to compose a video picture. Currently, the NTSC standard is a frame 3 units high by 4 units wide; the HDTV standard is 9 units high by 16 units wide.
FREEZE FRAME Stopping a single frame within a moving sequence.
FREQUENCY The number of complete cycles an electrical signal makes in 1 second. It is measured in hertz (Hz).
FREQUENCY RESPONSE A measurement of the ability of a piece of equipment to reproduce a signal of varying frequencies.
FRESNEL A spotlight equipped with a stepped lens that easily controls and concentrates light.
FRONT FOCUS Creating the sharpest picture by adjusting the lens.
F-STOP A measurement of the size of an opening that allows light to pass through an iris or aperture.
FUSE BOX (CIRCUIT BREAKER BOX) The location of alternating current power distribution with individual switches or fuses (in older locations), which protect each circuit from having too much current drawn from it.
GAFFER Senior electrician on a crew.
GAIN The amount of amplitude of an electronic signal. It is usually measured in decibels (dB).
GAIN CONTROL An electronic control in a camera; it is usually located internally.
GEN-LOCK Abbreviation for synchronous generation locking. Electronically connecting all circuits together so that synchronization will remain stable.
GENRE A type of programming (for example, western, comedy, or drama).
GIGAHERTZ A measurement of frequency: 1 gigahertz = 1,000,000,000 hertz.
GIRAFFE Small microphone boom mounted on a tripod on wheels; it is usually designed for limited microphone movement.
GOBO 1. In video, a set piece, such as a window, that allows a camera to shoot through it. 2. In audio, a movable sound reflector board. 3. In film, a movable freestanding pattern cutout similar to a cookie. 4. Onstage, the equivalent of a cookie.
GRAPHICS GENERATOR A digital unit designed to create and combine pictures with type. It is sometimes called a paint box.
GRAPHIC WEIGHT (GRAPHIC FORCE) The perceived value of any item within the picture frame.
GRAY SCALE Multistep intensity scale for the evaluation of a picture. Generally, there are 10 steps between television white and television black.
GRIP A stagehand/crew member who moves sets, props, and dollies, among other items. The head stagehand is the key grip.
GUN A part of a picture and a camera tube that shoots a stream of electronics at the faceplate of the tube.
HAND PROPS Items small enough to be picked up and handled; however, for the most part, they are items that need to be handled by the talent during the production.
HARD DRIVE A magnetic disk drive designed to store large amounts of digital information. Most computers have at least one hard drive installed internally, but hard drives can also be connected externally to digital equipment.
HEAD A pan head supports the camera and is designed to allow both horizontal and vertical movement of the camera.
HEAD SHOT A composition of framing the person just above the shoulders to above the top of the head.
HELICAL Videotape with multiple recording heads that record information in long, slanting tracks; each track records one field of information.
HELICAL RECORDING See Helical.
HERTZ (Hz) Measurement of frequency. Number of complete cycles completed in 1 second.
HI-8 Semiprofessional 8-mm videotape format developed by Sony for the prosumer market.
HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION (HDTV) One of several subcategories of advanced television (ATV). Attempt at creating a video system nearly equal to 35-mm film in resolution and aspect ratio.
HIGH HAT A minimal platform designed to mount a pan head, allowing for shots close to the ground, or to mount the camera on a car, boat, or airplane.
HIGH IMPEDANCE A measurement of resistance to current flowing through a cable. High-impedance lines generally are designed to carry signals amplified to at least mid-level to prevent noise being added. Some microphones are rated as high impedance, but they must be connected to short cables to prevent picking up extraneous noise.
IDIOT CARDS A prompting device made of large, bold keywords written on cards held next to the camera lens for the talent’s benefit.
IMAGE ORTHICON (I-O) An early video camera tube. The development of the I-O opened the way for reasonably mobile studio and remote cameras.
IMPEDANCE Apparent alternating current resistance to current flowing in a circuit. It is measured in ohms.
INCANDESCENT LIGHT Inert, gas-filled electric lamp emitting light and heat from a glowing filament. A typical lamp is the tungsten-halogen lamp used in most production instruments.
INCIDENT LIGHT Illumination from a light source. It is measured in foot candles or lux by pointing the light meter at the light source.
INPUT Signal entering a system or an electrical unit.
INSERT EDIT Assembling a videotape production by adding video and audio signals to tape stock that already has had control track recorded on it. Insert edits also can be made over existing edited tape.
INTEGRATED SERVICE DIGITAL BROADCAST (ISDB) The digital broadcast standard set for Japan.
INTERIOR (INT) Setting or location inside of a building or structure.
INTERLACED SCANNING The method of combining two fields of scan lines into one frame.
INTERNAL GAIN CONTROL A potentiometer that allows continuous gain settings on a camera.
INTERVALOMETER A control that sets the number of frames per second at which the recorder will operate. This compresses the action in any time elapsed required for the production.
INTRO Abbreviation for introduction.
INVERSE SQUARE LAW A mathematical analysis of changes in alternating energy. The amount of energy is inversely proportionate to the change in distance. The formula is easily applied to calculations of lighting and audio levels.
IRIS See Aperture.
IRIS FADE-IN/FADE-OUT An iris fade-in or fade-out is created by placing the iris control on manual and setting the iris opening stopped all the way down. With the tape rolling, the iris may be slowly opened up and brought to the proper setting, thus creating a fade-in. A fade-out is created by reversing the procedure: A scene is started with the tape rolling and the iris set properly. At the right moment, the iris is stopped down until the picture fades to black. Neither of these effects works well unless the light level is low enough that the iris is nearly wide open at the proper setting.
IRIS INST. CONTROL A camera control designed so that you can zoom in on the surface that is reflecting the average amount of light for that scene, such as the face of the subject. Press the iris inst. control, which locks the iris at that setting, and then zoom back and/or pan to whatever framing is needed or to the beginning of that scene.
IRIS MODE CONTROL Allows you to choose between setting the iris manually or letting the camera’s automatic iris circuits set the iris.
JACK A cable connector mounted on equipment.
JARGON Terminology and slang of a particular field.
JUMP CUT Any one of several types of poor edits that either break continuity or may be disturbing to the audience.
KELVIN TEMPERATURE Measurement of the relative color of light; indicated as degrees Kelvin. The greater the temperature, the bluer the light is; the lower the temperature, the redder the light is. Also known as color temperature.
KEY LIGHT Apparent main source of light, usually from one bright light above and to one side of the camera.
KICKER A light focused from the side of the subject or on a particular section of the set.
KILOHERTZ (kHz) A measurement of alternating energy: 1,000 hertz.
LAG That characteristic of a camera tube in which a picture trails its own images as the camera moves. Lag increases with the age of the tube.
LAPTOP A portable computer designed small enough to fold and carry. It is also a term for laptop editor. A single-unit, portable, nonlinear editor.
LAVALIER (LAV) Microphone worn around the neck. It is also sometimes called a lapel microphone when clipped to a tie or to the front of the clothing.
LAYING DOWN CONTROL TRACK The process of recording a synchronous signal. It requires a video signal and a set of synchronous signals, but no audio is needed. It usually records color bars or a video black signal.
LEAD ROOM Extra space in front of any moving object in the camera frame.
LENS Glass or plastic designed to focus and concentrate light on a surface to form an image.
LENS CAP Opaque covering to slip over the end of a lens to protect the surface from damage and to protect the image device from excessive light.
LEVEL Relative amplitude or intensity. It is used to indicate light audio, video, and other electronic signals.
LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE (LED) A solid-state component that emits light when a small voltage is applied. It is useful as a level or operating condition indicator.
LIGHT METER (EXPOSURE METER) Instrument used to measure the intensity of light. It may be calculated in foot candles, lux, or f-stops.
LIGHTING RATIO A numerical value comparing the amount of incident light provided by the fill lights alone against the amount of incident light provided by the combination of key plus fill light. The standard ratio is 2:1.
LINE LEVEL Signal amplified enough to feed down a line without fear of degradation. A microphone level is lower than line level; a speaker level is greater than line level.
LINEAR In a straight line.
LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD) 1. A flat-screen video monitor. 2. A source of flat, even light balanced to daylight.
LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) A set of wires designed to carry digital signals between several peripherals or computers.
LOCATION Area or site of a production. It usually refers to sites away from studios.
LOG Listing of shots as they are recorded on tape.
LONGITUDINAL Lengthwise. In media, it refers to the method of recording audio and control track signals.
LOOPING The process of rerecording audio during postproduction. It is now called automatic dialogue replacement (ADR).
LOUDNESS Perceived intensity of audio, depending on the intensity and saturation of the sound, as well as the sensitivity of the listener to a range of frequencies.
LOW IMPEDANCE A measurement of resistance to current flow. Low-impedance circuits often are at a low level. High-quality microphone lines are low impedance with two conductors and a shield to prevent noise entering the circuit.
LUMINANCE The brightness component of a video signal.
LUX European measurement of light intensity. There are approximately 10 lux per one 1-foot candle.
MASTER SHOT Extended wide shot establishing the scene and often running the entire length of the sequence. It is intended to be broken down in the editing process.
MATTE BOX A mounting mechanism on the front of a lens designed to hold filters, sun shades, or other accessories used in electronic cinematography.
MEDIUM CLOSE-UP (MCU) Relative average framing for a shot, often framed from the waist up.
MEDIUM SHOT (MS) Wider than an MCU, often framed head to toe.
MEMORY CARD A thin combination of solid-state circuits designed to store digital signals.
MENUS A series of operational options that can be read in the viewfinder of a camera or on the face of a recorder. The options may be modified by watching the menus while adjusting the equipment.
METAL OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR (MOS) 1. A type of solid-state element designed to convert light to electronics; it replaces the pickup tube in video cameras. 2. A film term indicating a shot was recorded silent, or as the early German film directors said, “Mit (with) out sound.”
M FORMAT (M-II, RECAM) Professional ½-inch format previously manufactured by Panasonic. It was originally sold by RCA as Recam, and then upgraded to M-II. It has been replaced by Panasonic digital formats.
MICROWAVE High-frequency carrier for both audio and video signals. Operates only on a line-of-sight path.
MINI-PLUG (⅛-INCH) Audio connector designed for small equipment. Scaled-down version of ¼-inch phone plug.
MIXED LIGHTING A set lit with light of various Kelvin temperatures.
MIXER A piece of electronic equipment designed to combine several signals. It usually refers to an audio board or console.
MODULATOR An electronic component designed to impress one signal on another, usually of a higher frequency.
MONITOR 1. To listen to or watch audio tapes, videotapes, or off-air programs. 2. Device used to view video signals, much like a television receiver, but usually of much higher quality and generally with a radiofrequency section for off-air monitoring.
MORGUE Library, reference files, and storage for used scripts, tapes, maps, and other reference material.
MOTION PICTURE EXPERTS GROUP (MPEG) A series of compression standards used in digitizing visual media.
NAT SOUND Ambient sound that exists on location and is recorded as a story happens. It is often used as background for a voice-over. It is sometimes called wild sound.
NATIONAL TELEVISION STANDARDS COMMITTEE (NTSC) 1. The organization charged with setting television standards in the United States in the early days of television. 2. The television standard currently in use in North America, much of South America, and Japan.
NEUTRAL An aesthetic level without any specific genre or setting, often used for newscasts.
NEUTRAL DENSITY (ND) A type of filter that decreases light passage without changing the color value of the light.
NOISE Any undesirable additions to a signal.
NONLINEAR The storage and editing of video and audio digital signals. It is comparable with film editing in that edits can be made in any order without disturbing previously edited sequences; it is also nondestructive in that the original footage is not handled during the editing process.
NOSE ROOM The extra space allowed for in front of the face when framing the human head if facing in a specific direction.
NOTAN A lighting style similar to Japanese watercolors—high-key, few shadows, and evenly lit.
OFF-LINE Using the lowest-quality and lowest-cost editing system suitable for a particular project.
OMNIDIRECTIONAL Microphone pickup pattern that covers 360 degrees around the microphone.
ONLINE Using the highest quality and highest cost editing system suitable for a particular project.
OPEN UP The process of increasing aperture size in a lens, whereas the f-stop number decreases in size.
OPERATOR Person whose main responsibility is to operate equipment, in contrast with technicians, whose main responsibility is to install, repair, and maintain equipment; and engineers, whose main responsibility it is to research, design, and construct equipment.
OPTICS/OPTICAL Having to do with lenses or other light-carrying components of a video or film system.
OSCILLOSCOPE Test equipment used to visualize a time factor system, such as a video signal. It shows a technician what the picture looks like electronically. It may also be used to analyze audio or other signals.
OUTPUT Signal leaving a system or electrical unit.
OVER-THE-SHOULDER (OS) A shot framed with two subjects: one facing the camera and the other with his or her back to the camera so only a portion of the shoulder is visible; for example, a typical news interview shot in which part of the interviewer’s shoulder appears in the foreground and the person being interviewed faces the camera.
PAN Horizontal movement of a camera; short for panorama.
PAN HEAD Mechanism designed to firmly hold a camera on the top of a tripod, pedestal, or boom while allowing for smooth, easily controlled movement of the camera horizontally (pan) and vertically (tilt). It may be mechanical, fluid, geared, or counterbalanced.
PAR A series of fixed-focus lamps mounted in a bank. A par has a color temperature of 3,200 K. See also Fay.
PARABOLIC MICROPHONE Focused, concave, reflective, bowlshaped surface with a microphone mounted at the point of focus. It is used to pick up specific sounds at a distance; commonly used during sporting events.
PEDESTAL 1. Electronic calibration between blanking and black level. 2. Hydraulic, compressed air, or counterbalanced studio camera mount; designed to permit the camera to be raised straight up or down effortlessly and smoothly.
PEDESTAL CONTROL Changes the black level or contrast of the picture.
PERAMBULATOR A large, wheeled, platform-mounted boom that a microphone boom operator rides. Capable of swinging a microphone over a large area.
PERIPHERAL Accessories connected to digital equipment, for example, printers, decks, and hard drives.
PHANTOM POWER The 48 volts required by condenser microphone (mic) preamplifiers located in the mic. If the mic does not carry its own battery power, phantom power may be supplied through the mic line by the mixer or recorder.
PHASE The relationship of two signals differing in time but on a common path.
PHASE ALTERNATIVE LINE (PAL) A television system developed in Germany but used throughout the world in English-speaking countries or countries with ties to the United Kingdom that uses 625 lines and 25 frames, rather than the 525 lines and 60 frames used by the NTSC. It is used in many countries around the world.
PHOTOGRAPHER Originally, a person taking still photographs. In some markets, the term photographer was applied to news cinematographers, and even today, the term sometimes is applied to videographers.
PITCH Human perception of frequency.
PIXEL A short version of “picture element.” A single sample of digital color information.
PIXILATION A process of removing a certain number of frames from a sequence so that the objects appear to be jumping about or suspended and moving in space.
PLASMA DISPLAY PANEL (PDP) Flat-screen video monitor.
PLOSIVE SOUNDS Sounds made by the human voice that tend to pop a microphone. Sounds beginning with the letters p and b, among others.
PLOT A scale drawing of the location of a shoot.
PLUG A connector on the end of a cable.
POINT OF VIEW (POV) A camera angle giving the impression of the view of someone in the scene.
POWER SELECTOR SWITCH A control on a camera or tape deck used to switch the power source from either a battery or external alternating current power.
PREAMPLIFIER (PREAMP) Electronic circuit designed to amplify a weak signal to a usable level without introducing noise or distortion.
PRIME LENS A fixed focal length lens.
PRISM A glass or plastic block shaped to transmit or reflect light into different paths.
PRODUCER Person in charge of a specific program.
PROGRESSIVE SCANNING A video frame constructed of a series of lines continuously forming a single frame before starting another scan sequence.
PROMPTER Device used to provide the talent with the copy as they perform on camera. It can be handheld copy beside the camera or a signal fed to a monitor mounted with mirrors to project the copy in front of the camera lens so that the anchor can look directly into the camera. This signal may be coming from a black-and-white camera shooting pages of the script or from a signal fed directly from a computer.
PROPOSAL A concise summary of a project intended as a sales tool to accurately describe a production and to sell a sponsor on funding.
PROSUMER A category of producer and equipment that falls below that of professional quality but is of higher quality than consumer products.
PUBLIC ADDRESS (PA) Sound-reinforcing system designed to feed sound to an audience assembled in a large room.
PULLING FOCUS The process of changing focus in the middle of a shot. It is also known as rack or rolling focus.
PULSE CODE MODULATION (PCM) A digital recording system based on sampling an analog signal at regular intervals (usually audio).
QUADRAPLEX (QUAD) The first practical professional videotape format. Quadraplex used 2-inch tape pulled across four heads to achieve a high-quality signal. It is no longer manufactured.
QUANTIZATION The measurement of a signal indicating the number of discrete levels of analog measured in the conversion process to a digital signal.
QUARTER-INCH (¼-INCH) PLUG (PHONE) Audio connector used for many years for high-impedance signals. It is still used in some consumer equipment and patch panels.
QUARTZ-HALOGEN A lamp designed to provide a fixed color temperature of 3,200 K.
RACK FOCUS Changing focus in the middle of a shot. See also Pulling Focus.
RADIOFREQUENCY (RF) 1. Those frequencies above the aural frequencies. 2. A type of plug attached to a cable designed to carry a modulated signal. It is also called F plug.
RASTER The complete sequence of lines that make up the field of lines creating a video picture.
RCA The U.S. corporation that promoted the NTSC video system, the developer of many early television inventions, and the original owner of NBC radio and television.
RCA PLUG (PHONO) Audio and video connector designed originally for use only with the RCA-45 rpm record player. Currently used as a consumer audio and video connector. Some professional equipment uses this plug for line level audio. It should not be confused with the (phone ¼-inch) plug.
REALISTIC An aesthetic value of production creating as lifelike a setting as possible.
RECORDER DECK In a linear editing system, the tape deck that records the final edited sequence. See also Editor.
REFLECTANCE VALUES The amount of light reflected from the brightest and darkest objects in the picture used to determine contrast ratio.
REFLECTED LIGHT Illumination entering a lens reflected from an object. It is measured with a reflected light meter pointing at the object from the camera.
REFLECTORS Large foam boards covered on one side with a variety of surfaces—plain white, colored, or textured. They are used to throw a soft fill light into areas not easily reached with instruments or to provide light when an instrument is not available or would cast an additional shadow.
REGISTRATION The alignment of either electronic or physical components of a system. It is especially important in tube cameras.
RELEASE 1. Legal document allowing the videographer to use the image and/or voice of a subject. 2. Public relations copy.
RESOLUTION Ability of a system to reproduce fine detail. In video, there are limits imposed by the NTSC video system.
RETURN VIDEO OR VIDEOTAPE RECORDER RETURN (VTR) CONTROL A button on the camera that, when pressed, feeds the picture being played back from the tape deck into the viewfinder, allowing the videographer to observe the images already recorded.
REVERSING POLARITY Electronically changing video light values from dark to bright and colors to their opposites.
RIBBON MICROPHONE A transducer using a thin gold or silver corrugated ribbon suspended between the poles of a magnet to create an electrical output.
RIDING GAIN The manual process of maintaining specific levels of electronic signals.
ROLL The command given by the director to start tape or the film camera recording.
ROLLING OR PULLING FOCUS Changing focus on a camera while recording.
RULE OF THIRDS The composition and framing theory that the visual frame may be split into nine sections by the intersection of two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, each one third of the way into the frame.
SAMPLING In the process of converting an analog signal to digital, the number of times per second the signal is measured to determine the equivalent digital signal.
SATELLITE Geostationary orbiting space platform with transponders to pick up signals from Earth and retransmit the signals back down to Earth in a pattern, called a footprint, that covers a large area of the earth.
SATURATION Intensity of a signal, either audio or video, but especially used as the third of three characteristics of a color video signal.
SCAN AREA The portion of the subject that the camera converts into an electronic signal.
SCENE A series of related shots, usually in the same time and location.
SCENE SCRIPT A full script without individual shots indicated.
SCRIM A metallic or fabric filter placed over a lighting instrument to diffuse and soften the light.
SCRIPT Complete manuscript of all audio copy and video instructions of a program.
SEPARATE VIDEO HOME SYSTEM (S-VHS) PLUG A plug that carries video signals split into two separate signals, Y and C, for higher-quality transmission of video than standard VHS.
SEQUENCE Individual shots edited into scenes, and individual scenes edited together to make a story.
SEQUENTIAL COLOR WITH MEMORY (SECAM) The color television system developed by the French. It is currently being phased out, although some third world countries may still be using it for black-and-white TV.
SET The physical space within a studio for the production of a visual scene.
SET DESIGN The process of creating on paper the environment for a visual production.
SET LIGHT A lamp focusing on the area behind the talent or objects to provide a pattern on the background or to wipe out unwanted shadows.
SET PIECES A type of dressing for a set: furniture, wall hangings, or objects too large or fixed in place to be handled by the talent.
SET UP The assembly of equipment and people in preparation for rehearsing a production.
SETUP Same as pedestal and black level; electronic calibration between blanking and black level.
SHOOTING LIST (SHOT SHEET) A listing of all shots in the order they are to be made, regardless of their order in the script.
SHOOTING SCRIPT A script complete in all details, including specific shot descriptions.
SHOT One continuous roll of the recorder; the smallest unit of a script.
SHOTGUN Ultra-unidirectional microphone designed to pick up sound at a distance by excluding unwanted sound from the sides of the microphone.
SHOT SHEET A listing of all shots in the order they are to be made, regardless of their order in the script. It is also known as a shooting list.
SHUTTLE Movement of videotape back and forth while searching for edit points. It is usually done at speeds faster or slower than real time.
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO (S/N RATIO) The mathematical ratio between the noise level in a signal and the program level. The higher the ratio, the better the signal is.
SINGLE-COLUMN FORMAT A script format derived from the stage script format that is currently used in both feature films and some types of video productions. All instructions and dialogue are arranged down the middle of the page, with various margins and placement of copy indicating instructions, character’s names, settings, and dialogue.
SITE SURVEY A detailed listing of all the information needed to shoot on location at a certain site.
SKEW Tension adjustment during videotape playback. It is visible as a “bending” at the extreme top of the picture.
SLANT TRACK Also known as helical recording.
SLATE Several frames identifying the shot, tape reel number, or other logging information. It is usually recorded at the beginning of the tape.
SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION ENGINEERS (SMPTE) A professional engineering organization that sets visual and aural standards in the United States.
SOFTLIGHT A large light fixture that emits a well-diffused light over a broad area.
SOLARIZATION An in-camera effect created by varying the pedestal and gain to remove portions of the picture or to expand other portions.
SOURCE DECK In a linear editing station, the deck playing back the original footage. Also known as a player.
SPEED The response the camera operator and sound operator give to the director to inform him or her that both of their machines are running at the proper rate before starting to record the shot.
SPLITTER BOX Device used to feed an input signal to more than one output. It is commonly used at news conferences to avoid a jumble of microphones by splitting the feed from one microphone to all those covering the event.
SPOT METER A light meter designed to read a very small area of reflected light.
SPOTLIGHT A lamp designed to provide a hard-edged controllable field of light. Fresnels and ellipsoidals are typical spotlights.
STANDARD DEFINITION (SD) A video signal of lower quality than high definition (HD).
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) Predetermined methods of accomplishing tasks. The SOP often is set by corporate or upper management policy.
STANDBY The command a director gives to warn the crew, cast, and others in the studio or on location that a camera is about to roll.
STICKS Another name for a tripod.
STOCK New, unused tape or film before it is exposed to light.
STOP DOWN Decreasing the amount of light passing through a lens. Stopping down increases the f-stop number.
STORYBOARD A series of drawings indicating each shot and accompanying audio in a production.
STRIKE To tear down and pack up equipment and settings from a shooting location.
SUPERIMPOSITIONS (SUPERS) Two or more simultaneously fed video signals, stopping a dissolve at the halfway point.
SWISH PAN A rapid, horizontal movement of the camera while recording. It may be used as a transition device.
SWISH ZOOM A zoom shot accomplished by starting on a scene, and then at the end of the shot, quickly zooming the camera at a high enough rate to blur the image.
SWITCHER 1. In multicamera or postproduction, a device used to change video sources feeding the recording tape deck. 2. The person operating the video switcher.
SYNCHRONOUS (SYNC) Signals locked in proper alignment with each other; sound and picture are locked together, and all the various video signals are in their proper relation to each other.
SYNCHRONOUS PULSES Pulses created either in the camera or in a synchronous generator and added between the fields and between the lines. They are part of the recorded signal, and the receiver locks onto those pulses when the tape is played back or the signal is broadcast. The pulses can be corrected if there are errors in their timing by running the signal through a time base corrector.
TENT An opaque sheet of material suspended over a subject to diffuse and soften the light.
THREE-SHOT A camera composition focused on three people or objects.
TILT The vertical movement of a camera on a pan head.
TIMBRE The perception of a musical note that differentiates the same note from a piano or clarinet.
TIME BASE CORRECTOR (TBC) Electronic device used to lock together signals with dissimilar synchronization. It may also be used to correct for phase, level, and pedestal errors in original recordings.
TIME CODE Time-based address recorded on videotape to allow for precise editing. SMPTE time code is the time code most universally used at present.
TIMELINE The calendar schedule of a production, with each step of the production from beginning to end set as goal dates to be met to keep the production progressing on schedule.
TONE A sound created by generating a single frequency for test purposes and for setting standard levels on recordings.
TRACKING 1. Aligning playback heads on a VCR with the original pattern of video recorded on tape. 2. Movement of a camera to the left or right, usually while mounted on a set of tracks for maximum smoothness and control.
TRANSDUCER Any device used to convert any form of energy to another form: a camera transduces light to video; a microphone transduces sound to electronics; and a speaker transduces electronics to sound.
TRANSFORMER Magnetic, voltage- or impedance-changing device.
TREATMENT A narrative description of a production. It should read more like a novel than a script, because it is intended for people with media and nonmedia backgrounds.
TREBLE High frequencies of the audio band.
TRIPOD Three-legged portable camera support. It is also called sticks.
TRUCK A side-to-side movement of the entire camera mounted on a tripod, dolly, or pedestal mount.
TUNGSTEN LIGHT Relatively efficient, gas-filled light source of approximately 3,200 K.
TWO-SHOT A camera composition focused on two people or objects.
ULTRA-HIGH FREQUENCY (UHF) 1. Frequency band for television broadcasting channels 14 to 69 and some wireless microphones. 2. An older, large, threaded type of video connector.
U-MATIC The ¾-inch videotape format created by Sony in the early 1970s that revolutionized video news gathering. It has been upgraded by a compatible U-matic SP format.
UMBRELLA LIGHT A way of creating a soft, diffused light by focusing a spotlight on the inside of an umbrella designed with a reflective interior surface.
UNBALANCED A circuit usually consisting of a single conductor and a shield.
UNIDIRECTIONAL Microphone pickup pattern from a single direction, coming in a variety of degrees of pickup angle, from cardioid to super unidirectional (shotgun).
UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS (USB) A bidirectional digital circuit designed to connect a series of digital peripherals with a computer to create an efficient system.
UPLINK Transmission path from an Earth-based station up to a satellite. It is sometimes used to describe the ground station capable of sending a satellite signal. See also Downlink.
VARIABLE FOCAL LENGTH LENS (ZOOM) A lens that can have its focal length changed while in use.
VECTOR SCOPE Electronic test equipment designed to show the color aspects of the video signal.
VERTICAL INTERVAL TIME CODE (VITC) Time address recorded within the vertical interval blanking instead of on a separate linear track.
VIDEO 1. Picture portion of an electronic visual system. 2. All-inclusive term for electronic visual reproduction systems; it includes television, cablevision, corporate media, and video recording.
VIDEO HOME SYSTEM (VHS), SEPARATE VIDEO HOME SYSTEM (S-VHS) JVC-developed consumer videocassette recorder system. The S in S-VHS stands for “separate” because it is a semicompatible component recording system, rather than a composite system.
VIDEOCASSETTE RECORDER (VCR) A recording system that uses tape contained in closed cassettes.
VIDEOGRAPHER The proper term for the operator of a video camera.
VIDEOTAPE RECORDER (VTR) A system that uses tape mounted on open reels.
VIDEOTAPE RECORDER (VTR) SELECTOR SWITCH Enables a camera to operate with a variety of different recorders made by a different manufacturer than the manufacturer of the camera.
VIDEOTAPE RECORDER (VTR) START SWITCH A switch that may be mounted on the camera body, but more than likely, it is mounted on the lens handgrip close to the thumb for easy use. This switch allows you to start and stop the recorder without leaving the camera or taking your eye from the viewfinder.
VIDICON A type of video camera tube that replaced the Image Orthicon; it is lighter, smaller, and more durable, and it provides higher resolution.
VIEWFINDER The miniature video monitor mounted on the camera so that the operator can see what is framed by the camera.
VISUAL The video portion of the program.
VOICE-OVER (VO) Story that uses continuous visuals, accompanied by the voice of an unseen narrator.
VOLT An electronic measurement of the pressure available at a power source. In North America, the standard is 110 to 120 volts.
VOLUME The measurable loudness of a sound signal.
VOLUME UNIT (VU) Measurement of audio level, indicating the average of the sound level, not the peak.
WAIST SHOT A composition framing a person from just below the waist to the top of the head.
WATT Measurement of power used in a piece of electrical or electronic equipment.
WAVEFORM MONITOR An electronic measuring tool; both oscilloscopes and vector scopes are waveform monitors.
WEDGE Plate fastened to the bottom of a camera that allows it to be quickly mounted to a tripod equipped with a matched slot.
WHITE BALANCE Electronic matching of the camera circuits to the color temperature of the light source.
WHITE LEVEL (GAIN) Level of maximum voltage in a video signal.
WIDE SHOT (WS OR LS) The second widest shot in a sequence. A WS is often used as an establishing shot to identify the environment and set the scene.
WILD SOUND Ambient background sound. See also Nat Sound.
WINDOW DUB A low-quality copy of original footage with the time code signal visible in the frame.
WIPE Electronic special effects transition that allows one image to be replaced by another with a moving line separating the two pictures. Stopping a wipe in mid-movement creates a split screen.
WRATTEN A series of filters originally designed for photography but adapted for use in cinematography and videography.
X-AXIS The plane running horizontally to the camera.
XLR PLUG Professional audio connector that allows for three conductors plus a shielded ground. Special types of multipin XLR plugs are used for headsets and battery power connectors.
Y-AXIS The plane running vertically to the camera.
YOTTA One septillion (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000). One septillion hertz equals a yottahertz (yHz). If yottabytes, measurement is useful for indicating digital storage.
Z-AXIS The plane running away or toward the camera.
ZOOM See also Variable Focal Length Lens.
ZOOM LENS CONTROL Usually a rocker switch, which allows you to press one end to zoom in and the other end to zoom out. The harder you press, the faster the lens zooms. A very gentle touch produces a slow, smooth zoom. On some cameras, an additional control allows you to set the speed range of the zoom control from very slow to very fast.
ZOOM MODE CONTROL Allows the operator to either zoom the lens manually or use the motorized control of the lens to zoom.