Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

amplitude the size of an electrical signal. Measured in volts

aperture the opening through which light enters the camera.
see iris

assemble editing making up video programme in correct order on blank tape without prerecorded control track or timecode

audition hearing actors to assess suitability for parts in a film

auto-iris see iris

backlight light from behind to separate interviewee from background.

bars colour bars used for callibration purposes, usually found on the front of vt programmes

betacam a professional analogue videotape format, developed from the old betamax system

big close-up very close shot of the face cutting off top of head. Also shot showing high detail of an object

BITC burnt in time code (timecode burnt into the picture)

buffer shot to disguise crossing the line

camera script script which includes full details of shots, lighting, sound etc.

captions graphics on a slide, card or computer screen for overlaying onto video images

cardioid microphone a mic that picks up sounds mainly from the front, thus rejecting unwanted sounds from other directions

carrier regular electrical wave modulated to transmit information

cassette container for magnetic tape (audio or video) which is laced up automatically by recording / playback machine

casting matching actors with roles

chromakey replacing part of an electronic picture with material from another source

chrominance signal portion of the video signal containing colour information made up of colour difference signals

clapper board board which is used to mark the start of a video or film take. For film clapper boards are used for syncing pictures and sound together in the edit, for video it is used merely as a reference

close-up (CU) shot showing person´s whole head from collar upwards. Close shot of an object

colour balance ensures camera is combining the three primary colours in their correct proportions

colour difference encoding colour information by expressing red and blue signals as value remaining after subtracting luminance signal

colour separation overlay (CSO) see chromakey

commentary narration added to programme, usually in sports and news reports

contrast brightness difference in picture or scene

control track (video) electronic `sprocket´ holes, acts as tape counter

crab sideways movement of camera on or off a dolly

credits list of people involved with making a film

crossing the line reversing flow of action in successive shots therefore confusing the viewer´s sense of direction

cutaway shot used to avoid a jump cut

cyclorama curtain providing blank general background in a studio

DAT a digital audio recording system introduced in 1987, which gives up to three hours of CD quality recording (or 6 hours in LP mode) on a tape half the size of a standard audio cassette.

decibel (db) a logarithmic measure of the ratio between two voltages, powers, sound intensities etc. Signal-to-noise ratios are expressed in decibels.

Depth of field area of a shot in sharp focus

digital recording superior quality to most analogue formats, a digital recording encodes audio and / or video as numerical values instead of as a fluctuating analogue electrical signal

digitising process where analogue video and audio is transfered in a digital medium to be edited on a computer system

director responsible for details of creative input to film or video programme

dissolve gradual transition from one shot to another

dolly trolley for moving camera smoothly while shooting. Also used to describe forward motion of the camera itself

dubbing mixing final soundtrack from recorded sound, commentary, music and effects; also putting different language on a programme

duch tilt where the horizon of the shot is not level, used irregularly.

DVB (Digital Video Broadcast) An optical storage format that looks like a CD but with a far greater capacity (4.7 Gigabytes) DVD means it is possible to put an entire feature film on one disc. Also used for data storage.

DVCPro a professional videotape format

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) an optical storage format that looks like a CD but with a far greater capacity (4.7 Gigabytes) DVD means it is possible to put an entire feature film on one disc. Also used for data storage.

effects (sound) recorded noise other than music or speech

establisher general view (GV) of location

exposure amount of light allowed to enter the camera, usually described as an f-number

exterior any out-of-doors shooting

eye-line the direction a person on camera is looking

F-number the ratio between focal length and the diameter of the lens when fully open

field (video) area of TV screen covered by scanning alternate lines. 2 fields = 1 frame (picture)

filler light soft light used to fill out shadows

filters glass or gelatine lens attachments used to modify light entering camera

firewire digital connection used to transfer video and audio data between devices with zero quality loss

focal length distance between lens and video camera tube / chip

frame complete video picture made up of two fields

freeze frame a single video field, or frame, displayed as a still on screen

frequency electrical term used to describe number of cycles per second in alternating current

Gallery control room for studio

generation stages in copying videotape. The master tape is first generation, a copy of that is the second generation... and so on

genlock used for syncing computers to video signals

gun microphone highly directional mike

hard light light throwing distinct shadow

head (video) electromagnetic device for laying down video signal on magnetic tape (recording) and reading the signal (playback)

helical scan scanning arrangement in which video tape is wrapped round the head drum in the shape of a partial helix, thus enabling tracks to be recorded diagonally on tape

hertz unit of frequency of repetitive electrical current or voltage. One Hertz = one cycle per second

HI8 a small analogue videotape format, with 8mm tape. Higher quality version of video8. Used mainly in camcorders.

high-angle shot shot taken with camera above subject and pointing down

Insert editing assembling programme onto video tape with pre-recorded control track or timecode

in sync picture and sound exactly in time with each other.

interlace video technique of scanning alternate lines of picture to eliminate flicker between frames (see field)

interviewee person being interviewed

iris the opening through which light enters the camera, the size of which can be varied by the operator, or automatically (auto iris) to ensure correct exposure. See also F-number

ISDN (Intergrated Services Digital Network) a digital telephone line which can be used for high quality audio or high speed internet.

Jaz removable storage media for computers, like a floppy disk but with much greater capacity, 1 or 2 gigabyte (Gb) drives and disks.

Jump cut a cut which violates continuity of time, place or action

Key light main light in a lighting set-up

Limiter A device which prevents the level of an audio signal from rising above a set threshold

line-up retuning of electronic cameras before transmission or recording

location any place outside studio

long shot (LS) shot taken with camera showing whole height of person at a distance or whole scene

luminance black and white portion of the video signal

M+E track music and effects track

´macro´ facility enlargement or close-up facility on most cameras

medium close-up (MCU) comfortable close shot cutting just below armpits. Standard shot for most television interviews

microphone device for turning sound waves into electrical signal

mid-shot (MS) introductory shot for interviews cutting just below elbows

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) a system that allows electronic musical instruments to communicate with each other, and/or a computer.

mix gradual transition from one shot to another

mixed light mixture of daylight and artificial light

MPEG (MOtion Picture Experts Group) a method of data compression of a digital signal, making it easier to broadcast, store, or send over the internet. MPEG 11 is used for video, MPEG 111 (aka MP3) for audio.

mute shot shot taken without recording sound

Normalising a process that makes the best use of a digital audio system´s dynamic range by automatically determining the amount of gain required to increase the level of the highest signal to maximum (0db), and then increasing the level of the entire file by the same amount.

NTSC stands for National Television Systems Committee. TV colour system used mainly in North America and Japan. Has 525 lines & 30 frames per second.

off-line editing a rough pre-edit on cheaper machinery to work out the best way of assembling a programme

omega wrap term describing tape path round helical scan head drum

omnidirectional mike mike sensitive to sound from all directions

optical barrier imaginary barrier the crossing of which would mean crossing the line

orb removable storage media for computers, like a floppy disk but with much greater capacity 2.2 gigabyte drives & disks.

PAL stands for phase alternative line. TV colour system used in most of Western Europe except France

pan horizontal swing of camera

phantom power a method of powering a microphone from the equipment is connected to, by supplying 48 volts through the micophone cable. This is done in such a way that is does not affect the audio signal, hence the term `phantom´.

playback replay or video or audio equipment

primary colours (video) Red, Green, Blue, which can be addded together in different proportions to produce any other colour

producer in overall charge of a production

prop any moveable object used in a programme

Quicktime a video format used by most computers for compression, recording and playback

Radio microphone cableless microphone system fitted with transmitter to allow maximum freedom of movement

real audio (aka real media) - the first format to allow audio to be streamed on the internet, meaning that the clip can be played as it is downloaded, instead of waiting for the entire file to be saved. Now losing ground to Quick Time & Windows Media.

RMS (root-mean-square) an accurate measurement of an amplifiers power. Other terms such as PMPO are meaningless.

rostrum camera special mount for camera allowing smooth movements over stills, paintings, graphics etc

rough cut first assembly of shots during editing

rushes term used to describe material that has been captured on video

sample rate When digitising audio from an analogue source, it is the number of times per second that a 'snapshot' of the signal is taken, and stored as a numeric value. Measured in kilohertz (kHz), the higher the better. 8 kHz is telephone quality, 32 kHz is FM radio quality, 44.1 kHz is CD quality

SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) An interface used by many PCs, Macs and digital devices to exchange data between systems at high speeds. (Pronounced SCUZZY)

SECAM (SEquential Couleur Avec Memoire) TV colour system used mainly in France & Russia. Has 625 lines & 25 frames per second

set studio scenery

shooting ratio ratio of material shot to material shown

signal to noise ratio A measurement of the amount of noise (hiss or hum) in a signal expressed in decibels. The higher the Signal to Noise ratio the better

slow motion apparent slowing down of action in a scene: achieved in video by showing each field two or three times

soft light light casting soft and indistinct shadow

SPDIF (Sony Philips Digital InterFace) A connection that is used to transfer digital audio signals between equipment such as CD players, DAT recorders and MiniDisc recorders. Usually a phono type connection

stops aperture settings pm camera described by the f-number

streaming a method of broadcasting an audio or video programme over the internet, so it can be played as it is being downloaded, without waiting for the entire file to finish downloading.

stripe term used to describe laying down black colour signal on a videotape with timecode & sync, in preparation for editing

S-VHS newer version of VHS giving greatly improved picture quality. Not to be confused with S-video

S-video a high quality analogue video connection used by professional and some domestic video equipment

sync a pulse embedded in a video signal to ensure a stable picture.

talkback continuous sound link-up between studio gallery and technicians involved with a studio programme

telephoto lens long focal length lens magnifying distant objects

tilt swinging camera upwards or downwards

timecode system for indexing videotape. Each frame has its own unique `address´ signature burnt into the tape. Used for address location, triggering, and synchronization between various video, audio, and other time-based media

tone audio tone (eg. 4db) used in conjunction with bars for callibrating sound levels for VT transmission.

toslink A digital audio connection similar to SPDIF, but which uses a fibre-optic cable to transmit digital audio data via light pulses. Also known as an "optical" connection

track moving camera forwards or backwards

two-shot shot with two people in it

U-matic ageing analogue video format

VCR Video Cassette Recorder

VHS (Video Home System) video format using 12.5 mm cassette tapes

VTR Video Tape Recorder

video used to refer to all aspects of electronic picture technology, as opposed to film

vox pop technique of asking a succession of people their views on a particular subject

wav (or wave) An uncompressed digital audio file format

wide-angle lens lens with short focal length

wild track sound recorded on location independent of picture and therefore not in sync

Windows Media a format used by PCs for audio (& video). It is 'streamed' in a similar way to radio broadcasts, meaning that the clip can be played as it is downloaded. Sometimes the sound stream is actually live, but in other cases, it is pre-recorded (audio on demand)

XLR a professional connector system usually used for audio

Y abbreviation for luminance, the brightness portion of a television picture.

Zip removable storage media for computers, like a floppy disk but with greater capacity, 100 or 250 megabyte drives & disks.

Zoom lens with variable focal length

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