Terms & Definitions
Digital Video
If you prefer, Microsoft Word Format terms_digital_video.doc
A
Action axis: An imaginary line drawn between two subjects, or along a line of motion to maintain continuity of screen direction. Crossing it from one shot to the next will create an error in continuity. It is often referred to as the "180 degree rule."
Automatic gain control (AGC): Camcorder circuitry that adjusts incoming audio levels automatically.
.avi: Audio Video Interleaved, also called Video for Windows (VFW). A propretary file format developed by Microsoft for digital video.
B
Batch capture: The ability of computer based editing systems that automatically capture whole lists or "batches" of clips from source videotapes.
C
Capture Card: Computer peripheral that captures digital video and audio to a hard disk. Typically through a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port. Firewire cards can be installed on PCI slots.
CCD (Charge Coupled Device): Light-sensitive computer chip (photo diodes) in video cameras that converts light into electrical signals.
Character generator: A device that electronically builds text which can be combined with a video signal. The text is created with a keyboard and a program that has a selection of font and backgrounds.
Chromakey: A method of electronically inserting the image from one video source into the image of another through areas designated as its "key color." It is frequently used on news programs to display wether graphics behind talent.
Closeup (CU): A tightyly frames camera shot in which the principal subject is viewed at close range, appearing large and dominanat on screen. Pulled back slightly is a "medium closeup" while zoomed in very close is an "extreme closeup (ECU)."
Compositing: Superimposing multiple layers of video. Each layer may move independently.
Continuity: [1:visual] Logical succession of recorded or edited events, necessitating consistent placement of props, positioning of characters, and progression of time. [2:directional] Consisitency in camera-subject relationship in order to avoid confusing a viewer's perspective.
Crawl: Test or graphics, usually special announcements or credits - that move across screen horizontally, typically from bottom right to left. Produced with a character generator.
Cross-fade: Simultaneous fade-in of one audio source or lighting effect as another fades out, may overlap temporarily. Also called a dissolve.
Cutaway: Shot of other than principal action (but peripherally related), frequently used as transitional footage or to avoid a jump cut.
D
Digital video effects (DVE): Electronic analog to digital picture modification yielding specialty image patterns and maneuvers: tumbling, strobing, page turning, mosaic, posterizaiton, solarization, etc.
Digitization: Process of converting a continuous analog video or audio signal to digital data for the purpose of computer storage manipulation.
Disk Image: Software generated file that contains all video and menu data heading for the destination disk in a sector by sector format. useful for transporting finished data to a video production service.
Dissolve: Image transition effect of one picturegradually disappearing as another appears. Analogous to audio and lighting cross-fade.
DLT (Digital Linear Tape): A tape format used for backing up large systems' data. Also useful for transporting extremely large files. Requires a DLT drive connected to your computer.
Dolly: Physical movement of the camera toward or away from a subject. The effect may seem to be the same as zooming m but dollying in or out results in a more dramatic change in perspective than using the zoom.
Dub: [1] Process or result of duplicating a videotape in its entirety. [2] Editing technique whereby new audio or video replaces portion(s) of existing recording.
E
Edit decision list (EDL): Handwritten or digital compilation of all edits marked by their time code in points and out points to be executed in a video production.
Establishing shot: the opening picture of a program or scene. Usually, a wide and/or distant perspective that serves to orient the viewer to the overall setting and surroundings.
F
Faming: The act of composing a shot in the camcorder's viewfinder for desired content, angles and field of view.
Field of view: Extent of a shot that is visible through a particular lens; its vista.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP): A protocol that allows access to remote computers and the ability to retrieve files from a computer via an FTP client program.
Filter: Transparent or semi-transparent material, typically glass, mounted at the front of a camcorder's lens to change light passing through. Manipulates colors and image patterns, often for special effect purposes.
Focal length: Distance from a camcorder's lens to a focused image with the lens focused on infinity. Short focal lengths offer a broad field of view (wide-angle); long focal lengths offer a narrow field of view (telephoto). Zoom lenses have a variable focal length.
Follow focus: Controlling lens focus so that an image maintains sharpness and clarity despite camera and/or subject movement.
F-stop: Numbers corresponding to variable size of a camera's iris opening, and thus the amount of light passing through lens. The higher the number, the smaller the iris diameter, which means less light enters the camcorder.
G
Gain: Video amplification, signal strength. "Riding gain" means varying controls to achieve desired contrast levels.
Generation loss: Degradation in picture and sound quality resulting from an analog duplication of original master video recording. Copying a copy and all successive duplication compo9unds generation loss. Digital transfers are free of generation loss.
H
Hard disk: Digital storage drive usually situated inside the computer. Properties conserned with digital video include: access time, latency, sustained throughput (data transfer rate), capacity, and interface connectivity.
Headroom: The space between the top of a subject's head and a monitor's upper screen edge. Too much headroom makes the subject look small, while too little crowds the subject on the screen.
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML): The language used to tag various parts of a Web document so a browser will know how to interpret and display the document's links, text, graphics, and other related media.
I
Image sensor: A video camera's image sensing element, either CCD (charge coupled device) or MOS (metal oxide semiconductor); converts light to electrical energy.
Iris: Camcorder's lens opening or aperture, regulates amount of light entering camera. Diameter is measured in f-stops.
J
Jump cut: Unnatural, abrupt switch to/from shots identical in subject but slightly different in screen location. Awkward progression makes subject appear to jump from one screen location to another. It can be remedied with cutaway or shot from a different angle.
K
L
Long shot (LS): Camera view of a subject or scene from a distance, showing a broad perspective.
M
Medium shot (MS): Defines any camera perspective between long shot and closeup, viewing the subjects from a medium distance.
Montage: A sequence of shots assembled in juxtaposition to each other to communicate a particular idea or mood. The implied relationship between seemingly unrelated material communicates messages.
MPEG-1 Moving Pictures Experts Group): An international organization that set standard formats for compressing video. Designed to quarter-screen video from a 2X CD-ROM at something near VHS quality. The compression ratio can be up to 200:1
MPEG-2: Digital video compression format designed for digital satellite, cabel and terrestrial broadcast, and DVD. Sometimes used by interactive TV and typically S-VHS quality or better.
N
Neutral-density filter (ND): Mounted at front of camcorder lens, reduces light intensity without affecting its color qualities.
Nonsynchronous sound: Audio without precisely matching visuals. Usually recorded separately, includes wild sound, sound effects, or music incorporated in post-production.
O
Over the shoulder shot: A view of the primary subject with the back of another person's shoulder and head in the foreground. Often used in interview situations.
P
Pan: Horizontal camera pivot, right to left or left to right, from a stationary position.
Pedding: Vertically raising or lowering the camcorder, approaching closer to either florr or ceiling, with camera levelness maintained.
Point of view shot (POV): Shot perspective whereby the camera assumes subject's view, and thus viewers see what the subject sees.
Polarizing filter: Mounted at the front of a camcorder lens, thwarts undesirable glare and reflections.
Post production (post): Any video production activity following initial recording. Typically involves editing, addition of background music, voiceover, sound effects, titles, and/or various electronic visual effects. Results in completed production.
Q
R
Rack focus: Shifting focus between subjects in the background and foreground so the viewer's attention moves from subject to subject as the focus shifts.
Reaction shot: A cutaway shot to someone or something showing their facial response to the primary action or subject.
Real time: Computer creates the effect or transition on-the-fly, as opposed to processing the entire effect on the file before you can see the results.
Render: The processing a computer undertakes when creating an applied effect, transition or composite.
Rough cut: Raw, tentative edit of footage in the approximate sequence, length,and content of finished program. Gives preliminary indication of eventual actual segment.
Rule of thirds: Composition theory based on dividing the screen into thirds vertically and horizontally and the placement of the main subject along those imaginary lines.
S
Safe title area: The area that will produce legible titles on most TV screens; 80% of the screen, measured from the center.
Selective focus: Adjusting focus to emphasize desired subjects in a shot. Selected area maintains clarity, image sharpness while remainder of image blurs. Useful for directing viewer's attention.
Swish pan: an extremely rapid camera movement from left to right or right to left, appearing as image blur. Two such pans in the same direction on moving from, the other moving to, a stationary shot - edited together can effectively convey passage of time or change of location.
Synchronous sound: Audio recorded with images so the words sync with the mouth. A continuous stream of audio data opposed to varying packets used in asynchronous transfer of data.
T
T
Telephoto: Camera lens with long focal length, narrow horizontal field of view. Opposite of wide-angle, captures magnified, close-up images from considerable distance.
Tilt: A vertical camera movement from a single axis as on a tripod.
Tracking: A lateral camera movement traveling with a moving subject. The camcorder should maintain a regulated distance from the subject.
Two-shot: A camera view including two distinct subjects.
U
UDF (Universal Disk Format): The industry standard for the underlying organizational structure of the DVD format.
V
Video CD (VCD): Stores a stream of video (usually MPEG-1) for playback on a VCD decoder. Play on a few Laser Video machinges.
VOB (Video Object): DVDs are encoded in an MPEG-2 format and encased in a file called a VOB. These files are the movie files on a DVD. They are a combination of audio video streams (sometimes multiple video and audio streams for different languages, scene selection, etc).
W
White balance: Electronic adjustment of camcorder to retain truest colors of recorded image. Activated in a camcorder prior to recording, proper setting established by aiming at a white object.
X
Y
Z
Zoom: Variance of focal length, bringing subject into and out of close-up range. Lens capability permits change from wide-angle to telephot, or vice versa, in one continous move.
Zoom ratio: Range of a lens' focal length. Expressed as ration: 6:1, implies that the same lens from the same distance can make the same image appear sixtimes closer.
Graphics Links
Films Online
www.slamdance.com Alternative to the Sundance Film Festival.
www.alwaysindependentfilms.com New stuff and classic films.
www.eveo.com Eveo offers to show accepted videos in comedy, sports, true life, music, and more.
www.atomfilms.com Short stories and animations.
www.thebitscreen.com A lab for exploring how the internet impacts storytelling.
www.movieflix.com Free posting as well as additional space to post your bio and contact information.
Equipment/Hardware/Software
www.justedit.com/vm Canopus Digital Video Editing Solutions.
CD/DVD Authoring Software:
Adaptec www.adaptec.com (800)422-2274
Avid www.avid.com (800)949-AVID
BernClare Multimedia Inc. www.bernclare.com (905)513-27222
CeQuadrat. www.cequadrat.com
MicroBoards Technology LLC www.microboards.com
Daikin U.S. www. daikindvd.com
Multimedia Technology Center www.mtc2000.com
Sonic Solutions www.sonic.com
VITEC Mult8imedia www.vitecmm.com
Excite@Home/Media 100 moviemate.excite.com
iClips.com www.iclipc.com
In-sync www.in-sync.com
Earthnoise www.earthnoise.com
Digital Origin www.igitalorigin.com
Compiled and Archived
01.15.01