A-Z of Video Production Terms
A glossary of video production terminology, helpful for streamlining communication throughout the production process.
A
Aspect Ratio: The proportional relationship between the width and height of a video frame. Common aspect ratios include 16:9, 1:1 (square), 4:5, and 9:16 (vertical).
Ambient Light: The natural or existing light in a location without the addition of any artificial lights.
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement): The process of re-recording dialogue in post-production to improve audio quality or reflect changes in the script.
B
B-Roll: Supplemental footage that is often intercut with the main shot. B-roll is often used to add context or visual interest to a spoken narrative.
Boom Microphone: A directional microphone attached to a boom pole, allowing for clear audio capture from a distance.
Bitrate: The amount of data processed per unit of time in a video file, usually measured in megabits per second (mbps).
C
Color Grading: The process of altering and enhancing the colour of video footage in post-production to achieve a desired look or mood.
Cutaway: A shot that interrupts the main action to show a related detail, often used as a technique to bridge a jump in continuity.
Chroma Key: A technique used to replace a particular colour (often green) in a video with another image.
D
Depth of Field: The distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear sharp or in focus within an image.
Dolly Shot: A camera movement where the camera is mounted on a wheeled platform to create smooth, horizontal motion.
Dissolve: A gradual transition from one image to another.
E
Exposure: The amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, determining how light or dark an image appears.
Eyeline Match: A technique used in editing to ensure that characters appear to be looking at each other or at a particular object in a scene.
Extreme Close-Up: A shot that tightly frames a subject, often used to emphasise a particular detail.
F
Frame Rate: The number of individual frames displayed per second of video, measured in frames per second (fps).
Flash Frame: A very brief shot that appears on screen for just a few frames, often used for stylistic effect or to jolt the audience.
Field of View: The extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment through the camera lens.
G
Gaffer: The person responsible for the lighting plan on a film set.
Grip: A crew member responsible for setting up and maintaining camera support equipment, such as tripods and dollies. “Grip” is also sometimes used to refer to the hardware involved.
Green Screen: A green backdrop used in chroma key compositing to digitally insert backgrounds or effects in post-production.
H
Headroom: The space between the top of a subject’s head and the top of the frame in a shot.
Histogram: A graphical representation of the tonal values of an image, used to assess exposure.
I
ISO: A measure of the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light.
Interlaced Video: A technique for doubling the perceived frame rate of a video display without consuming extra bandwidth.
Insert Shot: A close-up shot of a detail within a scene, used to highlight specific elements.
J
Jump Cut: A cut that abruptly transitions between two shots.
Jib Arm: A boom device with a camera on one end and a counterweight on the other, allowing for smooth vertical and horizontal camera movements.
J-Cut: An editing technique where the audio from the next scene starts before the visual cut to that scene. An L-Cut is the opposite.
K
Key Light: The primary light source used to illuminate the subject.
Kinetic Typography: The animation of text to convey or emphasise ideas in video.
Keyframe: A frame in an animation or video that defines the starting or ending point of a transition.
L
Lens Flare: The light scattered in a lens system, creating artefacts or visual effects when a strong light source shines directly into the lens.
LOG (Logarithmic Color Space): A method of encoding images to capture a wider dynamic range of exposure.
LUT (Look-Up Table): A mathematical formula used to map one set of colours to another, typically used for colour grading and on-set monitoring.
M
Montage: A sequence of short shots edited together to condense space, time, and information.
Matte: A mask used in compositing to combine multiple images, where parts of one image are made transparent.
Multicam: The use of multiple cameras simultaneously to capture different angles of a scene.
N
Noise: Random variations of brightness or color in images, often visible as grain in the video.
ND Filter (Neutral Density Filter): A filter that reduces the intensity of light, allowing for greater control of exposure.
Non-Linear Editing (NLE): The process of editing video digitally using computer software, allowing for random access to any part of the footage.
O
Overexposure: An image that is too bright because too much light has hit the camera sensor.
Out Point: The endpoint in a clip where the edit or transition will occur.
Overlay: Superimposing one image or video clip over another, often used for graphics or titles.
P
Pan: Horizontal movement of a camera on its axis, often used to follow a subject or reveal more of a scene.
Post-Production: The phase of video production that occurs after the initial recording, involving editing, sound design, and visual effects.
Pixel Aspect Ratio: The ratio of width to height of an individual pixel, affecting how images are displayed on different screens.
Q
Quick Time (QT): A multimedia framework for handling various formats of digital video.
R
Resolution: The detail an image holds, usually measured in pixels horizontally and vertically (1920x1080 or 3840x2160 for example).
Rack Focus: A technique in which the focus shifts from one subject to another within the same shot, guiding the viewer's attention.
Rendering: The process of generating the final video output from a sequence of edited clips, effects, and transitions.
S
Shot List: A detailed breakdown of each shot planned for a production, including descriptions, angles, and equipment needed.
Storyboard: A visual representation of a video or film sequence, illustrated in panels to pre-visualise scenes.
Sync Sound: Audio that is recorded in sync with the video, capturing sound exactly as it happens in the scene.
T
Three-Point Lighting: A lighting technique using three lights — key light, fill light, and backlight — to illuminate the subject and create depth.
Tilt: Vertical movement of the camera on its axis, often used to reveal vertical aspects of a scene.
Timecode: A sequence of numeric codes generated at regular intervals to mark specific frames of video, used for synchronisation of cameras and audio in post-production.
U
Underexposure: An image that is too dark because insufficient light has hit the camera sensor.
V
VFX (Visual Effects): The process of creating or manipulating imagery outside the context of a live-action shot, used in post-production.
Vignette: A reduction of an image’s brightness or saturation at its edges compared to its center, often used for artistic effect.
Voiceover (VO): The narration or dialogue that is added to the video from an off-screen voice.
W
White Balance: The camera setting used to adjust colors to appear more natural under different lighting conditions.
Wide Shot: A shot that captures a broad view of a scene, often used to establish context or setting.
Wipe: A transition effect where one shot is replaced by another with a distinct wiping motion across the screen.
Z
Zoom: The adjustment of the camera lens to make the subject appear closer or farther away without physically moving the camera.
Zebras: A camera feature that displays black and white diagonal stripes on an area of the image that exceeds a set exposure.
