Video Production Online Curriculum - Glossary

[The module in which the term was introduced is in brackets at the end of the definition.]

Aperture:  opening on the lens through which light enters camera

Aspect ratio:  size relationship between height and width of the camera rectangle

Audio signal:  the microphone converts sound waves into this form of electrical energy

Camera angle:  the camera's position in relation to the shot--eyelevel, high, low, oblique [4]

Camera shot:  what the camera is focused on, whether live or videotaping [3]

Crew:  people behind camera [1]

Cut:  instantaneous change from one scene to another [3]

Depth of field:  distance between nearest and farthest objects in the camera frame [4]

Dialogue:  the words in a script that are spoken, by on-screen or off-screen characters [3]

Dissolve – one scene slowly fades while the next slowly appears in its place [4]

Dolly:  to move camera closer to or away from subject

Dynamic microphone:  type of microphone used in our production studio [2]

Editing:  selection and arrangement of video or film footage into final product

Fade - camera transition that gradually changes lighting between normal and black; used to end one sequence and open another [4]

Focal length:  lens measurement that indicates size of image the lens creates

Footage:  scenes of a video you shoot

Frame:  outer boundary of what camera sees [4]

Gain:  sound level or volume of what is being recorded by camcorder

Iris:  adjustable device that controls amount of light entering lens

Jump cut:  editing together of two similar shots of same person or action, with subject in slightly different position in each shot, so subject appears to abruptly move or jump from one part of screen to another

Lead room:  space in front of main object, so camera "leads" it into the empty space [4]

Light - general term for any source of illumination; the light source is called a "lamp," not a light bulb.

Lux:  measurement used to indicate camera’s sensitivity to light

Pan:  move camera horizontally [4]

Pickup pattern:  how a microphone receives sound from its surroundings [2]

Rule of Thirds:  composing the camera shot so the most important elements are one third of the way in from any side [3]

Scene:  each change of time or setting in a script

Screen direction:  direction of movement on screen in relation to camera

Segment:  each different topic content portion of news broadcast; see also Scene [3]

Selective focusing:  focus on one object in frame so that rest of objects are out of focus

Sequence:  each conversation or monologue, as in each announcer’s portion of segment [3]

Shot:  see Camera shot

Shutter:  mechanical or electronic device that controls amount of time a frame is exposed to light

Shutter speed:  amount of time shutter is open to expose film or tape to light

Storyboards:  thumbnail sketches of important scenes for video or film script [3]

Swish pan:  fast-moving pan that creates intentionally blurry image

Synopsis:  a summary of the video story that includes the plot—beginning, middle, end—along with character profiles and character movements

Talent:  people in front of camera, also called anchors or reporters [1]

Telephoto:  long focal length lens that creates large images of distant objects

Tilt:  move camera vertically [4]

Track:  move camera parallel to moving subject

Transition:  script indication of the camera change from one scene/segment to another [3]

Unidirectional microphone:  sound pickup at top, so must be pointed directly at source [2]

Videography:  art or process of recording visual images and sound on videotape [4]

Voiceover VO:  when the speaker/narrator is heard but not seen on camera [3]

White balance:  procedure camcorder performs to make sure colors look normal under various lighting conditions

Zoom:  lens that can change focal lengths to widen or narrow field of view; transition that changes camera shot closer to or farther away from subject [3]