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.