Basic Rules In Videomaking

Terms in Videomaking

Terms in Videomaking
Abby Singer The second-to-last shot of the day. Named after production manager Abby Singer, who would frequently call "last shot of the day" or "this shot, and just one more," only to have the director ask for more takes. See also martini shot. Anamorphic AKA: Cinemascope An optical system which has different magnifications in the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the picture. See also aspect ratio, contrast with spherical. Cinemascope is a trade name of an anamorphic technique.

Back Projection AKA: Rear Projection A photographic technique whereby live action is filmed in front of a screen which the background action is projected on. Originally used for scenes occurring in vehicles. Contrast this with a matte shot. Backlot AKA: Back lot A large, undeveloped area on studio property used for constructing large open-air sets or for filming wilderness scenes.

Cel Animation A form of animation where hand drawn pictures are transposed on to plastic sheets, each with a different element such as characters and background, and layered on top of each other to create a complete scene. The composition is then photographed and incorporated in the finished film. It was the predominate of form of animation until the rise of computer generated animation in the mid 1990's. CGI AKA: Computer Generated Imagery The use of computer graphics to create or enhance special effects.

Digital Compositor A person who does compositing by digital means (at a computer), as opposed to using (pre-digital) optical or physical techniques. Digital Imaging Technician A person who provides on-set quality control, image manipulation & color correction, production continuity, trouble shooting and consultation to assist in fullfilling the requirements and vision of the cinematographer in film-style digital production.

Edge Numbers Numbers printed on the edge of a print to allow easy identification of frames. Editing AKA: Visual Editing, Film Editing Reconstructing the sequence of events in a movie. See also AVID, editor.

Fade AKA: Fade To Black, Fade In, Fade Out A smooth, gradual transition from a normal image to complete blackness (fade out), or vice versa (fade in). Fast Motion AKA: Skip Frame A shot in which time appears to move more quickly than normal. The process is commonly achieved by either deleting select frames (called "skip frames") or by undercranking. See also motion artifact, freeze frame, frame rate, judder.

Gaffer AKA: Chief Lighting Technician The head of the electrical department, responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan for a production. Early films used mostly natural light, which stagehands controlled with large tent cloths using long poles called gaffs (stagehands were often beached sailors or longshoremen, and a gaff is a type of boom on a sailing ship). In 16th Century English, the term "gaffer" denoted a man who was the head of any organized group of laborers. Goof A take of a scene not used in a movie, usually because of an on-camera mistake made by the cast or crew.

High Concept Describes a film that includes and/or exploits certain elements (e.g. fast action, big-name stars) in order to attract a large audience. Hold A word used on a continuity report to indicate that a particular take should be kept, but not developed.

Intertitles A title card appearing intercut with a scene. Contrast with subtitles. Commonly used with silent films. Ink Verb: to sign a contract. Noun: press coverage.

Judder An instability introduced when images sampled at one frame rate are converted to a different frame rate for viewing. This effect is most noticeable when frames are repeated or deleted in order to obtain slow motion or fast motion. See alsomotion artifact. Jump Cut A cut involving an interruption to the continuity of time, where the image in a shot closely matches the image of the previous shot.

Key A general adjective denoting importance. Key Grip AKA: Key The key grip works closely with the director of photography and the gaffer to sculpt the desired look of a film by diffusing and cutting the light. The key grip is also in charge of camera movement whether on a dolly, camera crane or mounted on the hood or bumper of a vehicle.

Layouts AKA: Blocking A person responsible for working out the action before filming begins, including where the characters should be, and the camera angles.

Lighting AKA: Lights Most productions use artificial lighting when filming for various technical and artistic reasons, both on location or on aset. Lighting is designed by the director of photography in consultation with the director, and is the responsibility of

Magnetic Soundtrack AKA: Magnetic Print A composite print in which the soundtrack is recorded on the attached strip of magnetic tape. Largely obsolete due to high cost and maintenance difficulties. Motion Blur Shots of objects that quickly move in the camera's frame, and/or shots with a slow shutter speed are likely to produce a "smearing" effect, since the object is in a range of positions during a single exposure.

Negative Cost The cost of a movie through the production of a finished negative, not including the costs of prints, advertising, or distribution. Negative Print AKA: Negative, Neg A reverse light image capture. See also positive print.

Off-line Editor A person who performs the off-line work, completing preliminary editing done in a lowercost editing facility, to prepare a list of edits for the final, or on-line editor.

On-line Editor A person who performs the on-line work, who completes the final editing and preparation for distribution of film, with edits often from a list of changes created by the off-line editor.

P&A Prints and advertising, the major costs of film distribution.

Pan The action of rotating a camera about its vertical axis. See also tilt.

Quota Quickies Low budget, short subjects made in the UK in the 1930s. The Cinematographic Films Bill, passed in April 1927 stipulated that all UK cinemas would have to include a proportion of British films in their programmes. The percentage varied, rising to 20% at one time. The "Quota Quickies" were generally of a quite

Lets take a Quiz

1. A cut involving an interruption to the continuity of time, where the image in a shot closely matches the image of the previous shot. 2. An optical system which has different magnifications in the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the picture. See also aspect ratio, contrast with spherical. Cinemascope is a trade name of an anamorphic technique. 3. Verb: to sign a contract. Noun: press coverage. 4. The use of computer graphics to create or enhance special effects. 5. A person who does compositing by digital means (at a computer), as opposed to using (pre-digital)

6. A large, undeveloped area on studio property used for constructing large open-air sets or for filming wilderness scenes. 7. Numbers printed on the edge of a print to allow easy identification of frames. 8. Reconstructing the sequence of events in a movie. See also AVID, editor. 9. A smooth, gradual transition from a normal image to complete blackness (fade out), or vice versa (fade in). 10. A take of a scene not used in a movie, usually because of an on-camera mistake made by the cast or crew.

Prepared By:
Joe Deo E. Peralta Daniella C. Pangilinan