CONNECT
SHOUT OUT BOARDS

YOUR ROOM
FIND OUT

HELP ME HEATHER

FAST FACTS

PLAY

gURL GAMES

QUIZZES

MORE PLAY
SHOW OFF

COMIX

PHOTOS

EXPLORE

BODY IMAGE

SEX

REACT

MOST POPULAR VIDEOS

SOUND CHECKS

 
gURLguide to video making
video lingo!

video tapes analog video: Until recently, all video was analog. This includes VHS, Betacam and Hi-8 formats. You can still buy inexpensive camcorders in analog format, but the quality of the picture isn't as good as in digital video.

analog editing: Rearranging and cutting your footage using an actual tape instead of a digital representation of what you've shot.

avid: The name of a certain professional editing system that is good to learn if you ever want to work in the biz.

boom microphone (also boom): A microphone held at the end of a long pole, generally above actors' heads, out of the camera's view.

budget: The list that a director or producer makes of all costs associated with a film or video, and submits to funders or likely funders.

camcorder: A consumer-grade video camera.

capture cards: Something installed in or connected to a computer that allows video to be translated into something the computer can understand.

cinematographer (a.k.a. director of photography, or DP): The person who determines the overall visual appearance of the movie and, along with the director and editor, which shots to use.

cinematography: The visual art involves in making a film or video.

compression: Making a digital video file small enough so that it doesn't take up too much space on a computer, while keeping the image quality high.

digital video: A new development in video technology that differs from analog video in that the visual and audio elements are recorded digitally. A relatively cheap way to make movies, although not considered as aesthetically appealing as film.

digitize: Converting analog video into files that can be manipulated and played on a computer.

documentary: A non-fiction film that involved no actors or scripts. The filmmaker tries to portray real events and people.

editing: Turning "raw" footage into a movie. (See analog, in-camera, and non-linear editing.)

experimental: Films and videos that defy traditional structure. This can include anything from autobiographical storytelling to films that use abstract imagery and sound.

film: A thin strip of flexible material that is light-sensitive and can record images. For viewing, it is projected onto a screen at three frames per second.

framing: The process of determining what gets included in the view of the camera.

hi-8: Before digital video was introduced into the consumer market, Hi-8 video was the favorite format for "home movies." It offered the best combination of quality and affordability in a conveniently compact size.

in-camera editing: Shooting a movie from the first shot to the last shot, in order, on the same tape. Requires a lot of planning but is very cost effective.

internet video formats: Any of the range of formats available for watching video on the internet or on a computer. Examples of these include Quicktime, Real Player, Windows Media Player. The Flash Player is now the top format used for animation.

location: Where a movie is filmed.

microphone, or mic (also see omni, uni, boom): The instrument for recording sound. Most camcorders have mics built into them, but for higher quality, external mics should be used instead.

narrative: A film that tells a story, usually fictional. This category usually does not include documentaries or experimental films.

non-linear editing: Using a computer to edit a video. Non-linear systems, such as Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro and Avid Technology Systems, allow a movie to be edited by cutting and pasting digital clips into a timeline in whatever order the editor chooses.

omnidirectional mic: A hand-held microphone that picks up sound from every direction. Also referred to as an omni mic.

pixelvision: A Fisher Price camera sold as a toy in the '80s that uses audio cassettes to record images. Embraced by artists, most notably
Sadie Benning, because of its unique aesthetic quality.

post-production: Everything that happens after the footage is shot. This includes the entire editing process, distribution, etc.

pre-production: Everything that happens before the footage is shot. This includes writing a script/treatment, working out a budget, getting actors and crew, etc.

quarter-inch cable: Used to connect audio sources to each other. A quarter-inch cable is relatively large and provides a better quality connection than a smaller cable.

room tone: A background audio track recorded when the set is "silent." This track is then layered over any audio added during post-production to make it sound natural.

special effects: Fantastical images or sounds created with technology, whether during or after production.

storyboard: An illustration of what a shot will look like, accompanied by text describing what is happening during the scene. Storyboards help plan things out clearly and guide production.

streaming: Sending video and/or audio over the internet so that the receiving party can view/listen while the data is loading.

treatment: A detailed description of a movie, describing each scene and the visual devices to be used. Usually shorter than a script for fiction, and extremely useful for documentaries.

tripod: A stand that keeps the camera still. Hand-held filmmaking adds a certain choppiness that looks very different from filmmaking that involves tripods or mobile equipment, such as dollies.

uni mic: A microphone that picks up sound only from a specific source (like a voice), as opposed to background sound.



NOTE: for more info, check out IMDB's glossary at
http://us.imdb.com/Glossary/

introduction

tips on making your movie

choosing a film school

the d.i.y. video list: internet resources for film and video


 
ADVERTISEMENT