Fundamentals of Video Production - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary-focused flashcards covering core concepts, terms, and tools from the lecture notes.

Storyboard

A visual plan that outlines the sequence, composition, and transitions of a video project.

Frame rate (29.97 fps)

The number of individual frames displayed per second; 29.97 fps is the standard broadcast frame rate in the U.S.

Rule of thirds

A composition guideline that places key elements along imaginary lines dividing the frame into thirds.

Close-up

A tight shot that fills the frame with a subject to emphasize emotion.

Medium shot

A shot from the waist up that shows the subject and some of the surrounding environment.

Wide shot

A broad view that establishes location and context.

Location scout

Pre-production check to assess locations for acoustics, lighting, access, and practicality.

Shot list

A planned list of shots and coverage used to guide filming.

Script format

The layout of dialogue, camera moves, and scene headings; typically does not include color grading info.

INT. (Interior)

Script cue indicating an interior location.

White balance

Adjustment that ensures colors appear natural by matching the scene’s color temperature.

ISO

Sensor sensitivity to light; higher ISO increases brightness but adds noise.

Shutter speed

The exposure time for each frame; faster speeds reduce motion blur.

Aperture

The size of the lens opening; controls exposure and depth of field.

Bitrate

Data rate per second; higher bitrate improves quality but increases file size.

Focal length

Distance from lens to sensor; longer focal length narrows the field of view and can enhance shallow depth of field.

Panning

Horizontal camera movement left or right.

Lavalier mic

Small lapel microphone worn on clothing to capture dialogue up close.

Boom (shotgun) mic

Directional microphone mounted on a pole to pick up dialogue from a distance.

XLR balanced cables

Professional audio cables that reduce noise through balanced connections.

Gain

The input level for audio; adjusting gain changes perceived loudness.

Feedback

Unwanted loop of sound (often from mic picking up speaker output) that creates squeals or increased volume.

3-point lighting

A lighting setup using key light, fill light, and back light for dimension.

Reflector

A reflective surface used to bounce light and soften shadows.

Soft light

Light produced through diffusion to create gentle, flattering illumination.

Color temperature (Kelvin)

A scale (in Kelvins) describing the color of light; affects warmth/coolness of an image.

Barn door

Light-modifying doors attached to a fixture to control spill and direction.

Slate / clapperboard

A device used to mark scenes and synchronize audio and video.

Rolling the camera

The camera is recording.

Hot mic

A microphone that is live and transmitting.

Continuity

Consistency of scenes, props, wardrobe, and lighting across shots.

Production wrap-up

End-of-shoot tasks such as logging footage, turning off lights, and packing gear (color grading is post-production).

Non-linear editing

Editing that does not require sequential order; edits are done on a timeline-based system.

Dissolve

A gradual transition where one shot fades into another.

B-roll

Secondary footage used to cover or enrich the primary A-roll.

Color correction

Adjustments to achieve even exposure and consistent color across clips.

Rendering

Processing edits to generate the final video output.

After Effects

Adobe software used for motion graphics and visual effects.

Sans-serif fonts

Clean on-screen fonts without serifs; favored for readability on screens.

Alpha channel

Transparency channel controlling opacity in an image.

Drop shadow

A shadow added behind text to improve legibility against backgrounds.

DAW

Digital Audio Workstation; software for recording and editing audio.

Crossfade

A gradual audio transition between clips by overlapping and fading.

Noise reduction

A process or plugin that reduces hiss and background noise.

Master track

The final stereo mix that combines all audio elements.

Peak levels

The highest audio levels; should not exceed 0 dB.

Adaptive bitrate streaming

Streaming that adjusts resolution and bitrate to match available bandwidth.

MP4 container

A common video container using MPEG-4 video with AAC audio.

Streaming latency

Delay between live capture and viewer playback.

CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A network that distributes content globally to improve delivery speed and reliability.

Copyright infringement

Using copyrighted material without license or permission.

Release form

Signed consent allowing the use of a person’s image or voice in a production.

Fair use

Limited use of copyrighted material for critique, commentary, or education under certain conditions.

CC-BY attribution

Creative Commons license requiring attribution to the creator.

Defamation

Making false statements that harm another person’s reputation.

Demo reel

A short compilation showcasing editing, storytelling, and past work.

Scope creep

Unplanned expansion of a project’s scope and requirements.

Networking

Building professional relationships for future opportunities.

Production budget

Detailed estimate of costs for crew, gear, and post-production.

PIC (Producer In Charge)

Person responsible for managing the overall project execution.

Dutch angle

Camera angle tilted to create a sense of unease or dynamic tension.

Time-lapse

Footage that compresses long periods into a shorter sequence.

Rack focus

Shifting focus from one subject to another within the same shot.

180-degree shutter rule

Shutter angle that yields natural motion when paired with frame rate; commonly 180 degrees.

High-speed shooting

Capturing at a high frame rate to produce slow motion.

Green screen

Chroma key setup for background replacement.

Chroma keying

Process of isolating a specific color to replace the background.

Matte painting

Extended or enhanced foreground/background elements created digitally or painted.

Match cut

A cut between shots that visually resembles each other in action or composition.

Artifacting

Visual distortions caused by compression or encoding.

Dropped frames

Frames dropped during recording or playback due to storage or processing issues.

Battery indicator red

Battery needs charging or replacement.

Mic pops

Plosive sounds caused by direct wind or airflow hitting the mic.

Frame rate mismatch

Inconsistent frame rates between audio and video causing sync issues.

360° video

Video that lets viewers look in any direction or control view orientation.

AR overlays

Augmented reality elements layered onto live video.

HDR video

High dynamic range video with wider brightness and color range.

Cloud-based editing

Editing performed via cloud collaboration and storage.

AI auto-captioning

Automatic generation of subtitles using AI.

RGB

Red, Green, and Blue; additive primary colors for digital displays.

LUT (look-up table)

A preset used to apply consistent color grading/styles.

Teal-orange look

A color grading style leveraging complementary teal and orange tones.

Lift, Gamma, Gain

Color grading controls for shadows (lift), midtones (gamma), and highlights (gain).

Waveform scopes

Graphical tools (waveforms) that show luminance/color levels for accurate grading.

Gantt chart

A timeline-based chart showing task duration and sequencing.

Milestone

A significant event or deadline in a project plan.

Critical path

The sequence of tasks that determines the project’s duration.

Risk mitigation

Strategies to reduce risk by planning alternatives and contingencies.

Feedback loop

Iterative cycles of review and revision in editing.

Metadata

Descriptive data for a video file, such as title, tags, and description.

Thumbnail

Small preview image intended to attract clicks and represent the video.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization to improve visibility in online search results.

Call-to-action

Prompt directing viewers to take a specific action (e.g., subscribe).

Transcoding

Converting video into different formats for compatibility.

Watch time

Total duration that viewers spend watching the video.

Engagement metrics

Measures like likes, views, and shares that indicate audience interaction (not file size).

A/B testing thumbnails

Comparing two thumbnail designs to determine which performs better.

Video ROI

Return on investment; the financial benefit relative to the cost of production.