CMCN 360 TEST 1

analog

A signal that fluctuates exactly like the original stimulus.

medium requirements

All content elements, production elements, and people needed to generate the defined process message.

A/V format

Another name for the two-column AV (audio/video) script. Also called two-column A/V script.

postproduction

Any production activity that occurs after the production. Usually refers to either video editing or audio sweetening (a variety of quality adjustments of recorded sound).

studio camera

High-quality camera with a large zoom lens that cannot be maneuvered properly without the aid of a studio pedestal or other camera mount.

ENG/EFP camcorder

High-quality portable field production camera with the recording device built-in

EFP camera

High-quality portable, shoulder-mounted field production camera that must be connected to an external video recorder.

fact sheet

Lists the items to be shown on-camera and their main features. May contain suggestions of what to say about the product. Also called rundown sheet.

show format

Lists the show segments in order of appearance. Used in routine shows, such as daily game or interview shows.

share

Percentage of television households tuned to a specific station in relation to all households using television (HUT); that is, all households with their sets turned on.

digital zooming

Simulated zoom that crops the center portion of an image and electronically enlarges it. Digital zooms lose picture resolution.

f-stop

The calibration on the lens indicating the aperture, or iris opening (and therefore the amount of light transmitted through the lens). The larger the ƒ-stop number, the smaller the aperture; the smaller the ƒ-stop number, the larger the aperture.

sequencing

The control and the structuring of a shot series during editing.

zoom range

The degree to which the focal length can be changed from a wide shot to a close-up during a zoom. The zoom range is often stated as a ratio; a 20:1 zoom ratio means that the zoom lens can increase its shortest focal length 20 times.

refresh rate

The number of complete digital scanning cycles (frames) per second. See also frame.

frame rate

The number of complete video frames the video system is producing each second. Also expressed as fps. The NTSC standard of traditional American television is 30 fps. The 480p and 720p scanning systems normally have a frame rate of 60 fps. Some HD digital cinema cameras have a frame rate of 24 fps and/or variable frame rates. The standard 1080i HDTV system has a frame rate of 30 fps.

point of coverage (POV)

The point where the index vectors (sight lines) of the two lenses of a 3D camera intersect. It is variable.

field of view

The portion of a scene visible through a particular lens; its vista. Expressed in abbreviations, such as CU for close-up.

preproduction

The preparation of all production details.

raster

The scanning pattern of a video image.

postproduction editing

The selection and the assembly of clips (shots) in a logical sequence.

single-column drama script

Traditional script format for television and motion picture plays. All dialogue and action cues are written in a single column.

two-column A/V script

Traditional script format with video information on page-left and audio information on page-right for a variety of television scripts, such as for documentaries and commercials. Also called A/V format and documentary format.

HDTV camera

Video camera that delivers high-definition video of superior resolution (720p, 1080i, 1080p), color fidelity, and light-and-dark contrast; uses high-quality imaging sensors and lenses.

servo zoom control

Zoom control that activates motor-driven mechanisms

DP

Stands for director of photography. In major motion picture production, the DP is primarily responsible for the lighting (similar to the LD in television). In smaller motion picture productions and in EFP, the DP will operate the camera. In television it refers to the camera operator, or shooter.

EFP

Stands for electronic field production. Television production outside of the studio that is normally shot for postproduction (not live). Part of field production.

production schedule

The calendar that shows the preproduction, production, and postproduction dates and who is doing what when and where.

field

(1) A location away from the studio. (2) One-half of a complete scanning cycle, with two fields necessary for one video frame. There are 60 fields, or 30 frames, per second in standard NTSC television.

bus

(1) A row of buttons on the switcher. (2) A common central circuit that receives electrical signals from several sources and that feeds them to a common or several separate destinations.

calibrate

(1) Audio: To make all VU meters (usually of the audio console and the video recorder) respond in the same way to a specific audio signal. (2) Video: to preset a zoom lens to remain in focus throughout the zoom.

gain

(1) Audio: level of amplification for audio signals. "Riding gain" means keeping the sound volume at a proper level. (2) Video: electronic amplification of the video signal, boosting primarily picture brightness.

headroom

(1) Audio: the allowable amount of upper amplification before the sound becomes distorted. (2) Video: the space left between the top of the head and the upper screen edge.

dolly

(1) Camera support that enables the camera to move in all horizontal directions. (2) To move the camera toward (dolly in) or away from (dolly out or back) the object.

compression

(1) Data: reducing the amount of data to be stored or transmitted by using coding schemes (codecs) that pack all original data into less space (lossless compression) or by throwing away some of it (lossy compression). (2) Optical: the crowding effect achieved by a narrow-angle (telephoto) lens wherein object proportions and relative distances seem shallower.

pedastal

(1) Heavy camera dolly that permits raising and lowering the camera while on the air. (2) To move the camera up and down via a studio pedestal. (3) The black level of a television picture; can be adjusted against a standard on the waveform monitor.

crane

(1) Motion picture camera support that resembles an actual crane in both appearance and operation. The crane can lift the camera from close to the studio floor to more than 10 feet above it. (2) To move the boom of the camera crane up or down. Also called boom.

frame

(1) The smallest picture unit in film, a single picture. (2) A complete scan from top to bottom of all raster lines by exposure and subsequent electric charge, or one single frame of a motion series. See also interlaced scanning and progressive scanning.

Clips

(1) To compress the white and/or black picture information or prevent the video signal from interfering with the sync signals. (2) A shot or brief series of shots as captured on the hard drive and identified by a file name.

downstream keyer (DSK)

A control that allows a title to be keyed (cut in) over the picture (line-out signal) as it leaves the switcher.

quick release plate

A mounting plate used to attach camcorders and ENG/EFP cameras to the mounting head.

treatment

A brief narrative description of a television program.

digital cinema camera

A high-definition television camera with sensors that can produce extremely high-resolution pictures exceeding 4,000 (4K) pixels per line. It records on memory cards, with a variable frame rate for normal, slow, and accelerated motion capture.

normal lens

A lens or zoom lens position with a focal length that approximates the spatial relationships of normal vision.

macro position

A lens setting that allows it to be focused at very close distances from an object. Used for close-ups of small objects.

fast lens

A lens that permits a relatively great amount of light to pass through at its maximum aperture (relatively low ƒ-stop number at its lowest setting). Can be used in low-light conditions.

slow lens

A lens that permits a relatively small amount of light to pass through at its maximum aperture (relatively high ƒ-stop number at its lowest setting). Can be used only in well-lighted areas.

facilities request

A list that contains all technical facilities needed for a specific production.

binary

A number system with the base of 2.

focus

A picture is in focus when it appears sharp and clear on-screen (technically, the point at which the light rays refracted by the lens converge).

camcorder

A portable camera with the videotape recorder or some other recording device built into it to form a single unit.

camcorders

A portable camera with the videotape recorder or some other recording device built into it to form a single unit.

location sketch

A rough map of the locale of a remote shoot. For an indoor remote, it shows the room dimensions and the furniture and window locations. For an outdoor remote, it indicates the location of buildings, the remote truck, power sources, and the sun during the time of the telecast.

storyboard

A series of sketches of the key visualization points of an event, with the corresponding audio information

zoom lens

A variable-focal-length lens. It can gradually change from a wide shot to a close-up and vice versa in one continuous move.

zoom lenses

A variable-focal-length lens. It can gradually change from a wide shot to a close-up and vice versa in one continuous move.

rule of thirds

A variation of the golden section, wherein the screen is divided into three horizontal and three vertical fields. A fail-safe composition places a subject where a vertical and a horizontal line intersect.

Iris

Adjustable lens-opening that controls the amount of light passing through the lens. Also called diaphragm and lens diaphragm.

range extender

An optical attachment to the zoom lens that extends its focal length. Also called extender.

locking-in

An especially vivid mental image—visual or aural—during script analysis that determines the subsequent visualizations and sequencing.

z-axis

An imaginary line representing an extension of the lens from the camera to the horizon—the depth dimension. Stereo 3D has a double z-axis: one that stretches from the lens or screen to the horizon (zh-axis) and another that stretches from the screen to the viewer (zv-axis).

demographics

Audience research factors concerned with such data as age, gender, marital status, and income.

Psychographics

Audience research factors concerned with such data as consumer buying habits, values, and lifestyles.

auto-focus

Automated feature whereby the camera focuses on what it senses to be the target object.

camera stabilizing system

Camera mount whose mechanism holds the camera steady while the operator moves

floor plan

Definition:A diagram of scenery and properties drawn on a grid. Can also refer to floor plan pattern.

beam splitter

Definition:Compact internal optical system of prisms within a television camera that separates white light into the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. Also called prism block.

rating

Definition:Percentage of television households tuned to a specific station in relation to the total number of television households.

ENG

Definition:Stands for electronic news gathering. The use of portable camcorders or cameras with separate portable video recorders, lights, and sound equipment for the production of daily news stories. ENG is usually not planned in advance and is often transmitted live or immediately after postproduction editing

partial two-column A/V script

Describes a show for which the dialogue is indicated but not completely written out.

selective focus

Emphasizing an object in a shallow depth of field through focus while keeping its foreground and/or background out of focus.

television system

Equipment and people who operate the equipment for the production of specific programs. The basic television system consists of a television camera and a microphone, which convert pictures and sound into electrical signals, and a television set and a loudspeaker, which convert the signals back into pictures and sound.

Camera Control Unit (CCU)

Equipment, separate from the camera head, that contains various video controls, including color fidelity, color balance, contrast, and brightness. The CCU enables the video operator to adjust the camera picture during a show.

narrow-angle lens

Gives a close-up view of an event relatively far away from the camera. Also called long-focal-length lens and telephoto lens.

minimum object distance (MOD)

How close the camera is to an object and still focus on it.

Framestore synchronizer

Image stabilization and synchronization system that stores and reads out one complete video frame at a time. Used to synchronize signals from a variety of video sources that are not genlocked.

time line

In production, a breakdown of time blocks for various activities on the actual production day, such as crew call, setup, and camera rehearsal.

aperature

Iris opening of a lens, usually measured in ƒ-stops.

visulization

Mentally converting a scene into a number of key video images and sounds, not necessarily in sequence. The mental image of a shot.

effect-to-cause model

Moving from idea to desired effect on the viewer, then backing up to the specific medium requirements to produce such an effect.

close-up (CU)

Object or any part of it seen at close range and framed tightly. The close-up can be extreme (extreme or big close-up—ECU) or rather loose (medium close-up—MCU).

medium shot (MS)

Object seen from a medium distance. Covers any framing between a long shot and a close-up. Also called waist shot

long shot (LS)

Object seen from far away or framed loosely. Also called establishing shot and full shot.

sync generator

Part of the camera chain; produces an electronic synchronization signal, which keeps all scanning in step.

new production personnel

People assigned exclusively to the production of news, documentaries, and special events.

nontechnical production personnel

People concerned primarily with nontechnical production matters that lead from the basic idea to the final screen image. Also called above-the-line personnel.

technical personnel

People who operate and maintain the technical equipment. Also called below-the-line personnel.

goal-directed information

Program content intended to be learned by the viewer.

additive primary colors

Red, green, and blue. Ordinary white light (sunlight) can be separated into the three primary light colors. When these three colored lights are combined in various proportions, all other colors can be reproduced. The process is called additive color mixing.

pixel

Short for picture element. (1) A single imaging element (like the single dot in a newspaper picture) that can be identified by a computer. The more pixels per picture area, the higher the picture quality. (2) The light-sensitive elements on a CCD that contain a charge

closure

Short for psychological closure. Mentally filling in spaces of an incomplete picture. See also mental map.

extreme long shot (ELS)

Shows the object from a great distance. Also called establishing shot.

jib arm

Similar to a camera crane. Permits the jib arm operator to raise, lower, and tongue (move sideways) the jib arm while tilting and panning the camera.

cross-shot (X/S)

Similar to the over-the-shoulder shot except that the camera-near person is completely out of the frame.

AD

Stands for associate director or assistant director. Assists the director in all production phases

bit

Stands for binary digit—the smallest amount of information a computer can hold and process. A charge is either present, represented by a 1, or absent, represented by a 0. One bit can describe two levels, such as on/off or black/white.

CMOS

Stands for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. A camera imaging sensor similar to a CCD but which operates on a different technology. It translates light into an electronic video charge that eventually becomes the video signal.

sensor

The CCD or CMOS imaging device in a video camera.

production

The actual activities in which an event is recorded and/or televised.

white balance

The adjustments of the color circuits in the camera to produce a white color in lighting of various color temperatures (relative reddishness or bluishness of white light).

depth of field

The area in which all objects, located at different distances from the camera, appear in focus. Depth of field depends on the focal length of the lens, its ƒ-stop, and the distance between the object and the camera.

target audience

The audience selected or desired to receive a specific message.

focal length

The distance from the optical center of the lens to the front surface of the camera's imaging device at which the image appears in focus with the lens set at infinity. Focal lengths are measured in millimeters or inches. Short-focal-length lenses have a wide angle of view (wide vista); long-focal-length (telephoto) lenses have a narrow angle of view (close-up). In a variable-focal-length (zoom) lens, the focal length can be changed continuously from wide-angle (zoomed out) to narrow-angle (zoomed in) and vice versa. A fixed-focal-length (prime) lens has a single designated focal length.

charge-coupled device (CCD)

The imaging sensor in a television camera. It consists of horizontal and vertical rows of tiny image-sensing elements, called pixels, that translate the optical (light) image into an electric charge that eventually becomes the video signal.

resolution

The measurement of picture detail, expressed in the number of pixels per scanning line and the number of visible scanning lines. Resolution is influenced by the imaging device, the lens, and the television set that shows the camera picture. Often used synonymously with definition.

process message

The message actually received by the viewer in the process of watching a television program. The program objective is the defined process message

noseroom

The space left in front of a person looking or pointing toward the edge of the screen. See also leadroom.

leadroom

The space left in front of a person or an object moving toward the edge of the screen. See also noseroom.

genlock

The synchronization of two or more video sources to prevent picture breakup during switching. A house sync signal synchronizes the raster scanning of a variety of video sources.

Classical Dramaturgy

The technique of dramatic composition.

camera chain

The television camera (head) and associated electronic equipment, including the camera control unit, sync generator, and power supply.

single-camera system

The use of a single video camera or camcorder for the capture, recording, or transmission of video footage.

single-camera systems

The use of a single video camera or camcorder for the capture, recording, or transmission of video footage.

multicamera system

The use of two or more video cameras or camcorders for the capture, selection, recording, or transmission of video footage.

multicamera systems

The use of two or more video cameras or camcorders for the capture, selection, recording, or transmission of video footage.

event order

The way event details are sequenced.

aspect ratio

The width-to-height proportions of the standard television screen and therefore of all standard television pictures: 4 units wide by 3 units high. For HDTV the aspect ratio is 16 × 9. The small mobile media (cell-phone) displays have various aspect ratios.

rack focus

To change focus from one object or person closer to the camera to one farther away or vice versa.

tongue

To move the boom or jib arm with the camera from left to right or right to left.

arc

To move the camera in a slightly curved dolly or truck.

cant

To tilt the shoulder-mounted or handheld camera sideways.

digital

Usually means the binary system—the representation of data in the form of binary digits (on/off pulses).

program proposal

Written document that outlines the program objective and the major aspects of a television presentation.

script

Written document that tells what the program is about, who says what, what is supposed to happen, and how the audience should see and hear the event.

wide-angle lens

a short focal length lens that provides a broad vista of a scene

monopod

a single pole onto which you can mount a camera

standard television (STV)

a system based on the NTSC scanning system of 525 (480 visible) interlaced lines

interocular distance

distance between the pupils of our eyes (with the norm set at 2.5 inches or 63.5 millimeters)

RGB

red, green, blue the basic colors of television

Extreme Close Up (ECU)

shows the object with very tight framing

imaging device

the imaging element in a television camera. Its sensor (CCD or CMOS) transduces light into electric energy that becomes the video signal. Also called "chip and sensor"