Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
A and B rolls: Two separated reels of video on which scenes are alternately placed
to perform special effects.
actuality: A live or taped news report broadcast from the scene, containing the
voice(s) of the newsmaker(s), as well as of the reporter.
ad hoc network: A group of stations that is formed for a special purpose, such as
the showing of a one-time TV program or series. Ad hoc is Latin for "for this."
affiliate: A station that contractually agrees to carry programs of the network with
which it is affiliated. The station may be owned by the network but generally is
independently owned.
air: The medium for radio and TV broadcasting. A station or program, when
broadcast, is on the air or airing.
air master: A print of a film or a tape from broadcast use; also called an air print.
air show: A TV program as actually broadcast; if taped, the final edited version.
airable: Suitable for use on a radio or TV station (uncommon slang).
airtime or air time: The scheduled day or period of a broadcast, described by the
beginning time; the length of an actual broadcast of a program or segment, such as
an interview.
airwaves: The medium through which broadcasting signals are transmitted; their
pathways through the air.
alligator: Slang for a metal spring-clamp with serrated jaws used to attach lights
and other items; also called a gator grip or bear trap. It is used by gaffers
(electricians) and called a gaffer grip. The spring-loaded clamp has serrations
along the edges and resembles the jaws of an alligator.
amplitude modulation (AM): The encoding of a carrier wave (such as the sound
waves or audio signals of a radio station) by variation of its amplitude, or power
(not its frequency).
animation: The process of creating static figures that appear to move and seem
alive, such as cut-outs or puppets filmed a frame at a time, each slightly different in
a sequence.
anncr.: Announcer.
antenna farm: The location for the transmitting antennas for most or all of the TV
stations in an area; sometimes also a cluster of radio transmitters.
A-roll: The primary material, as opposed to B-roll. In film and tape editing,
alternate scenes are arranged on two reels (A-roll and B-roll) and then assembled.
assemble edit: The recording of all tracks (audio, video, cue, and control)
simultaneously. It is different from insert edit.
audience flow: The extent to which listeners or viewers remember the events on a
radio or TV show from one program to another.
audio: The sound portion of a broadcast, film, tape, or other medium. Audio, from
the Latin audire, meaning "to hear," literally means "I hear."
audio news release (ANR): A tape sent to radio stations by a public relations
source.
audio operator: The person responsible for the technical quality of a program's
sound. The audio operator works in a control room or an audio room and
communicates by headset with the assistant audio operator and others on the floor
of the studio.
audio receive only (ARO): A small dish antenna used by radio stations to receive
sound from a satellite.
audiotape: A magnetic strip on which are recorded electrical signals that can be
converted to sound.
audio/video (AV): Sound and sight, as in a script with the text of the dialogue and
a description of the accompanying visual action.
Auntie: A somewhat derogatory, though affectionate, slang term for the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
average quarter hour (AQH): The audience during a typical (average) 15-minute
period of a radio or TV program, the smallest unit of time used by rating services.
AQH Persons is the estimated number of individuals who listened to a station
during an average quarter-hour. AQH Share represents the AQH Persons of a
station expressed as a percent of the total persons listening to radio or TV during
that time period. Average quarter-hour audience is an average of the number of
people listening to a specific station or network for at least five minutes in each
quarter-hour over a specified period of time, such as a day or week. The AQH
rating is the AQH persons divided by the population in the listening area.
band: 1 A thin strip; grooves on a record or disk with an entire song, movement, or
other section. 2 A range of radio-spectrum frequencies (broadcast band), including
AM, FM, UHF, VHF, VLF, ham, police, commercial, and CB. The use of letters for
these bands was started by the military during the second World War. Letters, as in
K and S bands, are not designations of the Federal Communications Commission,
though the letters are commonly used in the broadcasting and communications
industries.
bars: A reference signal recorded on the beginning of a videotape for the purpose
of aligning the playback of that tape. Most often, an audio reference (tone) is
usually recorded at the same time as the bars.
basic set: A film, TV, or stage set with furniture and scenery but without props.
bite: A short segment, or a take, such as a 15-second sound bite that is repeated on
network radio and TV news programs. The major excerpt from an interview, a very
quotable sentence or two, is called the news bite or bite-of-the day. A strong bite,
the opposite of a weak bite, is dramatic. To pull a bite is to find a usable short
section in a longer tape.
black and coded tape: A videotape on which a video signal of black (7.5 IRE
units) and time code has been recorded.
black clipping: A video control circuit that regulates, or clips, the bottom, or black
level, of the picture signal so that it does not appear on the transmitted picture.
bleed: A small amount of space at the edges of a shot to compensate for any loss
between the picture as it appears on the studio monitor and on the home screen.
bleed-through: The bleeding through of the high-pitched whine of time code onto
the production track of three-quarter-inch tape.
blocking tape: On film, stage, and TV sets, tape affixed to places on the floor to
indicate where a performer should stand.
bloom: A halo or flare on the screen caused by reflections from a shiny object such
as jewelry or lights, or a whitening in an overbright area; also called blooming,
blossom, or puddling.
board fade: Lowering of the intensity of music or other sounds, the board being
the audio or video console or control panel. It is also called a production fade but is
different from a studio fade, in which the sound is reduced in the studio.
body brace: A camera support that attaches to the shoulders and waist of a camera
operator.
bookend: A radio or TV commercial with an open area in the middle for insertion
of a local dealer tie-in or other material; also called a doughnut (it has a hole in the
middle). A bookend commercial also is a split, usually 30 seconds before one or
more other commercials and 30 seconds after.
boom: A long movable stand, crane, arm, or pole for mounting and moving a
microphone (boom microphone) or camera. The boom arm is the circular arm on a
camera platform that controls the vertical position of the camera. Thus, to boom
up is to raise the dolly boom arm and camera in order to obtain a tilt down, or
downward shot. The opposite is a boom down, or tilt up, shot, in which the dolly
boom arm is lowered. A boom shot is a continuous single shot involving various
movements of the camera boom. These shots also are called crane shots. The boom
operator(formerly called boom man) handles the microphone boom and associated
equipment.
broadcast day: The period between the sign-on and sign-off of a radio or TV
station.
broadcast hours: The total number of hours broadcast by a station during a year.
broadcast quality: The technical specifications of the video signal and the actual
look of that signal. A technically perfect video signal might look terrible. For
instance, a VHS tape, properly doctored through a digital effects generator, might
meet a station's technical requirements but might be rejected because it is not a
broadcast-quality picture. Each broadcast company, network, or station has its own
level of quality.
B-roll: Supplementary or backup material. With video news releases, the B-roll
generally follows the primary material on the same cassette. In film and tape
editing, alternate scenes are arranged on two reels, an A-roll and a B-roll, and then
assembled.
BTS: Behind the scenes interviews and other filmed or taped material about the
production of a film or TV show, for publicity use.
bumper: A transitional device, such as fadeout music or "We'll return after these
messages," between story action and a commercial; also called a program
separator.
bus: A central connection for several audio sources or a row of buttons on a video
switching panel; also spelled buss.
button: A strong musical or sound effect, such as the end of a commercial, or a bit
of music between segments of a program; also called a stinger.
call letters: The name of a radio or TV station. Most stations east of the
Mississippi River have call letters beginning with W; west of the Mississippi, call
letters usually begin with K. Canadian stations begin with C; Mexican stations,
with X. All U.S. radio stations except a few of the oldest ones have four letters.
camera cue: A red light or buzzer indicating that a TV camera is shooting a scene
for transmission, live or taped; also called a cue light, tally light, or warning light.
camera left (or camera right): The left (or right) as seen from the camera
operator's or viewer's position, as opposed to that of the performer; hence, the left
(or right) of the image when viewed.
camera shot: That part of the subject matter that is viewed and photographed by
the camera.
camera talk: A situation in which a performer looks directly into the lens to
deliver a message to the audience.
cart: Short form of cartridge, a case containing magnetic tape. A cart machine is a
tape-cartridge playback machine, used with a stack of perhaps a dozen cartridges,
mostly to store and broadcast commercials and public service announcements on
radio stations. In radio, a cart directory is a listing of cartridges in a rack or other
storage, containing information about the cartridge number, title, artist, and
running time. Television talk shows often post notices in the middle of a program
to recruit participants for future shows; the announcement is called a cart, akin to a
cart in an aisle.
chalk off: To mark (with chalk, or more generally, tape) positions on the stage
floor for use as reference by the performers. Chalking off a scene is generally
calledblocking a scene.
circle wipe: An optical effect in which an image first appears as a dot in the center
and then grows to full size while covering (wiping out) the preceding scene.
class (cl.): A division of broadcast time. Class A time is the prime time period, or
the period of maximum audience, such as 8:00-11:00 p.m. on TV. Advertising
during Class A time is charged at the highest rate, followed by B, C, and D.
clear-channel station: An AM radio station authorized by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) to dominate its frequency. Such a station
generally has the maximum power (50kW) and is protected (has no other stations
at its frequency) for a distance of up to 750 miles. Many clear-channel stations can
be heard at greater distances on clear nights. Clear channels are specific
frequencies to which the FCC has assigned a limited number of stations.
client: The person directly responsible for paying for and/or supervising a session,
project, or other entity.
close-up (CU): A tight photograph or shot, generally of the face and shoulders; a
close shot.
closed circuit: A term referring to audio and/or video transmission for controlled
reception, such as to theaters, hotels, meeting places for sports events, conventions,
and other one-time transmissions. Closed-circuit transmissions are also regularly
sent to stations for their own personnel or for reviewers. Closed-circuit television
(CCTV) is transmitted over cable to specific sites or broadcast in a scrambled
format to sites that are provided with unscramblers.
color bar: A strip of gradation of primary colors and black, used for TV testing
and for color standardization and accuracy.
color burst: A reference signal transmitted with each line of a video between the
end of the line's sync and the picture signal. The burst consists of a few cycles of
chroma signal of known phase.
color correction: The changing of color shadings in a video picture. The process
of color correction is time-consuming, so it is much wiser to get the color balance
right during the production. Color correction can be as simple as changing the hue
on a time base corrector or as complicated as using a machine that breaks down the
video signal into its original components and then adjusts certain elements of those
components. A video signal might require color correction because (1) the camera
was not white-balanced; (2) one of the camera's color pickup tubes was not
working correctly; (3) a playback was not properly set up to bars during an original
edit, requiring the shot be fixed to balance the color of one or several shots; (4) a
color shot must be made black-and-white.
color corrector: A machine that is capable of drastically altering the color levels
of a video signal.
comet tail: A streak, generally caused by an overloaded camera tube. Comet tails
can be prevented or minimized by means of an anti-comet tail (ACT) gun in the
tube.
control track: A series of evenly spaced electronic blips or spikes (called sync
pulses) on videotape that function like the sprocket holes of film. The control track
is essential in editing videotape.
cost per point (CPP): The cost of purchasing or delivering one gross rating point
(GRP). It is a measure of media efficiency and is determined by dividing the cost
of the advertising by the gross audience rating points.
cough button: A switch used by a radio announcer to cut off the microphone
during a cough.
crane: A vehicle with a movable arm or boom (generally hydraulic) that moves a
platform on which are a camera and a crew; sometimes called a whirly. A crane
typically has three seats, for the director, camera operator, and camera assistant or
focus puller. The base of the vehicle is called a trolley. Cranes are ubiquitous on
movie sets. A crane shot or boom shot is a shot taken from a crane.
cue: A signal in words or signs that initiates action, dialogue, effects, or other
aspects of a production, such as an indication from a director for a performer or
interview subject to begin or end. Exact timing is one cue. Cues may be given with
a cue light, such as an On The Air sign or a warning light. A return cue is a verbal
or other signal to return to the studio from a remote broadcast, such as a sports
event. To cue ahead is to move a tape to the next broadcast or edit point.
cue card: A large card containing lines to be spoken by a performer, often used
off-camera on TV; also called a flip card, idiot card, or idiot sheet.
cue channel: A track or channel on a tape for audio information related to the
production and other signals that are not to be part of the soundtrack they
accompany.
cue track: One of the audio tracks on videotape, or a separate track for recording
with cuing information to be used in editing; also called an address track.
cue up: To prepare and set in position a record or tape for immediate recording or
playback.
cut: A transition (or transition point) from one scene to another (a visual cut) or
one soundtrack to another (a sound cut). A late cut is made (generally
unintentionally) slightly after the indicated moment, whereas a delayed cut is
intentionally withheld so as to create suspense or for other effects. Also, an
instruction to end a scene or to shift from one scene to another. The symbol for this
command is an index finger drawn across the throat.
cutaway: A reaction shot or a shot of an action, object, or person not part of the
principal scene; an insert, such as between two scenes of an interview subject,
usually a brief sequence that shows the interviewer.
daily electronic feed (DEF): A news service from a network to affiliated stations
for possible subsequent broadcast. Also called delayed electronic feed, it may be a
morning and/or afternoon transmission.
dead air: A broadcasting term for silence, perhaps resulting from a dead mike
(inoperative microphone).
dead roll: A technique of starting a taped program or a film at its scheduled time
on a station but not broadcasting it, so that the preceding program, specifically a
live sports or news event, is continued. When the live program ends, the dead
rolling tape or film is telecast at the point it has rolled to, usually with the
announcement, "We now join the program already in progress."
dead spot: An area where broadcast reception is weak; also called dead space. A
dead spot is also a broadcast commercial or program not aired, sometimes
called black space.
Designated Market Area (DMA): A Nielsen Media Research term for a group of
counties in which a TV station obtains the greatest portion of its audience. Each
U.S. county is part of only one DMA. The Designated Market Area Rating is the
percentage of TV homes within the area viewing an individual station during a
particular time period.
detail set: A part of a set used for close-ups; also called an insert set.
digital: The primary method of data storage and transmission, in which each code
is given a unique combination of bits and each bit generally indicates the presence
or absence of a condition (on or off, yes or no, true or false, open or closed). A
digital camera record images as pixels.
digital video: A video picture that recorded digitally. Some machines can store
single frames and short segments of video digitally on disks. There are also tape
machines that can store large amounts of video digitally. Multiple generations of
digital video look exactly like the camera original because the picture is recreated
by digital signals rather than by copying the signal.
dim: Not bright; unclear. To dim or dim down is to reduce the light intensity; to
dim up or dim in is to increase the light gradually, and to dim out is to reduce the
light to blackout.
director: A supervisor; generally refers to the person responsible for all audience-
visible components of a program, film, or show, whereas the producer is
responsible for the financial and other behind-the-scenes aspects. The production
director selects and manages the suppliers.
distance shot: A view in which the subject is a long distance from the camera or
appears to be far away; also called a long shot.
distant signal: In cable TV, a station "imported" from a market other than the one
in which the cable system is located.
ditty bag: A small container, originally used by sailors to carry toilet articles; also
called a ditty box. The ditty bag used by camera crews is a cloth or canvas bag
containing small items, sometimes attached to a tripod.
dj copy: A record with a recording on only one side, for use by a radio disc jockey.
dolly: A mobile platform with three of four wheels for carrying a microphone,
camera, or other items. A dolly shot (the process is called dollying, tracking,
ortrucking) shifts the viewpoint of the camera, often by a crew member called
a dolly pusher or dolly grip, and is taken while the dolly is in motion. To dolly-in,
dolly up, or camera up is to move the camera platform closer toward the subject;
to dolly-out is to move it away and is also called camera back, dolly-back, truck
back, or pull back.
donut: A commercial distributed to stations with a blank central section to be
"filled" with a local advertiser's message, which generally is live; also called a
doughnut commercial.
downlink: The portion of a signal from the satellite down to the receiving point,
such as a dish (sometimes called a down link).
drive time: Morning and afternoon hours when many radio listeners drive to and
from work. The hours vary depending on the area and time of year--generally 6 to
10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
drop frame time code: A system that keeps the time of a videotape accurate by
dropping two numbers every minute to make up for the small error that results
from assuming that video runs exactly 30 frames per second (video actually runs
29.97 frames per second).
drop-in ad: A local commercial inserted into a national program, or, more
generally, an advertising message inserted into a larger advertisement, as for a local
dealer or retailer, or a phrase, such as a public service slogan, or symbol; also
called a hitch-hike ad.
dubber: A person who duplicates a film or tape (makes a dub); a machine such as
an audio playback machine used to make a copy of a tape; a performer who lip-
synchs or inserts dialogue into an existing film or tape, such as a translation
(a dubbed version).
ear prompter: A tiny ear plug connected to a small audio recorder, enabling a
performer to hear a recorded script while on stage or on camera.
edit decision list (EDL): A record of all times on a video at which selections or
other editing is to be produced.
editing room: The room in which a film is edited or cut; generally called a cutting
room; also a room in which videotape is edited, often called an edit suite.
editor: A device for revising film, tape, or other materials, including the actual
cutting and splicing, or joining, which is done mechanically or electronically under
the supervision of a person also called an editor (or film editor, sound editor,
or tape editor).
effects: Property, impression. Special effects are optics (optical effects) or visual
effects to produce illusions. Sound effects are audio devices for simulation of a
specific sound. The abbreviation is FX or sometimes, EFX, or as with video
effects, E.
E-I-C: Engineer-in-charge, as of a TV production.
electronic cue: An audio or video signal indicating the end of a tape or other
instruction.
electronic editing: The use of a computer or control board, rather than manual
splicing, for the editing, or cutting, of tape.
electronic setup (ESU): The prebroadcast time during which equipment is set up
and tested.
electronic sports gathering (ESG): The use of cameras, mobile units, and other
equipment to produce a telecast of a sports event.
establishing shot: An opening comprehensive view, a long or wide shot to set the
scene or acquaint the audience with the setting, characters, or plot, followed by
details and closer action; also called an orientation shot.
extreme close-up (ecu or xcu): A tight camera shot, close in and limited to one
part of the subject.
eye contact: The practice of looking a person in the eyes. In film and TV, eye
contact is achieved by looking directly into the camera.
eyeline: The direction the eyes are looking. In TV, a cheated eyeline occurs when a
performer does not look directly at a subject, such as another performer, but turns
somewhat toward the camera. Clear the eyeline is a cue to remove any people who
are in the actor's line of vision, other than performers who are supposed to be in the
scene.
fade under: A direction, such as to reduce music or sound effects sufficiently that
they're heard only in the background.
fade-in (FI): A shot that begins in darkness and gradually lightens up to full
brightness; also called a fade-up. The opposite is fade-out or fade to black. In
relation to sound, fade-in can mean the gradual heightening of volume.
fade bar: A video switch-control device to dissolve and fade the picture.
field: The part of a scene--called field of view, field of action or action field--that's
visible at any given moment or the area of a video screen on which identification
titles or other text or art may be inserted. A field pickup is a remote transmission,
not from the studio. In TV transmission in the United State, 60 fields are
transmitted per second, each one containing either the odd or even scanning lines
of the picture (odd or even fields), so that one field equals half of a picture frame.
field producer: A person who works outside the headquarters studio--in the field--
to supervise the production of programs or segments, as of a news program.
file film: Stock footage from the library, or file, of a TV station or other source.
When used as background material in a TV newscast, file film generally is
identified by a line at the top or bottom of the screen with the date on which it was
originally taken.
fitting: An adjustment. A TV fitting is a type of rehearsal, generally of a
forthcoming live news event such as a political convention, in which stand-ins are
used to test camera angles and other technical details.
five and under: A TV role in which a performer has a maximum of five lines. A
larger number requires a higher payment.
flight: An advertising campaign, generally for radio or TV, that runs for a specific
period, such as four weeks.
flip card: A board or card with a title, name, or message, used on TV or in a show
or presentation; also called a cue card.
flipover or flip-over: A transitional optical effect, akin to turning over a page; also
called a flip, flip frame, flip wipe, flipover wipe, flopover, optical flop,
orturnaround.
follow shot: A movement of a camera to follow the action; also called a following
shot, action shot, moving shot, running shot, or tracking shot.
frame: A complete scanning of an image (525 lines in the U.S. system), requiring
1/60 of a second each for the odd- and even-numbered lines for a total of 1/30 of a
second. A half-picture, consisting of either the odd- or even-numbered lines, is
called a field. The frame frequency is the number of times per second the picture
area is covered or scanned. In TV, it is 30 cycles per second (cps).
frame time code: A process, established by the Society of Motion Picture and
Television Engineers, of identifying each frame of a videotape. The drop-in frame
time code counts 30 frames per second, but omits (drops) two frames every minute
as the actual speed is slightly less.
frequency modulation (FM): The encoding of a carrier wave, such as the sound
waves or audio signals of a radio or TV station, by the variation--modulating--of its
frequency, resulting in little or no static and high fidelity in reception. FM radio
stations, from 88 to 108 megahertz produce reception superior to that of AM or
amplitude modulation stations, particularly of music in the high-frequency range.
from the top: From the beginning, a show-business expression. The opposite
is from the bottom. The term originates from the days when each scene in a script
started at the top of a page.
f/x or fx: Special effects, a motion-picture term for animation, objects, and other
techniques and devices that are not real; also, an abbreviation for sound effects.
The name of the cable TV channel FX is based on its owners, Fox Broadcasting
Company.
gain: Increase of signal power, particularly sound volume. The control that
regulates the volume or another level is called the gain, as in turn up the gain.
To ride the gain is to monitor the control indicator. To gain-up is to
increase; digital gain-up is a feature on video cameras that electronically stores an
image for a fraction of a second to accumulate light so that a dark picture can be
lightened.
gallows mike: A gooseneck microphone hung from a support base and used on a
broadcasting table.
generation: A class of objects derived from a preceding class. In films and tapes,
the master, or original, is the first generation. Any copy made from the master
issecond generation, called a copy, dupe, or dub, and a copy of a second-generation
dupe is of the third generation.
genny: An electricity generator, particularly a portable generator on a film or TV
set.
go to black: To let the image fade out entirely; a direction in film and television.
half-inch video: Two types of half-inch video are available-video for home use
and broadcast-quality video. VHS and Betamax are the two home use formats.
They have been used for broadcast video, but they have very poor resolution and
usually wide blanking. Betacam and MII are the two major broadcast-quality half-
inch video formats. This term is commonly used to describe VHS dubs.
head: The projecting part--for instance, the head of a tape recorder, which records
and plays back the magnetic signals; the designation of parts of a TV camera. The
camera consists of the camera head (the lens, tubes, viewfinder, and cable),
panning head or pan head (platform and handle, for turning), and mounting.
headline: The title or description at the top of a page in a book or atop a news
release or article, as a synopsis or to attract attention; called a head, heading,
orhed. Headlines are used in broadcast and other media, in addition to newspapers.
For example, the lead item or indication of a forthcoming item on a broadcast may
be referred to as a headline. The preliminary indication sometimes is called
a billboard.
headphone: A radio or telephone receiver held to the ear or ears by a band over
the head.
holdover audience: That portion of a television or radio audience for one program
who were tuned to the previous program on the same station; also called an
inherited audience or a carry-over audience.
homes using television (HUT): A Nielsen Media Research term for the
households, located in a specific area, that use one or more TV sets during a
specific time period.
hot box: A box in which lighting cables are plugged; also called a junction box.
Hot refers to electricity.
HTML: HyperText Markup Language, the coding language typically used in the
development of Web pages.
human interest (h.i.): A feature about a personality, a story with colorful details
and emotional appeal; any work that is not strictly hard news.
incue (ic or i.c.): The first few words--generally four--of a taped report or
interview, written on a script to help the engineer identify the tape and use it.
in-point: The beginning, or first frame, of a video edit; also called in-time.
insert earphone: A small receiver that fits in one ear, as used by broadcasters.
insert edit: In videotape editing, the independent editing of the audio and video
tracks, separately or together, without affecting the control track. Also, to put a
scene between two other scenes.
insert set: A part of a set, or scene, used for close-ups in film and TV; also called
a detail set.
intercutting: A rapid series of shots, generally of the same scene, taken from
different angles. A shot, called an intercut, of part of the scene may be inserted
between two shots of the entire scene.
iris in: To begin a scene by opening the camera from a completely closed position,
so that the scene appears within an expanding circle. The opposite is iris out. The
terms are also called circle in and circle out.
key station: The station from which a program in a network or group broadcast
originates; also called a master station.
kilocycle (kc): 1,000 cycles per second, or 1,000 alterations of current or sound
waves per second; also called a kilohertz (kHz or khz). The number of kilocycles
determines a radio station's frequency, and thus its position on the dial.
lap dissolve: An optical effect or type of transition in which one scene is gradually
replaced by a new image; also called a lap, cross lap, cross-dissolve, or mix.
last telecast (LTC): A term used at a TV station to indicate the last program of the
broadcast day or the final time of a schedule of commercials or programs.
late fringe: The time period following prime time, usually after 11 p.m.
lead off: The first item in a newscast, or the first program in a series.
leader: Non-magnetic strips of tape (either paper or plastic) at the beginning and
end of audio cassette or reel-to-reel tape.
letterbox format: The ratio of width to height (the aspect ratio) used in showing a
film on TV so that the film has the same relative dimensions as it did when shown
in a widescreen movie theater. Films shown on a TV screen generally do not have
their original aspect ratio.
liner cards: Large index cards with typed copy, for use by radio announcers and
disk jockeys. The cards contain slogans, information about current promotions and
upcoming programs, and other on-air remarks, messages, and chatter.
listener: A person in the audience of a radio program. The listening area is the
geographical span of a station's coverage (the term applies specifically to radio, but
sometimes is used to refer also to TV). A listener diary is the record, or log, of
programs heard by a respondent in an audience-rating survey. Listener
characteristics are the demographics of a typical listener of a program or station.
location: An actual setting, as distinct from a studio, used for a film or TV show.
To film or tape on location is to shoot a motion picture or to tape in such a setting.
locked in: A videotape or other recorder that is moving at its regular speed and is
ready to accept a feed.
locking up: The brief period when a videocassette wobbles as it starts to play,
before it is stabilized and runs smoothly.
long shot (LS): A camera view that takes in the full vista, or breadth, of a scene or
that is taken far away from the subject.
lower third: The bottom third of the TV screen, on which identifications and other
captions generally are displayed.
man on the street (MOS): An interviewing technique in which the opinions of the
general public are sought.
match cut: A quick transition, or cut, from one film or TV camera to another, or a
smooth transition from one shot to another, with the action appearing to continue
seamlessly.
medium close-up (MCU): A camera position that is between a medium shot and a
close-up, generally showing a person's head and shoulders and part of the chest;
also called a medium close shot (MCS) or loose close-up. A medium close-up
generally does not show the hands or forearms.
medium shot (MS): A camera position between a close-up and a long shot--for
instance, the view of a person from the head to the waist or lower; also called
amidshot or half-shot.
medium-long shot (MLS): A camera position between a long shot and medium
shot; also called a full shot.
mike sock: A cover, such as a foam rubber sleeve, that fits over a microphone to
reduce external sounds such as wind.
miniseries: A short series or sequence of related programs, such as one every night
for five consecutive nights rather than one a week over a 13-week or other
extended period.
mix: To record separate soundtracks into a single track (to subdub), or to blend
audio and visual components to produce a master (from which copies are made), an
optical dissolve, a rerecording, or some other combination or mixture, called a mix.
mix minus: A feature that prevents a broadcaster from hearing his or her own
voice echo back.
mixer: The unit that controls and blends audio and/or video signals; the technician
who operates the unit (also called a rerecording supervisor or chief recording
mixer). In a TV studio or on a film set,the work is done by a floor mixer. A music
mixer edits recorded music. The mixing console (generally called simply a mixer)
combines premixed tracks (as in the first phase of mixing) with signals from
playback machines and other sources, including a mixing panel (a small mixer),
based on instructions on a mixing cue sheet.
mobile unit: A vehicle for originating broadcasts from on-the-spot locations, away
from the studio, or for carrying equipment for on-location film or tape production;
also called a mobile production unit.
morning: The early part of the day. In radio, morning drive is a key period to reach
listeners in their cars, such as 6 to 10 a.m. The announcer sometimes is called
themorning man. Morning zoois a radio station format with one or more zany
announcers.
move out (MO): A direction to move a camera or microphone away from the
subject.
moving off: Movement by a subject away from the camera or microphone; also
called fade off.
moving shot: A filming or videotaping technique in which the camera follows the
action; also called follow shot, running shot, or action shot.
mult box: An electrical device that combines and regulates the flow of electricity
and distributes a regulated or consistent audio feed. It is used by radio and TV
crews, particularly at events with considerable equipment, tapping into the
speaker's lectern or other site.
multicam: The use of two or more cameras simultaneously to shoot a scene from
more than one angle.
natural sound (or nat sound): Animal noises, weather conditions, and other
actual sounds recorded for broadcast or other use, as contrasted with artificial
sound or sound effects.
NEMO: A remote pickup, a broadcast not originated by the station transmitting it;
pronounced NEE-moe. The acronym is for not emanating from main office.
network: A group of radio or TV stations that broadcast the same programs. The
stations can be owned by a headquarters company--the network--that is the source
of the programs or can be independent--an affiliate or network affiliate.
network feed: The system of telephone lines, coaxial cables, microwave relays,
satellites, and other means of transmitting a signal from a source to broadcasting
stations. A program or program service provided by the network to stations also is
called a network feed, such as the afternoon news feed transmitted to affiliated
stations for subsequent broadcast.
network time: A time period, such as prime time, during which a local radio or TV
station agrees to broadcast network programs; also called network option time,
since the network has the option to use it.
non-air commercial: A commercial not intended for broadcast use, such as for
presentations or testing.
O&O: Owned and operated, as with the radio and TV stations in New York and
other major cities that are owned and operated by the networks.
off: Off-camera: outside the image field; off-mike: directed away from the
microphone; off-screen or off-camera announcer: an announcer heard but not
seen;offstage: not visible to the audience.
off air: A program received via conventional radio or television and not via cable.
Off the air refers to the ending of the transmission of a program or the termination
of a program.
original: First; fresh; the initial source from which copies are made, such as an
original master tape.
out: The end; to remove, as in a script notation to remove a sound. The outcue is a
signal that a program, scene, film, or tape is about to end. The outpoint indicates
the end of a scene or sequence on a film or tape. Also, a completed communication,
as in over and out. The out time is the time at which a program ends.
out of frame: A subject or action that is off-camera and not seen within the frame
of the picture.
outcue: The last few words--generally four--of a recorded song or a taped report or
interview, an extremely important guide to the engineer, producer, director, disk
jockey, and newscaster; also called an endcue. The outcue of a commercial or other
taped segment is scripted, so that the live announcer knows when to start.
over-the-air-station: A TV station that transmits its signal through the air and thus
can be received without a cable system.
over-the-shoulder shot (OSS): A camera shot made from behind a performer,
sometimes including all or part of the head and shoulders, with the camera focused
on the spot at which the performer is looking; also called XS, for across shoulder.
oxide: The easily magnetized, brown oxide of iron material onto which the video
and audio signals are recorded.
paid for: A line, required by federal law, spoken at the end of a broadcast political
commercial or inserted at the bottom of a printed advertisement, indicating the
source of payment ("Paid for by the Jones for Congress Committee").
pan: A direction given to the person operating the camera, so that camera eye
moves slowly and evenly, vertically or horizontally, in a panorama (the source of
the term). A pan shot also is called a blue pan, swish, whipshot, or wiz pan. The
process of laterally moving the camera to photograph a wide view is
called panning.
pan and scan: A technique for changing the aspect ratio of the frame of a wide-
screen film so that it can be transmitted for TV.
pay television (pay TV): Home television programming for which the viewer pays
by the program or by the month; also called pay-television, subscription
television (STV), or toll-TV. Pay television includes over-the-air transmission (with
scrambled signals) and cable transmission (pay cable).
pickup (PU or p/u): The reception of sound or light, or the apparatus used for the
reception; a place (also called a remote), outside the studio where a program is
broadcast or aired; also, the electrical system connecting the remote to the station.
plug: A jack; an electrical device with projecting prongs fitted into an outlet or to
connect circuits. A phone plug is a jack commonly used as a microphone
connector, often with audio amplifiers.
pocketpiece: A nickname for the Nielsen national TV ratings report, issued weekly
by Nielsen Media Research. The document is small, to fit into an inside jacket
pocket, and is used by TV salespeople.
point of view (POV): A camera shot seen from or obtained from the position of a
performer so that a viewer sees what the performer is seeing.
pop-off: A sudden move, such as the quick removal of an object or the departure
of a performer from the scene. A pop-on is the reverse; a sudden or quick entry,
such as the appearance of a new image in an existing scene of a film animation or
other work.
popping: Explosive sounds of microphones with high volume or speaker too close,
particularly with a strong consonant such as p.
port: An opening, such as an air duct, in a ported microphone, which usually has
many ports to control its frequency response and pickup pattern.
position (pos.): The order of appearance. Top position is first in a variety show or
other program or the best place in a sequence.
posting: A service of radio and TV stations in which advertisers are provided with
the actual audience size of specific time periods, instead of past or projected
averages, in order to determine the posted, or achieved, cost of commercials.
prefade or pre-fade: To start the final part of a radio or TV program (the fade)--
for example, music--at a predetermined time in order to end on time.
preproduction: The casting, scripting, and other activities prior to actual filming
or production.
preview light: The green warning light on a TV camera, which indicates that it is
about to transmit.
preview monitor (PV): A TV screen used by the director to monitor and select a
picture to be used from among shots by various cameras and other sources.
primary service area: The major or central area reached by a broadcasting station,
as compared to the outer or fringe area, where the signal is weaker or erratic.
prime time: The time period that has the greatest number of viewers or listeners,
generally 8 to 11 p.m., Eastern Time.
producer: The manager of an event, show, or other work, usually the individual in
charge of finance, personnel, and other nonartistic aspects in the development of
commercials, plays, movies, and other works. In TV, the producer has more
creative responsibilities and control than in the movie industry; it is the associate
producer who is in charge of the business elements of production.
production music: Background and theme music used in broadcasting and film,
often provided by a production music library under license.
program station basis (P.S.B.): A key system of rating based on the percentage of
radio or TV sets in a coverage area tuned to a program at a specific time.
promo: Short for promotion (the short-form plural is promos). The term refers to
the overall activity conducted by a radio or TV station, or any organization,
designed to help sell a particular product or service. More specifically, the word
refers to the preliminary advertisement or announcement of a radio or TV program,
broadcast earlier in the day of the program or on the preceding day or days.
quarter-hour persons: Individuals who have listened to a radio station for at least
five minutes during a 15-minute period.
radio wire: News reports, prepared in terse broadcast style, provided on teletype
machines and computers by wire services, such as The Associated Press, to radio
stations.
raster: A single image field or single TV frame, the scanned illuminated area of a
TV picture tube.
red field: A video test signal in which the screen appears entirely or mostly in a
red color.
red light: The warning light over a door of a studio indicating that it is in use; a
light on a TV camera indication that it is in use.
remote: A broadcast from a place other than the station's studio, often transmitted
from a remote truck or van; also called remote pickup, pickup, field pickup, outside
broadcast, or remo.
reporter: A person who gathers news and other journalistic material and writes or
broadcasts it--the basic job in journalism. A street reporter works outside the
studio and an on-air reporter is shown on camera, either from outside the studio or
within it, whereas an anchor is in the studio.
roll: A reel or spool of tape, film, paper, or other material; to move, revolve, or
play a film or tape; the vertical movement of a film or TV picture. A roll-in is the
insertion--cut-in--of a commercial into a program.
roll focus: A direction to begin or end a scene out of focus, simply by adjusting the
lens while filming or taping.
rolling title: Credits that roll up from the bottom of the screen; also called a crawl
title, creeping title, or running title.
rollover: The vertical movement, or roll, of a TV or film picture, the flutter or lack
of vertical synchronization; a repeat of a radio or TV program immediately
following the first broadcast.
rosr: Radio on-scene report, which features a reporter's voice from a news scene,
generally without background sound.
routing room: A room in a TV station with a wall of monitors on which are shown
live feeds of remote transmissions for routing to tape decks or for broadcast.
run up: Film or videotape shown before the projector or recorder is running at full
speed.
running shot: A shot in which the camera moves to follow a moving subject.
running time: The time from the start to the end of a program, segment, or
commercial, or the minutes it takes to show a movie.
saddle: The time slot or position of a weak program that is scheduled between two
popular programs. The positioning procedure is called hammocking, an attempt to
increase the audience of the middle program, so that it will become as popular as
the programs in the outside, or tent-pole, positions.
safety: The outer area, of safety area, of a television film or tape, often eliminated
and not visible on the screen of a TV set. Broadcasters therefore confine text and
action to the centered area--about 90 percent--called the safe-action area.
sales department: The department at a radio or TV station that solicits and accepts
advertising.
satellite: A relay station for audio and video transmission, orbiting in space or
terrestrial. A satellite station is a radio or TV station used as a relay, broadcasting
on the same or a different wavelength as the originating station. Almost all
communications satellites are synchronous satellites that hover in the same place in
the sky, 22,300 miles above the earth, in stationary orbit. A satellite loop is a
sequence from a satellite, such as cloud movement in a TV weather report.
satellite feed: A transmission from a satellite. HBO and other broadcasters have
east and west satellite feeds, three hours apart, so that a program can be shown at
the same time in the Eastern and Pacific time zones.
satellite hit: Slang for a TV program that is successful because it follows a very
popular program.
satellite news (or newsgathering) vehicle (SNF): A van or other vehicle with
equipment for radio and/or TV transmission via satellite to a radio or TV station,
usually including tape editing equipment and cellular phone; also called a star
truck.
scanning area: The part that the camera actually sees. It is larger than the essential
area, or safe-action area, which is the central part of the picture received and seen
on the TV set.
scatter: The scheduling of commercials throughout a broadcast schedule rather
than at specific times, such as rotating throughout the day or night or both; also
calledscatter plan or scatterbuying.
scroll: A roll, especially for a document; a function on a video screen in which the
lines move up and down for viewing. The process is called scrolling. To scroll
upor down is to move the material up or down on the screen.
search engine: A tool for searching information on the Internet by topic. Popular
search engines include Yahoo!, Hotbot, InfoSeek, and Alta Vista.
season: A period in the fall when new TV programs are introduced by the
networks. Originally 39 weeks (from the days of network radio programs), the
season now refers to the fall season of 13 weeks. Mid-season is between the fall
and spring seasons or any time after the beginning of the fall season when a show
is replaced (a mid-season replacement). A full-season show generally contains only
24 episodes; the balance are reruns.
set: The decor of a stage play or the location of a film, TV, or other production. To
set is to write or fit, as with words to music or music to words; to place a scene in a
locale, or to arrange sceneries or properties on a stage. A set designer or set
decorator creates the decor of a play, movie, or show; a set dresser constructs and
decorates it with set dressing--props, furnishings, and related items. An abstract
set has a neutral background, as on a TV news program. A basic set is empty and
without props.
set day: The day scheduled to erect a set in a film or TV studio; also called build
day or setup day.
set-up box: A container above or adjacent to a television set that controls the cable
channels, VCR,and other functions.
shader: A nickname for a video control engineer, who is in charge of video but not
audio; sometimes called a shaker.
shaky cam: Slang for a film or TV segment made by a hand-held (hence, shaky)
camera, such as a minicam.
show runner: An unofficial title for a key person at a television drama or sitcom
who supervises all aspects of the production, including writing and casting; the
official title usually is executive producer.
sign off or sign-off: A slang term for the end or an ending; the end of a
transmission, or of a station's broadcast day.
slow down: A broadcasting and theatrical signal to slow down action or to talk
more slowly. It is conveyed by a movement of one's hands, as in pulling taffy.
slow news day: A day with relatively little hard news, or news of consequence;
also called a light news day. The opposite is heavy news day (not fast news day).
slug: A section of blank film or tape that separates news stories or sequences.
speed up: A signal to a performer to talk more rapidly. The nonverbal speed-up
signal is both hands rotating in a circular motion.
spider box: A small, portable receptacle for several electrical outlets, such as for
lighting units; also called a junction box.
sponsor: A broadcast advertiser who pays for part or all of a program. The word
now is used to indicate any broadcast advertiser, including a sponsor of an
individual spot or commercial. Sponsor identification (S.I.) is the announcement at
the beginning and/or end of a sponsored program or one with several participating
sponsors. A single sponsor may own the program (sponsored programming) and
seek sponsor identification with the program or performers on the program.
A presenting sponsor is a major advertiser whose name is used as part of the title,
such as "(Co.) presents." A title sponsor has the name of the sponsor as part of the
name of the program or event.
squeeze: Slang for a visual inserted in a window or on the screen, generally to the
right of a newscaster to identify the subject of a news report. It is more commonly
called a topic box.
standing set: A set that has been constructed and is ready to be used or is in place
for continued use, as in a TV soap opera or a theatrical production.
standupper: A report at the scene of an event with the TV camera focused on the
reporter, who is standing up and not seated. In a walking standupper, the reporter
moves.
stills: Slang for the still photographers of the print media, as when TV crews shout,
"Down stills!," a request to still photographers at a media event to stoop down so
that the TV cameras, generally behind them, can "catch the action."
stop set: A period of time, generally two minutes, during which commercials are
broadcast.
straight up: A broadcast signal, such as to an announcer, to start when the clock's
second hand is at 12; not the same as stand-up.
stream: Data, in the form of an encoded text, audio and/or video, that is requested
by a computer user and delivered via the Internet.
studio camera: A full-size camera with sound insulation and other accessories
used to film or tape in a sound stage or studio.
studio-transmitter link (STL): A microwave radio system for audio and video
transmission from a studio to a transmitter site. The STL band is the frequency
assigned for transmission between a TV studio and its transmitter.
surfing: The rapid changing of TV channels with a remote control, akin to the
sport of surfing (fast movement on water); also called grazing.
survey week: The week in which a station's audience is monitored and rated.
sweep: A period of the year in November, February, May, and July when rating
services measure station audiences. During sweeps, networks and stations employ
more sensational programming and audience contests and promotions. A sweeps
report is published by a research organization such as Nielsen for each sweep
month. Also, the repetitive movement of the cathode beam over the phosphor
screen of the two sweeps, one traces horizontal lines and the other moves vertically
at a slower rate.
T3: Even faster than T1, a T-3 connection transfers information over the Internet at
a rate of 45 megabytes per second.
take-bar: A device that records and stores cuts, mixes, and other effects and then
automatically produces them from memory for use in editing when a bar is
pressed.
talent coordinator: A person who auditions and schedules performers and guests
on TV talk shows, the equivalent of a casting director in films.
talk: A radio station format featuring interview programs, call-ins and sports, and
not music; also called talk radio.
talkback: A brief sequence at the end of a live remote news report in which the
anchor asks one or more questions of the reporter.
tape: To record on audio and/or videotape; a ribbon or band of paper, cloth, plastic,
or other material, such as a magnetic strip for audio or video recording and
playback. Videotape speeds include 1/2" (common for home use) and 3/4" (for
broadcasting).
tape delay system: On call-in radio programs, a procedure used to tape a phone
call and delay it for a few seconds prior to broadcast so that obscenities can be
deleted or the call cut off prior to broadcast.
television white: Not pure white, having about 60-percent reflectance (about 60
percent of light is reflected from the TV screen). The TV camera cannot reproduce
pure white or pure black.
terrestrial feed: Radio, TV, or other transmission via land lines such as telephone,
or direct (without lines); different from satellite feed.
three-quarter-inch: A video format that is widely used both for broadcast and
industrial productions.
tight two shot: A direction to a TV camera operator for close-up of the heads of
two people.
time: The period available for a program or commercial. A time buyer purchases
broadcast time, perhaps with a time contract and at a time discount, a reduced price
for quantity and/or frequency, from a time card that indicates a different time
charge for each time class or classification (such as prime time or drive time)
ortime slot (a specific time period). The time may come from a time bank (a
reserve of spot commercial time, often obtained by barter) via a time buying
service. Toclear time is to make time available, as for a program or commercial.
time base correction (TBC): A process of filling out, or correcting, the electronic
lines that make up a video image; minimizes or eliminates jiggling of the picture.
time code: A digitally encoded signal that is recorded on videotape in the format
of house:minutes:seconds:frames.
time signal: An announcement of the time, as on a broadcast, indicated with a
beep, sometimes accompanied by a commercial announcement; also called a time
check. A producer or other person in radio or TV program production gives a time
signal to indicate the time remaining in a program or program segment by
displaying a card with the number of minutes or raising the appropriate number of
fingers.
time-coding: The recording of the date and time on the edge of a videotape as it is
being shot, to assist in editing and record keeping.
tones and bars: A test pattern that precedes a TV program, consisting of sound
tones and color bars or stripes.
top: The beginning, as in top of the script or top of the story. Thus, a film, tape, or
reel starts at the top and ends at the bottom.
topic box: A visual inserted in a window--a box--on the screen, generally to the
right of a newscaster, to identify the subject of a news report; also called a box,
frame squeeze, or theme identifier.
track: A part of a reporter's narration from outside the studio, with each track
numbered to precede each section of the interview or "activity," so that track 1 is
the introduction, track 2 is between the first and second bites, and track 3 precedes
the third bite.
translator: A station that rebroadcasts signals of other stations and does not
originate its own programming. There are about 7000 translators in the United
States, including FM, VHF, and UHF.
TST: Total Story Time; in broadcasting, the time in minutes and seconds of a
"story" or report, from the start by the announcer or newscaster to the end,
including any tape or other material within it. TRT, Total Running Time, refers to
the time of the taped portion of the TST.
TTSL: Total Time Spent Listening. In radio, the TTSL is the number of quarter-
hours of listening to a radio station by the population group being measured, such
as the market or listening area. The TTSL divided by the cumulative audience
equals the Time Spent Listening (TSL).
turnover: The frequency with which a program's audience changes over a period
of time, the ratio of the net unduplicated cumulative audience over several time
periods to the average audience for one time period; also known as audience
turnover, a measure of the program's holding power.
TV black: In television, a very dark color but not pure, absolute black.
TV pad: A pad, with sheets imprinted with one or more rectangles shaped like TV
screens, used as layout paper for the frames of TV commercials and other video.
TV safety: The central area of a TV scene that is seen on most sets. The peripheral
area (a perimeter of about 10 percent) sometimes is not seen on the screen and is
called outside TV safety.
TV white: An off-white color that is not pure white and that reflects light shone on
it. TV white has a reflective value of about 60 percent.
12-14 unit: A truck used for remote TV news, with a microwave transmitter-
receiver, called a dish, mounted on its roof. It transmits at 12 gigahertz and
receives at 14 gigahertz. The Ku band is 12 to 14 gigahertz, and these trucks also
are called Ku trucks.
tying in: A procedure for a local station to pick up or to join a network program
after it has started.
uplink: The portion from the ground source up to the satellite. The balance of the
circuit is the downlink.
vertical interval signal: [television] A signal inserted outside the regular picture
area and transmitted in the vertical interval period between frames. Vertical interval
reference signals (VIRS) provide reference data, such as identification of the time
and origin of the program; vertical interval test signals (VITS) provide
transmission and other monitoring checks.
video: The visual portion of a broadcast or film; a synonym for television; short
for videotape and other television terms. A film that goes straight to video is sent to
video stores directly after production without theatrical distribution.
video journalist (vj or vee jay): A person who operates a video camera and
simultaneously is a news reporter.
video operator: A control-room engineer who operates the monitors and camera
control units to switch from one camera to another and maintain color, contrast,
and other visual qualities. The video operator reports to the technical director.
video-in: A jack through which a video signal is fed into a TV set or other
receptacle; also called line-in.
video-out: A jack from which a video signal is fed out of a videotape recorder;
also called line- out.
videotape: Magnetic tape for recording sound and picture, recorded and/or played
on a videotape machine such as a videocassette recorder (VCR) for showing on a
TV set. Unlike films and records, which can be duplicated quickly, videotapes are
duplicated individually and mass production takes a longer time. The laboratories
that produce videotapes for home video have hundreds of slave machines linked to
a master. And unlike film editing, videotape editing does not involve cutting and
splicing--it is done electronically by a videotape editor. The most common width
of the tape is 1/2 inch. A videocassette is a videotape recording contained in a
cassette; a videodisc is a recording on a record or disc for playback on videodisc
players in homes. A video engineer is responsible for the video portion of a TV
program. Videotape transfer is a videotape recording of a film, whereas videotape
duplication is the replication of a videotape. Unlike film, all videotape has color
capability.
wallpaper video: Slang for generic visuals, graphics, or other stills or tape that can
be used as introductions or backgrounds, or that can be inserted in a window on the
screen. They are commonly used in newscasts.
warm-up: A brief period before an actual broadcast in which the studio audience
is put in a responsive mood, sometimes by a warm-up announcer.
wheel: A chart in the shape of a clock showing the segments for news, traffic,
weather, and other reports, programs, and commercials; also called a clock. A news
wheel is a news program that is repeated with updates, as on an all-news radio
station.
white-balance: The process of shooting a white card with a video camera and
pressing a button (labeled White Balance) to activate the camera circuit that adjusts
the internal setting of the blacklevel, white level, and the three colors (red, green,
and blue) to the white card.
white clipping: A video control circuit that regulates, or clips, the top level, or
white level, of the picture signal so that it does not appear on the transmitted
picture.
window dub: An exact copy of original audio and video, usually on three-quarter-
inch or half-inch videotape, with a video representation of the time code burned
into the picture.
wipe: To clean or wipe off the screen in preparation for the next frame, which is
done on a computer console. The optical effect of the transition can be achieved
with a wiper, a moving line in the form of an expanding or contracting circle (a
rotating wipe) that forms a boundary between the two shots. Wipes are created
withwipe blades in an optical printer or by a traveling matte. Types of wipes
include a circle or iris wipe, in which a new image appears as an increasingly
larger circle while the old image shrinks; clock wipe, in which images shift in a
clockwise or counterclockwise motion; diagonal or closing-door wipe, in which an
image moves in from both sides of the screen; flip wipe, in which images turn
over; horizontal wipe, in which images move from top to bottom or vice
versa; hard-edge wipe(sharply in focus); and soft-edge wipe (fuzzy or out of focus).
wireless cable: A new type of television service in which a TV signal for free and
pay-TV programming services is received from a satellite and retransmitted to a
viewer's rooftop antenna on a superhigh-frequency microwave channel. Thus, a
viewer can receive cable-TV channels without subscribing to a cable-TV service.
XIS: A film or TV shot that is over or across (X) the shoulders of a performer; also
called O.S. (over shoulder).
YUV: The luminance signal (Y) and the two chrominance signals (U and V). In
YUV encoding, the luminance information is encoded on each picture line at full
bandwidth and the chrominance signals are encoded on alternate lines at half
bandwidth.