• 1 Shot | One Shot - When just one character is seen in the frame

• 180º Rule | An invisible guideline which maintains the same spatial relationship
between objects or actors even as the camera moves around an
arc of 180°.
• A/B Rolls | Editing using primary material (A roll) and extra footage (B roll)
• A/V | Short for Audio Video
• Action | A verbal command to start a scene
• Actual Sound | Diegetic Sound - The sounds made by people or objects seen on the
screen, such as voices, animals, or music played visibly on an instrument
• AD | Assistant Director - The director’s right hand man or woman, often taking on
logistical duties
• Ad-Lib | An unrehearsed piece of dialogue not featured in the script
• Airtime | American phrase for the duration of a TV programme
• Ambient Noise | Natural background noise picked up by the microphone
• Anamorphic | Widescreen format with a ratio of 2.35.1 or above
• Antagonist | A character(s), or institution that represents the opposition against
which the protagonist(s) must contend.
• AP | Associate Producer - A role that causes debate - it can be comparable to an
Assistant Producer, however a presenter of a programme might get an Associate
Producer credit but won’t have the same duties that’s expected of an Assistant
Producer
• Art Department | The section of a production's crew concerned with visual artistry.
• Art Director | Responsible for all artistic and visual designs, including all aspects of
set design – from the colour of the curtains to the look of a car in a road movie
• Aspect Ratio | The proportion of width and height of an image
• Assistant Director | The director’s right hand man or woman, often taking on
logistical duties
• Assistant Producer | A production-heavy focused role supporting the producer
• Associate Producer | A role that causes debate - it can be comparable to an Assistant
Producer, however a presenter of a programme might get an Associate Producer
credit but won’t have the same duties that’s expected of an Assistant Producer
• Autocue | A tool that scrolls the script for presenters to read. Also called a
teleprompter
• Back Projection | A filming method whereby live action is shot in front of a screen
with the background action projected onto it. Originally often used as the
background to a moving vehicle shot, the method became less prolific in the 1990s
when green screen and blue screen became more common
• Back Story | The parts of the plot or character development that happened prior to
what the audience see, often revealed retrospectively
• Backdrop | Photograph or painting, usually made with cloth or light wood. It can be
various colours, and is often used instead of an outdoor scene
• Background Music | Music from a source that is not visible on screen
• Backlighting | When an object or person is lit from behind, emphasising the outline
• Barn Doors | Flaps attached to the front of a spotlight to direct the light into specific
areas
• Bidirectional Microphone | A microphone which picks up sound from just two sides
• Billing | The position in which cast and crew are listed in credits
• Biopic | A biographical feature film or drama
• Bit Part | An acting role with very few lines
• Blimp | A cover placed over the camera to muffle its mechanical sounds. See also
Barney
• Blocking | The term used by the director when arranging where the actors will stand
for a particular shot, used to line up the correct positions for camera and lighting
• Blooper | A visual or verbal mistake
• Body Double | A stand-in used to line up shots. Also used for nude scenes or specific
shots of body parts
• Bokeh | A Japanese term for a deliberately out-of-focus, cloudy background
• Bookends | Scenes which knit a film together, one at the start and one at the end
• Boom | A microphone mounted to a pole, usually held over the actors’ heads
• Boom Operator | Assistant to the production sound mixer who operates the boom
• Bounce Board | A surface used to reflect or re-direct light towards a particular object
or person
• Bounce Light | A soft lighting effect achieved by the light reflecting off another
surface
• Breakdown Script | An account of everything needed for the shoot on a daily basis,
including cast, crew and props
• Bridging Shot | A connecting shot between two scenes, using a change in location or
time
• Broad Light | When the light is angled onto the side of an actor’s face closest to the
camera
• B-Roll | Secondary footage used to illustrate the main footage, often used in
documentary filmmaking. Can act as a cutaway from the main footage such as when
the camera shows a crime scene while the original newsreader’s voice is still heard
• Call Sheet | A document featuring crucial production information, such as which
actors are required for what scene
• Callback | A follow up audition or interview
• Camera Operator | A role responsible for using the camera under instruction from
the director, DoP or cinematographer
• Cans | Headphones
• Casting Director | The person responsible for choosing actors for a project
• CGI | Computer Generated Imagery - The application of the field of computer
graphics to special effects
• Chroma Key | Inserting an image from one video source onto another
• Cinematographer | A role working closely with the director to ensure everything in
the frame looks its best. They are in charge of the camera and lighting crews - Also
known as the DoP, Director of Photography
• Clapperboard | A board with information about a shot used to synchronise picture
and sound
• Cliffhanger | When a series or episode has an ending which leaves the audience in
suspense
• Close Up | Detailed view of a person or object
• Colour Bars | A test signal using samples of primary and secondary colours
• Colour Grading | Grading - The altering and enhancing of the colour of a shot or
scene to define a specific sensory experience
• Colourist | A post-production role responsible for changing the colour and tone of a
shot (s)
• Commission | When a broadcaster gives the go-ahead for a programme to be made
• Commissioning Director | A commissioning director is essentially a buyer. It is the job
of the commissioning director to advise a network on which pieces of content to
exhibit.
• Composition | How the elements of an image are arranged
• Computer Generated Imagery | The application of the field of computer graphics to
create special effects
• Continuity Editing | The common style of editing for film and TV whereby everything
flows in a consistent manner
• Copyright | The ownership of a piece of intellectual property, such as the soundtrack
of a film or screenplay
• Crossfade | An editing effect to make video or sound appear as another disappears
• Crossing The Line | When cameras cross an imaginary 180 degree line which causes
confusing discontinuity to the viewer
• Crowdfunding | A method of film funding from the public
• Crowdsourcing | Film fundraising via specialised websites and social media
• CU | Close Up - Catching a detailed view of a person or object on camera
• Cue | A command to trigger the action of something
• Cue Card | A card with words or sections of script to help prompt an actor or
presenter
• Cut | A rapid change from one shot to another
• Cutaway | A separate shot or scene from the main subject
• Day-For-Night Shot | Artificially created impression of night time
• Dead Air | A period of complete silence during a broadcast
• Deep Focus | A term used for when the camera can move from far away to close up
all in one shot
• Demo Reel | Showreel - A montage of an actor, crew member or company's work,
used to secure future jobs
• Depth Of Field / Depth Of Focus | The shortest or longest distance over which the
object will stay in camera focus
• Diegetic Sound | The sounds made by people or objects seen on the screen, such as
voices, animals, or music played visibly on an instrument
• Diffusion | When light intensity or harshness is softened using a filter such as gauze
or glass
• Digital | Technology which uses numerical codes to record and read sound and
pictures
• Director | The person in charge of the overall end product, creative decisions and
the actors’ performances
• Director Of Photography | The person with overall responsibility for the lighting and
camerawork - Also known as the cinematographer
• Discovery Shot | When the camera lands on a previously unseen object or person
• Dissolve | The process whereby one shot gradually transitions gently into another
shot
• Distributor | The company responsible for getting a film to market
• Docu-drama | A partly-dramatised version of real events
• Documentary | A factual piece on a specific subject with a narrative involving no
actors
• DoP | Director of Photography - The person with overall responsibility for the
lighting and camerawork
• Dubbing | A process employed during post-production in which sound is added to
the already filmed footage. Also used abroad to change the language of a production
• Dutch Angle / Dutch Tilt | Phrase used to indicate a diagonal position for the camera
• ECU | Stands for Extreme Close Up
• Edited Master | The original copy of an edited programme
• Editing | The process of joining one shot to another
• Editing Script | A script based on the actual footage with notes to assist the edit
• Editor | Someone who puts pieces of imagery or sound together
• ELS | Extreme Long Shot - A long distance shot of an exterior location
• Establishing Shot | A wide shot of a particular scene or scenario to indicate to the
audience where they are
• Executive Producer | Responsible for the overall quality of a project, ensuring
specific broadcast guidelines are met
• Ext | Exterior Shot - An outside shot, for example the exterior of a building. Can also
be recreated in a studio
• Exterior Shot | An outside shot, for example the exterior of a building. Can also be
recreated in a studio
• Extra | An actor with little or no dialogue, frequently seen in the background of a
scene
• Extreme Close Up | An extreme detailed view of an object or person (an extreme
close up of a face would typically show just the eyes or mouth)
• Extreme Long Shot | A long distance shot of an exterior location
• Eye Level | Shot When the camera is positioned at the same height of the person
observing a scene
• Eyeline | An imaginary line from the subject to a camera
• Fade Or Fade-Out | Often used to end a scene, whereby the image becomes darker
and darker until it turns black
• Field | A location outside the studio or set
• Film Noir | A genre of bleak, serious film that originated in the 1940s. Often shot in a
dark, shadowy style
• Filter | A covering placed in front of the camera lens to change the lighting or look of
a shot
• Final Draft | Industry standard script writing software.
• First Generation | An original recording, rather than a duplicate copy
• Fish Eye Lens | A camera lens so wide it produces a panoramic shot that appears
curved
• Flashback | When a character and/or the viewer is transported to a previous event
or scene
• Flash-forward | When a character and/or the viewer is transported to a future event
or scene
• Floor Manager | The person who passes information from the director in a TV studio
gallery to the rest of the crew on the studio floor. Also briefs the studio audience and
manages any guests’ time counts and cues. Oversees any technical issues that may
arise during filming
• Focus Puller | The person responsible for maintaining sharp images during filming,
such as changing the direction setting on a lens to cover the distance of an actor
from the focal plane
• Footage | A sequence or portion of the film
• Foreground Music | Source Music - Music that is generated by something or
someone visible on screen, eg a band or a radio
• Fourth Wall | Traditionally a theatre term, used to describe the imaginary wall
between the stage and the audience. Used in drama when an actor directly
addresses the camera/audience
• FPS | Frames per second, the running speed of the camera
• Frame | Term used for both a single image and the area taken up by a picture on the
screen
• Freeze / Freeze Frame | When a single image is repeated in quick succession to give
the illusion of immobility
• Frontlighting | The type of lighting created when the sun is in the back of the
cameraman is called frontlighting.
• FX | Short for digital or visual effects
• Gaffer | Someone who is responsible for the construction of rigging solutions for
lighting, usually the chief lighting technician
• Gain | Indicating audio and visual levels
• Gels | Transparent sheets used to colour light
• GFX | Short for graphic effects
• Ghosting | A video error where images overlap each other and a ghost-like image
appears
• Glitch | An error with the picture or sound
• Grading | The altering and enhancing of the colour of a shot or scene to define a
specific sensory experience
• Green Screen | A green backdrop that enables any other background to be placed
over via CGI in post-production. See also Chroma Key
• Grip | Someone who operates and maintains production equipment related to
lighting and rigging
• HD | High Definition - A ratio of an image that provides stronger clarity than in
analogue filming
• Headroom | Distance between the top of the actor’s head and the top edge of the
screen
• Headshot | The close-up shot used by an actor or an agent for promotion
• High Angle Shot | A shot taken looking down at the subject
• High Definition | A ratio of an image that provides stronger clarity than in analogue
filming
• Hod | Head of Department
• Homage | A tribute or nod to a particular film or genre, found within the film itself
• IMAX | A type of filming and projection where the film quality is much bigger in size
and resolution compared to standard film
• In The Can | Expression indicating the moment when the director has the shot he or
she wants
• In-Camera Editing | Editing using in-built camera functions
• Independent Feature Project | A series of not-for-profit membership-based
organisations that help independent filmmakers connect with industry professionals.
• Indie | Short for independent production company or independent film
• Insert Edit | Inserting new video and /or audio to existing clips
• Jib / Jib Arm | A kind of see-saw device with a camera on one end, manually
operated and often mounted on a support. Used in crane shots
• Jingle | An advertising term for a short piece of music with lyrics used to promote a
brand
• Jump Cut | A type of cut in editing in which two barely-different shots of the same
object are put together, creating a brisk transition or the effect of quickly leaping
forward in time
• Kelvin | The temperature scale used to define the colour of a light source, also
referred to as letter K
• Ken Burns Effect | The effect that pans and zooms in still imagery
• Key Grip | The main person responsible for moving lights and scenery
• Key Light | The main source of light on a scene or subject
• Kickstarter | A crowdfunding platform for creative projects
• Kit | Pieces of equipment used for filming or sound recording
• Lighting Camera Operator | Responsible for lighting the set
• Lighting Designer | The person who creates the lighting and atmosphere for the
production. Works closely with the director
• Limpet Mount | A device that uses suction to mount a camera onto a flat surface
• Lip Sync | Matching mouth movements to dialogue or song
• Live | The status of a show that has been recorded live, for example a chat show in
front of a studio audience
• Location Manager | The person who researches and secures all the locations needed
• Location Scout | A person who finds specific locations, reporting directly to the
location manager
• Log Sheet | The details recorded on a form each day about the individual shots,
scenes and locations
• Logline | The screenwriter’s brief summary of the film used in pitching to executives
or agents
• Long Shot | A camera shot in which a large object, typically a human being, is
entirely within the frame, often used to set the object in physical context
• Long Take | A particularly lengthy or uninterrupted shot
• Longform | A TV production that is over an hour in length
• Looping | The process of re-recording dialogue during post-production using one
long length of film rather than short edited segments
• Low Angle Shot | A shot taken looking up at the object
• Macro | A lens that focusses on extreme close ups, usually to capture very small
subjects
• Magazine Format | A programme format that consists of several feature stories,
often shot in a variety of styles
• Master | The original recorded footage, also referred to as Master Tapes
• McGuffin | A plot device in the form of a goal, desired object, or other motivation
that the character pursues, often with little or no narrative explanation.
• MCU | Medium Close Up - A type of shot usually framing a person from the
shoulders up
• Medium Close Up | A type of shot usually framing a person from the shoulders up
• Medium Shot | A camera shot between a long shot and close up, usually including
just a person’s head and shoulders
• Mic | Microphone
• Mise En Scene | All the elements included in a shot, from the actors to props
• Money Shot | A shot that gives the most impact to the audience
• Monopod | A one legged camera supporting device
• Montage | Several shots of sometimes varying space and time cut together
• Morphing | An effect morphing one subject into another subject
• Motion Capture | Capturing movements or expressions of people to help create
character models digitally; used heavily in films such as James Cameron’s Avatar
(2009)
• Motion Effects | Making an image move by manipulation, such as zooming or
rotating
• Motion Pictures Experts Group | A group that develops standards for digital audio
and video compression
• Mp3 | A method for compressing video and audio
• MPEG | Moving Picture Experts Group - A group that develops standards for digital
audio and video compression
• MS | Medium Shot - A camera shot between a long shot and close up, usually
including just a person’s head and shoulders
• Music Licensing | Getting permission from the copyright holders of music to allow it
to be featured in a project
• Narrative | Is any connected events, presented to the audience.
• Noddy Shots | When an interviewee nods or makes other gestures to show they are
hearing the question
• Non-Diegetic Sound | A sound effect which is not seen on screen, such as incidental
music or off-camera narration. Also known as extra-diegetic sound
• Nose Room | The distance between the edge of the frame and the actors, measured
in the direction the actor is looking. Also known as look room
• O/C | Can mean both Off Camera and On Camera
• OB | Outside Broadcast - A production transmitting from outside a studio facility or
production office
• Ob Doc | Observational Documentary
• Observational Documentary | Genre of documentary filmmaking where the action
unfolds simply by the subjects being followed
• Off Book | When an actor works without a script, having memorised their lines
• Offline Editing | Editing process often carried out in a separate facility, to prepare
the film for the final edit
• Omnidirectional Microphone | One that picks up sound from all directions
• One Shot | When just one character is seen in the frame
• Outside Broadcast (OB) | A production transmitting from outside a studio facility or
production office
• Outtake | Recorded action or dialogue not included in the final edit
• Over-cranking | The technique of running a camera at high speed to create a slow
motion effect
• Overexposed | When an image is deliberately filmed with extra light to provide a
white or glaring effect
• Overhead | Shot A shot looking down from above the object
• Over-The-Shoulder Shot | When a second person (eg the interviewer) is in the shot
but with only their shoulder and back of the head visible. Often seen in vox pop
interviews
• PA | Short for Production Assistant - Responsible for keeping running orders and
scripts in shape. Another PA role exists, primarily undertaking administrative duties
• Pan | A camera shot than turns on a horizontal axis from left to right (or vice versa)
• Pan And Scan | The process whereby a widescreen film or TV show is converted to fit
a 4:3 aspect ratio screen
• Paper Edit | A paper version of a project’s final cut with scenes written out
• Pick Up Shot | A shot taken after principal photography has finished
• Pilot | The testing episode (can be standalone) of a TV show in the hope it will get
commissioned
• Pitch | Selling the idea of a project to a company such as a film studio or broadcaster
• Pixels | The basic units of an image on a TV screen
• Playback | Viewing / listening back to video or audio
• Plot | The main events of a film or TV drama
• Point Of View | The view from a character in a scene
• Portable Single Crew | A basic camera shoot, usually involving just a cameraman and
sound person, mostly used in news reporting and documentary filmmaking
• Post-Production | The editing stage of a production in which shots are joined
together and the final touches are added to project, such as grading and sound
correction
• PoV | Short for Point of View - The view from a character in a scene
• Pre-Roll | Recording a few seconds prior to a real take
• Pre-Production | The planning stage of a production before filming begins
• Pre-Recorded | A project filmed prior to its transmission
• Producer | The person responsible for the creation of a project, supervising the
project from the early stages of production through to the end of post-production
• Producer/Director | A single role with responsibilities of both director and producer
• Product Placement | The subtle advertising of a product in a TV show or film by
making it part of the set or storyline
• Production | The point at which an entire project starts filming
• Production Accountant | An accountant working on a production or multiple
productions
• Production Assistant | Responsible for keeping running orders and scripts in shape.
Another PA role exists, primarily undertaking administrative duties
• Production Co-Ordinator | An organisational role, arranging everything from
transport to edit schedules
• Production Designer | The person responsible for creating the visual and physical
appearance of a production, including set and costume
• Production House | A rental company for the creative industries, supplying
equipment such as camera and lighting
• Production Manager | A role responsible for managing the budget and organising all
parts of production scheduling
• Production Value | The technical qualities that give the professional look of a
production
• Prop / Property Master | The person responsible for portable objects seen on screen
• Props | Short for properties; objects to either decorate a set or held physically by on-
screen talent
• Protagonist | The main character of a film that enters a conflict because of the
antagonist. The audience is intended to mostly identify with the protagonist.
• PSC | Short for Portable Single Crew - A basic camera shoot, usually involving just a
cameraman and sound person, mostly used in news reporting and documentary
filmmaking
• Pull-Back Dolly | When the camera moves away from a scene
• Rack Focus | Changing the focus of the lens during a shot. Also referred to as Pull
Focus
• Raw Footage | The entire unedited footage
• Reaction Shot | A cutaway of someone’s reaction
• Real Time | When the events of a film or TV show are portrayed at the same rate as
the audience watch it (e.g 24) so, every minute on screen lasts an actual minute for
those watching it
• Reconstruction | Recreating an actual event using actors
• Redhead | Also known as a Mickey; an open faced 1k lighting unit
• Release | The general distribution of a film to the public
• Release Form | A document giving producers the right to use a person’s
image/performance/interview in a production and related marketing activities
thereof
• Render | The action in an editing programme which mixes all edits together to
produce the final video
• Researcher | A role responsible for finding information or people in order to help
make a film or television project
• Resolution | The number of pixels in an image
• Reverse Angle Shot | A shot viewing the action from a 180 degree angle from the
opposite side of the previous shot
• RGB | Red, green and blue, used to indicate the colour palette used for video
applications
• Rigger | Someone who assembles or installs the supporting material for a set or
studio (such as scaffolding or cables to hang lighting equipment with rights e.g. for a
piece of music
• Road Movie | The genre whereby a journey in a film or TV programme takes place
mainly on the road (e.g. Thelma & Louise)
• Rostrum Camera | A specially mounted camera to capture a still object or picture
• Rough Cut | An early stage version of an edited project
• Rule Of Thirds | A rule whereby a shot is divided into nine sections to help frame a
subject
• Runner | A supporting role on a production involving a variety of tasks, from making
tea to general admin
• Rushes | The complete amount of unedited footage
• Saturation | The depth of colour in film
• Scenic Artist | The person responsible for backdrops and murals, answers to the
production designer
• Score | The music written specifically for a film
• Screen Test | An actor’s filmed audition
• Screenplay | A script written specifically for film as opposed to TV
• Screenwriter | The author of the screenplay, whether adapted or original
• Script | The screenplay, text version of the project
• Script Supervisor | The person responsible for the continuity on the production,
liaising closely with all departments. Also writes a daily production report
• Sequence Shot | Long Take - A particularly lengthy or uninterrupted shot
• Set | The physical area used for filming
• Set Decorator | The person responsible for providing the dressing for the set, which
could include curtains, furniture, crockery and artwork
• Set Designer | The person who designs the scenery and the set
• Set Dresser | The person who actually physically puts the objects in place on the set
• Set-Piece | A scene or sequence which could stand alone, often one of physical
action such as a car chase
• Shingle | A production company
• Shooting Ratio | The proportion of footage shot compared to amount actually seen
in the final product
• Shooting Script | A document created by the director from the screenplay, which
breaks the scenes down into individual shots of set-ups
• Short Legs | A very low tripod
• Shot List | A round-up of all the shots due to be filmed over one day’s filming
• Shotgun Microphone | One which can pick up sounds from a long distance away,
often used in wildlife recording
• Shoulder Mount | A camera rig designed to rest on a cameraman’s shoulder with
two forward handles to move and hold the camera in place while on the move.
• Showreel | A montage of an actor, crew member or company's work, used to secure
future jobs
• Shutter Speed | The length of time during which a single frame is exposed to light
• Side Lighting | When a person or object is lit from the side
• Sight Line | The imaginary line between the subject and the object
• Slate Board | Clapper Board - A board with information about a shot used to
synchronise picture and sound
• Slugline | Written in capitals, a three-part summary that occurs at the beginning of
every scene in a screenplay to denote firstly whether the action is interior or exterior
(INT or EXT); secondly the location of the scene, eg IN PAUL’S KITCHEN; thirdly the
particular time of day at which that scene occurs, eg DAWN
• Snoot | A tube or funnel fitted over the end of a light source to narrow the field of
illumination
• Sound Assistant | Supports the sound department and looks after the audio
equipment
• Sound Bite | Short snippet of an interview or statement
• Sound Designer | The person responsible for everything the audience hears
• Sound Mixer | The person who records all sounds on set or on location
• Sound Recordist | The person responsible for everything to do with the sound
quality
• Source Music | Music that is generated by something or someone visible on screen,
eg a band or a radio
• Special Effects | Visual or audio effects created mechanically using props or optically
using the camera
• Special Effects Designer | Someone who creates all the special effects used, working
closely with HoDs and the director from early in the preproduction process
• Special Effects Supervisor | Department head in charge of the whole special effects
team
• Spill Unwanted light in the shot
• Squib | A special effects prop, a small device which detonates to create the noise of
a tiny explosion or bullet, often worn by the actor. Can also contain fake blood
released when detonated
• Stab | A single chord that adds dramatic impact to a scene in a film to raise tension.
• Stand-In | A body double used to line up shots or for nude scenes
• Steadicam | A mount which stabilises the camera so that it is not affected by any
movement made by the operator. A brand name which has become a generic term
• Stills | Photographs of the film taken during shooting
• Sting | When sound is used to punctuate segments of a film
• Stock Footage | Library or archive footage that can be used in other productions,
sometimes in exchange for a fee
• Stop-Motion | An animation method which films one or two frames at a time. The
objects are moved fractionally between frames resulting in the impression of
movement, such as Wallace and Gromit
• Story Editor | (sometimes known as a supervising producer) A member of the
screenwriting staff who edits stories for screenplays.
• Storyboard | A sketch or series of sketches laying out how the project will play out,
often scene by scene
• Strike | To remove a piece of equipment from the set
• Stunt Co-Ordinator | Plans, designs and oversees all stunts within a production. Also
hires the stunt performers
• Stunt Engineer | Someone who creates all special equipment and rigging needed in
stunts
• Stunt Performer | The person who performs the dangerous stunts in film or TV
• Subtitling | Visual translation or transcription of the dialogue that appears at the
bottom of the screen
• Take | The footage taken from the point of record to cut
• Talent | People who appear on screen, such as actors or presenters. Also referred to
as On-screen Talent
• Talking Heads | People talking on camera, frequently used in documentaries
• Telephoto Lens | A telescopic lens where the objects are magnified at a great
distance
• Three Shot | A shot featuring three people
• Tilt | An up or down camera movement while the camera is on a fixed position
• Time Code | The coded signal on video or audio that assigns corresponding hours,
minutes etc
• Time Lapse | Compressed events played out in a short amount of time
• Timeline | An edited sequence displayed chronologically in a non-linear editing
system.
• Title Role | Refers to the role of the actor
• Titles | Text on screen at the beginning or end of a screening
• Tracking Shot | A shot created by the camera physically moving on a track
• Trailer | A series of clips cut together to promote a film
• Transcription | The process of converting audio into a written document
• Treatment | An abridged script, generally longer and more detailed than a one-page
synopsis
• Tripod | A three-legged piece of equipment used to steady a camera
• Tungsten | A type of lighting that gives off an orange effect
• Two Shot | Encompassing two people in the same shot (they don’t need to be next
to one another)
• Umbrella | Gold or silver coloured accessory to soften illumination
• Underexposed | When a shot is filmed with less light than it needs to provide a dark
or shadowy effect. Can also happen accidentally
• Underlighting | When a person or object is lit from below, often creating extra
shadows
• VFX | Visual Effects - Any special effects achieved using software rather than human
hand or artwork alone, often created during post-production, although the image
manipulation can also take place during filming. Visual effects often blend live action
with generated imagery
• Viewfinder | The part of the camera the operator looks through to see exactly what
the recording looks like as it happens/in real time
• Vision Mixer | The person who edits programmes live either during recording or
transmission by joining various different images together
• Visual Effects | Any special effects achieved using software rather than human hand
or artwork alone, often created during post-production, although the image
manipulation can also take place during filming. Visual effects often blend live action
with generated imagery
• Visual Effects Producer | Someone who manages the visual effects breakdown, and
monitors the daily output of the visual effects team
• Visual Effects Supervisor | Head of department in charge of all visual effects crew
and achieving the creative aims of the director and producer
• Voiceover | An unseen actor who provides the narration for a production
• Vox Pop | On the spot interviews or opinions from members of the public
• Walk Through | Similar to that of a rehearsal or dry run
• Walk-On Artists | A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television
show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking or
non-singing (silent) capacity, usually in the background.
• Wardrobe Assistant | A role providing support with costumes and accessories
• Wardrobe Department | The costume department
• Wedges | Pieces of wood used for levelling and stabilising camera equipment and
tracks
• Whip Pan | A very quick camera pan that creates a blur on the screen
• White Balance | The process of the camera focussing on something white, such as a
piece of paper, to restore the correct colour
• Whodunnit | A story dealing with mystery, frequently revealing the identity of a
murderer at the end
• Wide Angle Lens | A lens that allows a camera to cover a wider area than a normal
lens
• Wide Shot | When the camera is positioned to capture the majority of the action in a
scene
• Widescreen | A letterbox picture format, typically with 1.85:1 or 2:35.1 aspect ratio
• Wild Sound / Track | The audio recording of the environment you’re shooting in with
no dialogue spoken
• Wrap | The point at which the shoot or a production finishes
• XCU | Extreme Close Up
• Zoom | When objects or people are magnified by decreasing the focal length of the
camera lens or the reversed thereof