Feb. 3, 2006 - Video and Movie Terms (part1)
Well, it's been a while since my last post, so I thought I would take the time to explain some different terms used in filmmaking.
TALENT - The person or persons in front of the camera. The actor(s) or interviewee.
DIRECTOR - The person who calls the shots on set. Basically, his word is law.
GRIP - Person who puts everything together on the set (lights, cables, cameras, etc.)
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (DP) - Sets up the shots as per the director's orders. Tells the grips where to put the lights and cameras, what kind of equipment to use, etc.
FIREWIRE - Technically known as IEEE-1394, this is the primary cable used to transport video from the camera to the computer or to other equipment, such as a switcher. Faster transfer time than standard USB, but it's slower than USB-2
FRAME RATE - The number of frames in one second of video or film.
FRAME - (1) Individual pictures that, when played in sequence, create the illusion of movement, similar to a flip-book cartoon.
(2) What can be seen when watching the video.
ASPECT RATIO - The width and height of the frame. The "standard" aspect ratio is a 4:3 ratio. This is the standard for television, and video cameras. This is also called "full screen"
The "widescreen" aspect ratio is 16:9. This is most commonly seen in feature length movies, though some television shows air in 16:9.
I'll continue with more at a later date, hopefully sooner than later.
Zack
