[georgia]

L
Lab Roll A roll of motion picture film made up of more than one camera roll spliced together. Labs
create these rolls for film that will go through telecine so the operator is not constantly changing reels.
These rolls are usually built in either 1000 foot or 2000 foot lengths for 35mm film and 1200 foot
lengths for 16mm film.
Layback Transferring the finished audio track back to the master video tape.
Laydown Recording sound from an audio source or video element to another audio element. During
this process, timecode can be added or altered, channel configurations rearranged, or audio levels
compressed.
Leader Opaque or clear film attached to the head and tail of film rolls used for threading a motion
picture machine.
Letterbox wide-image is screen, at the top and the bottom of the screen. Traditionally, this is filled in with black bars.
Locked Cut/Locked Picture Final version of a show after all the changes have been incorporated.
Locon A motion picture print made on low-contrast stock.
LokBox Synchronizing mechanism that locks film and videotape to run backwards or forwards
together. Used for negative cutting.
Luminance The measured value of brightness; reflected light measure on motion picture screens as
footlamberts or candelas per square meter. The brightness or contrast of the video signal.

M
Matte The black bars found at the top and bottom of the picture when a wide screen format is
projected on a television set. An opaque outline that limits the exposed area of a picture, either as a
cut-out object in front of the camera or as a silhouette on another strip of film. Also used in 35mm
projectors to show the correct aspect ratio of a film.
Mixing . Combining of all sound tracks (dialogue, music and effects) onto a single master source.
Also known as audio dubbing
MOS Term for picture without sound. Acronym used to represent the German slang "mit out
sprechen."
Moviola A trademarked name for a machine with a small rear-projection screen and the capacity to
play back several sound tracks. Used in editing and for reviewing portions of the film during production.
Also used to synchronize or interlock picture and sound track in editing. Newer devices called “flat-bed
viewers” are replacing the upright Moviolas.

N
Nagra Professional ¼" audiotape recorder.
Negative The term “negative” is used to designate any of the following (in either black-and-white or
color): (1) The raw stock specifically designed for negative images. (2) the negative image. (3)
Negative raw stock that has been exposed but has not been processed. (4) Processed film bearing a
negative image.
Negative Assembly Film is spliced to create lab rolls, or negative is spliced to create a cut picture.
Also referred to as negative cutting.
Negative Dirt Dirt on the film negative element. Can appear white. In some cases it will appear as
sparkles across the screen caused by negative dust. Because the film emulsion is very soft, dirt can
become embedded into the film stock and can only be removed by being washed by the laboratory.
Negative Scratch A scratch in the camera negative which usually appears white on the base side. If
it has penetrated through the yellow, cyan, or magenta layers, it may appear to have a slight tint of
color.
Noise Reduction Electronic reduction of observable grain in the picture. Noise-reduction devices can
minimize discernible grain structure of film, but caution should be observed when
using them.
Unwanted side effects can include strobing and trailing images and reduction in picture resolution.
Non-Drop-Frame Timecode A type of SMPTE time code that continuously counts a full 30 frames
per second. As a result, non-drop, frame-time code does not match real time.
NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) Committee that established the color
transmission system used in the U.S. and some other countries. Also used to indicate the system itself
consisting of 525 lines of information, scanned at a rate of approximately 30 frames per second.

O
Off-Line The process of creatively assembling the elements of a production, to communicate the
appropriate message or story, and/or calculating the order, timing and pace with user-friendly
equipment such as film, 3/4” videotape or non-linear computer editing systems.
On-Line Final assembly or editing utilizing master tape sources. Usually done on high-quality
computer editing system with computer-generated effects.
Opticals Refers to film effects, film titles, and film dissolves and fades. Term has carried over into
videotape and is sometimes used to indicate video special effects.

P
Paintbox Digital graphics generator made by Quantel. Paint, pen, and airbrush are available
electronically to the graphic artist. A generic term used to describe electronic picture fixes to individual
video frames to mask dirt and scratches.
PAL (Phase Alternating Line) Color television system developed in Germany, and used by many
European and other countries. PAL consists of 625 lines scanned at a rate of 25 frames per second.
Positive Dirt Often built in during printing, this appears black on the screen.
Positive Scratch A scratch in a film print element. Usually appears black on the screen.
Printmaster A stereo mix master audio element consisting of two or four channels of audio.
Production Sound Audio recorded during principle photography on location.

Q
QC (Quality Control) The act of scrutinizing audio, video or film elements for technical specifications
and defects.
Quarter-Inch (1/4") Audiotape This is a two-track analog audio recording magnetic tape.

R
Raw Stock Unexposed film or audio stock.
processing of numerous duplicate subject made for general theater distribution. A composite theatrical print in 35mm, printed from an
internegative.
Reversal Process photographic process which an by secondary
development of the silver latent image development and bleach. the case camera,
the first developer changes the latent image to a negative silver image. This is destroyed by a bleach
and the remaining silver halides are converted to a positive image by a second developer. The
bleached silver and any traces of halides may now be removed with hypo.
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) Red green & blue, the primary color components of the additive color
system used in color television.
Rough cut Assembly of edited shots prior to picture lock.

S
Saturation Term used to describe color brilliance or purity. When color film images are projected at
the proper brightness and without interference from stray light, colors that appear bright, deep, rich,
and undiluted are said to be “saturated.”
Script Notes A copy of the shooting script prepared by the script supervisor noting camera angles,
what lines were recorded by which camera, shooting order, shot lengths and circled takes.
l6mm Mag Magnetic 16mm audiotape that can hold up to two separate channels of audio. Contains
sprocket holes, so there is no need for timecode for editing.
l6mm Optical Track Mono only. Read by a light on a projector or telecine. Contains sprocket holes
so there is no need for timecode for editing.
Smart Slate Production clapper that includes a lighted readout of the timecode being recorded onto
the production sound audiotape.
SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) The committee of engineers that
sets the rules for use of timecode and other technical procedures in the United States and various
other countries.
Sound Report Form filled in for each audiotape recorded that describes what is on the tape and any
technical instructions for playback.
Splice Joining of two film or audio pieces. Usually done with splicing tape but also can be “hot
spliced” with cement so the finished end-to-end product can function as a single piece of film when
passing through a camera, film processing machine, or projector.
Sync (Synchronous) Align sound and image precisely for editing, projection, and printing. In dailies,
when you hear the clapper close and see it at the same moment, it is considered "in sync".
Sync Sound Sound that is recorded with the intention of being married to a picture at an exact point.

T
Tails-Out When the end of the material is left on the outside of the reel.
A for scanning motion picture converting videotape.
Temp Dub Temporary music and effects added to a rough-cut version of a project for network or
studio screening.
35MM Mag Magnetic audiotape that can hold up to six tracks of audio. Contains sprocket holes, so
there is no need for timecode for editing.
35MM Optical Track Two-track (mono or stereo) audio format. Contains sprocket holes, so there is
no need for timecode for editing.
Three-Quarter-Inch (¾") Videotape Magnetic tape stock for playback and record. Contains two
channels of audio and a separate timecode channel. Most commonly used for off-line editing and
viewing cassettes.
3:2 Pulldown The formula used to convert 24 frames per second of film to 30 frames per second of
video.
Timecode The numbering system adopted by SMPTE that assigns a number to each video frame
indicating hours, minutes, seconds, and frames.
Timecode Generator An electronic device that outputs timecode.
Transfer A general term for recording from one source to another element.
VHS Tape Video home system ½" videotape.
analog plus two channels of high fidelity (hi-fi) audio.
Visible Timecode Timecode burned into a video picture so it can be seen when viewing the picture.
VITC (Vertical Interval Timecode) Time code that is recorded in the vertical blanking interval about
the active picture area. Can be read from videotape in the “still” mode.

W
Wetgate Print A print created using a chemical process that coats the negative, hopefully filling in
digs and scratches or imperfections that occur in the negative to help restore the image.
Wild Picture or audio shot without a sync relationship to specific picture.
Work Print Any picture or sound track print, usually a positive, intended for use in the editing process
to establish through a series of trail cuttings the finished version of a film. The purpose is to preserve
the original intact (and undamaged) until the cutting points have been
established.

XYZ
XFR Shorthand slang for “transfer.”