There is a lot of jargon that goes along with the video production process and while it isn’t vital for you to know it – you hire us for our skills and experience after all – we do think that the more information everyone has about the video making process, the better the final video can become.
With that said, over a number of blog posts we’ll be breaking down and explaining common video terms.
In this post we will be looking at the following:
Feel free to click one of the links above to jump straight to a section, or simply read on!
On most professional shoots, the camera records footage that has quite low contrast and dull colours.
The editor (or sometimes a specific colour grader) will then give the footage a ‘colour grade’ also known as a ‘grade’ to manipulate the colours and exposure to bring the footage to life.
Depending on what the desired outcome may be, this might be trying to make the video look as realistic and true-to-life as possible…
…or it might be giving the video a specific look, which can convey messaging about the meaning behind the video.
Have you ever seen a vibrantly coloured war film? Probably not!
There is a reason the colours are desaturated.
Or why that fun road trip film has a warm, yellowish colour wash.
It’s all about the feeling!
You’ve seen it before, but do you know what it is used for?
A clapper or clapperboard is an essential tool used for syncing audio and video in post-production and for identifying specific shots.
It is one of the most recognisable accessories on any film set. Usually, the clapperboard has spaces to note the scene, take, and shot, along with additional details like the production title, director, and director of photography.
As seen in the above image, a wide shot commonly shows the subject and the environment that surrounds them.
They are typically achieved with a wide-angle lens but can be filmed with any type of lens depending on how far away the scene is from the position of the camera.
Due to the amount of space within the frame, the wide shot conveys a lot of information. This is why directors like to use it as an establishing shot, giving the audience context to the scene and character.
The shot has a lot more uses though, and is a favourite of many Hollywood directors such as Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese.
We rarely need an airship in video, but we do need a different kind of blimp!
A blimp or mic blimp is a microphone cover that helps protect the microphone from picking up unwanted noise, mainly wind, but can also help reduce low frequency hums from appliances such as air conditioners.
This ensures that the audio we are trying to record comes through clearly.
Is it a shot of a child’s doll? No…
…well actually, it could be – let us explain.
A dolly shot involves placing the camera on a track or some sort of moveable platform, to create a moving, dynamic shot.
So, hilariously it could actually be a shot of a child’s doll 😂
As this technique usually takes some time to set up, you will see it used more in higher budget projects or cinema.
There are a few tricks however, to create this high-end shot on a budget and under strict time constraints, such as sitting a camera person on a chair with wheels, for example.
You’ve read that right – there is a piece of video equipment called a dead cat!
A dead cat is named so for obvious reasons and is the furry cover that goes over a microphone to minimise unwanted wind sounds.
*No animals were harmed in the making of this blog*
If you wanted to have a chat about anything in this blog or any other elements of video production, contact us today. We love chatting through ideas and we also will happily provide you with free, no obligation quotes.
We’ll see you in Video Terminology Explained Part 3 – coming soon!
