ABSTRACT
Italicized terms within the definitions may be found elsewhere in the Glossary.
180˚ rule An imaginary axis of action running between the main subjects in a setting, such as a two-person interview; for continuity, all camera angles should be on the same side of the line
30˚ rule When shooting different setups of the same subject, separate each camera angle by at least 30˚, without crossing over the 180˚ line, to maintain continuity
8-VSB Technology for digital television transmission that uses a single carrier for each signal, selected by the USA; compare with COFDM
A/B-roll editing Analog editing system in which shots from two different tapes are edited together; the A-roll has the shots with sound elements and the B-roll has the non-dialogue shots that visualize the story
above-the-line The personnel costs and expenses involved with securing a script and the rights, a producer and the staff, the talent (performers) and the director
action axis See 180˚ rule
algorithm Any mathematical formula for compressing digital files by removing redundant information
ampere A measure of the amount or volume of electrical current
ampere hours A way of rating a battery according to how much electrical current it can generate over a period of time
analog An electrical waveform that represents the original light or sound waveform; contrast with digital
angle The location of a camera relative to the camera’s subject
ASA A rating of the ability of photographic film to record light, as determined by the American National Standards Institute; the higher the rating, the less light is needed to record an image
aspect ratio The relationship of the width of a TV screen to its height; for standard NTSC television it is 4:3, but digital television is capable of having a 16:9 ratio
assemble A type of edit that transfers all information from the source machine to the editing recorder; it is similar to a dub
asymmetrical balance Composing an image with objects of different shape, mass, weight, color, contrast, line, and texture on opposite sides of the screen; contrast with symmetrical balance
audio-limiter switch Control that prevents the recorded audio signal from becoming distorted because of too much signal strength
auto-iris A feature on video cameras that allows the exposure to be automatically set by the camera
available light The natural light in a scene; the light that exists before additional light sources are added
background light A light illuminating the background of a scene or shot; it is usually the fourth light in a lighting kit.
