DOCUMENT RESUME ED 119 716 IR 003 187 AUTHOR Pandzik, Michael TITLE A Layman's Guide to Audio-Visual Jargon. PUB DATE 76 NOTE 32p.; Some parts of text may not reproduce clearly due to quality of original document AVAILABLE FROM Michael Pandzik, c/o The Multimedia Forum, 2450 Grand, Crown Center, Kansas City, Missouri 64141 ($4.00) EDPS PRICE MP-$0.83 Plus Postage. HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Audiovisual Aids; Definitions; *Films; *Glossaries; *Lighting; Media Technology; *Slides; *Television; Television Lighting; Vocabulary ABSTPACT This glossary was developed to provide the layman with a working vocabulary in the areas of film, television, lighting, and sound/slide presentations. Definitions are given for both technical terms and jargon words. (EMH) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC makes every effort * * to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** BEST COPY AVAILABLE U.S. DEPARTMENTOPHEALTN, EDUCATION &WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEENREPRO- DUCED EXACTLY ASRECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATIONORIGIN- ATING IT POINTS OF VIEWOR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILYREPRE- INSTITUTE OF SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL EDUCATION POSITION ORPOLICY 2 I. A Layman's Guide to Audio-Visual Jargon The Multimedia Forum jargon Crown Center. P 0 Box1435 Few vocations have the spread and depth of divisions of media. While Kansas City. Missouri 64141 as that of the audio-visual this glossary of terms is limited to film. television, 64141 and sound/slide presentations, it makes ref 816/274-8311 no pretense of completeness. Itis intended. rather, to serve as a guidea starting pointthrough the land of Broads. BazookaS. Butterflys, andBrutes. Many of the definitions have become"standards" in the industry. while a few terms havebeen included for their delightful obscurity (see "Iron Man"). Because the same words Sometimes haveentirely different meanings in different media. we have divided this compilation into primary categories. Should you fail to find the definition you seek in the most obvious group, you might findclues in one of the others. Failing that, you areprobably on your way to compiling a newglossary of audio- visual jargon. REPRODUCE THIS PERMISSION TO BY MICRO- COPYRIGHTED MATERIALGRANTED BY FICHE ONLY HAS BEEN M,tere\ -"F_eirt z r143 itn 4-:rnzci tiscorom ORGANIZATIONS OPERAT TO ERIC AND WITH THE NA ING UNDER AGREEMENTSEDUCATION TIONAL INSTITUTE DF OUTSIDE FURTHER REPRODUCTION THE ERIC SYSTEMREQUIRES PERMIS SION DF THE COPYRIGHTDWNER 3 Contents Film Lighting Sound/Slide Projection Television a anamorphic lens A lens designed to produce a wide screen image. angle of view The angle formed when two lines are plotted from the center of a lens to the two distant corners of the negative. aperture The lens opening that regulates the intensity of light reaching the film. ASA Refers to American Standard speed which is a system used for rating the speed or sensitivity of film emulsions to light. aspect ratioRefers to the Teti° of width to height of a projected motion picture image. screen, or TV display. b base The film base is the plastic material upon which the photographic emulsion is coated, or the foundation upon which magnetic particles are arranged on audio or video tape. brightness range Variation of light intensities from maximum to minimum. brillianceThe degree of intensity of a color or colors. c color temperature Color temperature refers to the color of a theoretically perfect source of radiant energy which emits light because of its very high temperature. The higher the temperature, the bluer the light; the lower the temperature, the redder the light. crab Abbreviation for crab dolly, a small portable wheeled camera support. cyan A blue-green (minus red) color. d definitionThe ability of an emulsion to record fine detail, or the ability of a lens to reproduce ,fine detail. Also called resolving power or resolution. depth of field The range of distance within which objects are in satisfactory sharp focus. depth of focus The range through which the image plane (the emulsion of the film) can be moved backward and forward with respect to the camera lens. This term is often confused with depth of field and vice versa. 5 dolly 'Any of the various triangular wheeled perforationsRegularly and accurately spaced supports for camera tripods or lighting stands. holes punched throughout the length of motion e exposure The product of time and intensity picture film. Perforations are engaged by the of illumination acting upon photographic teeth of various sprockets and pins by which the filrrf is moved and positioned as it travels material through cameras, processing machines, If.p.s.Frames per second or the number of pictures produced every second as the him printers, projectors, and other types of motion passes in front of the camera aperture. picture machinery. flatDenotes lack of contrast in a print pressure plate A plate in a camera, projector, or a negative. or optical printer which presses on the back focal lengthThe distance between the center of the film in order to keep the emulsion surface of a tens and the point at which the image in the focal plane of the lens. primary colors of a distant object comes into focus. In light, the primary colors are foot-candle The intensity of light falling red. blue, and green. In pigment, the primary colors on one square foot of surface placed onefoot are red, blue. and yellow. In both tight and pigment. away from a light source of one candlepower. white is the presence of all colors and black frame The individual picture on a strip of film. is the absence. f-stop A term denoting lens aperture. q quartz light A general term used to describe g gate The part in the camera mechanism that the tungsten-halogen lamp bulb. Halogen is the holds the film while each frame is exposed. name applied to the classification of elements gray scale A series of densities in definite such as iodine, chlorine, bromine, fluorine. steps from white to black. and astatine. A halogen gas. sealed in the larrip, reduces blackening and maintains I h halogenIodine, fluorine. chlorine, astatine, and bromine are known as halogens. A halogen correct color temperature of the lamp. r raw stockFilm which has not been exposed it combination forms the gas till in a tungsten- . or processed. I halogen lamp. hard A term used to describe excessive s secondary colorsColors formed by the contrast in prints or negatives. combination of two primary colors. Yellow, i incandescent Glowing with heat and emitting magenta, and cyan are secondary colors. light such as the tungsten filament shutter A mechanism for obscuring light from in an incandescent lamp. the film as it moves from one frame to the next. k kilowatt One thousand watts. Abbreviated single frame exposure A method of exposing motion picture film a single frame at a time. Often K or kW.' m magenta A reddish-blue (minus green) color. used to produce animation effect. p perambulator A wheeled, steerable platform slate The rectangular writing surface (usually which typically supports an extendable black chalkboard) on which notations of scene, microphone boom. date, film, take, director, etc., can be entered to tag the beginning of each take. Often combined with a hinged stick for synchronizing picture and sound, it is then sometimes known as a clap-stick. soft A term used to describe prints and negatives with low contrast. 6 spider A triangular strap metalsupport used position the iegs of a cameratripod slick sulaces. applies ttonein cinematography, this usually to the color of a photographicimage or. :ricor:ectly. to 3nydistinguishable shade of gray transmissionThe ratio of light passed through a:7anbiucent object to the light failing onit The tra0 ratio of a lens is normally Opriis.ied in percentage of light passed oy the lens. v vignetteBlurring the boundary portions of the frame and keeping theimage at the center of interest in sharp focus. z zoom lens A lenshaving a focal length that is continuously variablewithin a certain range. It can simulate the effect ofmoving the camera toward or away from its subject. b baby Jargon for 500-750 watt, six-inch Fresnel spotlight. Also known as an ace. back lightIllumination from behind the subject in a direction substantially parallel to a vertical plane with the optical axis of the camera. Enhances the illusion of three dimensions and provides separation of the subject from the background. barn-doorShutters or flaps, usually two or four, which are attached to the front of the luminaire in order to control the shape and spread of the light beam. base lightUniform, diffuse illumination, approaching a shadowless condition, sufficient for a TV picture of technical acceptability and which can be supplemented by other lighting. battenHorizontal pipe on which luminaires or scenery can be hung. bazookaFilm jargon for an arrangement of pipes and clamps which permit lighting fixtures to be suspended over the edge of an overhead catwalk. beam projector A luminaire using a parabolic reflector and clamp which produces a narrow, intense, and soft-edged beam of light. black body A theoretical body possessing the properties of a perfect radiator and which, therefore, at any given temperature radiates at all wavelengths the maximum amount of energy which any radiator could radiate at the same temperature. The color value of a light source is often quoted as its "color temperature." that is to say.