More Meaningful Jargon Or, All You Need to Know to Speak Like a Geek Video

Audio Tracks The tracks in iMovie which are beneath the Video Track. There may be multiple audio tracks.

B-Roll The secondary video clips (also called cut-aways) which are inserted between segments of the main action. For example: –to provide visual relief from a long “talking head” interview. –to insert a different viewpoint of the subject, such as a close-up.

C.G. Stands for Character Generator. –The text or subtitles displayed with or without other video images. Also referred to as the Title.

Clips Component parts of an iMovie project, may consist of: –Digital video –Still photographs. –Audio. –Graphics. –Titles.

Compiling The final step in making an iMovie video, exporting all the tracks, transitions, and other effects into a composite QuickTime video.

Timeline Window In iMovie, the window where clips, transitions, and other effects are assembled in the order they are to be seen in the compiled movie.

Cut The effect when two clips are butted together without a transition. Without a transition, there is nothing to soften the visual change from one image to the other.

In Point When editing a clip, the designated frame of the clip where you wish the edit to begin.

Jump Cut A cut that presents an illogical or disorienting transition, usually to be avoided. A cut between two clips wherein the background is identical but the subject jumps from one position to another. Camera magic.

Main Action The video footage which provides the main narrative flow; the main subject. Also referred to as A-Roll.

Montage The aesthetics of editing, in video or in film production. The assemblage of segments of video, re-ordering images and sound within the matrix of time, for artistic and narrative effect.

Narration The spoken words added to the edited video, usually recorded in a studio. Also called V.O. (voice-over).

Out Point When editing a clip, the designated frame of the clip where you wish the edit to end.

Pan To move the camera to the left or right around its vertical axis. Best done with the camera on a tripod, moving smoothly and slowly, with the lens zoomed out. –A fluid head tripod should be used for panning while zoomed in.

Project In iMovie, the document (file) containing all editing work; the blueprint for the movie which you are assembling. –Not be confused with clips or the compiled movie. –The project must be on the desktop while working in iMovie.

Clip Window In iMovie, the window into which all clips are imported prior to being placed into the Timeline Window.

QuickTime A method of slow compression, fast decompression storage for digital video used on many computer platforms.

Scratch Disk In media editing applications (Photoshop, Cacophony, iMovie, etc.) the designated computer volume (disk or server) where the application’s temporary files are stored. –Must be sufficient in size for the project.

Sound Bite The edited segment of an interview. The audio-only segment of an interview, often edited with other video images (B-roll) to avoid the talking head.

Stand-Up Narration in which the correspondent is photographed while talking to the camera. Usually used at the beginning or at the end of the piece.

Talking Head An interview segment featuring video of the person talking as well as the audio sound bite. The term is usually used as a criticism, to imply that the visuals are not sufficiently interesting.

Tilt To move the camera up or down around its horizontal axis. Best done with the camera on a tripod, moving smoothly and slowly, with the lens zoomed out. –A fluid head tripod should be used for tilts done while zoomed in.

Truck To move the entire camera while shooting the videotape; walking with the camera. If done in a studio, generally performed with the camera stationed on a dolly (a wheeled platform).

Transitions The visual effect used to change the screen from one image to another. –May be as simple as a cut. –May be as complex as a moving pattern containing one image which is replaced by another pattern containing the second image.

Trimming Adjusting the in point and/or the out point of a clip in order to control which part of the clip will be used in the Timeline Window.

Video Track Where video clips to be edited together are positioned.

Wild Sound Ambient or environmental noise that is recorded. –It may be recorded unintentionally in the background or it may be recorded specifically to be used in the edited video. Wild sound can add a sense of realism to the video.

Zoom To change the focal length of a variable focal length lens. –Zooming-In. To increase the focal length and thereby make the subject appear bigger and closer. –Zooming-Out. To decrease the focal length and thereby make the subject appear smaller and farther away.