Film & Broadcast Glossary
Film & Broadcast is about telling stories – whether fiction or factual. This combines high standards of training in production skills to make programs – dramas and documentaries for radio, television and cinema
Film & Broadcast
Pick-up Shot
Reshooting a portion of a scene, the rest of which was acceptably filmed in a previous take.
Film & Broadcast
Pilot Tone
A sine wave signal, recorded by various field audio recorders at a known frequency, which is used to resolve the tape speed on playback to retain sync with film camera footage.
Film & Broadcast
Pin
A component of a camera or printer mechanism which engages with a perforation hole to move and locate film for exposure.
Film & Broadcast
Pink noise
A sound signal that has an equal amount of energy per octave or fraction of an octave. (Sound)
Film & Broadcast
Pitch
The distance between two successive perforations along a strip of film.(Film) The frequency of audible sound (Sound).
Film & Broadcast
Plate
A background for any type of process shot. (Laboratory)
Film & Broadcast
Playback
A technique of filming music action first, the playing the music through loudspeakers while performers dance, sing, etc.
Film & Broadcast
Positive Scratch
The black image on a print of a scratch on the positive from which the print was made. (Film Editing)
Film & Broadcast
Post-Production
The period in a project’s development that takes place after the picture is delivered, or “after the production.” This term might also be applied to video/film editing or refer to audio post-production.
Film & Broadcast
Practical
Any light that appears in the scene. (Lighting)
Film & Broadcast
Pre-Blacked
A video tape which has already had a control track, usually with SMPTE encoded time code, but without any picture or sound. This is done to facilitate the video editing or assembly process.
Film & Broadcast
Preamplifier
An electronic device that boosts extremely weak signal voltages, such as those from microphones or mag heads, to a level that is usable by power amplifiers. (Electronics)
Film & Broadcast
Prescoring
Recording of music or other sound prior to the shooting of the picture which is to accompany it. The most common usage is in animated film. (Sound)
Film & Broadcast
Principal Photography
The main photography of a film and the time period during which it takes place. (Production)
Film & Broadcast
Printing Sync
The relation between the picture and sound components in which they are printed to give the necessary displacement for projection as a composite print. (Laboratory)
Film & Broadcast
Prism Shutter
A device used on many film viewers, editing machines, and some high-speed cameras, consisting of a rotating prism of four or more sides through which the viewer light passes as film is pulled continuously through it. (Film Editing)
Film & Broadcast
Process Shot
A shot that will be composited from two other shots. The background part of this process is called a ‘plate’. (Laboratory)
Film & Broadcast
Production Dupe
A duplicate negative prepared in the final form for release printing. (Laboratory)
Film & Broadcast
Production Sound
Recording and/or mixing sound on location during the film or video shoot. Typically this has been recorded to an analog Nagra reel-to-reel machine, though DAT recorders and other digital formats are now making significant inroads.
Film & Broadcast
Projection Leader
A short length of film having standard markings on it, used to enable projectionists to make instant changeovers from one projector to another. (Film Editing)
Film & Broadcast
Projection-Contrast Original
An original reversal film which is designed to have normal contrast when projected. (Film Editing)