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
Directional Characteristic
The variation in response or perception for different angles of sound incidence. (Acoustics)
Film & Broadcast
Dissolve
A transition between two scenes where the first merges imperceptibly into the second. (Film/Video)
Film & Broadcast
Distortion
A modification of the original signal appearing in the output of audio equipment which had not been present in the input. (Audio)
Film & Broadcast
Dolby Digital
This is a 5.1 channel digital film format that if optically recorded on to a film release print in the blocks of space located between the film’s sprocket holes. (Sound)
Film & Broadcast
Dolby SR
Spectral Recording. An encoding/decoding noise reduction system developed by Dolby Laboratories and used increasingly in film sound.
Film & Broadcast
Dolly Shot
Any shot made from a moving dolly. These may also be called tracking or traveling shots. (Production)
Film & Broadcast
Doorway Dolly
A plywood dolly with four soft tires which is narrow enough to fit through a doorway. It is used to carry a camera on a tripod or for transporting other heavy items. (Grip)
Film & Broadcast
Dots
Small nets and flags used to control light. (Grip/Lighting)
Film & Broadcast
Double-System Sound
Sound and picture on separate transports. This refers to the normal methodology of recording the picture on a camera while recording sound of a separate magnetic tape recorder. (Film)
Film & Broadcast
Drift
Flutter which occurs at random rates. (Acoustics)
Film & Broadcast
Drop Frame
American system of time code generation that adjusts the generated data every minute to compensate for the spread of the NTSC television system running at 29.97 frames per second.
Film & Broadcast
Drop Out
Loss of a portion of a signal, usually due to a loss of a tape’s oxide coating or due to dirt or grease covering a portion of a tape.
Film & Broadcast
Drop-In
The process of inserting recorded audio by playing up to a chosen point and switching from playback to record mode. (Video/Audio)
Film & Broadcast
DTS
This is a film sound system which utilizes a CD-ROM disc which is sychronized to film by means of timecode which is optically encoded into the exhibition film print. (Sound)
Film & Broadcast
Dub
To make a taped copy of any progam source record, CD, tape. Also, the copy itself. Sometimes used to refer to the ADR process. (Audio/Video)
Film & Broadcast
Dub Stage
Term generally used in California but to refer to the room where the final audio mix is made for a program or film. It might also be known as a mix stage.
Film & Broadcast
Dubber
A high quality sound reproducer which is mixed with outputs from other dubbers that are generally loaded with sprocketed magnetic film. (Post Production)
Film & Broadcast
Dubbing
An actor’s voice synchronization with lip movements which are not the originally recorded sound. This is used to replace unusable dialogue or recordings, and also used to prepare foreign films for new markets. (Post Production)
Film & Broadcast
Dupe
A copy of a negative. Short for duplicate negative.
Film & Broadcast
Dutch Angle
This is the process where a camera is angled so that the horizontal frame line is not parallel to the horizon. (Production)
Film & Broadcast
Duvetyne
A heavy black cloth, treated with fire proofing material, which is used for blacking out windows, making teasers, hiding cables, and hundreds of other uses. (Grip)