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Terms Used in TV Production

Millions of people watch TV every day, but few really understand how everything comes together during the production process. In order to work at a studio, it is essential to master TV production terms.
  1. Camera Operating Terms

    • The terms "truck" or "dolly" mean to wheel the entire camera to the left or right. To "pan" is to simply move the camera from one side to another without moving the entire device.

    Sound Terms

    • In sound, "room tone" refers to the extra sounds in a room that exist during an interview or shoot. "Clipping" occurs when the amount of signal that is entering a device is too strong for it to reproduce.

    Lighting Terms

    • In lighting, "scrims" are small metal filters used to decrease the amount of light produced. "Barn doors" are front-mounted metal doors that reduce or increase the amount of light.

    Editing (Post Production) Terms

    • In editing, a "bed" is the length of music that is placed underneath the video and voiceover. "Dubbing" is the process of putting either raw footage or a rough cut onto DVD to view outside of the editing suite.

    Other Important Terms

    • The most important term in TV production is "timecode." It is the numeric measurement of frames that are recorded, and supplies the entire crew with a basis for production.

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