Electronic equipment, similar in appearance to television remote controls, distributed to audience members at live events that allows the audience to answer multiple-choice questions.  Like “Ask The Audience” on television’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” ARS compiles the audience data and presents it in graphical form.  For Webcasts, the “virtual” audience can respond via their computers.

The area behind the stage, generally out of the audience’s view where equipment, the Green Room, or other staging support is set up.

The time cast, crew and/or equipment is required to be ready to work.

Often two video projectors are focused onto a single screen giving two primary benefits:  1) the resulting brightness is doubled, and 2) the second projector serves as backup for the other.  The projectors are most commonly “stacked” on top of each other.

The area of the stage closest to the audience.

When video or slides are projected onto the front of a screen, usually meaning the projectors are in, above, or behind the audience.

The area of the event venue that is visible to the audience.  In a theater this includes the lobby and the seating area.

A room or area for the cast, speakers, or performers to prepare or wait for their time on stage.

Refers to the entire venue, but is generally used as short for Front of House.

Image Magnification.  Video cameras capture close up views of speakers, performers, or products which are projected onto large video screens, allowing a large audience to see details.

Refers to what can and can’t be seen in a direct line by an audience member or sometimes a piece of equipment like a light or video projector.

Video monitors are televisions designed specifically for reference by technicians, crew, or performers.  Audio monitors are speakers pointed back at the performers for reference or musical purposes.

Name commonly used for any type of computer-generated graphics that support a presentation, like speaker notes, graphs, etc. Although used now generically from Microsoft’s PowerPoint presentation software, it can refer to a presentation created in any type of software.

Props that serve a “practical” purpose, i.e. are functional in nature (light a laptop computer that actually works).

Specific type of teleprompter commonly used by the U.S. President at major speeches where the words are reflected onto glass in front of the speaker podium.

In a theater the proscenium is the opening in the wall at the front of the stage, usually where the main curtain is hung.

When video or slides are projected from behind the screen in which case the projector(s) are usually backstage out of view of the audience (and the image is electronically reversed ).

While planning an event the producer, client, and representatives from the venue meet at the venue to discuss layout and logistics.  Sometimes called a walkthrough.

The left and right sides of the stage from the performer’s perspective facing the audience.

A platform, usually located at the back of the audience area, where the technical crew and equipment that operate the show are located.

A television with script and or notes that is visible to the speaker or performer, operated by a person at a computer who moves the script following the speaker.

A brief creative summary of a project used to explain or sell the concept to staff, executives, or clients.

Metal grid usually suspended above the stage or audience that is used to hang lights, sound, or other equipment from.

The area of the stage furthest from the audience.

Automatic Dialog Replacement, or Looping is the process of re-recording voices for video or film in a studio, where the actor watches and hears his original performance on screen and performs new dialog into a microphone.  This is used when production sound (sound recorded with the video originally) has too much other noise or when editing changes the pacing or content of the original dialog.

Catering and food set up for cast and crew on a shoot.

When the camera zooms in very close to a person or object.

A shot that the editor inserts (see insert shot), usually over dialog, that shows something other than the main character or speaker.  For example, a shot of bicycle as someone describes it.

The crew member who operates the camera and is generally in charge of the lighting and selection of film & lenses. Can be a purely functional position or can also contribute creatively to the project through the design of color, camera position, and lighting.

To make a copy, usually of a videotape.  Sometimes used in reference to re-recording audio.

When the camera zooms in extremely close.  This is where less than a person’s full face is on screen, like just the nose and mouth.

A shot of the building, surroundings, or other location that establishes where the following scene takes place.

A light used on a video or film shoot that is behind the actor or speaker to create a “halo” effect that helps to separate the performer from the background.  Traditionally called the back light.

A place other than a studio soundstage or set where a video or film is shot.

Refers to both the first hour after sunrise and the last hour of daylight before sunset where the outdoor light is soft, colorful and usually looks “magical” on film or video.

Master generally refers to the most original source film or videotape, either the actual tape or film from the camera, or the main tape created in editing before duplication.

When a single camera is used to film a scene the first shot taken is called a Master Shot, and is usually a wide and general view of all of the action. This shot is usually one of the first used in a scene by an editor to establish the relationship of the actors and their surroundings (but after the establishing shot if any) and provides a main shot to guide the action before close-ups and cutaways.

Short for the German “mit-out-sprache” (without speech), refers to shooting without sound. Music or other sound is added later.

All of the processes in a production that take place after filming, such as editing, color correction, sound design and editing, graphics, etc.

All of the processes in a production that take place before filming, such as script development, set building, scheduling, casting, selecting locations, etc.

Can refer to the entire video or film project, but specifically refers to the work performed while filming.

A video or film shot of a person that is relatively close, including the head and tops of the shoulders.

A small sign held up in front of the camera and recorded to film or video at the beginning of each shot to identify the specific scene, shot, and take. In film production where the sound is recorded separate from the picture, the slate is called a clapper or just sticks and is snapped down to create a visual and auditory cue for synchronizing the picture and sound later.

The process of adding sound effects or otherwise manipulating the audio to enhance the soundtrack.

Total Running Time, or the complete length of a project, film, or videotape.

Lighting for film and video is usually directed from multiple lights in three positions:  1) a key light, which is the primary light source on the subject; 2) a fill light, which fills in the shadows; and 3) a back light or kicker, which is behind the subject and help separate him from the background.

A shot where two people are on screen, usually dialoging with each other.

A voice recorded without picture that narrates, introduces subjects, etc.

Internet audience members can answer multiple-choice questions via their computers during a webcast.  Like “Ask The Audience” on television’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” ARS compiles the audience data and presents it in graphical form.

The standard video file format under Microsoft Windows. Stands for “Audio Video Interleave”.

The amount of computer data that can be transferred from the source computer to the end user’s computer.  The higher the bandwidth, the more data that can be transferred in a shorter time, resulting in better quality audio and video streams.

Refers to high bandwidth end user connections, such as cable modems, DSL, or T1 lines.  These connections allow users to view video and/or listen to audio at relatively high quality and download files quickly.

A device and/or connection to the Internet provided by local Cable Companies through your television cable lines.  This is a permanent connection to the Internet (does not require you to “dial-up” every time to connect) and is considered to be a Broadband or High Bandwidth connection.

A Content Delivery Network is a company or service with high powered computers configured to stream video and audio to the Internet quickly and reliably.  CPD is proud to have the industry’s top rated CDN, Activate as our partner.

Short for Compression-Decompression, a CODEC is a computer programming scheme for reducing the size of video and audio data for easier storage and transfer.

Refers to the reduction of video and audio or other data.

A connection using telephone lines to the Internet or other computer. This requires that the computer “Dials Up” a telephone number and is a Low Bandwidth connection.

Digital Subscriber Line (and Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line).  A connection to the Internet provided by telephone companies using telephone lines as relatively high speed data connections. This is a permanent connection to the Internet (does not require you to “dial-up” every time to connect) and is considered to be a Broadband or High Bandwidth connection.

The process of converting audio or video from traditional formats (tape, etc.) into computer files.  Usually involves the use of a CODEC and Compression.

The latest version of Internet video and audio playback software provided by Real Player.

A device that plugs into a computer and to a phone or other communication line that translates the data to and from the computer.

Specifically the Motion Picture Engineering Group, but refers to a computer file format for audio and video.

In contrast to Streaming, Progressive Download actually transfers the audio and/or video file to the end user’s computer, but allows the viewer to begin playing back the file before it is completely transferred.  Most commonly used with Quicktime.

Short for Quicktime.

The video and audio playback software created by Apple Computer.  Most often used in multimedia CD-ROMs and advanced video editing, Quicktime can also provide Internet Streaming or Progressive Download capabilities.

The video and audio playback software created by the company of the same name.  This software has been considered the standard since its creation in 1995, but is now being displaced by Windows Media Player.

The CODEC most commonly used by Quicktime.

The process of moving audio and video or other data over the Internet in real time, where the end user can view the data as it is being played back (not unlike television), and the file is never permanently transferred to the end user.

Permanent Internet connections that are very high speed.  Usually used by large corporations. T-lines are used in the United States, and E-lines are common outside the U.S.

The video and audio playback software created by Microsoft for the Windows environment.  Provides Streaming and/or Progressive Download capabilities with high quality.