Within this book, I’ve attempted to define the key technical terms and abbreviations when they are used for the first time. If you happen to be skipping around the chapters and you’re unclear on a particular term that comes up, check out this glossary for the definition.
- 1080i
High-definition, interlaced footage recorded at 1928 × 1080 pixels.
- 1080p
High-definition, progressive footage recorded at 1920 × 1080 pixels.
- 16:9
Aspect ratio of high-definition footage; a wide, rectangular-shaped image.
- 2:1
The RED ONE’s “universal” aspect ratio, suitable for use in film-destined projects.
- 24p
Footage recorded at 24 frames per second progressive; also called 23.98 (see also progressive).
- 25p
Footage at 25 frames per second in progressive (see also PAL).
- 29.97
- 2K
2,000 lines of resolution; standard format for projects intended for film output (see also DI).
- 4:3
Square aspect ratio of standard-definition footage.
- 4K
4,000 lines of resolution; the RED ONE shoots 4096 × 2304 at 16:9.
- 60i
Footage recorded as 60 interlaced fields per second (see also NTSC and interlaced).
- A/D converter
Analog to digital converter, for digitizing analog audio or sound into a digital format.
- ADR
Automated Dialogue Recording, rerecording dialogue in postproduction to replace production audio; also referred to as looping.
- ASA
American Standards Association measurement used to classify the speed of a negative film stock or the sensitivity of a digital image sensor (often used side by side with ISO).
- ASC
American Society of Cinematographers, a Hollywood-based Guild for distinguished Directors of Photography (DPs); also publishes American Cinematographer magazine.
- aspect ratio
The width of an image divided by its height.
- B camera
An auxiliary camera shooting at the same time as the main unit camera; its footage is often referred to as b-roll.
- bitrate
The amount of digital data being processed during a given time period.
- block
To determine the geography and desired angles for a scene.
- Blu-ray
A high-definition, recordable disc format developed by Sony.
- breathing
Visible wobbling on the edges of the frame; happens as the lens focus is changed; typically more apparent with lower-quality lenses.
- CF card
CompactFlash memory card used by the RED ONE to store footage (see also RED-DRIVE and RED-RAM).
- chroma
The color portion of a video signal (see also luma).
- Cineon
Image file format developed by Kodak for digital intermediates (see also DI and DPX).
- clapper sticks
Wooden or plastic slate with production information and two sticks that come together at the start of a take to help assist with postproduction audio sync (see also SMPTE).
- CMOS
Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor chip used in the RED ONE’s Mysterium image sensor.
- codec
Compression/decompression; a specific algorithm for compressing video or audio.
- color space
A method of mathematically representing color for use with a specific display or medium.
- color temperature
A method of describing the color characteristics of a light source.
- cutlist
A list of shots used in an edit to be pulled from negative film rolls (see also EDL and XML).
- D5
A professional digital videotape format developed by Panasonic; available in standard and high definition.
- DAT
Digital Audio Tape, used for recording production sound.
- DCP
Digital Cinema Package; a format used for digital files intended for theatrical exhibition.
- debayer
The mathematical process of interpreting RAW image data from a sensor back into a full-color image.
- DI
Digital Intermediate; the process of digitally color correcting footage for final output (see also RGB and REC709).
- Digibeta
Digital Betacam tape, a standard-definition digital tape format developed by Sony.
- DNxHD
Avid’s high-definition postproduction codec.
- DP
Director of Photography or cinematographer.
- DPX
Digital Picture Exchange, an image file format for use in digital intermediates (see also DI and Cineon).
- DSMC
Digital Still & Motion Camera, RED’s concept of cameras that are capable of functioning as still cameras and motion-picture cameras (see also EPIC and SCARLET).
- DV
Digital Video, a compression codec used to digitally capture and store standard-definition video.
- EDL
Edit Decision List, a file format for exchanging completed edit sequences between NLEs and other postproduction software (see also XML).
- ENG
A term used to indicate the individual or team involved in Electronic News Gathering; documentary and news productions are often referred to as ENG crews.
- EPIC
RED’s 5K camera successor to the RED ONE.
- eSATA
External SATA hard drive (see also SATA).
- EVF
Electronic ViewFinder used on the RED ONE.
- firmware
RED ONE’s user-upgradeable onboard software.
- focus-puller
Crew member who manually adjusts lens focus during a shot.
- follow-focus
A mechanical or electronic device for adjusting lens focus.
- gain
Electronically amplify an audio signal or brighten an image.
- gamma
Mathematical method for calibrating an image’s brightness values for use with different displays.
- grade
Color correct an image.
- HD
High Definition footage has a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels or 1920 × 1080 pixels; compared to the RED’s maximum resolution of 4096 × 2304 (see also NTSC and PAL).
- HDCAM
A high-definition tape format developed by Sony; originally intended as an HD version of Digital Betacam.
- HDMI
High-Definition Multimedia Interface, widely adopted on consumer and prosumer video monitors and accessories.
- HD-SDI
High-Definition Serial Digital Interface for monitoring.
- histogram
An analysis graph of image exposure; on the RED ONE, the higher the levels are to the right, the closer you are to overexposure.
- interlaced
Footage stored as overlapping half-frames referred to as fields (see also 60i and progressive).
- ISO
See ASA.
- jam sync
To electronically lock timecode between the RED ONE and an external audio recorder (see also clapper sticks and timecode).
- latitude
The range of brightness and/or color values within an image; also a measurement of an image sensor’s sensitivity.
- LEMO
Cable connector used for various functions of the RED ONE including EVF, timecode, and auxiliary power output (named after LEMO company founder, Léon Mouttet).
- linear
A method of expressing values of color and brightness equally across an entire range of latitude (see also LOG).
- LOG
Logarithmic, a method of expressing brightness and color values on a curve (see also linear).
- LTO
Linear Tape-Open, a digital tape format used to archive data.
- luma
The brightness portion of a video signal, expressed from pure black to pure white (see also chroma).
- LUT
LookUp Table, a set of instructions used to profile color and gamma to simulate their appearance on a given medium, such as an HD display or a specific film stock.
- megapixel
One million pixels, a term used to describe the size of a digital image sensor; RED’s Mysterium sensor measures 12 megapixels.
- metadata
Footage attributes that can be altered in the REDCODE RAW format including exposure, color temperature, tint, color, and gamma space.
- NAB
National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, where RED and other camera manufacturers debut new technologies.
- NLE
NonLinear Editor, such as Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro.
- NTSC
National Television System Committee, 29.97 frames per second, standard-definition analog television format used more in North America and Japan.
- PAL
Phase Alternating Line, 25 frames per second, standard-definition analog television format used more in Europe.
- pixel
The smallest component of a digital image.
- PL mount
Positive-lock lens mount developed by ARRI.
- postproduction
Activity that occurs on a project after principal photography.
- POV
Point Of View, a shot taken directly from a character’s perspective.
- prime lens
A lens with a fixed focal length.
- progressive
Footage stored as discrete frames (see also interlaced).
- ProRes
Apple’s high quality postproduction codec.
- proxy
A file that translates the camera’s RAW R3D files for viewing in the QuickTime Player on the Mac; available in various sizes for tailored performance.
- QuickTime
Apple’s video format and player; uses the .mov file extension.
- R3D
RED’s native recording format for footage.
- RAID
Redundant Array of Independent Disks, a linked set of multiple hard drives for storing data with higher performance and reliability than a single hard drive.
- RAW
Unprocessed image sensor data enabling extensive postproduction manipulation (see also REDCODE and metadata).
- RDC
RED Digital Clip, file folder used to store individual R3D shots along with matching proxy files (see also RDM).
- RDM
RED Digital Magazine, the top-level folder for storing RED footage on a CF card, RED-DRIVE, or RED-RAM.
- REC 709
The display standards used for high-definition television signals.
- REDCODE
RED’s proprietary compression codec (see also RAW).
- RED-DRIVE
An external SATA hard drive used to record RED footage directly from the camera.
- RED-RAM
An external flash memory hard drive used to record RED footage directly from the camera.
- REDSpace
A custom gamma and color profile used for viewing RED footage.
- RGB
Color data separated into Red, Green, and Blue channels for viewing on a display.
- S35
Image sensor comparable in size to a Super 35mm film frame.
- SATA
Serial ATA hard drive, used for high-speed data transfer; eSATA is the external version.
- SCARLET
RED’s camera system, focused on the prosumer market.
- SD
Standard-Definition footage has a resolution of 720 × 480 pixels or 720 × 576 pixels; compared to the RED’s maximum resolution of 4096 × 2304 (see also NTSC and PAL).
- SMPTE
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, a group of standards to define common media production signals (see also timecode).
- solid state
A memory card or hard drive with no moving parts (see also CF card).
- sync
Synchronization, typically between separately recorded picture and sound.
- timecode
Method of counting individual frames of recorded footage, used to determine shooting formats as well as ensure audio/video synchronization (see also SMPTE).
- transcode
Convert video or audio data from one codec, resolution, and/or format to another.
- T-stop
Measurement of a motion-picture camera lens’ aperture; referred to as F-stop on still-camera lenses.
- USB
Universal Serial Bus connector used on hard drives and many other computer peripherals.
- video village
Location where a DP sets up production monitors for viewing by the director and crew.
- XLR
A connector often used for audio peripherals (see also LEMO); three-pin for audio, four-pin for power.
- XML
Extensible Markup Language, a customizable file format used to exchange data between postproduction applications (see also EDL).
- zebra
A customizable striped pattern appearing in the EVF to indicate areas of an image falling within a defined exposure range (see also EVF).
- zoom lens
Lens with a variable focal length.