talent Generic term for the people or creatures assuming primary on-screen roles in a videotaping.

tally light Automatic indicators on camera front and within viewfinder that signal recording in progress -- seen by both camera subject(s) and operator.

TBC See time base corrector.

telecine converter Imaging device used in conjunction with a movie projector and camcorder to transfer film images to videotape.

Telephoto Camera lens with long focal length, narrow horizontal field of view. Opposite of wide-angle, captures magnified, closeup images from considerable distance.

teleprompter (prompter) Mechanical device that projects and advances text on mirror directly in front of camera's lens, allowing talent to read their lines while appearing to maintain eye contact with viewers.

test pattern Any of various combinations of converging lines, alignment marks, and gray scales appearing on screen to aid in video equipment adjustment for picture alignment, registration, and contrast. Often viewed on broadcast television in off-air hours. [See color bars.]

three-point lighting Basic lighting approach employing key, back, and fill lights to illuminate subject with sense of depth and texture. Strategic placement imitates natural outdoor lighting environment, avoids flat lighting. [See back light, fill light, key light.]

three-quarter-inch (U-matic) Most popular professional/industrial video format employing larger cassettes and three-quarter-inch tape, as opposed to the half-inch width of VHS and Beta "consumer" formats. Related equipment is generally larger and sturdier, format's recording considered superior.

three-shot Camera view including three subjects, generally applicable to interview situations.

tilt Camera "pan" move in a vertical direction, down or up, from a stationary position. Follows movement, contrasts differences in size between two subjects, or gives viewer point-of-view sense of a subject's height.

time base corrector (TBC) Electronic device that corrects timing inconsistencies in a videotape recorder's playback, stabilizing the image for optimum quality. Also synchronizes video sources, allowing image mixing. [See sync.]

time code Synchronization system, like a clock recorded on your videotape, assigning a corresponding hours, minutes, seconds, and frame-number designation to each frame. Expedites indexing convenience and editing precision. [See SMPTE.]

time-lapse recording Periodically videotaping a minimal number of frames over long durations of actual time. Upon playback, slow processes such as a flower blooming may be viewed in rapid motion.

time line editing A computer-based method of editing in which video and audio clips are represented on a computer screen by bars proportional to the length of the clip. These bars can be moved and resized along a grid whose horizontal axis relates to the time of the program. Compare EDL.

titling Process or result of incorporating on-screen text as credits, captions, or any other alphanumeric communication to video viewers. [See character generator.]

tracking [1] Lateral camera movement aligned with moving subject; background appears to move. Camera should maintain regulated distance from subject. [2] Positioning of video and/or audio heads over a videotape's recorded signals. [See head.]

tripod Three-legged camera mount offering stability and camera placement/movement consistency. Most are lightweight, used for remote recording. [See monopod.]

TrueColor Indicates a computer monitor color depth that is capable of displaying millions of colors.

tuner Television and VCR component that receives RF signals from an antenna or other RF sources and decodes into separate audio and video signals.

two-shot Camera view including two subjects, generally applicable to interview situations.

U-matic See three-quarter-inch.

umbrella What the name implies, lighting accessory available in various sizes usually made of textured gold or silver fabric. Facilitates soft, shadowless illumination by reflecting light onto a scene.

unidirectional Highly selective microphone pickup pattern, rejects sound coming from behind while absorbing that from in front. [See bidirectional, omnidirectional.]

VCR See videocassette recorder.

vectorscope Electronic testing device that measures a video signal's chrominance performance, plotting qualities in a compass-like graphic display.

vertical interval time code (VITC) Synchronization signals recorded as an invisible component of the video signal, accessed for editing precision. [See time code.]

VHS Acronym for Video Home System. Predominant half-inch videotape format developed by Matsushita and licensed by JVC. [See Super-VHS.]

VHS-C (VHS compact) Scaled-down version of VHS using miniature cassettes compatible with full-size VHS equipment through use of adapter. [See Super-VHS.]

Video-8 Video system using an 8mm tape. Video-8 recorders generate a composite signal.

videocassette recorder (VCR) Multifunction machine intended primarily for recording and playback of videotape stored in cassettes.

video decoder Converts analog signals into digital video.

video encoder Converts digital information into analog signals.

Video for Windows A Microsoft Windows system extension that provides a way to record, store, and play back video sequences from a hard disk or other storage medium.

video prompter A mechanical device that projects and advances text on a mirror directly in front of a camera lens, allowing talent to read lines while appearing to maintain eye contact with viewers.

video scan rate Frequency with which a video signal is scanned. The higher the video scan rate, the higher the image quality, and minimum image flicker occurs.

vignette Visual special effect whereby viewers see images through a perceived keyhole, heart shape, diamond -- whatever. In low-budget form, achieved by aiming camera through cutout of desired vignette.

vignetting Undesirable darkening at the corners of a picture, as if viewer's peering through a telescope, due to improper matching of lens to camera -- pickup's scope exceeds lens size.

VITC See vertical interval time code.

voiceover Narration accompanying picture, heard above background sound or music, without narrator seen on camera. Talk's typically applied to edited visual during post-production.

waveform monitor Specialized oscilloscope testing device providing a graphic display of a video signal's strength. Plus, like a sophisticated light meter, aids in precise setting of picture's maximum brightness level for optimum contrast.

whip pan (swish pan) Extremely rapid camera movement from left to right or right to left, appearing as image blur. Two such pans in the same direction -- one moving from, the other moving to a stationary shot -- edited together can effectively convey passage of time.

white balance Electronic adjustment of light levels to retain truest colors of recorded image. Activated in camcorder prior to recording, proper setting established by aiming at white object.

wide-angle Camera lens with short focal length and broad horizontal field of view. Opposite of telephoto, supports viewer perspective and tends to reinforce perception of depth.

wild sound Nonsynchronous audio recorded independent of picture -- rain on roof, 5 o'clock whistle -- often captured with separate audio recorder. [See nonsynchronous sound.]

windscreen Sponge-like microphone shield, thwarts undesirable noise from wind and rapid mike movement.

wipe Picture transition from one scene to another wherein the new scene is revealed by a moving line or pattern. In simplest form, simulates a window shade being drawn. More sophisticated variations include colorized wipes, quivering wipes, triangle wipes, and venetian blind wipes.

wireless microphone Consisting of radio transmitter and receiver, utilizes low- power radio signal for cable-free operation.

workprint Copy of a master videotape used for edit planning and rough cut without excessively wearing or otherwise jeopardizing safekeeping of original material. Also called "working master."

wow and flutter Sound distortions consisting of a slow rise and fall of pitch, caused by speed variations in audio/video playback system.

XLR Three-pin plug for three-conductor "balanced" audio cable, employed with high-quality microphones, mixers, and other audio equipment. Also called "Cannon."

Y Symbol for luminance, or brightness, portion of a video signal; the complete color video signal consists of R,G,B and Y.

Y/C A signal consisting of two components: Y = brightness information, C = color information.[See S-video]

YUV Color model where Y contains brightness information and U and V contain; color information.

zoom Variance of focal length, bringing subject into and out of closeup range. Lens capability permits change from wide-angle to telephoto, or vice versa, in one continuous move. "Zoom in" and "zoom out" are common terms.

zoom ratio Range of a lens' focal length, from most "zoomed in" field of view to most "zoomed out." Expressed as ratio: 6:1, for example, implies same lens from same distance can make same image appear six-times closer. [See focal length, zoom.]