Glossaries and test files

Glossary

Plain definitions of the AI terms that come up in briefs, quotes and production meetings, with the questions to ask when each one matters.

Glossary

Plain definitions of art department terms used on UK film and video shoots, from set dressing and flats to hero props, recces and continuity.

Glossary

Plain definitions of the production terms crew, producers and clients hear on a UK film or video shoot, from 1st AD and call sheet to stripboard and wrap.

Glossary

A plain-English glossary of studio and film production terms: infinity cove, chroma key, gaffer, DMX, day rate, autocue and 45 more, explained by a working studio.

Glossary

Plain definitions of the camera terms a film or video crew uses, from aperture and bit depth to timecode and white balance, in alphabetical order.

Glossary

Plain definitions of the grip terms you will hear on a set, from apple boxes and C-stands to flags, gobos, scrims and sandbags, with general safety notes.

Glossary

Thirty lighting terms explained in plain English for presenters, producers and crew, from barn doors and bounce to T-stop, lux and tungsten.

Glossary

Plain definitions of about thirty podcast terms, from alignment level and clipping to show notes and sync clap, in alphabetical order.

Glossary

Twenty-nine sound terms explained in plain English for presenters, producers and crew, from boom and room tone to LTC, plosives and sync.

Free download

How to use a 1 kHz tone, pink noise and a sweep to check a sound chain before a shoot, with the level to set and the mistakes to avoid.

Free download

Three test files and a slate for setting levels, checking a room and matching picture to sound, with the steps for each and the mistakes that spoil a take.

Free download

What SMPTE colour bars and the PLUGE pattern are for, how to set a monitor with them, and how to use a test pattern at the head of a file.

Free download

How to use a free 30 second test file with a flash, a beep and a frame counter to measure picture and sound offset through a live chain.

Filed under Camera, light and sound

What timecode is, how linear timecode (LTC) is carried on audio, which frame rates to use in the UK, and how to check a recorder with a 25 fps test file.