Producing for TV and New Media: Glossary - L

On a television screen, a black strip above and below the picture frames the image in a film-style aspect ratio

The piece of equipment that controls all the lighting dimmers in a studio or remote location

The person responsible for the lighting design of a television production

A traditional system of editing video in which shots are edited together in a linear fashion, moving forward

Each entry in a budget that relates to a specific cost

Beginning in preproduction and continuing through completion of principal photography or through the completion of postproduction, the line producer is responsible for the day-to-day running of the production

To speak or sing in synchronization with a picture, with the appearance of an exact match

The transfer of footage and audio into a data storage device, such as a nonlinear editing system

The person responsible for finding the necessary locations for a project, as well as securing permits, negotiating location agreements and rentals, and obtaining all other permissions required for filming

When the editing has been finalized, the project is considered locked

A camera that is stationary, usually on a tripod or a pedestal, and not hand-held

Taking notes of each pertinent shot, with its description and time code number

Also called a one-liner or tag line, a log line is a concise sentence that grabs the reader’s attention and sums up a project idea

A distinctive graphic designed to give a television show a graphic identity

A substantial, detailed agreement that includes all the provisions of the contract

Camera framing that captures an image from a distance, usually from a substantial distance

Long shot

A continual, uninterrupted shot, usually lasting at least 20 seconds

A style of lighting produced by the contrast between key light and fill lights, resulting in darker light marked by shadows and occasional high-light

Electronic text that appears under a person’s face on screen, giving their name, location, or profession

In a video image, the measurement of pure white in the picture