A practical video production glossary
Plain-English explanations of the terms Dream Engine clients are most likely to hear while planning, filming, reviewing and delivering a video.
You do not need to speak film crew
Useful terms, explained without the jargon
A good production team should make the process easier to understand, not expect you to arrive knowing its vocabulary.
This glossary covers the words we actually use with Dream Engine clients. Some describe a production role. Others help us agree what will be made, what happens on the shoot and what files are needed at the end.
We will always explain a term in the context of your project. This page is here when you want a quick reference.
One term can mean slightly different things on different productions. If anything in a proposal, schedule or review note is not clear, ask us. We would much rather explain it than have everyone working from different assumptions.
People and responsibilities
Who does what
The size of the crew depends on the project. On a compact corporate shoot, one experienced person may cover compatible roles. On a television commercial or larger production, those jobs are more likely to be separate.
- Producer
- Your main production contact. The video producer manages the scope, budget, schedule, logistics, communication and approval process.
- Director
- The person responsible for the creative direction and what happens in front of the camera. The director guides presenters, interviewees and crew so the final video feels coherent.
- Camera operator
- The person operating the camera, choosing framing and recording the picture. Videographer is a broader term often used when one person covers several production tasks.
- Sound recordist
- The crew member who captures and monitors clean sound during filming. Their focus is dialogue, microphones, recording levels, background noise and usable room tone.
- Gaffer or lighting technician
- The person responsible for the practical lighting setup and its safe operation. On smaller Dream Engine shoots, the camera operator or director may also manage the lighting.
- Talent, presenter or contributor
- Talent is a broad production term for people appearing on camera. A presenter delivers prepared material. A contributor may be a client, staff member, customer or subject expert speaking from experience.
- Editor
- The person who selects and arranges the recorded material, builds the story, adds graphics and works with sound and colour to create each approved version.
- Motion graphics designer
- The person who creates animated text, diagrams, titles, logos or fully animated sequences. The role may be handled by the editor or a specialist, depending on the project.
Before filming
Planning terms
These are the terms most likely to appear in a proposal or pre-production conversation. Getting them clear early gives the project a much better chance of producing exactly what the audience needs.
- Brief
- The practical starting point for the project: the problem, audience, objective, message, use, timing, budget and approvals. We can help you build a clear video production brief.
- Objective
- What the video needs to achieve. It may explain a service, support a sale, build trust, train staff or help an audience take a specific next step.
- Audience
- The people the video is for. Understanding what they know, care about and need to do influences the language, length, tone, style and distribution plan.
- Concept
- The central creative idea. It describes the basic way the video will communicate the message before every scene and line has been worked out.
- Treatment
- A short written description that develops the concept into a more concrete approach. It can cover story, structure, visual style, tone, presenters, locations, graphics and sound.
- Script
- The planned spoken words and, where useful, the corresponding pictures, actions, graphics and sound. The level of scripting varies. Interview-led videos are planned carefully but usually leave answers unscripted.
- Storyboard
- A sequence of drawings or reference frames showing how important shots may look. Storyboards are especially useful for animation and TV commercials.
- Shot list
- An organised list of the shots the crew plans to capture. Unlike a storyboard, it does not normally draw every frame. It helps us cover the story efficiently and avoid omissions.
- Location recce
- A visit or detailed check of a location before filming. We assess light, sound, access, power, space, safety, permissions and the practical camera positions.
- Casting
- Choosing actors, presenters, customers, staff or subject experts to appear. The right person depends on the audience, role and level of performance required, not just how someone looks.
- Production schedule
- The plan showing when preparation, filming, editing, feedback and delivery will happen. A call sheet is the day-specific document with crew, location, contact, timing and practical shoot information.
- Deliverables
- The exact items supplied at the end, such as a main video, cutdowns, vertical versions, captions, transcripts, thumbnails or a broadcast master. They should be agreed before production.
- Brand guidelines
- The client’s rules for logos, colours, type, imagery, language and tone. We use them to make the video feel like it belongs to the organisation.
- Aspect ratio
- The shape of the frame. Common examples are 16:9 landscape, 9:16 vertical and 1:1 square. Knowing the required versions early affects how we compose and cover the shoot.
On the shoot
Filming terms you may hear
You do not need to make technical camera decisions. These terms are useful because they explain what the crew is capturing and why another take or angle may be needed.
- A-roll
- The main story material, usually an interview, presenter or central action. It carries the information the audience needs to follow.
- B-roll
- Supporting footage shown over or around the main material. It can demonstrate the work, provide context, cover an edit and make the story more visual.
- Coverage
- The range of shots needed to edit a scene properly. Coverage may include a wide view, close details, reactions, cutaways and repeated action from another angle.
- Take
- One recorded attempt at a shot, action or line. We may record more than one take to improve clarity, performance or technical quality.
- Slate or clapper
- The board shown and clapped before a take. It identifies the scene and helps picture and separately recorded sound line up in the edit.
- Framing
- What is included in the picture and where it sits. Shot size describes how wide or close that view is, such as wide shot, medium shot or close-up.
- Camera angle
- The position and height from which the camera sees the subject. Angle can affect clarity, emphasis and how a person or place feels on screen.
- Depth of field
- How much of the picture appears acceptably sharp from front to back. A shallow depth of field can separate a person from the background.
- Frame rate
- The number of pictures recorded each second. We choose it around the required look, movement, slow motion and final delivery rather than treating one setting as best for everything.
- Exposure
- The brightness of the recorded picture. Aperture, shutter and camera sensitivity all affect exposure, while the lighting shapes how the subject and background look.
- White balance
- A camera setting that keeps colours neutral under different light sources. Consistent white balance helps skin tones and brand colours look right.
- Eyeline
- Where an on-camera person looks. Interviewees often look just beside the lens towards the interviewer. A direct-to-camera presenter looks into the lens.
- Room tone
- A short recording of the natural sound in a location without dialogue. It helps the sound edit join sections smoothly.
- Wild line or pickup
- A line or short section recorded separately to replace, clarify or add something. A pickup can also mean a small extra shot filmed after the main coverage.
- Autocue
- A screen that reflects the script in front of the camera lens so a presenter can read while maintaining direct eye contact. We pace and rehearse it so the delivery stays natural.
- Gimbal and drone
- A gimbal stabilises a moving camera at ground level. A drone records aerial footage. Both are chosen because a shot needs them, not simply because the equipment is available.
After filming
Editing and review terms
The edit develops in stages. Clear version names and consolidated feedback help everyone know what is ready for comment, what is still changing and what has been approved.
- Selects
- The strongest usable interview answers, performances or shots chosen from the recorded material before the story is fully assembled.
- Assembly
- An early arrangement of the main material. It is mainly for the editor and production team to test structure, and may be longer and rougher than the first client review.
- Rough cut
- The first reviewable version of the story. The structure and content are there, but timing, graphics, sound, colour and fine details may still change.
- Fine cut
- A more developed edit after the main content feedback has been addressed. Timing, transitions, graphics, sound and detail are closer to their finished form.
- Picture lock
- The point at which the sequence and duration of the pictures are approved and should no longer change. Final sound, colour and mastering can then be completed efficiently.
- Timecode
- The hour, minute, second and frame reference attached to the video. Review notes such as “00:01:24” help us find the exact moment being discussed.
- Sync
- Lining up the separately recorded camera picture and sound so speech and action match perfectly.
- Temp music
- A temporary track used to test mood and pacing. It is not necessarily licensed or approved for the final video. Final music is selected and licensed for the intended use.
- Colour correction
- Balancing exposure and colour so shots look natural and consistent. Colour grading then develops the finished visual character.
- Sound mix
- Balancing dialogue, music, ambience and sound effects so the video is clear and consistent across the places it will be played.
- Review link
- A private online version used to collect feedback. Time-coded, consolidated comments are usually much easier to action than separate email chains.
- Version control
- A clear way of naming and tracking edits, feedback and approved files so nobody reviews or publishes an outdated version.
Words, graphics and sound
Lower thirds and captions in a finished frame
This Dream Engine customer story frame shows two common post-production elements. The name and role graphic is a lower third. The spoken words at the bottom are burnt-in captions.
These are planned around readability, brand guidelines, frame shape and where the video will be watched. They are part of the communication, not decoration added at the last minute.
A title graphic, usually used to identify a speaker or add short contextual information.
Captions permanently visible in the picture, rather than supplied as a separate optional file.
- Lower third
- A graphic placed in the lower part of the frame to identify a person, place or subject. It should be short, readable and consistent with the brand.
- Motion graphics
- Animated text, shapes, diagrams, data, icons or logos that help explain the message. A video may use a small amount or be built entirely from motion graphics.
- Voiceover
- Recorded narration heard over pictures, graphics or animation. The voice may be a professional artist, staff member, customer or presenter depending on the project.
- Captions
- On-screen text representing speech and, where needed, relevant sound information. Captions may be optional through a separate file or permanently burnt into the picture.
- Subtitles
- Text that usually translates spoken language for viewers who understand another language. In everyday platform language, subtitles and captions are sometimes labelled inconsistently.
- Sound effects
- Added sounds that support an action, graphic, place or transition. In corporate work they are usually used selectively so they help rather than distract.
- Cutdown
- A shorter edit made from the main production for another placement or audience. A cutdown should still communicate a complete, useful idea rather than just stop earlier.
- Clean version
- A copy without selected graphics or burnt-in captions, giving the client or agency flexibility for another language, platform or approved use.
Finished files
Delivery terms
We agree the required files before production and label them clearly at handover. You do not need to choose technical settings alone. We can confirm them with your web team, media agency, broadcaster or platform.
- Master file
- The high-quality approved version used as the source for delivery copies. The project may have more than one approved master if there are different lengths, languages or frame shapes.
- Codec
- The method used to compress and store the video data inside a file. In practical terms, it affects quality, file size and compatibility. We choose it for the destination.
- Resolution
- The number of pixels in the picture, such as 1920 × 1080 or 3840 × 2160. More pixels do not automatically make a video better if the source, platform or viewing conditions do not need them.
- Landscape, vertical and square
- Everyday names for common frame shapes. Landscape is wider than it is tall, vertical is taller than it is wide, and square has equal sides.
- Caption file
- A separate text file, often SRT or VTT, that allows a compatible player or platform to turn captions on and off.
- Thumbnail or poster frame
- The still image shown before a video plays or used to represent it on a page, platform or social post.
- Broadcast master
- A final television file made to the required technical specification. For Australian commercial free-to-air TV, the approved version also needs the appropriate ClearAds classification and delivery information.
- Safe area
- The part of the frame where important text, logos and faces should sit so they remain visible across players, crops, interfaces and broadcast display conditions.
If a term is not clear, ask
Dream Engine does not expect clients to decode production language. We explain what matters, put decisions in writing and guide you through each stage. The clearer everyone is, the easier it is to make the video you actually need.
Frequently asked questions
Common video production terms
Do I need to understand all these terms before starting a video?
No. A good production company will explain the terms that matter to your project and help you make each decision. This glossary is a reference, not a test you need to pass before contacting Dream Engine.
What is the difference between a concept, treatment and script?
The concept is the central creative idea. The treatment develops that idea into a practical description of the story, tone and visual approach. The script then sets out the spoken words and, where useful, the corresponding pictures, actions, graphics and sound.
What is the difference between A-roll and B-roll?
A-roll is the main story material, such as an interview or presenter. B-roll is the supporting footage that shows the subject, provides context and gives the editor useful pictures to place around the main material.
What is the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?
A shot list is an organised written list of the footage the crew plans to capture. A storyboard uses drawings or reference frames to previsualise important shots. Some projects need both, while a straightforward interview and B-roll video may only need a clear shot list.
What is the difference between a rough cut and a final cut?
A rough cut is an early reviewable version focused on structure and content. A final cut has the approved changes, timing, graphics, sound and colour completed and is ready for final quality checks and delivery.
What is the difference between captions and subtitles?
Captions represent speech and may also include relevant sound information. Subtitles usually translate speech into another language. Platforms sometimes use the labels inconsistently, so we confirm the actual files and languages you need.
What video files will we receive?
The proposal lists the agreed deliverables. These may include a high-quality master, web or social versions, different aspect ratios, cutdowns, caption files, burnt-in captions, transcripts and a thumbnail or poster frame.
Tell us what the video needs to communicate
You do not need a finished brief or all the right terminology. Tell us what you are trying to communicate and who needs to see it. We can help you work out the rest.
