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October 15, 2002
The New Cinema Ecole (cont'd)
Video Editing Defined
A few terms for understanding the language of the digerati.
Batch capture: A process that automates the transfer of video from camera to computer hard disk by allowing users to select several video clips based on timecoded (see below) source settings.
Capture: The recording of video from camera source to computer hard disk.
Chromakeying: A special effect that inserts one video image into another based on color properties.
Codec (Compressor/Decompressor): A method of compressing and decompressing a video file. Compressors capture and minimize video to reduce the amount of space needed to store the file on the hard drive. Decompressors decode the compression to play back the video.
Composition layering: Laying one video clip over another on a video track so that both play back simultaneously.
Editing bay: The program window in which video editing takes place.
Filter: A special effect that changes the appearance of a video clip or sequence of clips by applying a design, e.g., a ripple or mosaic.
Full-motion video: Video that plays back at the NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) standard of 29.97 (or 30) frames per second. Video that plays back at less than 15 frames per second may appear choppy on screen. Higher frame rates generally yield better-quality film but demand larger file sizes.
Full-screen video: Video that plays back in a window that fills the entire computer screen.
Keyframe: A keyframe marks audio, video, color, or other values at a particular point in time.
Keyframing: Also known as "tweening" in the world of animation, keyframing lets you select beginning and ending images, audio, color, or other key points or values while the program automatically generates the images between the keyframes.
Render: To make a finished movie from source files.
Ripper: A tool that allows you to copy or extract music from a CD or other musical source.
Rolls: The way a title scrolls by on screen, typically in a vertical direction either up or down.
Timecode: A numerical way of counting video frames. Timecodes count at 30 frames per second to denote hours, minutes, seconds, and frames elapsed on a video, e.g., 23:59:59:29. A timecode is useful for representing place or position in a video so as to allow for very accurate edits.
Transitions: An effect that connects two video clips, e.g., a fade where the first clip seems to disappear or dissolve into the second clip. Transitions such as crawls and wipes are also used to create a smooth change from one video sequence to another.
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