Glossary: E-L

Editech

The first electronic editing system for videotape--invented and marketed by Ampex.

effects theory

A type of communication theory (e.g., hypodermic needle concept) which proposes that, because viewers are passive, television directly affects them.

electron gun

A mechanical device, located in the rear of a television's picture tube, which fires an electron beam at the pixels, scanning line-by-line across the lines of the television image, causing the pixels to glow and create the television image.

electronic effects

Special effects (including fades, dissolves and keying) created on video using an analog special effects generator. Compare with digital video effects (DVE).

electronic news gathering (ENG)

The video recording of news events or actualities.

emotional memory

Technique of method acting wherein the actor draws upon memories of previous emotions that match the emotions of the character.

empiricism

A theoretical approach which advocates the understanding of a problem through systematic and controlled observation/experimentation, with research results measured and expressed in numbers and formulas.

emulsion

The mixture of photosensitive chemicals with a gelatin medium attached to the base of a piece of film.

encoding

In cultural studies, the creation of meaning within a text by a cultural institution such as the television industry. Readers/viewers may decode these preferred meanings when exposed to texts, or they may take a position opposing them.

ENG

See electronic news gathering.

enhanced TV

In digital TV, the addition of interactive functions to standard TV programs.

epic theater

Brechtian theory of theatrical presentation in which the viewer is alienated from the character.

establishing shot

A long shot which positions the character within his or her environment, and helps to establish the setting.

expository mode

Mode of television that presents an argument about the historical world; the "facts" of that world are assertively or even aggressively selected and organized and presented to the viewer in a direct address.

exterior scenes

Scenes set outdoors, often in particular location settings.

extreme close up (XCU)

A framing that presents a view closer than a conventional close-up--e.g., a shot of an eye that fills the entire screen.

extreme long shot (XLS)

A framing that presents a distant view of an object or person--e.g., an aerial shot of a car on a street.

eyeline match

An editing principle of the continuity system which begins with a shot of a character looking in a specific direction, then cuts to a second shot which shows the area toward which the character was looking.

fade out/fade in

A special effect often used for scene-to-scene transition. In a fade out the image darkens until the screen is black. In a fade in, the image starts out black and then gradually becomes visible.

false consciousness

In Marxist terms, a counterfeit image of the world determined by one's social class.

feminism

A critical approach which concentrates on gender discourse, the manner in which the male-female relationship is portrayed.

fill light

In the three-point lighting system, a source of illumination used to fill the shadows created by the key light. It is directed obliquely toward the actor from the opposite side of the key light, at approximately the same height (or a little lower), and is generally half as bright as the key light.

film stock

The specific type of film used to record images.

filter

In lighting, a colored gel placed in front of a light source. In cinematography or videography, an optical device (colored, polarized, etc.) attached to the lens.

fine grain

A type of film stock in which the grain is smaller, resulting in a higher image definition.

flashback

A disruption of the chronological presentation of events, in which an event from the past is presented in a program's present. See flashforward.

flashforward

A disruption of the chronological presentation of events, in which an event from the future is presented in a program's present. See flashback.

flow

Television's sequence of programs, commercials, news breaks, and so on. The overall flow of television is segmented into small parcels, which often bear little logical connection to one another.

focal length

The distance from the lens' optical center to its focal point, usually measured in millimeters. There are three conventional types of focal length: wide angle, normal, and telephoto.

focal plane

The plane within a film camera where the light strikes the film.

focal point

In a camera lens, that spot where the light rays, bent by the lens, converge before expanding again and striking the film or electronic pickup at the focal plane.

focus

The adjustment of the camera lens so that the image is sharp and clear.

focus distance

The distance from the camera to the object being focused on.

Foley

A post-production process wherein sound effects are fabricated for a filmed/videotaped scene while the Foley artist watches a shot projected on a screen.

format

In film, refers to the film width itself and is measured in millimeters (e.g., super-8, 16mm and 35mm). In videotape, the combination of the width of the tape, measured in inches, (e.g., 1/2", 3/4" and 1") and the process used to store the images on tape (e.g., VHS, Beta).

framing

Determines what the viewer can and cannot see due to the manipulation of the camera frame (the edge of the image).

frequency response

A range of sound frequencies from low to high. A measurement of the limits of microphones, recording and playback machines, and other audio equipment.

function

In narrative study, a single action or character attribute. Based in Russian Formalism and the work of Vladimir Propp.

gel

A piece of plastic or gelatin placed in front of a light source to change its color.

genre

Groupings of television programs defined by their narrative structure, thematic content, and style of sound and image.

grain

The silver halide crystals suspended in the emulsion of a piece of film. When struck by light and chemically processed, these crystals change color, resulting in the film image. The smaller the grain, the higher the definition of the image (i.e., the sharper the image).

hand-held

A technique in which the camera is held by the camera operator, rather than fixed to a camera mount such as a tripod or dolly.

hard light

Direct, undiffused light; the result is the casting of harsh, distinct shadows.

hard news

Refers to news stories that examine events which affect society as a whole (e.g., national politics and international relations).

high angle

A shot in which the camera is placed higher than the filmed actor or object, so that the camera looks down on the actor or object.

high definition television (HDTV)

A broadcast technology in which the number of scan lines of the video image is increased and the size of the pixels decreased (as well as reshaped)--resulting in a, clearer, better defined image.

high-key lighting

A lighting style in which the ratio in intensity of key light to fill light is small. The result is an evenly lit set, with a low contrast between the bright and dark areas of the set.

historical world (historical reality)

The reality that is processed, selected, ordered, and interpreted by nonfiction television programs.

hypodermic needle theory

An effects theory which purports that the viewer is passive, and directly and immediately affected by what he/she sees on television.

hue

A specific color from within the visible spectrum of white light: e.g., red, green, blue.

hypercardioid microphone

A highly unidirectional microphone, for which the pickup pattern is narrower than that of a cardioid microphone. So-called "shotgun" microphones have a hypercardioid pattern.

icon

Generally speaking, an object that represents a theme or an aspect of the character or the like. In the specific context of semiotics, a type of sign, wherein the signifier physically resembles the signified. For example, a photograph (signifier) is a mechanical reproduction of what is photographed (signified).

iconography

The objects that signify character and themes of the narrative.

ideological criticism

An area of television criticism, concerned with class and gender representation, that studies society's competing discourses and the position of the individual within society.

illusion of depth

The ability of the two-dimensional television image to create an illusion whereby space seems to recede into the image. A telephoto lens creates a small illusion of depth and a wide-angle lens creates a large one.

improvisation

Technique of method acting style used mostly in rehearsal; the actor puts him/herself into the mind of the character, places the character into imagined situations and proceeds to invent dialogue and action.

indexical sign (index)

In semiotics, a type of sign in which the signifier is physically caused by the signified. For example, where there is smoke, there is fire. Thus the signifier (smoke) is physically caused by the signified (fire).

infrastructure

See the Marxist definition of base.

interactive mode

Type of television text in which the historical world is mixed with that of the video/film maker--according to Bill Nichols's approach to nonfiction television and film. This occurs in one of two ways: the social actor is brought into a television studio; and/or a representative of television enters the historical world to provoke a response from social actors. In another context, interactive is coming to refer to the capacity of the viewer to respond to or affect what is seen on television, for example, through home shopping services.

interior scenes

Scenes set inside, in particular on studio sets, though also including location interiors.

intertextuality

The intertextual, self-reflexive quality--as when one television text (e.g., a commercial) refers to another (e.g., a program or commercial) or to other types of media texts.

jump cut

An editing technique wherein one shot does not match the preceding shot, resulting in a disruptive gap in space and/or time.

key light

In the three-point lighting system, the main source of illumination and the most intense light on the set. It is normally positioned above the actor's head, and several feet in front of him or her.

Keyframe

In animation, the essential frames used to construct a character's movement. If the animation is computer aided, the animator designs the keyframes and the computer automatically generates the frames in between (see tweening).

keying

An special effects process, specific to video, in which an image or text is inserted into another image. See chroma key.

kinescope

A film copy of a television program; made by aiming the film camera at a television screen. Used during the early years of television (before videotape) to record programs that were broadcast live.

laugh track

A soundtrack of pre-recorded laughter, usually added in the post-production process to a comedy program with no studio audience.

lavaliere microphone

A small microphone often clipped to a performer's tie or shirt.

lead

In news stories, the reporter's opening comments--designed to capture viewer attention.

letterbox

A process by which a widescreen film is presented on video. The top and bottom of the video frame is blackened, and the widescreen film frame is reduced to fit into this frame-within-the-video-frame. Also used to present high definition video on conventional TV sets.

lighting color

The color of a light source, which may be manipulated with gels.

lighting diffusion

The hardness or softness of a light source. Hard light casts a sharp, definite shadow.

lighting direction

The positioning of lights relative to the object being shot. The norm for lighting direction is three-point lighting.

lighting intensity

The power of a light source. Regarding the relative intensity of lighting sources, see three-point lighting.

linear perspective

A method of drawing or painting that converts the three dimensions of reality into two dimensions. Originally developed during the European Renaissance, it formed the foundation for how lenses represent a visual field.

lighting color

Light may be "colored" by placing a filter or gelatin in front of a light source.

lighting direction

The direction from which a light is shining--e.g., lighting from below, backlighting.

limited effects theory

A type of communication theory (e.g., social learning theory, vicarious catharsis theory) that regards media as having conditional influences on the viewer; due to intervening variables, the effects of media on the viewer are limited.

lip sync

Synchronizing a performance to recorded speech or music; most frequently found in music videos, wherein the performers mouth the words to the pre-recorded song while they are filmed or videotaped.

live-on-tape

A video production that is recorded live, with most of the editing done while the scenes transpire (rather than in post-production).

location settings

Pre-existing settings that are chosen as backgrounds for television programs.

long shot (LS)

A framing that presents entire objects or persons--situating them in a setting.

loudness (volume)

How loud or soft a sound is. See dynamic range.

low angle

A shot in which the camera is lower than the filmed object; thus the camera looks up at the actor/object.

low-key lighting

A lighting style wherein the key light is so much more intense than the fill light that there is a high contrast between bright and dark areas. The bright areas are especially bright and the dark areas are very dark.

luminance

The brightness or darkness of a color. See chrominance and saturation.