Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1767)

416 Glossary
composite video An analog video signal that combines all chroma and luma
information into a single waveform running through a single cable. This can result in
analog “artifacts,” affecting the quality of the video signal. Nearly all video equipment
has composite inputs and outputs.
compositing A process in which two or more images are combined into a single
frame. This term can also describe the process of creating various video effects.
compression The process by which video, graphics, and audio files are reduced in size.
“Lossy” compression refers to a process of reducing video file sizes through the removal
of redundant or less noticeable image data. Lossless compression reduces file sizes by
mathematically consolidating redundant image data without discarding it. See also
codec.
contrast The difference between the lightest and darkest values in an image.
High-contrast images have a large range of values from the darkest shadow to the
lightest highlight. Low-contrast images have a more narrow range of values, resulting
in a “flatter” look.
coverage A series of medium shots and close-ups, taken after the master shot, all of
which cover the same material in the script. Used when shooting a scene with
continuity. These shots are called coverage because they’re often used to cover
different edits made in the scene.
crop To mask a specified amount from the total frame size of an image. You can crop
the top, left, right, and bottom of an image independently.
cut An edit in which one clip immediately follows another, with no transition effect.
This is the simplest type of edit.
cutaway shot A shot that is related to the current subject and occurs in the same time
frame. For example, an interviewer’s reaction to what is being said in an interview is a
cutaway shot. Often, a cutaway shot is used to eliminate an unwanted visual section of
another shot. The audio usually remains continuous, helping to make the cutaway less
noticeable.
data rate The speed at which data can be transferred, often described in megabytes
per second (MB/sec.) or megabits per second (Mbps). The higher a video file’s data rate,
the higher quality it will be, but the more system resources (processor speed, hard disk
space, and performance) it will require. Some codecs allow you to specify a maximum
data rate for a movie during capture.
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) A digital editing and recording device or software
application used for editing multitrack audio for music or audio postproduction.