8mm 8 mm Super-8 Super8 Super 8 16mm 16 mm Film History
The following excerpts are from the website http://www.littlefilm.org , Copyright © 2002 Antoinette Treadway, The International Center for 8mm Film, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

8mm film is safety film and is not dangerous. Some titles were sold for entertainment at home but most rolls of 8mm movie film in family hands are unique cultural documents, one of a kind records of family moments, and other things that the filmmaker was interested in. We have seen 8mm films of families, children, trips, food, parades, trains, rose gardens, and every human interest and celebration you can imagine. Please do not project your films unless you have determined they are still in good condition. Store film cool and dry. Your original film, when well stored, will last far longer than any of today's electronic media.

8mm film is still available today as double 8mm, on a small 25' daylight load roll that is turned over halfway through the exposing. Many young filmmakers love 8mm for the excellent machine age cameras they find, like the venerable Bell and Howell or Bolex 8mm cameras.

Kodak's competitor, the Japanese corporation Fuji, introduced a product called Single 8 just a month prior to Kodak's launch of Super 8. Single 8 prevailed in Japan and many other parts of the world while Super 8 dominated the North American markets. Fuji's Single 8 was engineered in a different cartridge going into its own cameras; many filmmakers found its cartridge design superior. Once processed, Single 8mm is compatible with Super 8 in image area and sprocket design and it will play in a Super 8 projector. Single 8 is characterized by a different film support; it came on a hard-to-tear and durable Estar base while Super 8 is acetate based. Both are safety film and non-flammable.

Both Fuji's Single 8 and Kodak's Super 8 film are still available for filmmaking in speciality photo shops, or direct from the manufacturer. Super 8 is enjoying something of a revival today among music videomakers and independent film artists.

Please do not project your films unless you have determined they are still in good condition. Store film cool and dry. Your original film, when well stored, will last far longer than any of today's electronic media.

To learn about motion picture film, notice the dimensions and positions of things. This film is 16mm wide, about 5/8 inch, unless shrunken due to bad storage. Sprocket holes are used to advance the film and are also called perforations. Notice that the particular piece of 16mm shown has sprocket holes down both edges. 16mm is also found with a single set of holes, called single perforation film. The holes on 16mm are located on the frame line between pictures

16mm film was offered on safety film and is not dangerous. Most rolls of movie film you will find in family collections are one of a kind cultural documents, unique records of family moments and other things that the filmmaker was interested in. Ocassional rolls show up that are news events, cartoons or comedy, sold to families for entertainment, to be projected at home. Please do not project your films unless you have determined they are still in good condition. Store film cool and dry. Your original film, when well stored, will last far longer than any of today's electronic media.

When 8mm film was introduced in 1932, 16mm film went from being a film primarily for families to the travelogue and made-for-hire market. 16mm was also used for fine art, experimental and documentary filmmaking. 16mm film is still available today in a wide variety of stocks both reversal (positive) and negative. It is used by artists, and independent filmmakers and in a host of other applications.

The differences between the two formats are as follows.

Standard 8mm film is in fact 25 feet of 16mm motion picture film which is run through the camera twice. On each run, pictures are exposed down one edge of the stock and then down the other. When the film is processed, it is then also split right down the middle and joined at the ends to form 50 feet of 8mm film.

Super 8mm film is actually 8mm wide to begin with. Also, it has smaller sprocket holes which allows for a larger image. Finally, it is sealed in a self contained cartridge for easy loading.

You do not have to load Standard 8mm film in darkness, just be sensible and load it in slightly subdued light (i.e under a tree, not out in the sun.) The outer layers of film on the spool protect the inner ones from light whilst the film is being loaded.

We must also mention Single 8 here. That is Super 8mm film, again sealed in a handy cartridge, but this time the spools are on top of each other rather than mounted on the same axle as in Super 8.

A couple of other points worth mentioning. Although the image area on Super 8 is actually larger, this does not necessarily mean you always get a better picture. A Standard 8mm camera has a proper film gate with a pressure plate which keeps the film steady and in position behind the gate. With Super 8, the pressure plate is plastic and is built into the cartridge. This can result in image weave and jiggle (the film is actually moving from side to side a bit whilst being exposed.

Secondly, many Super 8 cameras have such enormous zoom lenses on them (to try and appeal to as wider market as possible) that, due to the number of elements of glass in the lens, you can often get a much worse picture than that achieved with a single prime lens on an old Standard 8 camera.

Also, standard 8mm film can be wound back in the camera and then re-exposed for all kinds of special effects and double exposure tricks.

GLOSSARY of FILM/VIDEO TERMS:

"A"
A FRAME EDIT: This video edit refers to the first frame of a 3:2 pulldown sequence. The A frame is the only frame in the sequence where a film frame is reproduced as one complete video frame.
ACTION SAFE: The area of a television picture that is visible on consumer television sets.
ADR: (Automatic Dialogue Replacement): Recording new dialogue or re-recording dialogue where the production sound is unusable or obscured.
ADDRESS TRACK TIMECODE: See Longitudinal timecode.
AMBIENT SOUNDS/EFFECTS: Sounds recorded as part of the dialogue track.
ANALOG: A continuously variable electrical signal.
ANSWER PRINT: The first print struck from a finished cut negative.
APPLICATION: Method of developing an optical sound track area on a composite film print.
APPLICATION SPLASH: When the chemical used to develop the soundtrack area on film spills over onto the picture area damaging the silver in the print stock. Often appears as a purplish black area on the screen.
ARTIFACTS: Refers to video blemishes, noise, trails, etc. Any physical interruption of the video image is called an artifact and is usually introduced electronically.
ASPECT RATIO: The ratio of the picture width to picture height. 4:3 - four units wide to three units high (1:1.33) is the standard US television aspect ratio. Other ratios used include 1:66, 1:85 and 2:35. If these alternate ratios are preserved in the film to tape transfer, you have an option to put a solid black bar at the top and bottom of the TV screen. Some companies shoot for 16:9 in the event the material is used for high definition TV transmission, ensuring that there is usable negative for the wider aspect ratio.
AUTO ASSEMBLY: Automatic combining of edits on videotape conforming to a prepared edit decision list (EDL) with little or no human involvement.
"B"
B NEGATIVE: Film term referring to the takes not originally slated to be printed from dailies but are later called for to be printed.. Has carried over into videotape and refers to non-circled takes that are later transferred as an alternative take.
BALANCING REELS: Building reels to assure that no music cues don’t overlap reel changes. Done by the film editor or assistant editor.BETACAM SP - This is a composite analog 1/2" videotape. There are 2 channels of analog audio and 2 channels of discreet or AFM channels. The analog audio channels are normal audio tracks. The AFM channels are actually recorded in the video portion of the tape. Therefore, they can be laid down simultaneous with laying down picture. But, if you laydown audio on channels 3&4 after picture has been laid down you will record over the picture. Conversely, if you insert picture after recording on audio channels 3 or 4, you will erase the audio in that portion.
BLACK LEVEL: The level of the television picture signal corresponding to the maximum limit of black peaks.
BLANKING: The point in the video signal where a horizontal scan line or vertical field that make up one-half of a video picture is completed and another one starts. There is no picture information at this point in this signal.
BLEED THROUGH: When audio or timecode information from one track can be heard, however faintly, on another audio track. Common in the VHS format.
"C"
CAMERA REPORT: The form filled in for every camera roll exposed to explain what is on the roll and any special printing or transfer instructions.
CHECK PRINT: 1st film print used to check color corrections.
CHROMA KEY: Super-imposing or combining of two video images to create one composite effect. One of the video sources must be a saturated color such as blue or green.
CHROMINANCE: The color portion of a video signal. Also called Chroma.
CHYRON: A company that manufacturers special effects and titling equipment used in on-line edit suites. Also used as a common name for this type of equipment.
CLONE: A digital exact copy of a video image or audio track. Analog elements cannot be cloned, they can only be duplicated.
CLOSED CAPTIONING: Signal that contains text information incorporated into video that can be viewed on your television when run through a decoder.
CODING: Stamping or burning numbers into the edges of work print and work track to mark sync points. Done with a coding machine.
COLOR BARS: Test pattern used to determine if a video signal is calibrated correctly.
COLOR CORRECTION: Color grading process that adjusts the picture color, tint, hue, etc. on either film or videotape. Also referred to as color balance from scene to scene.
COLORIST: A telecine operator who corrects the color and light balance while transferring film to videotape or videotape to videotape.
COMPONENT VIDEO: A signal with separate chrominance and luminance components. By retaining maximum bandwidth, the loss of quality is reduced.
COMPOSITE AUDIO: A fully mixed audio track with dialogue, music and effects married together. May be stereo or mono.
COMPOSITE FILM PRINT: A 16MM or 35MM film print that contains a soundtrack on the film element.
COMPOSITE VIDEO: A single signal made up of active video, horizontal and vertical sync, horizontal and vertical blanking, and color burst. NTSC, PAL and SECAM are examples of composite signals. Basically a form of analog video compression allowing for economical broadcasting.
CONFORMING: A variation of a layback. Instead of recording the audio directly to the videotape master, you record to a second audio tape machine allowing you to create a multi-track audio element that can hold several different languages. Also the process is matching or syncing a soundtrack to match an existing picture element.
CONTINUITY SCRIPT (DIALOGUE CONTINUITY SCRIPT): The actual dialogue from the final version of a project.
CONTROL TRACK: A guide recorded onto videotape that stabilizes tape movement during playback.
CREDITS Titles in a program naming the stars and others involved in creating a project. On film credits are created optically. On videotape they are created electronically.
CUE SHEETS: Spreadsheet or roadmaps of audio cues so sound recordists can locate specific tracks.
"D"
D1 - A component digital videotape. There are 4 channels of audio. Best quality format available displaying no generation loss on multi-layering work. A single D1 videotape machine can playback or record in either NTSC or PAL. The longer the tape runtime, the thinner the stock. Stocks over 120 minutes are not generally recommended as they tend to shred and break due to thinness.
D2 - A composite digital video format. There are 4 channels of audio. Picture and audio quality are superior to 1" and Betacam SP.
D3 - A ½" composite video format. There are 4 channels of audio.
D4: Considered bad luck in Japanese. There will never be a D4 so don’t worry about it.
D5 - A ½" component video format. As with D1, the signal is non-compressed. It also has a provision for HDTV recording by use of about 5:1 compression. It can also playback D3 tapes and provide component outputs.
DA88 AUDIOTAPE: The audio is recorded on Hi-8mm metal particle tape stock and provides up to 8 channels of audio recording. The standard sampling rate is 48hz when referencing to video. DA88 tapes must be pre-formatted at a 48khz sampling rate referenced to video. At the film shoot, the DA88 will be connected to a 60hz reference. By doing this, the tape will be pulled up when recording the production audio track. This method allows you to get a pull down effect when working with the tapes in telecine, videotape editing and sound editorial.
DAILIES: Footage that is shot in a day; called Rushes in England.
DAT: Digital audio tape format. This is a two channel audio tape format with a separate channel for recording timecode. Because it is digital instead of analog, the sound quality is considered superior to ¼".
DAYLIGHT DEVELOP: Rush film processing through a lab within a few hours instead of overnight.
DCT: A digital tape recorder using the DCT method to compress the signal before recording it to tape. A widely used method of compression.
DECIBEL (dB): A unit of measurement indicating ratios of currents, voltages or power and used to represent audio transmission levels, gains and losses. A decibel describes the smallest perceptible change in audio level.
DEFT: A device for converting NTSC video signals into PAL video signals. This is a high quality standards conversion generally accepted by countries around the world.
DIGITAL BETACAM- This is a 1/2" digital metal tape format. There are 4 channels of audio. Some models can playback both analog and digital Betacam cassettes.
DIGITIZE: Process of loading video and audio into an off-line editing system. Quality of digitized material (number of frames captured) depends on the amount of storage space on the system.
DIGITIZER: Person who digitizes material into the off-line system.
DIRECTOR’S CUT: Rough cut created by the director once the editor’s cut is completed. Usually followed by the Producer’s cut and picture lock.DISSOLVES: When picture or audio melds into another picture or audio. In film this is an optical. In on-line these are created electronically.
DRIFT: When an element does not keep a steady speed during playback. This is usually caused when there is not timecode to lock to or when the record machine power source was faulty causing the recording to vary in speed. Is also used when speaking about color correction settings on a telecine that appear to have changed over time due to light tube burn.
DROP FRAME TIMECODE (DFTC): SMPTE timecode created to match runtime, or clock time, exactly. Two frames of timecode are dropped every minute, except every tenth minute. Because it gives exact runtime, broadcasters require masters to be delivered with DFTC.
DROP OUT: Temporary signal loss on a video or audio tape. Shows up randomly as white spots on video and silence on audio.
DUBBING (AUDIO): Also known as mixing. Combining of all soundtracks (dialogue, music and effects) onto a single master source.
DUPE NEG: Duplicate Negative. Back-up or safety copy of a cut negative, used for creating prints thus preserving your your original negative.
DUPLICATION (VIDEO DUB): Making videotape copies.
DVD: Digital Video Disk. Cutting edge technology for recording on a 5" CD using compression for picture and sound quality superior to VHS.
"E"
EBU (European Broadcast Union): PAL timecode. It is Non-drop frame.
EDGE NUMBERS: Numbers printed on one edge of motion picture film allowing frames to be easily identified in an edit list. Human and machine readable. Keykode is the Trade Mark name for Kodak edge numbers. The combination of letters and numbers identifies specific information about a particular roll of film, such as place of manufacture. Also counts feet and frames.
EDITING: Assembling a program by combining sound and images from various master sources, either film or tape.
EDITOR’S OFF-LINE OR WORK CASSETTE: Small format videotape created from videotape master for use in off-line editing. Timecode matches the master tape and could include visible windows containing the keykode information, audio timecode information, etc.EDITOR’S CUT: 1st cut of a picture. Usually followed by the director’s cut.EDL (Editor’s Decision List): List of edits created during off-line or film editorial.EFFECTS: When working with picture this refers to visual effects and in audio this refers to sound effects.
ELECTRONIC PIN REGISTER: Stabilizes the film’s ride through the telecine. Reduces vertical movement and weave. Operates in real time.ENCODER: A circuit that combines separate component signals into a composite video signal.
EPISODIC: A television show with multiple episodes. Often used to refer to a one hour program, but technically applies to half-hour programs such as talk shows and sitcoms.
EXABYTE: Data archive storage on an 8mm cassette.
"F"
4:2:2: Original digital picture standard.
4:4:4: Better than 4:2:2 with twice as much color resolution, resulting in sharper images and superior multi-layering.
FADES: When picture or audio slowly disappears. In film these are created as opticals. In on-line they are done electronically.
FIELD: One-half of a video frame. Made up of either all of the odd or even scanning lines of a picture.
FILM PERFORATION: Also called ‘perf’. The sprocket holes along the edge(s) of film.
FILM PROCESSING: Exposed negative is treated and stabilized so it can be exposed to light without damage to images on the film.
FILM SPLICE: Place where two pieces of film are joined by either glue or tape.
FLASH FRAMES: In a film element these are white frames between frames with image on them. In video, these are mistimings in the EDL or editing which leave empty frames between cuts.
FLATBED: Can be a Kem, Steenbeck or other brand of film editing system for viewing picture and track together.
FLEXFILE DISK: 3.5" floppy computer disk that contains all of the telecine information gathered during a telecine transfer. Can include keykode numbers, camera roll identifiers, sound roll timecode, tape timecode and text comments.
FOLEY: Sounds added during audio sweetening to enhance ambient sounds, such as footsteps, door closing, breathing, etc.
FONT: The lettering style used in character generators.
4-PERF: Motion picture film that has four perfs or sprockets per film frame.
FRAME: A compete video image made up of two or three video fields. Also a single film frame.
"G"
GIGABYTE: 1 billion bytes.
GRAY SCALE (Chip Chart): A standard graphic made up of two opposed horizontal nine-step tonal gray scales (from 3 percent to 60 percent reflectance).
"H"
½" 4-track: Analog audio tape with three channels available for sound recording and one channel designated for the timecode channel. Older ½" 4 track formats were recorded with sync pulse tone or ranger tone and will have to be transferred to a 35mm mag or a timecoded source in order to playback without drift.
HAZELTINE: Machine sometimes used to color correct film prints.
HDTV: High Definition Television. TV signal with extra lines and bandwidths broadcast with a higher resolution than currently used.
HEADS OUT: When the beginning of the material is left on the outside of the reel (as opposed to tails out).
"I"
IMAGE ENHANCEMENT: Improvement of video signals through electronic correction using a video processor. Correction can be achieved to increase edge sharpness, noise reduction, and decrease edge ‘ringing.’
INSERT SHOTS: Additional footage often shot during post production to create an effect, a cut away shot or add information.
INTERLOCK: Projecting picture and sound track elements together.
INTERNEGATIVE: A duplicating film stock that turn into negative when printed from a positive print. Used to make opticals, titles and as a source for making interpositive prints. Can be cut into the original cut negative. Also called Dupe Negative.
INTERPOSITIVE: A positive print made from an internegative on special film stock. Often preferred for telecine mastering and as a protection element so original negatives can be stored and not used.
IPS: Inches per second. Refers to the speed audio reel to reel ½" formats are recorded at. Either 7 ½ or 15 IPS are standard.
ISO CAMERA: Isolated camera. During a tape shoot, shots from the ISO camera are edited ‘on the fly’ by the main production switcher and recorded onto the main VTR. The camera designated as the ISO camera can be varied at any time."J"
JAM (JAM SYNC): Reading existing timecode then generating a new element with timecode matching exactly to the original element’s timecode."K"
KEYKODE: Human and machine readable barcode of edge numbers. See Edgecode Numbers. Trade Mark of Kodak edge numbers. The combination of letters and numbers identifies specific information about a particular roll of film, such as place of manufacture. Also counts feet and frames.
KEYKODE READER: Device that reads the bar code along the edge of motion picture film. Attaches to either the telecine or a bench logger. The edge numbers are logged automatically without human error in about 10 percent of the time it would take for manual entry.
KEYLOG DISK: See FlexFile Disk
"L"
LAB ROLL: A roll of motion picture film made up of more than one camera roll spliced together. Labs create these rolls for film that will go through telecine so the operator is not constantly changing reels. These rolls are usually built in either 1000’ or 2000’ loads for 35mm film and 1200’ for 16mm film.
LAUGH TRACKS: Audience reactions. Added or enhanced during the dubbing stage. Primarily used for situation comedies.
LAYBACK: Laying the completed sweetened audio back to a videotape master.
LAYDOWN: Recording sound from an audio source or video element to another audio element. During this process timecode can be added or altered, channel configurations rearranged or audio levels compressed.
LEADER: Opaque or clear film attached to the head and tail of film rolls.
LETTERBOX: When a wide screen image is projected onto a standard television screen, a space is left at the top and the bottom of the screen. Traditionally, this is filled in with black bars.
LEXICON: Electronic pitch stabilizer used when speeding up or slowing down sound that you want to sound ‘normal’.
LOCKED CUT/LOCKED PICTURE: Final version of a show after all the changes have been incorporated.
LOCON: A motion picture print made on low contrast stock.
LOKBOX: Synchronizing mechanism that locks film and videotape to run backward or forward together. Used for negative cutting.
LONGITUDINAL TIMECODE (LTC): Timecode that is recorded on a videotape audio or address track channel. Also called linear or address track timecode. Can be thought of as video sprocket holes.
LOOPING: See ADR
LUMINANCE: The brightness or contrast of the video signal.
"M"
M&E: Music and Effects. The sound track that contains just music and/or sound but no speech or dialogue. Foreign-fill or augmentation is when the music and effects from the domestic stereo track are supplemented to create a track that can be used without the domestic dialogue track.
MATTE: The black bars found at the top and bottom of the picture when a wide screen format is projected on a television set. Or blocking out or cutting around an image in visual effects and graphics.
MIXER: Sound recordist on a dub or mix stage.
MIXING: Also known as audio dubbing. Combining of all soundtracks (dialogue, music and effects) onto a single master source.
MOS: Term for picture without sound. Acronym used to represent the German slang "mit out sprechen."
MOVIEOLA: American-made film editing machine.
MOW: Movie Of the Week. A two-hour television movie.
"N"
NAGRA: Professional 1/4" audio tape recorder.
NEGATIVE: The original motion picture film that is bought raw and exposed during shooting and then processed at a film laboratory. Also referred to as original color negative (OCN).
NEGATIVE ASSEMBLY: Film is spliced to create lab rolls or negative is spliced to create a cut picture. Also referred to as negative cutting.
NEGATIVE DIRT: Dirt on the film negative element. Can appear white. In some cases it will appear as sparkles across the screen caused by negative dust. Because the film emulsion is very soft, dirt can become imbedded into the film stock and can only be removed by being washed by the laboratory (this is called a rewash).
NEGATIVE SCRATCH: A scratch in the camera negative. Usually appears white unless it has penetrated through the yellow, cyan or magenta layers in which case it may appear to have a slight tint of color.
NON DROP FRAME TIMECODE: SMPTE timecode that counts continuously 30 frames per second. Does not match exactly to real time.
NOISE REDUCTION: Electronic reduction of observable grain in the picture. While noise-reduction devices can provide a method of minimizing the discernible grain structure of film, extreme caution should be observed when using them. Unwanted side effects can include strobing and trailing images, reduction in picture resolution and ringing effects.
NTSC (National Television Standards Committee): The committee that established the color transmission system used in the U.S., Canada and Japan. Also refers to the system of 525 lines of information, scanned at 30 frames per second (approximately). The broadcast standard for North America.
"O"
OFF-LINE: Editing done prior to On-line to create an EDL to be used in the final assembly of a program. Applies to video only and can be done electronically or manually.
ONE-INCH: Reel to reel analog videotape format.
ONE TO ONE (1:1): Transfer of one mag track to another mag track. Also called dupes.
ON-LINE: Final assembly or editing utilizing master tape sources. Usually done on high-quality computer editing system with computer-generated effects.
OPTICALS: Refers to film effects, film titles and film dissolves and fades. Term has carried over into videotape and is sometimes used to indicate video special effects.
OVERSCAN: Image outside the normal TV viewing area.
"P"
PAINTBOX: Digital graphics generator made by Quantel. Paint, pen and airbrush are available electronically to the graphic artist.
PAL (Phase Alternating Line) 625 lines of information, 25 frames per second. The broadcast standard for many countries throughout the world.
PAL-M: A version of (Phase Alternation Line) 525 lines, 30 frames per second. Used only in South America.
PAN AND SCAN: Selecting parts of each frame from a cinemascope or wide screen picture for projection on television. Changing the aspect ratio by only projection portions of the picture.
PHASE: The relationship between two identical sound waves. Proper phasing necessary for combining of mono audio channels without echoing.
PICTURE SAFE: See action safe.
POSITIVE DIRT: Often built in during printing, these appear black on the screen.
POSITIVE SCRATCH: A scratch in a film print element. Usually appears black on the screen.
PRE-ROLL: In video editing, it is the amount the videotape machine rolls back so that it will be running at the proper speed when it reaches the edit point. In telecine, it is the amount the telecine, videotape machines and audio playback roll back so they will all be running at the proper speed when the record point is reached. When recording production sound it is vital to provide enough timecoded tape rolling prior to starting to record audio. For example, ¼" should have at least 5 seconds of timecoded pre-roll. DAT requires at least 10 seconds of pre-roll for use later in telecine.
PRINTMASTER: A stereo mix master audio element consisting of two or four channels of audio.
PRODUCER’S CUT: Often the final cut prior to picture lock.PRODUCTION SOUND: Audio recorded during principle photography on location.
"Q"
QC (QUALITY CONTROL): The act of scrutinizing audio, video or film elements for technical specifications and visual/audio defects.
¼" AUDIO TAPE: This is a two-track analog audio recording magnetic tape. There is also a separate center channel for recording timecode or some other sync pulse generated tone.
"R"
RAW STOCK: Unexposed film or audio stock.
REGEN (REGENERATING): Creating new timecode by use of a timecode generator on an audio or video element.
RELEASE PRINT: A composite theatrical print.
RENDERING: The ‘filling-in’ of a computer graphic frame.RESOLVE: Forcing an audio element to play at a certain speed.
RGB: Red, Green, Blue. Primary television colors.
ROUGH CUT: Assembly of edited shots prior to picture lock.
"S"
SCORING: Refers to the session in which live music is performed and recorded to match an existing picture.
SCRIPT NOTES: A copy of the shooting script prepared by the script supervisor noting camera angles, and what lines were recorded by which camera and the shooting order. Also notes shot lengths and circled takes.
625: UK standard specifying the number of horizontal lines used to create a TV picture.
SECAM (Stands for sequential color with memory) 625 lines of information, 25 frames per second. The broadcast standard for France, Eastern Europe and Soviet Union.
SGI: Silicon Graphics, Inc - a computer manufacturer
SIMO RECORDING: An additional video or audio tape that is recorded along with the master recording. Often used to make production sound back-up recording or a small format work cassette while recording to a master format.
SITCOM (Situation Comedy): Slang that describes a half-hour television comedy.
16:9: A wide screen television format in which the image is long and narrow compared to today’s nearly square television image. The ratio is 16 units wide by 9 units high. Normal television is 4:3.16MM MAG: Magnetic 16mm audio tape which can hold up to two separate channels of audio. Contains sprocket holes so there is no need for timecode for editing.
16MM OPTICAL TRACK: Mono only. Read by a light on a projector or telecine. Contains sprocket holes so there is no need for timecode for editing. For playback only.
SMARTSLATE: Production clapper that includes a lighted read-out of the timecode being recorded onto the production sound audio tape.
SMPTE: Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. The committee of engineers which sets the rules for use of timecode and other technical procedures in the United States and various other international countries.
SOUND REPORT: Form filled in for each audio tape recorded that describes what is on the tape and any technical instructions for proper playback.
SPECIFICATIONS: Usually shortened to ‘specs’. This is a complete list of all the technical and layman instructions for creating an element.SPLICE: joining of two film or audio pieces. Usually done with splicing tape, but can also be "hot waxed."
SPOTTING: Determining where either visual effects or sound and music effects are to be placed.
STEADY GATE: Transferring film through a pin-registered device to provide a more stable image. Used for green screen and blue screen transfers where the separate elements must be steady for accurate compositing. Does not happen in real time.
SWEETENING: Enhancing sound or video that already exists. Videosweetening is also referred to as color correction.
SYNC (SYNCHRONOUS): Lining up proper picture with it’s matching sound. In dailies, when you hear the clapper close and see it at the same moment, it is considered "in sync."SYNC SOUND: Sound that is recorded with the intention of being married to a picture at an exact point.
SYQUEST: A removable computer hard disk that is popular for moving graphics files between locations.
"T"
TAILS OUT: When the end of the material is left on the outside of the reel.
TELECINE: Equipment for transferring film to videotape.
TELECINE FLOPPY DISK: See FLExFile disk or Keylog Disk.:
TEMP DUB: Temporary music and effects added to a rough cut version of a project for network or studio screening.
35MM MAG: Magnetic audio tape that can hold up to 6 tracks of audio. Contains sprocket holes so there is no need for timecode for editing.
35MM OPTICAL TRACK: Two track (mono or stereo) audio format. Contains sprocket holes so there is no need for timecode for editing.
3-PERF: Motion Picture film that has three perforations or sprocket holes per film frame. Allows one to photograph 25% more image than the same amount of 4-perf film. Requires a special telecine gate and keykode reading software.
¾" VIDEOTAPE: Magnetic tape stock for playback and record. Contains two channels of audio and a separate timecode channel. Most commonly used for off-line editing and viewing cassettes.
3:2 Pulldown: The formula used to convert 24 frames per second of film to 30 frames per second of video.
TIMECODE: The numbering system adopted by SMPTE that assigns a number to each video frame indicating hours, minutes, seconds and frames.
TIMECODE GENERATOR: An electronic device that outputs timecode.
TK3:2: A high quality device that converts NTSC to PAL. A few facilities have a reverse TK3:2 which will convert from PAL to NTSC.
TRANSFER: A general term for recording from one source to another element.
2"-24 TRACK: Analog magnetic tape with 22 channels of audio and two channels available for timecode and sync pulse. Very popular in feature audio mixing and dubbing and in the professional audio arena.
"U"
UNDERSCAN: Altering the height and width of the image on a video monitor so the edges of the signal and blanking can be seen.
USER BITS: Areas in the vertical interval where various information can be recorded; such as keykode and various timecodes. User bits have eight digits.
"V"
VARISPEED: Changing the frame rate of the playback of either film or videotape to lengthen or shorten the duration.
VERTICAL INTERVAL. Area in a video signal where non-video information is stored such as timecode, captioning, etc. This information cannot be seen without the signal running through a decoder. For example, traditionally, closed captioning information is placed on line 21, but you cannot see closed captioning on your TV set unless you are running your signal through a box that decodes the information and puts it in a window on your screen. Similarly, such information as linear timecode (VITC), audio timecode, KEYKODE, foot & frame, camera roll/scene/take information can be encoded into this area. This needs to be done at the point when the information can be accessed. For example, if you will need KEYKODE information down the line you will need to make sure the KEYKODE information is gathered when the film is being laid down during the film-to-tape session.
VHS TAPE: Video Home System ½" videotape. This is a consumer format and can record two channels of analog plus two channels of high fidelity (HiFi) audio. Used primarily for viewing cassettes and occasionally for off-line editing. A very unreliable tape stock in which playback can vary from machine to machine making picture tracking an issue when used by music composers and off-line editing.
VISIBLE TIMECODE: Timecode burned into a video picture so it can be seen when viewing the picture.
VITC: Vertical Interval Timecode is timecode stored in the vertical interval signal of the video. Professional videotape machines can read VITC in either the play or jog mode making it ideal for editing.
VO: Voice Over. Ancillary dialogue, separate from the dialogue track and recorded separately on a sound stage.
"W"
WETGATE PRINT A print created using a chemical process that coats the print, hopefully filling in digs and scratches or imperfections that occur in the negative to help restore the image.
WILD SOUND: Audio recorded without a sync relationship to specific picture.
WORKPRINT: Positive print of original negative used in a film cutting room. Print dailies are called workprint.
"Z"
ZIP DRIVE: A removable computer hard disk that is useful for moving graphics files between locations.