Glossary
Videography Glossary
Video production has its own language, and it's easy to nod along in a briefing without actually knowing what "B-roll" or "a jump cut" means. This glossary breaks down the videography terms that come up when planning, shooting, or reviewing social video content.
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Aspect Ratio
The proportional relationship of width and height.
ExampleFilming in 9:16 (vertical) for TikTok.
💡 The cinema standard (widescreen) is 16:9, but mobile first has driven 9:16 dominance.
B-Roll
Supplemental footage intercut with the main shot.
ExampleShowing hands typing while a voiceover talks about work.
💡 A-Roll used to be the main interview film, and "B-Roll" was the secondary camera film roll.
Bitrate
The amount of data processed per second in a video.
ExampleExporting at a high bitrate so the video doesn't look pixelated.
💡 High bitrate means high quality, but massive file sizes.
Captions / Subtitles
Text on screen transcribing the spoken words.
ExampleAdding pop-up text to a talking-head video.
💡 85% of Facebook videos are watched with the sound off.
Color Grading
Altering video colors for a specific cinematic mood.
ExampleMaking a scene look blue and cold to set a sad mood.
💡 Blockbuster movies spend months just on the color grading process.
Continuity
Consistency from shot to shot.
ExampleMaking sure a coffee cup stays in the same hand after an edit.
💡 Script Supervisors on movie sets exist solely to watch for continuity errors.
Export Settings
Final choices (resolution/format) when saving a video.
ExampleExporting an MP4 in 1080p for social media.
💡 Exporting in a format social apps don't like causes them to ruin your video's quality via compression.
Frame Rate (FPS)
Frequency of consecutive images appearing per second.
ExampleShooting at 30fps for a standard social media video.
💡 24fps is the cinematic standard because it mimics how the human eye perceives motion blur.
Gimbal
Motorized device that keeps a camera perfectly level.
ExampleUsing a DJI Osmo to run with a camera and keep footage smooth.
💡 Gimbals use aerospace technology (gyroscopes) originally designed for rockets.
Jump Cut
Abrupt edit between two shots of the same subject.
ExampleCutting out the "ums" and "ahs" in a spoken video.
💡 Originally considered a mistake in film, jump cuts are now the pacing standard on YouTube.
Keyframe
A marker telling software to change a parameter over time.
ExampleUsing keyframes to slowly zoom into a video digitally.
💡 Keyframing is the foundational concept of all digital animation.
Lav Mic (Lavalier)
Tiny microphone clipped to a shirt.
ExampleClipping a mic to a CEO's tie for clear interview audio.
💡 Poor audio quality makes people click off a video faster than poor video quality.
Loop
A video that seamlessly restarts when it ends.
ExampleA 5-second video where the ending perfectly matches the beginning.
💡 Perfect loops trick algorithms into counting multiple views from a single user.
Pacing
The rhythm and speed at which a video flows.
ExampleMaking fast, quick cuts to keep a Gen-Z audience engaged.
💡 Fast pacing reduces viewer drop-off in the first 10 seconds.
Pan & Tilt
Camera movements (Pan = horizontal, Tilt = vertical).
ExamplePanning the phone slowly across the room to show the whole office.
💡 Panning too fast causes "rolling shutter," making straight lines look wobbly.
Resolution
Number of pixels in a video, determining sharpness.
ExampleShooting in 4K for maximum clarity.
💡 4K has four times as many pixels as standard 1080p Full HD.
Safe Zones
Areas of the screen not covered by social app buttons.
ExampleKeeping text in the center so the "Like" button doesn't hide it.
💡 Putting vital text outside the safe zone guarantees users will swipe past.
Sequence
Series of related clips edited to show a specific action.
ExampleA wide shot, a medium shot, and a close-up of someone making coffee.
💡 Good sequencing makes video feel like a professional documentary, not a home movie.
Shot List
Checklist detailing exactly which clips need capturing.
Example1. Wide shot of building, 2. Close-up of sign.
💡 It prevents the dreaded "I forgot to film that!" realization in the editing room.
Slow Motion (Slo-Mo)
Filming at high frame rate, playing back normally.
ExampleShooting 120fps to make a dog catching a frisbee look epic.
💡 You need incredibly bright light to shoot good slow-motion video.
Sound Design
Adding non-spoken audio (whooshes, music, ambient).
ExampleAdding a "swoosh" sound every time text pops on screen.
💡 Good sound design is felt, not heard; it subconsciously guides the viewer's emotion.
Stabilization
Removing unwanted camera shake.
ExampleUsing software to fix a jittery walking video.
💡 Modern iPhones use physical "sensor-shift" stabilization, physically floating the lens inside the phone.
Storyboard
Visual sketches of scenes planned for a video.
ExampleDrawing stick figures to plan camera angles before a shoot.
💡 Walt Disney invented the modern storyboard in the 1930s.
Time-lapse
Capturing frames slowly to speed up time.
ExampleTaking a photo every 10 seconds to show a sunset in 5 seconds.
💡 A 10-second time-lapse at 30fps requires 300 individual photos.
Tracking Shot
Moving the camera through space to follow a subject.
ExampleWalking backward while filming a person walking toward you.
💡 It immerses the viewer, making them feel like they are walking with the subject.
Transition
Editing technique connecting one clip to the next.
ExampleUsing a "fade to black" between two scenes.
💡 On TikTok, physical transitions (covering the lens with a hand) are extremely popular.
Voiceover (VO)
Audio narrated over B-roll footage.
ExampleRecording yourself talking about the event, played over clips of the event.
💡 VO is the most effective way to turn random clips into a cohesive story.
Wide Angle
A lens capturing a massive field of view.
ExampleUsing the 0.5x lens on an iPhone to show a whole stadium.
💡 Wide angles distort edges, making things look further away than they are.
Zoom (Optical/Digital)
Making a subject appear closer.
ExampleUsing optical zoom to get a high-quality close-up.
💡 Digital zoom ruins video quality; optical zoom preserves it completely.
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