Glossary - N-P

A-B

C

D-E

F-H

I-M

N-P

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T-Z

 

ND / ND FILTER

Neutral Density filter

NEG-POS

Implying a Negative Positive Film system

NEGATIVE

Film image in reverse tones, high densities correspond to high brightness

NEUTRAL DENSITY

Grey neutral colour transparent filters or glass used to reduce exposure

NEWSREEL

A regular cinema magazine news programme

NEWTON'S RINGS

Optical interference patterns caused by two surfaces close together

NG

No Good, a laboratory term meaning faulty, must be redone

NITRATE

Cellulose nitrate / loose term for cellulose nitrate film stocks pre 1950

NOISE

Unwanted sound or signals in a video system, the last often producing grain-like image structure

NOTCH

Shallow cut along the edge of negative film to trigger the change of printing light

NUMBER BOARD

Slate [syn]

OFF-LINE EDIT

Edit of video material using low cost equipment prior to final broadcast quality edit, also used for film

OFF-SCALE

Outside the range of printing lights of a normal printer

OHP

Overhead Projector

ON-LINE [EDIT]

Live, of editing directly linked to original material

OPEN REEL

A tape transport system with separate feed and take up, not enclosed in a cassette, reel to reel.

OPTICAL AXIS

Axis from centre of the lens at right angle to the lens plane

OPTICAL PRINTING

Printing using an optical system, ie a camera and a projector

OPTICAL SOUND

Photographic sound track produced and read by modulation of a light beam

OPTICALS

General term for minor and major special effects made on an optical printer

ORIENTATION [FILM]

Film position in a projector, Type A=emulsion to light, Type B=emulsion to lens

ORIGINAL

The film element exposed in the camera, the first generation of image

ORTHO / ORTHOCHROMATIC

Film sensitive to Blue and Green light only

OUT OF CONTROL

A term for a film process or control strip whose density readings are outside control limits

OUT-GOING SCENE

The first scene of a dissolve

OUT-OF-SYNC

Sound and picture not synchronised

OUT-TAKE

A take of a scene not selected for rush printing, or for the final edit

OVER CRANKING

Filming at a slightly higher speed than normal to slow action down, archaic term still in use

OVERLAP

Extending the sound track into the next scene [to improve continuity

OVERLAY [1]

Superimposing one image on another, sometimes without a background

OVERLAY [2]

The foreground image or cell of an animation

OVER MODULATE

When the optical sound input signal is too great an amplitude for the for the system to handle

PAN

To rotate a camera horizontally

PAN / PANCHROMATIC

Of a film stock, sensitive to all wavelengths in the visible spectrum

PANEL [PRINTER}

A film printer with the film path on a flat panel layout, often bi-directional

PANORAMA

A wide image, also a trade name of several wide screen systems of the 1950's and 60's

PAPER-TO END SECTION

Method of indicating to a printer operator the section of film to be printed, a paper marker is placed in the roll

PAPER-TO-PAPER SECTION

Method of indicating to a printer operator the section of film to be printed, two paper markers are placed in the roll

PARAMETER

A number value used to specify a character or procedure

PARTICLE TRANSFER ROLLER

Device/roller with a special coating that removes dust particles from film

PATCH

A transparent piece of film used to repair a tear or break

PE

Polyethylene terephthalate, a polyester plastic used for a film base /polyester

PEEL ROLL / PEELED ROLL

A roll created by winding a number of separate lengths of film onto a single roll without joining together

PEG ANIMATION

Animation shot by locating the sequences of artwork on registration pins

PEG BAR

The registration pins used for peg animation

PERFORATED SCREEN

A cinema projection screen perforated with small holes to allow the loudspeakers to be behind the screen

PERFORATIONS

The holes in film to permit transport, see also sprocket holes

PERSISTENCE OF VISION

A visual effect that permits intermittent images to be seen as continuous

PHOSPHOR

A substance emitting light when irradiated by an electron beam, used for TV additive display

PHOTOGRAPHIC SOUND

Optical sound

PHOTOMETER

Instrument for measuring luminous intensity, at printer gates, screens, or for exposure determination

PHOTOMETRIC FILTER

Filter for converting one colour temperature light to another, correspond to mired values

PHOTOSENSITIVE

Anything sensitive to light by incurring some sort of change

PILOT PIN

See Pin

PILOT TONE

A camera speed control system using a tone recorded on the sound tape

PIN / REGISTER PIN

Camera or printer device which engages a film perforation in order to arrest and retain a film position during exposure

PINHOLE

A small clear faulty mark on a negative. Result of error in processing, camera, or manufacturing

PITCH [FILM]

The distance between successive points on a film, eg sprocket to sprocket

PIXEL

The smallest element on a raster display, a picture cell with specified colour and/or intensity

PIXILLATION

Motion effect produced as a result of photographing still pictures

PLATE

A still photograph used as a background in special effects

PLATEN

A surface used to support animation cells and materials

PLAYBACK

Play or reproduction of a recording

POINT

A unit pf printing light control, one point is 0.025LogE, and nominally a 50 point scale

POLYESTER

Polyethylene terephthalate, a polyester plastic used for a film base /polyester

POSITIVE

A reproduction of a scene, highest brightness seen as clear film

POST PRODUCTION

Film and video programme production from editing to release

POST SYNC

Synchronizing picture and sound track after the photography has been done

POSTERIZATION

A picture produced with a limited no of flat colours or specific tones, image gradation eliminated

PRE-FLASHING

Flashing [see] of print stocks to reduce contrast

PRE-RECORDED

Sound material for a programme that is already recorded

PRE-ROLL

Time required by a projector or telecine to provide a stable image

PRE-BATH

The first solution of a process, usually a solution for softening rem jet backing on colour film

PRE-HARDENER/HARDENER

A hardening solution used as a first process to prepare for a high temperature film process

PREMIERE

The first public showing of a feature film

PRESERVATION

The practices necessary to ensure permanent accessibility to the image content of the film

PRESSURE PLATE

That part of a printer camera or projector that holds the film flat in the gate

PREVIEW

A first look, also a special presentation of a feature film prior to premiere or release

PRIMARY COLOURS

Three colours capable of mixing [additive] or combining [subtractive] to reproduce all others

PRIME LENS

The lens most used for a format, conventionally a focal length equal to the diagonal of the frame

PRINT

A projection positive made by printing from another film element

PRINT-THROUGH [1]

A test procedure printing a control strip onto it's print stock and measuring the sensitometric response

PRINT-THROUGH [2]

Unwanted transfer of signal on a magnetic tape from adjacent windings

PRINTED-IN

Term for any image defect [eg scratch or sparkle] copied from a previous generation, ie uncorrectable

PRINTER

A device for exposing an image on one film onto another

PRINTER LIGHTS

See Points [syn] or printer points

PRINTER POINT

See Points [syn] or printer points

PRINTER TAPE

Punched tape [syn] - Paper tape with punched holes to indicate printing lights and cues

PROCESS / PROCESSING

The wet chemical procedure of development of the latent image and subsequent stabilizing stages

PROCESS FILM

High contrast film used for producing high contrast images

PROCESS SHOT

Loose term for a special effect of separate background and foreground shots combined

PROCESSOR

Equipment for processing, washing and drying film

PRODUCTION DUPE

Duplicate negative made for multiple release printing

PROJECTOR

Apparatus for presenting motion picture images on a screen

PROTECTION MASTER

A Film element made for preservation in case of damage to the original or other duplicate

PROTECTIVE MASTER

Protection Master [syn - Technicolor?]

PTR

See Particle transfer roller [acronym]

PULL-BACK

A technique in printing film in which the master is pulled back some distance in order to repeat print a section of film

PULL-DOWN

The operation of moving film from one frame to another, camera, printer or projector

PUNCHED TAPE

Paper tape with punched holes to indicate printing lights and cues