Master the language of the edit. This hub covers essential post-production terminology, from fundamental cuts and transitions to timeline management and workflow optimization techniques used by professional editors.
AI captions are subtitles or closed captions generated automatically from a video's audio using machine-learning speech recognition, with no manual transcription.
AI rotoscoping uses machine learning to automatically isolate subjects from their backgrounds in video, creating masks frame by frame instead of drawing by hand.
AI transcription uses machine-learning models to automatically turn spoken audio into written text, usually with timecodes so it syncs to video.
AI video editing uses machine-learning tools to automate parts of the editing process, from transcription and rough cuts to colour grading and effects.
CGI, or computer-generated imagery, is visual content created entirely on a computer, often added to live-action footage to show things that couldn't be filmed.
Claymation is stop-motion animation where clay figures are photographed one frame at a time, nudged a little between each frame to seem to move.
Cross-cutting, also called parallel editing, jumps back and forth between two or more separate scenes to show them happening at the same time.
A dolly shot moves the camera physically toward or away from the subject, usually on a wheeled dolly or a track, not by zooming.
Double exposure blends two separate images into one, either by exposing the same piece of film twice or by combining layers in software.
A Dutch angle, also called a Dutch tilt, is a shot where the camera is tilted on purpose to suggest tension, disorientation, or unease.
Filler words are the little sounds and phrases ("um," "uh," "like," "you know") that pad out speech to fill pauses without adding meaning.
A fine cut is the polished version of the rough cut, with structure locked and details like pacing, transitions, and music refined toward final.
A lavalier microphone, or lav mic, is a small mic that clips to a speaker's clothing, usually near the chest, to capture clear dialogue.
Lip sync is the alignment between a speaker's mouth movements on screen and the sound of their voice, so the picture and audio match.
A lower third is a graphic at the bottom of the frame, used to show a speaker's name, title, location, or other context.
A match cut is an edit between two scenes that share a visual element like shape, motion, or sound, creating a smooth transition.
Motion graphics are graphic design that moves: text, icons, shapes, and logos animated to add information, structure, and visual interest to video.
Picture lock is the point where the visual edit is finalised and frozen, so sound design, colour grading, and VFX can proceed.
Post-production is everything that happens to video after filming, including editing, sound design, colour grading, visual effects, motion graphics, and final delivery.
Pre-production is the planning stage of a video project, everything that happens before filming begins, including scripting, casting, location scouting, scheduling, and budgeting.
ProRes is a family of video codecs made by Apple, built for editing rather than delivery, producing large files that play back smoothly.
Screen recording captures whatever is on a computer or phone screen as a video file, often with system audio and a voice-over.
Sound design is the work of building a video's audio world, the sound effects, ambient sound, foley, and atmosphere beyond just dialogue and music.
A close-up shot frames the subject tightly, filling the frame with a face or small detail and leaving little of the setting visible.
A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest unit of a digital image. Every photo and video frame is a grid of squares.
Audio mastering is the final polishing pass on a finished mix, balancing loudness and tone so it sounds consistent on any playback system.
A wide-angle lens has a shorter focal length than a standard lens, so it takes in a wider field of view than normal.
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