It is easy to feel overwhelmed and confused when meeting with videographers; many couples have little to no video experience and are entering a completely foreign aspect of event planning. It is a good idea to read about common terminology and aspects of video before you speak with any videographers. We have compiled a glossary of terms you're likely to hear to make the experience a little easier.
A-roll: Refers to the main camera footage and main videographer.
Authoring/Burning: Process of burning your final edited wedding video to DVD and/or DVD master.
Audio Mix: Style of using a combination of both natural and pre-recorded sound (often background music) in editing; common in documentary style videography.
B-roll: Refers to secondary camera/camera person and resulting footage.
Capture/digitzation: Process of loading raw footage onto computer for editing.
Chaptered DVD: A DVD with a main menu similar to Hollywood-released DVDs; often called "scene selection", pre-set chapters like Preliminary, Ceremony, First Kiss, and Cake Cutting make the navigation of your DVD both easy and personalized.
Cinematic: A highly-edited style of videography often consisting of staged shots and pre-recorded music and sound that presents the wedding video as a crafted story.
Digital Effect/Transition: Effects added to video in post production; for example, black and white, letterbox/widescreen, color and exposure adjustments, slow or fast motion. Digital transitions are fades and flashes that dissolve between different shots and important moments, usually signifying change in sound or location.
DV/Digital Video: The current standard video format. Allows for very clear capturing of images and quality video in low light. Does not lose quality during the duplication process and holds up very well over time.
DVD: Digital Video Disc. The replacement for VHS and Analog tape, this format is playable through a DVD player or computer. Retains high level of video quality.
Editing: The process of putting together your wedding video. Includes dissolving between takes and transitions, deleting unwanted scenes, audio manipulation, addition of background music, switching between camera angles, titling, credits, and rendering the final version to proper format for DVD burning.
High Definition (HD) Video: Newest video format. Offers the highest possible image quality but is not yet the industry standard. Can be very expensive for Brides and Grooms due the the fact that video companies have to buy and learn totally new equipment (cameras, editing software, HD DVD's and DVD software, DVD burning roms, etc) to fully produce an HD wedding video. Many consumers also still have standard definition DVD players and TVs, making watching a video in true HD not yet a reality.
Highlight Reel: A short video summary of your wedding showcasing the most important and emotional moments. Commonly uses effects like black and white and slow motion for an artistic look.
Master: The final edited version of your video on either DV-Cam digital tape or a Data DVD for storage use only. Video Express masters to Data DVD.
Non-Chaptered/In-house DVD: A DVD that, when put in a player or computer, immediately plays from the beginning of the video and has no pre-selected chapter markers or menus.
Non-Linear Editing (NLE): The industry standard of editing digital video via computer editing software. Common programs are Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid or Avid Express, and Final Cut Pro (for mac users only).
Photo Montage: A common way to open wedding videos, photo montages usually consist of pictures of the couple from birth to engagement and are set to music.
Post-Production: Refers to any work done to your video after the wedding. I.e., capturing, editing, burning, etc.
Render: The process of compressing the edited video and audio tracks of your wedding to one final video file to be burned to DVD and master. Common formats are .avi, .mov, and .mpg.
Thank You DVD's: A short mini-DVD that includes your photo montage, highlight and credits to use as a Thank You gift for bridal party, family and friends.
Unmanned camera: A stationary camera set up on a tripod that is used for alternate angles in editing and audio recording.
Don't be afraid to speak up during your consultations; a good videographer encourages questions and will more than adequately explain anything you might not understand. It is beneficial for both parties that the couple fully comprehend all aspects of the video process to avoid confusion during or after the wedding.
Good luck and happy planning!
