TASC Media Production flashcards
TASC Media Production · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Three production phases
- Pre-production plans and prepares, production captures footage and audio, and post-production edits, mixes, and delivers the finished program to its audience.
- Frame rate
- The number of images captured or displayed per second; it determines motion smoothness and must match regional broadcast standards such as 24, 25, or 30 fps.
- Aspect ratio
- The proportional relationship between image width and height, such as 16:9 for HD or 2.39:1 for anamorphic widescreen, independent of absolute resolution.
- Resolution
- The pixel dimensions of an image, such as 1920x1080, which set the level of detail; higher resolution quadruples pixel count when width and height both double.
- 180-degree rule
- A continuity convention keeping the camera on one side of an imaginary line between subjects so screen direction and eyelines remain consistent across cuts.
- 30-degree rule
- A guideline that successive shots of the same subject should differ by at least 30 degrees in camera angle to avoid a jarring jump cut.
- Shot sizes
- A scale from extreme wide through wide, medium, close-up, and extreme close-up that describes how much of the subject fills the frame.
- Three-point lighting
- A setup using key light for primary direction, fill light to soften shadows, and back light to separate the subject from the background.
- Key-to-fill ratio
- The relative intensity of key versus fill light; a high ratio produces dramatic contrast, while a low ratio produces flat, even illumination.
- Continuity editing
- An editing approach that preserves spatial and temporal logic through match cuts, eyeline matches, and consistent screen direction so viewers follow action smoothly.
- Montage editing
- An approach that builds meaning through juxtaposition of shots rather than spatial continuity, often compressing time or conveying ideas associatively.
- Master shot
- A continuous wide recording of an entire scene, used as an editing anchor against which closer coverage and individual performances are cut.
- Coverage
- The variety of shots captured for a scene, including wide, medium, and close angles, giving the editor choices to assemble a coherent sequence.
- Sample rate
- How many audio samples are captured per second; by the Nyquist limit, it sets the highest reproducible frequency to half that rate.
- Bit depth
- The number of bits per audio sample, which sets dynamic range; each added bit provides roughly six decibels more headroom.
- Loudness normalization
- Adjusting program audio to a target integrated loudness, commonly -23 LUFS or -24 LKFS, with a true peak ceiling near -1 dBTP.
- Non-destructive editing
- An editing method that references source media through an edit decision list, so trims and reordering never alter the original files.
- Codec
- Software or hardware that encodes and decodes media; intra-frame codecs ease editing while inter-frame long-GOP codecs compress harder for delivery.
- Bitrate
- The amount of data used per second of media; higher bitrate generally improves quality at the cost of larger files and greater bandwidth needs.
- Color grading
- The post-production process of correcting exposure and white balance, then stylistically shaping hue, saturation, and contrast to match a look.
- LUT
- A lookup table mapping input color values to output values, commonly used to convert log footage to a display-ready color space.
- Sidechain ducking
- A mixing technique that automatically lowers music or ambience when dialogue is present, preserving speech intelligibility in the final mix.
- Delivery specification
- A document fixing container, codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, audio channel layout, and loudness so a master plays correctly on its target platform.
- Copyright fixation
- Copyright protection attaches automatically when an original work is fixed in a tangible medium; ideas, facts, and titles are not protected.
- Fair use factors
- A four-part test weighing purpose of use, nature of the work, amount used, and market effect; it is a defense rather than automatic permission.
- Talent release
- A written agreement in which a person grants permission to record and use their likeness and voice in a production.
- Location release
- A written agreement from a property owner permitting a production to record at and depict a specific venue within defined terms.
- Sync license
- Permission from a music copyright holder to pair a composition with moving images in a production.
- Master license
- Permission from the owner of a specific sound recording to use that particular recorded version in a production.
- Call sheet
- A day-of document listing shoot date, call times, location, scene order, crew contacts, and safety notes for the production team.
- Producer role
- The crew member responsible for budget, scheduling, hiring, logistics, and legal compliance, keeping the production on time and within scope.
- Director of photography
- The crew member who leads camera and lighting decisions, translating the director's visual intent into framing, exposure, and on-set lighting design.