Video Television Networks Terms Part 06
Conference producer (BT) takes care of everything that actually concerns the sight and sound within a meeting. In a smaller production company the producer will sometimes act as meeting organizer as well. But, more often than not, the producer has his or her hands full with arranging slide-tape, multi-image modules, any movie or videotape to be shown, plus hiring, setting up and running all the hardware needed for sound and pictures. The producer will also organize actors, dancers, musicians and every other component part of the presentation. Often the producer will act as director as well, running all on-stage performances, coaching speakers, etc.
Continental seating (BT) the way seats are laid out at a venue, with no central aisle but with plenty of space between rows for audience members to move about.
Continuity (VT, film,) although some people wouldn’t agree with me, continuity is the logic of a production. Strictly speaking, it means the painstaking record of every detail of every scene shot in a program or movie, so that when it is edited you don’t have props appearing to have moved or people transporting themselves thousands of miles in a split second. Needless to say, most productions are shot in everything but the right order – hence the need for careful continuity. The reasons for shooting in the wrong order are wide and varied, but usually boil down to cost and logic. Continuity makes sure the production ends up in the right order and that the whole thing flows in a logical style.
Control track (VT) a signal which is recorded on to a videotape. This tells the playback machine what to so during replay.
Copy (VT, film, ST) a copy, as the word suggests, is a copy of the main master copy. In videotape, film, and sound production, playback duplicate will often be on a smaller, lower quality medium than that of the master. With slide-tape however, duplicate will merely be duped off the master.
Corpse (BT) for one performer to ‘corpse’ another is to make the other laugh, thereby injection a normally unwanted bit of comedy into a script. Usually the laughter can be suppressed, but often the second performer’s next is either puzzled.
Crab (VT, film) remembers how a crab moves? Sideways, to instruct a camera to crab left or right means that it should move, without changing, to whichever side is indicated.
Crane (VT) a very big camera counting with wheels. This gives the camera the best possible maneuverability indoor a studio.
Crane shot (VT) a shot taken by a camera mounted on a crane.
Crash zoom (VT, film) as the name suggests, a very quick zoom in to a shot.
Credits (VT, film, ST) are the small written back-pats given to contributors at the end of a production. Not like the feature movie business, there aren’t normally twenty minutes of credits at the end of a show, listing one and all including the tea lady. However, a few discreet captions crediting writer, director, producer, Production Company and Facilities Company is considered a fair courtesy by most clients.