This glossary is an excerpt from the VES Handbook of Visual Effects, courtesy of The Visual Effects Society. Please visit this link to purchase the complete book.
A
- anaglyph
- anaglyph glasses
- analog
- anamorphic
- anamorphic format
- anamorphic lens
- animated
- animatic
- animation
- animation rig
- animator
- anisotropic
- answer print
- anti-aliasing
- aperture
- API
- apparent motion
- Array System
- articulate matte
- artifact
- ASA rating
- ASCII
- ASCII file
- ASC Manual
- aspect ratio
- Association for Computing Machinery
- atmosphere
- Augmented reality (AR)
- autostereoscopic
B
- background
- backing color
- BAFTA
- baked out
- bake in
- banding
- barrel distortion
- base
- batch compositing
- Bayer mosaic pattern sensor
- beamsplitter
- beauty pass
- Bézier curve
- BG
- bicubic interpolation
- bilinear interpolation
- Binary Space Partition (BSP)
- binocular
- bipack
- bit
- bitmapped image
- bit depth
- black point
- bleach bypass
- blue record
- blue screen
- blue screen photography
- blue spill
- bokeh
- bounce light
- box filter
- British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)
- British Society of Cinematographers (BSC)
- burn-in
- B-spline
C
- camera aperture
- camera frustum
- camera mapping
- Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC)
- cardboard effect
- CBB
- CC
- CCD
- CDL (Color Decision List)
- cel animation
- center extraction
- centroid
- CG
- CGI
- CG feature
- CG Supervisor
- channel
- characteristic curve
- chromatic aberration
- chromatic resolution
- chroma-keying
- chrominance
- CIE XYZ
- Cinemascope
- cinematographer
- Cineon
- circle of confusion
- circular polarization
- clean plate
- clip
- clipping
- clone
- cloud tank
- cloud-based rendering
- CLUT
- CMY
- codec
- color bars
- color contamination
- color correction
- color difference method
- color lookup table
- color management
- color resolution
- color script
- color space
- color temperature
- color timer or grader (colorist)
- color timing or grading
- color wedge
- complementary color
- complementary matte
- component
- component video
- composite video
- compositing
- compositing engine
- Compositing Supervisor
- compositor
- computer graphics
- Computer Graphics Supervisor
- computer-generated imagery (CGI)
- conform
- conjugate points
- contact shadow
- continuity
- contouring
- contrast
- control points
- convergence
- conversion
- convolution filter
- convolution kernel
- convolution mask
- convolve
- cool
- corresponding points
- CPU
- crawling
- creature shop
- cropping
- crosstalk
- CRT
- cukaloris
- cursor
- curve editor
- C-scope
- C-stand
D
- dailies
- day for night
- dB
- DCI
- DCP
- decibel (dB)
- decimation
- Deep compositing
- Deep data
- Deep images
- deinterlace
- densitometer
- density space
- depth channel
- depth cue
- depth of field (DOF)
- depth of focus
- depth range
- desaturation
- detail generator
- DI
- difference matte
- diffusion
- digital
- digital artist
- digital cinema
- digital cinematography
- digital cinema package (DCP)
- digital compositing
- Digital Effects Supervisor
- digital imaging technician (DIT)
- digital intermediate (DI)
- Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- digitization
- dilation
- DIN rating
- diopter
- Dirac filter
- director
- disparity
- dissolve
- dither
- DOD
- domain of definition (DOD)
- DoP, DP
- dots per inch (DPI)
- double exposure (DX)
- double framing
- DPX
- drop frame
- dubbing
- dust busting
- DVE
- DX
- dynamic range
- dynamic resolution
- D-Cinema
- D-max
- D-min
- D1 format
- D2 format
- D5 format
E
- ECU
- edge detection algorithm
- edge matte
- edge numbers
- edge quality
- editing
- EDL
- effects animation
- effects filter
- EI
- eight-perf
- element
- emulsion
- encoder
- ENR
- erosion
- Estar film stock
- exposure index (EI)
- exposure latitude
- exposure sheets
- exposure split
- exposure wedge
- EXR
- extrastereoscopic cues
- eyeline
- E-fan
- E-split
F
- FACS
- fade
- fast Fourier transform (FFT)
- FFT
- FG
- field
- field chart
- field dominance
- field of view (FOV)
- field-sequential
- file format
- fill light
- film gauge
- film recorder
- film recording
- film speed
- film weave
- film-out
- filter
- final
- fixed matte
- fix it in post
- flare
- flashing
- flat
- flatbed
- flat lens
- flicker glasses
- flip
- float
- floating point
- floating windows
- floor effects
- flop
- focal length
- focus
- folding
- foot-lambert (fL, fl or ft-L)
- forced perspective
- foreground
- format
- Forward Kinematics
- four-perf
- four-point track
- FOV
- fps
- fractal compression
- frame
- frame rate
- freeze
- freeze frame
- fringing
- frustum
- frustum culling
- full aperture
- fusion
- f-stop
G
- Game engine
- gamma
- gamut
- garbage matte
- Gas Plasma Screen
- Gaussian blur
- Gaussian filter
- gel
- generation loss
- geometric transformation
- ghosting
- GIF
- global illumination
- glue code
- gobo
- Go-Motion photography
- GPU
- grading
- grain
- graphical user interface (GUI)
- gray card
- gray scale image
- greeblies
- greenlit
- green record
- green screen
- green spill
- grid chart
- guesstimate
- GUI
- G-matte
H
- halation
- handles
- haptic arm
- HDR
- HDRI
- HDTV
- HD resolution
- Hermite curve
- High Definition
- high dynamic range (HDR)
- high-dynamic-range imaging (HDRI)
- high-pass filter
- histogram
- histogram equalization
- histogram sliding
- histogram stretching
- HIT
- HLS
- HMD
- hold
- hold-out matte
- homologous points
- hot
- hot head
- HSB
- HSI
- HSL
- HSV
- hue
- Huffman coding
I
- ICC
- IDT
- IK
- image processing
- IMAX
- impulse filter
- indexed color
- Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
- interactive lighting
- Interaxial distance (IA)
- interframe coding
- interlacing
- intermediate
- internal accuracy
- International Color Consortium (ICC)
- internegative (IN)
- interocular distance
- interpolation
- interpositive film stock
- interpositive (IP)
- interpupillary distance
- Inverse Kinematics (IK)
- in-betweening
- in-camera effects
- ISO index
- IT
K
L
- LAD
- large-format camera
- large-format film
- latency
- latent image
- layering operation
- LBE
- LCD (liquid-crystal display)
- LCOS (Liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS or LCOS))
- LED (Light emitting diode)
- Leica camera
- Leica lenses
- lens artifact
- lens assembly
- lens flare
- lens mapping
- letterboxing
- LIDAR (light imaging detection and ranging )
- lighting reference
- Light Box
- light emitting diode
- light pass
- linear color space
- linear encoding
- linear interpolation
- linear polarization
- linear space
- Lineup (lineup sheet)
- Liquid-crystal-display televisions (LCD TVs)
- locked cut
- locked-off camera
- log space
- long lens
- lookup table (LUT)
- lossless compression
- lossy compression
- lowball bid
- low-pass filter
- luma-keying
- luminance
- LUT
- LZW compression
M
- Macbeth chart
- Mach banding
- macro
- mandrel
- maquette
- mask
- matchmove
- matte
- matte channel
- matte extraction
- matte line
- matte painting
- matte pass
- maximum density
- median filter
- Medusa Head
- miniaturization
- minimum density
- Mitchell filter
- MoCap
- moco
- monochrome
- monocular cues
- morphing
- MOS
- motion artifact
- motion blur
- motion control
- motion control camera
- motion graphics
- Movieola
- MPEG
- MR
- multimedia
- multiplane compositing
- multiplexing
- multiple-camera rig
- multiple-pass photography
- multiple-pass rendering
N
O
P
- paintbox
- paint software
- PAL
- palette
- Panavision
- Pantone Matching System (PMS)
- pan and scan
- pan and tile
- parallax
- parallax budget
- particle system
- pattern matching
- peg registered
- perf
- perforation
- performance capture
- periscope lens
- Periwinkle effect
- persistence of vision
- perspective
- perspective compensation
- photogrammetry
- photorealism
- picture element
- pincushion distortion
- pipeline
- pitchvis
- pixel
- pixelation
- pixelation animation
- pixel analyzer
- pixel aspect ratio
- planar
- plano-stereoscopic
- Plasma Display, also known as Plasma display panel (PDP)
- plate
- playback speed
- polarized glasses
- posterization
- postmove
- postvis
- post-house
- post-production
- PPD
- practical effects (floor effects)
- precomp
- preliminary composite
- premultiplied image
- previs
- pre-production
- Primatte
- prime lens
- procedural paint
- processing
- producer
- production sense
- progressive scan
- projection mapping
- projection speed
- ProRes (Apple ProRes)
- proxy
- pulldown
- pullup
- pull a matte
R
- Ramsdell rig
- raster graphics
- raw stock
- RDBMS
- real time
- rear projection (RP)
- record
- Rectilinear lens
- red record
- reference spheres
- reflection pass
- region of interest (ROI)
- release print
- render
- RenderMan
- render farm
- render queue
- reposition
- resampling
- resolution
- resolution independence
- retinal disparity
- retroreflective curtain
- RGB
- RGBA
- ride film
- rig
- ringing
- RLA
- ROI
- rotation
- rotoscope
- rotoscoped matte
- rotoscoping
- RP
- RRT
- RTFM
- run takes
- run-length encoding
- rushes
- R&D
S
- sampling
- saturation
- scaling
- scanner
- scan line
- scene
- scene-referred image
- scope
- screen left
- screen resolution
- screen right
- screen space
- script
- SDK
- SECAM
- seed
- selection device
- self-illuminated blue screen
- sequence
- server
- SFX
- Shader
- shadow pass
- sharpening
- sharpness
- short lens
- shot
- Showscan
- shutter angle
- shutter speed
- SIGGRAPH
- Signal to Noise
- silver halide crystals
- sinc filter
- skinning
- skip frames
- slate
- slop comp, slap comp
- slow motion
- SLR
- SMPTE
- snorkel lens
- Sobel filter
- Sobel matte
- software developer’s kit (SDK)
- solarization
- spatial aliasing
- spatial convolution
- spatial filter
- spatial resolution
- special effects (SPX)
- special visual effects
- spherical lens
- spill
- spill suppression
- spline
- spline curve
- splinter unit
- split diopter
- split-screen
- sprite
- square pixel
- squeezed image
- sRGB
- stabilization
- staircasing
- stand-in
- static image
- static matte
- steadiness
- steady test
- stereo
- stereographer
- stereoplexing
- stereopsis
- stereoscope
- stereoscopic image
- stereoscopic pair
- stereoscopy
- stochastic sampling
- stock
- stop
- stop-motion animation
- storyboard
- strobing
- stuffie
- subpixel
- super
- superblack
- superimpose
- Superscope
- superwhite
- Super Techniscope
- Super 16mm film
- Super 35mm film
- Super 8mm film
- surface normal
- surround
- sync block
- S/N
T
- tablet
- tail slate
- take
- TARGA
- Technical Assistant (TA)
- Technical Director (TD)
- technical previs (Techvis)
- Techniscope
- telecine
- telephoto lens
- temporal
- temporal aliasing
- temporal filling
- temporal resolution
- temporary composite
- temp comp
- tessellation
- texture mapping
- TGA
- theater space
- Three-perf
- TIFF
- timecode
- timeline graph
- timing
- tracking
- tracking markers
- transformation
- transition effect
- translation
- translucent
- transmission blue screen
- transparent
- traveling matte
- trucking
- tumble paint
- turnover
- two-perf
- two-point track
- T-stop
U
V
W
#
- 1.85
- 10-bit image
- 16mm film
- 16-bit image
- 2D
- 2D graphics
- 2D motion blur
- 2D tracking
- 2k resolution
- 2.35 format
- 2.5D (21⁄2 D)
- 24p
- 2:3 pulldown
- 2:3 pullup
- 3D
- 3DoF
- 3D film
- 3D glasses
- 3D graphics
- 3D motion blur
- 3D tracking
- 32-bit image
- 35mm film
- 3:2 pulldown
- 3:2 pullup
- 4D
- 4k resolution
- 4:1:1 compression
- 4:2:2 compression
- 4:4:4 compression
- 6DoF
- 65mm film
- 70mm film
- 8mm film
- 8-bit image
- “T”