Encyclopedia

2106 entries · Page 10 of 36

• Deal memo

  A preliminary written summary of agreed engagement terms pending a long-form contract.

• Debris hit

  A practical effect producing a localized burst of dust, fragments, or material at an apparent impact point.

• Deceleration distance

  The additional vertical distance traveled while a fall-arrest device dissipates energy and stops a fall.

• Deck

  The stage floor or working surface on which performers, scenery, and event equipment are positioned.

• Deck track

  A guided floor path or rail used to move scenic units across a stage.

• Deep compositing

  Compositing with multiple samples and depth information stored along a pixel’s viewing ray.

• Deferment

  Compensation or another amount contractually postponed until specified financing or revenue conditions occur.

• Deinterlacing

  The conversion of interlaced video fields into progressive frames for processing or display.

• Delay tower

  A remote loudspeaker position used to extend sound coverage to distant audience areas.

• Deliverables

  The approved files, documents, captions, artwork, and metadata required by a distributor or platform.

• Delivery manifest

  An itemized record of files, versions, languages, specifications, and documents included in a delivery.

• Delivery schedule

  A milestone plan for supplying masters, versions, metadata, artwork, legal documents, and other contracted materials.

• Denoise

  The reduction of unwanted image or audio noise while preserving intended detail and character.

• Depth pass

  A rendered channel representing distance from the camera for each visible sample or pixel.

• Design factor

  The ratio relating a component or system’s failure strength to its permitted working load under defined conditions.

• Designated person

  A person selected or assigned by the employer to perform a particular duty.

• Designed sound

  A deliberately constructed sound that interprets rather than simply reproduces an event.

• Despill

  Reduction or replacement of colored screen light contaminating a keyed foreground subject.

• Development Executive

  A Development Executive identifies, evaluates, acquires, and shapes film or television projects for a studio, network, platform, financier, or production company. They read submissions, assess audience and company fit, give creative notes, help package writers, directors, talent, and rights, prepare internal recommendations, and shepherd selected material through pitches, drafts, approvals, and greenlight decisions.

• DI box

  A device that adapts an instrument or line-level source for a balanced microphone-input path.

• Dialogue assembly

  The organization and selection of production dialogue takes into a continuous editable track set.

• Dialogue edit

  The preparation, cleanup, replacement, and organization of spoken production material.

• Dialogue Editor

  A Dialogue Editor turns production recordings into a clear, continuous, emotionally consistent dialogue track. They select the best microphone and take material, synchronize and edit words, repair noise and clothing problems, smooth perspective and room tone, flag lines that need ADR, conform to picture changes, and prepare organized tracks for the dialogue premix and final mix.

• Dialogue normalization

  Metadata or processing used to align playback level around a measured dialogue reference.

• Dialogue premix

  A premixing stage that edits, cleans, balances, and processes production dialogue and ADR before final mixing.

• Difference key

  A keying method isolating pixels that differ from a selected reference image.

• Difference matte

  A matte generated by comparing an image with a reference background or clean plate.

• Diffusion

  A translucent material that scatters light, reducing contrast and softening the apparent source.

• Digital double

  A computer-generated representation of a performer used for shots or actions requiring digital replacement.

• Digital Imaging Technician

  A Digital Imaging Technician, or DIT, manages the on-set image pipeline for digital cinematography. Working with the Cinematographer, they monitor exposure and color, apply and track viewing looks, verify signal and recording settings, support camera matching, and communicate image metadata and color intent to dailies and post-production.

• Digital intermediate

  A finishing workflow in which photographed images are digitized, conformed, graded, and mastered digitally.

• Digital Loader

  A Digital Loader receives camera media and makes verified copies to approved storage, using checksum-based software and clear media tracking. They protect card identity, folder structure, reports, backups, handoffs, and chain of custody until the captured files reach dailies, editorial, or post-production.

• Digital snake

  A stage-to-console audio transport system that converts and carries multiple channels over digital links or a network.

• Digital Utility

  A Digital Utility supports the camera department’s electronic workflow by preparing monitors, wireless video, camera-control links, power, cables, metadata, media stations, and other digital accessories. They troubleshoot signal and configuration problems, keep systems organized through company moves, and help the DIT and camera assistants maintain a reliable image pipeline.

• Dimmer

  A controller that varies fixture power or output within the fixture and electrical system’s rated limits.

• Dimmer rack

  An enclosure containing multiple controlled power dimmers for compatible entertainment lighting circuits.

• Dimmer schedule

  A document mapping dimmers or power-control outputs to circuits, channels, loads, and modes.

• Diopter

  A close-focus optical attachment that reduces the minimum focusing distance of a lens.

• Directional RF antenna

  An antenna designed to favor radio-frequency reception or transmission in selected directions.

• Director

  A Director shapes a production into a unified dramatic and visual work. They interpret the script, guide performances, collaborate with department heads on the look and sound, decide how scenes are staged and covered, and remain involved through editing and other post-production decisions.

• Director agreement

  A contract engaging a director and defining services, compensation, credit, rights, and working conditions.

• Director’s Assistant

  A Director’s Assistant provides dedicated organizational and communication support to the Director. They manage calendars, scripts, notes, reference materials, meetings, travel, and follow-ups so the Director can move efficiently through prep, production, and post without losing creative decisions or confidential information.

• Director’s monitor

  A production display provided for creative review of framing, performance, continuity, and takes.

• Dirty shot

  A composition in which part of another performer or foreground object deliberately intrudes into the frame.

• Dirty single

  A single-subject shot that retains part of another person or foreground element in frame.

• Disconnecting means

  A device or grouped devices capable of isolating equipment from its electrical supply.

• Display-referred image data

  Image values prepared relative to a particular display appearance or output condition.

• Dissolve

  A transition in which one image gradually fades out while another simultaneously fades in.

• Distributed load

  A load spread across a defined length, surface, or multiple structural points.

• Distribution guarantee

  A distributor’s contracted minimum payment or commitment associated with specified distribution rights.

• Distribution territory

  The geographic market in which specified exploitation rights are licensed or retained.

• Distributor

  An entity acquiring rights to market and make a screen work available within agreed media and territories.

• Distro box

  A portable power-distribution unit that divides a feeder into protected branch circuits.

• Dive plan

  A written plan for underwater production work defining personnel, profiles, equipment, communications, hazards, and emergency response.

• DMX

  A digital control protocol used to send lighting levels, colors, and fixture parameters across a lighting network.

• DMX node

  A network device converting between Ethernet lighting protocols and physical DMX ports.

• DMX opto-splitter

  An optically isolated device distributing one DMX input to multiple protected output branches.

• DMX Technician

  A DMX Technician installs, addresses, tests, and troubleshoots the data infrastructure that controls production lighting. They manage cable, nodes, wireless links, universes, network paths, fixture modes, and labels so the Lighting Programmer can communicate reliably with every controlled device.

• DMX terminator

  A resistor plug placed at the end of a DMX data line to reduce signal reflections.

• DMX universe

  A logical group of DMX control channels addressed as one 512-channel data stream.

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