The jargon, explained.
A plain-English guide to the production terms you'll come across when you work with us.
DoP (Director of Photography)
The person responsible for the look of a film: camera, lighting and framing. Also known as the cinematographer. Related service: Filming.
Cinematography
The craft of lighting and capturing images on camera in a way that serves the story. Related service: Filming.
Pre-Production
All the planning before a shoot, scheduling, casting, location scouting, permits and logistics. Related service: Production Management.
Production
The filming itself, when the crew, talent and equipment come together on set or location.
Post-Production
Everything after the shoot, editing, colour grading, sound, graphics and final delivery. Related service: Editing.
Colour Grading
The final picture stage, where the colour and tone of every shot is balanced and styled for a consistent, cinematic look. Related service: Colour Grading.
Sound Design
Creating and assembling the non-musical sounds in a film, from atmospheres to effects, so a scene feels real. Related service: Sound Design.
Sound Mixing
Balancing and blending all the audio elements, dialogue, music and effects, into a clean final soundtrack. Related service: Sound Design.
Dialogue Editing
Cleaning and shaping recorded speech so every line is clear and consistent. Related service: Sound Design.
Foley
Everyday sound effects such as footsteps and handled props, recorded in sync to picture to make a scene feel tangible.
Music Supervision
Sourcing, licensing and placing the right music for a film.
Motion Graphics
Animated text, graphics and design elements used to explain ideas or brand a film.
VFX (Visual Effects)
Imagery created or enhanced digitally that could not be captured in camera.
Storyboarding
Sketching a film shot by shot before the shoot to plan the visuals. Related service: Ideation & Creative.
Scripting
Writing the words and structure that underpin a film. Related service: Ideation & Creative.
Location Scouting
Finding and assessing places to film against the creative and practical needs of a production. Related service: Production Management.
Permits
The official permissions required to film in many public and private locations. Related service: UK Production Services.
Multi-Camera Production
Filming with several cameras at once, used for events, interviews and live coverage. Related service: Film Crew Hire.
HDR (High Dynamic Range)
A delivery format with a wider range of brightness and colour for richer, more lifelike images.
Versioning & Delivery
Producing a film in the different formats, lengths and aspect ratios each platform requires. Related service: Delivery & Versioning.
Subtitling & Captioning
Adding on-screen text of the spoken audio for accessibility and silent viewing. Related service: Delivery & Versioning.
Showreel
A short, edited sampler of a studio's best work.