Glossary

A 19 mm. (ca. 3/4 in.) digital videocassette format with component coding. D1 is the SMPTE standard designation. For professional use.

A 19 mm. (ca. 3/4 in.) digital videocassette format with composite coding. D2 is the SMPTE standard designation. For professional use.

A 1/2 in. digital videocassette format with composite coding. D3 is the SMPTE standard designation. For professional use.

A 1/2 in. digital videocassette format with component coding. D5 is the SMPTE standard designation. For professional use.

A 19 mm. digital high definition videocassette format with component. D6 is the SMPTE standard designation. For professional use.

See DVCPRO.

A 1/2 in. digital videocassette format on metal particle tape developed by JVC (Japan Victor Corporation). D9 is the SMPTE standard designation for Digital-S. For professional use. The high definition version is D9 HD.

D16

A 19 mm. videocassette format for digital film images that uses a D1 recorder.

DCT

Digital Component Tape. A 19 mm. digital videocassette format developed by Ampex. For professional use.

A 1/4 in. digital videocassette format from various manufacturers. For consumer use.

DVC

See DV.

DVCAM

A 1/4 in. digital videocassette format developed by Sony. For professional use.

DVCPRO

A 1/4 in. digital videocassette format developed by Panasonic. The SMPTE standard designation for this format is D7. For professional use. Newer variants include DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD (high definition), and DVCPRO P.

DVD

Digital Versatile Disc; also known as Digital Video Disc. A digital optical videodisc format that can store much more video, audio, and computer data than the common CD. Like a CD, it is ca. 4 3/4 in. (12 cm.) in diameter. DVD has replaced the 12 in. optical videodisc (laserdisc). DVD-ROM (read only memory) contains data that has been placed on the disc at the time of manufacture. Recordable variations include DVD-R (recordable, write once), DVD-RAM (random access memory, rewritable), DVD-RW (rewritable).

DVD-Video

See DVD.

Dailies

See Rushes.

Debates

Discussions or arguments between two or more persons involving opposing points of view.

Descriptive category

A broad classification such as collection name, production company, or genre, used as the first part of a supplied title to group moving image works together in the catalog. See also Supplied title.

Descriptive phrase

A short statement used as a supplied title, or part of a supplied title, summarizing the contents of an unidentified moving image work, or a moving image work which never had a title. A descriptive phrase should provide information which may aid in future identification of the work. See also Supplied title.

Descriptive title

See Descriptive category, Descriptive phrase, Supplied title.

Diacetate film base

An early cellulose acetate film base introduced in the 1920s. It was used for 16 mm. amateur film. It was not used for 35 mm. professional film because it was not stable and became brittle with age. See also Acetate film base, Film base, Triacetate film base.

Diameter

The dimension of a videodisc.

Digital

In digital video recording, electrical signals contain discrete voltage levels. There are generally two voltage levels that correspond to binary numbers (0 and 1).

Digital Betacam

A 1/2 in. videocassette format using component coding. It is a digital version of Betacam SP. Introduced by Sony in 1993.

Digital Component Tape

See DCT.

Disgital-S

See D9.

Digital Versatile Disc

See DVD.

Digital Video Cassette

See DV.

Digital Video Disc

See DVD.

Dimension

The gauge, width, or diameter of moving image materials.

Director

The person who has overall responsibility for interpreting meaning and expression during the production of a moving image work. The extent of the director's involvement can depend upon the individual, or production company, or practices within the country of production.

Distribution

The making of moving image works available to the general public; the sale, lease, and rental of moving image works. See also Broadcast, Telecast.

Distributor

The person or corporate body which sells, leases, rents, or in some manner makes available moving image works.

Double edge track

A separate optical sound track containing a different track on each edge of the film recorded in opposite directions. This sound track may be negative or positive.

Duplicate magnetic track

A magnetic copy of an optical or magnetic sound track.

Duplicate negative

A film with a negative image and/or negative optical sound track that has been made from a master positive or other positive film or from an original negative by reversal development. Used to make prints. See also Internegative.

Duplicate negative picture

A duplicate negative image with no sound or separate sound.

Duplicate negative track

An optical sound track found on one edge of negative film stock that is generally used to make a positive track on a print.

Duplicate positive track

An optical sound track found on one edge of positive film stock.