Apple Final Cut Pro 6 - Manual (Page 1934)

Glossary 451
channels When used to describe video, can refer to color channels or alpha channels.
Color and transparency information for video and graphics clips is divided into
individual channels. Each individual color channel represents one of the three
individual primary colors that mix together to represent the final image. Each channel
has a bit depth; most graphics and video files are 8 bits per channel, meaning that
there are 256 levels of color or transparency for each channel.
chip chart A grayscale chart that is placed next to the slate at the beginning of every
shot. During post-production, the color chart can be used to correct each shot so that
the whites, blacks, and colors can be perfectly reproduced during editing.
chroma The color information contained in a video signal, consisting of hue (phase
angle), which represents the color itself, and saturation (amplitude of the color
subcarrier), which represents the intensity of the color.
chroma keying See blue or green screening.
clip An item in a Final Cut Pro project representing video, audio, or graphics media files
on disk.
clipping Distortion occurring during the playback or recording of digital audio
because of a signal that exceeds the maximum sample value of 0 dBFS.
CMYK Abbreviation for Cyan Magenta Yellow Black. The color space commonly used
for images that are printed with four-color ink on offset presses.
codec Short for compressor/decompressor, or encode/decode. A software component
used to translate video or audio from its analog uncompressed form to the digital
compressed form in which it is stored on a computer’s hard disk. DV, Photo, JPEG, and
Sorenson Video are common QuickTime video codecs. Also referred to as a compressor.
color balance Refers to the mixes of red, green, and blue in a clip. In Final Cut Pro, you
can adjust the color balance of the highlights (bright areas), midtones, or shadows
(dark areas) of your clip using the Color Corrector 3-way filter.
color bars A standard color test signal displayed as columns, often accompanied by a
reference audio tone. Color bars are used to adjust the video signal of the incoming
source tape to maintain proper color from tape to computer and through to output.
Color bars are also output to a master tape so that accurate duplicates (dubs) of the
tape can be made.
color correction A process in which the color of clips used in an edited program is
evened out so that all shots in a given scene match. Color correction is generally one of
the last steps in finishing an edited program. The color correction tools in Final Cut Pro
give you precise control over the look of every clip in your project by adjusting the
color balance, black levels, midtones, and white levels of individual clips.