The Editor’s Toolbox: Essential Terms You Need to Know

​As you begin to explore video editing, you’ll quickly see there's a new technical language, which is essential to your understanding of the 'post-production' process. Knowing the terminology isn’t just about being able to navigate editing software like Premiere Pro; it’s about becoming a more valuable and knowledgeable contributor on set and in the editing room. In this article, we’ll break down some essential editing terms, their historical origins, and explain why understanding this language will fast-track your learning journey. Click here and let's 'cut to the chase'...

What is 'Post-Production'?
Before we even begin with the technical stuff, it’s important to understand what “post-production” actually means.

'Post-production' refers to all the work that happens after the actual filming is completed. This includes editing, sound design and effects (SFX), visual effects (VFX), colour correction and grading, and sooo much more.

So if you hear someone say, “We’ll fix that in post,” you'll know they’re referring to making changes or corrections during the editing phase of the filmmaking process. Post-production is where raw footage is transformed into the final product that audiences see.

For performers, understanding post-production is useful because it’s where your work on camera is shaped and polished into its final form. The better you understand that process, the better you can collaborate with editors and directors :)

Why Knowing Editing Terminology is Beneficial for Performers and Their Careers.
For actors and stunt performers, grasping the language of post-production offers several advantages.

First, it allows you to communicate more effectively with the crew. When you understand terms like “cut,” “sequence,” and “keyframe,” you can follow along during discussions and contribute meaningfully. This not only helps in making adjustments to your performance but also demonstrates your professionalism and commitment to the project.

Second, knowing the terminology helps you understand the technical constraints and possibilities of editing, which can inform how you perform in front of the camera. For instance, knowing that a certain scene will be cut in a specific way might influence how you deliver a line or execute a stunt.

Lastly, understanding editing terms empowers you to take control of your own content creation. Whether you’re putting together a showreel or producing original content, speaking the language of post-production gives you the tools to bring your vision to life without relying entirely on others.

The Editor’s Toolbox: Key Terms and Their Meanings. 
Here’s a list of common editing terms every beginner should know. Many of these words have roots in the early days of filmmaking when editors literally cut and spliced or taped pieces of 35mm film together.

Understanding these origins not only helps demystify the process but also connects you to the rich history of the craft.

1. Timeline

• Definition: The timeline is the workspace in your editing software where you arrange video, audio, and other elements in a sequence. It visually represents the order in which clips will play (running from left to right on screen).
• Historical Origin: The concept of a timeline comes from the traditional film editing process, where editors would physically splice together strips of film to create a sequence. Often this involved laying out pieces of film, looking at how they overlap and choosing which frames cut between, before slicing the 2 pieces of film with a razor and joining them together to make a new single piece (which is why we talk about making a cut or cutting film) .
• Why It Matters: Understanding the timeline allows you to see the structure of your project at a glance, helping you to make informed decisions about pacing and flow.
  
  

2. Clip

• Definition: A clip is a single piece of footage or media, such as a video, audio track, a caption or an image, that you can place on the timeline.
• Historical Origin: The term “clip” originates from the practice of clipping segments of film to be placed into the final edited film strip (now a timeline).
• Why It Matters: Knowing what a clip is and how to trim, manipulate and place or insert them into the timeline gives you much greater control over the building blocks of your project.
  
  

3. Sequence

• Definition: A sequence is a collection of clips, arranged in the timeline in the desired order or sequence. Like a chapter in a book, a final film may contain many sequences. 
• Historical Origin: In traditional film editing, a sequence was a specific order of shots that were edited together to tell a part of the story. Rather than edit an entire film, many editors could work on individual sequences before they were all spliced together into the 'final cut'.
• Why It Matters: Understanding sequences helps you organise complex projects, allowing for more efficient editing and revision processes.
  
  

4. Cut

• Definition: A cut is the most basic edit you can make, defining where one clip ends, and the next begins with no transition between them.
• Historical Origin: The term comes from the physical act of cutting film strips with a razor blade and splicing or taping them together.
• Why It Matters: Mastering cuts allows you to control the rhythm and pace of your film, influencing how the audience experiences the story. In addition, learning to unlink audio and video tracks to cut in interesting ways (J-cuts and L cuts) can enhance the final film.  
  
  

5. Transition

• Definition: A transition is an effect that smoothly changes one clip into another. Common transitions include dissolves, fades, and wipes. Use them carefully and avoid the cheesy ones. Cuts, fades and fade through black are the best options to start with. 
• Historical Origin: Transitions were originally created by manipulating the physical film, such as overlapping two pieces of film to create a dissolve effect.
• Why It Matters: Transitions help to guide the viewer through your story, providing visual cues that indicate a change in time, location, or mood.
  
  

6. Keyframe

• Definition: A keyframe is a point on the timeline where you set a specific value for an effect or animation. Keyframes are used to create changes over time, such as moving an object across the screen or adjusting volume.
• Historical Origin: Keyframes were originally used in animation to set out the beginning and end points or key moments of a movement, before drawing all the frames that go between them (search onion skin animation to find out mroe)
• Why It Matters: Understanding keyframes allows you to add motion and dynamic effects to your projects, create them faster and use the software to smooth things out, making your videos more engaging.
  
  

7. Layer

• Definition: Layers in video editing refer to the stacking order of video or audio clips on the timeline. Clips on higher layers appear above those on lower layers.
• Historical Origin: The concept of layers comes from traditional animation and design, where elements were drawn or placed on transparent sheets to be stacked on top of each other. The top layer is closer the the camera / viewer and anything beneath sits behind it (lookup Disney's Multi-plane Camera to see how this worked in traditional animation) 
• Why It Matters: Managing layers effectively ensures that your visuals and audio elements are presented in the correct order, maintaining the integrity of your project.
  
  

8. Ripple Edit

• Definition: A ripple edit automatically adjusts the timeline when you trim a clip, closing the gap between clips so there’s no empty space.
• Historical Origin: In physical film editing, ripple edits were done manually by splicing the film together without leaving gaps.
• Why It Matters: Ripple editing helps to maintain the flow of your sequence, preventing awkward pauses or gaps in the final video.
  
  

9. Exporting

• Definition: Exporting is the process of saving your edited project as a video file. It involves selecting settings like resolution, format, and quality.
• Historical Origin: In traditional film, the final edited version of a film would be printed onto a master reel, which is conceptually similar to exporting in digital editing.
• Why It Matters: Exporting is the final step in your project. Knowing how to export correctly ensures your video looks and sounds as good as possible.

10. Render

• Definition: The words Rendering and Exporting are often used in place of each other. Rendering is actually part of Exporting and it describes the process your computer uses to generating the final production / export quality video file from your timeline, including all effects, transitions, and edits rendered at final quality (as opposed to the low resolution preview you probably watched in your editing software).
• Historical Origin: The term “render” was first used in 3D computer graphics and has since been adopted in video editing to describe the process of finalising a project.
• Why It Matters: Rendering produces a polished version of your video that can be shared or uploaded, ensuring all elements are correctly processed and displayed.
  
  

11. Codec

• Definition: A codec is a program that compresses and decompresses video files. Different codecs are used depending on the desired quality and file size.
• Historical Origin: Codec is a portmanteau of “compressor-decompressor.” In the early days of digital video, codecs were developed to reduce the massive file sizes of raw video footage.
• Why It Matters: Choosing the right codec balances quality and file size, which is crucial for ensuring your video is accessible and meets the necessary distribution requirements. When you are talking about Codec's, you are talking about 'Compression' (typically you are making the final video file smaller in terms of data storage or optimising it for different types of devices)
  
  

12. B-Roll

• Definition: B-roll refers to supplementary footage that is intercut with the main shot to add context or visual interest.
• Historical Origin: The term comes from the early days of filmmaking, where the main footage was labelled as “A-roll” and supplementary footage as “B-roll.”
• Why It Matters: B-roll enriches your video by providing additional context or visual variety, making the final product more engaging for the viewer.
  
  

13. Colour Grading

• Definition: Colour grading is the process of adjusting the colours in your video to achieve a specific look or mood.
• Historical Origin: Colour grading was initially done by physically tinting film or adjusting the chemical process during development. In modern editing, it’s done digitally.
• Why It Matters: Colour grading allows you to establish the tone and aesthetic of your film, making your project visually cohesive and professional.
  
  

14. Audio Sync

• Definition: Audio sync is the process of aligning your video and audio tracks so that the sound matches the visuals.
• Historical Origin: Syncing audio was a major challenge in the early days of sound films, often requiring meticulous manual adjustments to ensure dialogue matched the actors’ lip movements.
• Why It Matters: Proper audio sync ensures that your project is professional and immersive, preventing distractions caused by out-of-sync audio.
  
  

15. Preview

• Definition: A Preview (or Proxy) is a lower-resolution version of your video that makes editing faster, especially when working with high-resolution footage.
• Historical Origin: Preview quality originates from early computer graphics and digital editing, where lower quality footage allowed for faster or real time editing and faster rendering and processing of complex scenes.
• Why It Matters: Using lower resolution previews allows you to work more efficiently, especially on slower machines, while still producing high-quality final output.
  
  

How Speaking the Language of Post-Production Benefits Performers.
As a performer, being able to speak the language of post-production is invaluable. It allows you to engage more effectively with directors and editors, understand their needs, and adjust your performances accordingly. For example, if a director mentions that a scene will be cut in a particular way, you’ll know how to modulate your performance to suit that edit.

Moreover, professionals in the industry respect performers who understand the broader filmmaking process. It demonstrates that you’re not just focused on yourself and that you better understand your part and role in front of the camera, and in the overall process of the entire project. This can make you a more attractive collaborator, potentially leading to more opportunities.

Finally, when you create your own content, knowing this terminology empowers you to communicate your vision clearly and execute it effectively. Whether you’re working alone or with a team, speaking the same language ensures that your projects run smoothly and your final product is more likely to meet your expectations.