VIDEO PRODUCTION GLOSSARY: COMMON VIDEO TERMS EXPLAINED

Video is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways for businesses to communicate with customers, promote products and services, and build trust with their audience in 2026.

And yes, granted, we may be a little biased, with Treefrog being a digital marketing & video production agency.
But, the facts speak for themselves, and there’s a reason why SME’s and major corporations up and down the country are scaling up their video output, and investing more budget into video content as a whole.

However, if you've never worked with a video production company before, the terminology can sometimes feel overwhelming.

During project meetings, you may hear references to B-roll, frame rates, colour grading, shot lists, aspect ratios, or rendering. Whilst these are everyday terms for filmmakers, they can easily leave clients wondering exactly what everyone is talking about.

The good news is that you don't need to become a filmmaker to understand the basics.

Learning the most common video production terms will help you communicate more effectively with your production team, provide clearer feedback during editing, and better understand the creative decisions that shape your final video.

There are hundreds of technical filmmaking terms, but most businesses will only encounter a relatively small number throughout a typical project. This glossary focuses on the terminology you're most likely to hear, explaining each term in straightforward language without unnecessary technical jargon.

Whether you're planning your first hospitality video or simply want to improve your understanding of the production process, this guide will help you become more confident when discussing your next project.

PRE-PRODUCTION TERMS

Pre-production is the planning stage of video production. The more preparation that takes place before filming begins, the smoother and more efficient the shoot is likely to be.

BRIEF

A document outlining the objectives, audience, messaging and requirements for a video project. It provides the production team with a clear understanding of what the client wants to achieve.

CALL SHEET

A schedule distributed before filming that tells everyone involved where they need to be, when they should arrive and what will happen throughout the day.

CREATIVE CONCEPT

The overall idea behind the video. This includes the visual style, messaging, tone of voice and creative direction that will shape the final production.

LOCATION RECCE

A visit to a filming location before the shoot to assess lighting, space, access, power, sound and any potential challenges.

SCRIPT

The written dialogue and structure of a video. Even videos that feel natural often begin with a carefully planned script.

SHOT LIST

A detailed list of every shot required during filming. It helps the production team stay organised and ensures nothing important is missed.

STORYBOARD

A sequence of illustrations showing how each scene is expected to look before filming begins.

FILMING TERMS

Production is where the planning becomes reality. These are some of the most common terms you'll hear on a filming day.

B-ROLL

Additional footage used to support the main story. Examples include office scenes, close-ups of products or employees working, which are often layered over interviews.

CLOSE-UP

A tightly framed shot focusing on a person's face or a specific object to highlight important detail.

ESTABLISHING SHOT

A wide shot that introduces a location before moving into more detailed footage.

FRAME RATE

The number of individual images recorded every second. Common frame rates include 25fps, 30fps and 60fps depending on the intended style and platform.

LIGHTNING

Artificial or natural light used to ensure subjects are clearly visible and presented professionally.

RULE OF THIRDS

A composition technique that positions subjects slightly off-centre to create a more balanced and visually appealing image.

WHITE BALANCE

A camera setting that ensures colours appear natural under different lighting conditions.

ZOOM

Changing the camera's focal length to make a subject appear closer or further away without physically moving the camera.

AUDIO TERMS

Excellent visuals can quickly be undermined by poor sound. Professional audio recording is essential for creating high-quality videos.

AMBIENT SOUND

Natural background audio recorded within a location, such as office noise, birdsong or traffic.

BOOM MICROPHONE

A microphone attached to a long pole, positioned just outside the camera frame to capture clear dialogue.

DIALOGUE

The spoken conversation or interview recorded during filming.

LAVALIER MICROPHONE

A small clip-on microphone attached to a person's clothing. Commonly used for interviews and presentations.

VOICEOVER

Narration recorded separately from the main footage and added during editing.

POST-PRODUCTION TERMS

Once filming has finished, the footage moves into post-production where everything is assembled into the finished video.

COLOUR CORRECTION

Adjusting brightness, exposure and colour so that footage looks natural and consistent.

COLOUR GRADING

The creative process of giving footage a distinctive visual style or mood after colour correction has been completed.

EDITING

Selecting, arranging and refining footage into a coherent final video.

MOTION GRAPHICS

Animated graphics used to enhance videos, such as titles, icons, diagrams or statistics.

RENDERING

The process of exporting the finished project into a video file that can be viewed or shared.

ROUGH CUT

The first complete version of a video before detailed refinements and client feedback.

SUBTITLES

On-screen text displaying spoken dialogue, improving accessibility and making videos easier to watch without sound.

VIDEO MARKETING TERMS

Creating a great video is only part of the process. These terms relate to how video is used within marketing campaigns.

BRAND FILM

A video designed to communicate a company's values, personality and purpose rather than promoting a specific product.

CALL TO ACTION (CTA)

A prompt encouraging viewers to take the next step, such as contacting a business, visiting a website or downloading a guide.

CASE STUDY VIDEO

A customer success story demonstrating how a business has helped a client solve a particular problem.

CORPORATE VIDEO

A professional video created for business purposes, including recruitment, internal communications, training or marketing.

EXPLAINER VIDEO

A short video designed to explain a product, service or process in a clear and engaging way.
Want to know why videos are so important for product explainers? Read our blog on the subject.

TESTIMONIAL VIDEO

A video featuring real customers sharing their experiences and feedback to build credibility and trust.
Discover how to create effective testimonial and case study videos here.

VIDEO SEO

Optimising videos so they are more likely to appear in search results through relevant titles, descriptions, transcripts, and metadata.

If you’re interested in video SEO, check out our blog on why videos are essential for landing pages.

VIDEO DELIVERY TERMS

Once editing is complete, the finished video needs to be exported in the correct format for its intended use.

1080P

High-definition video with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. It remains one of the most commonly used formats online.

4K

Ultra-high-definition video with approximately four times the resolution of Full HD, producing greater image detail.

CODEC

Software used to compress and store video files whilst maintaining quality.

MP4

One of the most widely supported video file formats, suitable for websites, social media and presentations.

Resolution

The number of pixels used to create an image. Higher resolutions generally produce sharper, more detailed video.

COMPRESSION

The process of reducing a video's file size whilst maintaining as much visual and audio quality as possible. Compression makes videos easier to upload, download and stream online, although excessive compression can noticeably reduce image quality.

FILE TRANSFER

The process of securely sending large video files between production companies and clients. Because video files are often several gigabytes in size, they are usually transferred using dedicated file-sharing platforms rather than email.

FRAME.IO

A cloud-based video review and collaboration platform that allows clients to watch videos, leave time-stamped comments and approve edits without downloading large files. It streamlines the feedback process by keeping all comments linked directly to specific moments in the video.

WETRANSFER

A popular file-sharing service used to send large video files that are too big for email attachments. It provides a quick and simple way to deliver footage, project files, or completed videos to clients.

BITRATE

The amount of data used every second of a video, usually measured in Mbps (megabits per second). Higher bitrates generally produce better image quality but also result in larger file sizes.

EXPORT

The process of creating the final video file from the editing software. During export, settings such as resolution, bitrate, codec and file format are selected to suit the video's intended use.

H.264

One of the world's most widely used video codecs. It offers an excellent balance between image quality and file size, making it ideal for websites, social media, and general business use.

RESOLUTION

The number of pixels contained within a video image. Common resolutions include 1080p (Full HD) and 4K (Ultra HD), with higher resolutions producing greater detail and clarity.

RAW FOOTAGE

The original, unedited video files captured during filming. RAW footage contains the highest level of detail and flexibility for editing but typically results in very large file sizes.

PROXY FILES

Lower-resolution copies of the original footage created to make editing smoother and faster. Once editing is complete, the software automatically reconnects to the full-quality files for export.

ARCHIVE

The process of securely storing original footage, project files, and final exports after a project has been completed. Archiving allows videos to be updated, re-edited or repurposed in the future if required.

UNDERSTANDING VIDEO PRODUCTION DOESN'T NEED TO BE COMPLICATED

Video production may seem full of technical terminology, but understanding the basics can make a significant difference when planning your next project, either in-house or working with a video agency.

And if you can’t decide whether to use an agency, read our blog on when to outsource video content here.

Knowing the difference between a storyboard and a shot list, understanding why B-roll matters or recognising the purpose of colour grading allows you to communicate more confidently with your production team. It also helps you provide clearer feedback, understand creative recommendations and make more informed decisions throughout the production process.

You don't need to memorise every filmmaking term to create a successful video. Instead, focus on understanding the concepts that directly affect your project and the goals you're trying to achieve.

At Treefrog, we believe the production process should be collaborative, transparent, and easy to understand. Whether you're producing your first corporate video, creating customer testimonials, or planning a wider video marketing campaign, our team will guide you through every stage of the journey, helping turn your ideas into engaging content that delivers real business results.

Contact us here
Or learn more about our video production services here.

And finally, if you found this video terminology article helpful, you may also benefit from our SEO glossary.