News Writing & Journalism
The opening sentence or paragraph of a news story that summarizes the most important information and captures the reader’s attention
What is a Lede?
A shot taken from below the subject looking upward, often making the subject appear larger, more powerful, or more dramatic.
What is a Low Angle shot?
An editing tool used to cut a video or audio clip at a specific point on the timeline so parts can be trimmed, moved, or deleted.
What is the blade tool?
A unit used to measure the intensity or loudness of sound.
What is a decibel? (dB)
Using someone else’s words, ideas, or work and presenting them as your own without giving proper credit.
What is plagiarism?
Identifying the source of information or quotes in a news story, usually by naming the person or organization that provided it.
What is the Attribution?
A camera movement where the camera stays in one place but rotates left or right to follow a subject or reveal more of a scene.
What is panning?/What is a pan?
A graphic placed in the bottom third of the screen, usually used to display names, titles, locations, or other identifying information.
What is a lower third?
Audio distortion that occurs when a sound signal is too loud and exceeds the recording system’s maximum level.
What is clipping?
A false statement presented as fact in written or published form that damages a person’s reputation.
What is libel?
A specific topic, issue, or area that a reporter regularly covers, such as sports, politics, or education.
What is a Beat?
Secondary footage used to support the main footage in a video, often showing related scenes or details while narration or interviews continue
What is B-Roll?
Visual effects placed between two clips to control how one shot changes into the next (for example, fades, dissolves, or wipes).
What are transitions?
Sensitive microphones that capture detailed sound, commonly used in studios for vocals and instruments.
What is a condenser microphone?
A legal protection that gives the creator of original work the exclusive right to use, reproduce, and distribute that work.
What is copyright?
A news writing structure where the most important information is first, followed by supporting details, and the least important information at the end
What is the Inverted Pyramid?
A camera shot that tightly frames a subject, usually focusing on a person’s face or a specific detail.
What is close-up?
Workspace in video editing software where clips, audio, effects, and graphics are arranged to build the final video
What is the timeline?
Everyday sound effects (like footsteps, clothing movement, or doors closing) recreated in a studio and added to a film during post-production.
What are foley sounds?
A false and damaging statement about someone that is spoken rather than written.
What is slander?
A longer, more descriptive article that focuses on storytelling, background details, and human interest rather than just reporting basic facts.
What is a Feature Story?
A composition guideline where the frame is divided into a 3×3 grid, and important subjects are placed along the lines or intersections to make the shot more visually balanced.
What is the Rule of Thirds?
The process where editing software processes all clips, effects, and adjustments to generate the final video output or to preview complex edits smoothly.
What is rendering?
The process of re-recording dialogue in a studio after filming to improve audio quality or replace unclear lines.
What is ADR? (Automated Dialogue Replacement)
A legal principle that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, or research.