Analog – Term refers to VHS tape technology and footage, which is quickly going by the wayside in our age of digital cameras and footage. If you hear ‘analog,’ that means the technology is on its way out, and that resulting VHS tapes might not be of the best use to you in the future.

Digital camera -- Digital cameras provide better footage and editing capabilities, and are the wave of the future. Digital cameras are more light-sensitive, so you won’t need those bright lights in the room. Digital provides quick editing and duplication, with far better results on copied DVDs than can be attained with VHS.

Digitization -- The process by which the video editors transfers your wedding day video footage into the computer editing system.

DVD – The term for Digital Versatile Disc. A DVD allows you to jump to any portion of your wedding video, which the videographer or editor may separate into ‘chapters’ for your easy navigating.

DVD burning – Copying footage onto a DVD.

DVE – Digital Video Effect. This term refers to the special effects that a video editor may use to enhance your wedding video. Some examples are strobe, page turns, slow-motion, letterbox, black-and-white and sepia footage.

In-camera edit – Also known as a ‘raw edit,’ where the videographer captures the wedding day footage in an ‘as is’ state, with no editing afterward. You get the footage exactly as it happened.

Linear editing – The process by which video footage is transferred directly from the camera and edited using multiple VCRs or viewing systems. This technology is considered outdated, in favor of the less expensive computer editing systems called Non-Linear Editing.

NLE, or Non-Linear Editing System – Using digitization, the wedding footage is loaded directly into a single computer system and edited. Videographers have upgraded to this editing system to allow them greater ease of edits.

Outtakes – Just like in a movie DVD, these are the scenes that were not included in the final production. You may request that your outtakes be edited onto a different disk, or added as a blooper reel to your video.

Raw footage  -- See ‘in-camera edit. Raw footage is less expensive than editing video, since no extra work is needed.

HD Video -- High Definition Television (HDTV) has taken over the television industry and is now arriving in wedding videos. HDTV offers higher resolution, and thus greater detail in every shot. HDTV footage is 5x clearer than VHS, almost 3x clearer than DVD. Look closely at HD wedding videos to be sure that so much clarity would be good for your wedding video. Some brides say the resolution strength shows every skin flaw and is not as flattering to people as it is to scenery.