Video editing glossary
Key terms for proxy workflows, cloud storage, and NLE handoffs, explained without jargon.
Proxy file
A proxy file is a lightweight, lower-resolution copy of the original footage used for smooth editing on any computer, replaced by the original at final export.
WebDAV
WebDAV is an HTTP extension that presents remote files as a local disk, letting applications read and write them transparently.
LRU cache
An LRU cache is a storage pool that automatically evicts the least recently used items when space runs low, keeping frequently accessed data fast to reach.
FFmpeg
FFmpeg is an open-source command-line video and audio encoder that powers most professional and consumer video tools, including Sanbila proxy generation.
ProRes Proxy
ProRes Proxy is the lightest member of the Apple ProRes codec family, designed for offline editing in Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and any NLE that supports ProRes.
DNxHR LB
DNxHR LB (Low Bandwidth) is the lightest tier of Avid's DNxHR codec family, designed for offline proxy editing in Avid Media Composer.
Cloudflare R2
Cloudflare R2 is an object storage service compatible with the Amazon S3 API, with zero fees for downloading data out of the storage (zero egress).
Smart Relink
Smart Relink is a Sanbila feature that reads a timeline file from your NLE, identifies the clips actually used in the cut, and switches each one between proxy and original streaming on demand.
Virtual Folder
A Virtual Folder is a folder of symbolic links (symlinks) that the NLE treats as a regular folder of media, except each link can point to a local proxy or to a cloud-mounted drive containing the original.
ProRes 422 HQ
Apple ProRes 422 HQ is a visually lossless intermediate codec at roughly 220 Mbps in 1080p, used as a broadcast master and as the recording codec of many cinema cameras.
DNxHR HQX
Avid DNxHR HQX is a 12-bit 4:2:2 intermediate codec at roughly 220 Mbps in 1080p, designed as a high-quality master for broadcast and online editorial in Avid Media Composer.
Blackmagic RAW (BRAW)
Blackmagic RAW is a partially processed 12-bit RAW codec from Blackmagic Design that keeps RAW-grade flexibility for the colour grade while staying lighter to edit than truly RAW formats.
FCPXML
FCPXML is the XML-based project exchange format used by Apple Final Cut Pro to describe libraries, events, projects, clips and timelines, supported by DaVinci Resolve and many other NLEs for portability.
AAF (Advanced Authoring Format)
AAF is a binary project exchange container used by Avid Media Composer to round-trip edits with other systems like DaVinci Resolve, Pro Tools and any tool that implements the AMWA spec.
Multicam sync
Multicam sync aligns clips from several cameras onto a common timecode or audio reference so a single multicam clip behaves like one source that the editor can cut camera by camera.
Transcoding
Transcoding is the process of decoding video from one codec and re-encoding it into another, used to make footage lighter, more compatible, or easier to edit.
Intermediate codec
An intermediate codec is a high-quality, lightly compressed format designed for editing and finishing rather than capture or delivery, decoding quickly on any timeline.
Offline and online editing
Offline editing builds the cut on lightweight proxy media, and online editing rebuilds that same cut on full-resolution originals for colour, effects, and final delivery.
Conform
Conforming is the process of rebuilding a finished edit on the original full-resolution media, matching every cut, transition, and timing from the offline timeline.
LUT
A LUT, or lookup table, is a file that maps input colour values to output values, used to transform log footage into a normal image or to apply a consistent creative look.
R3D (REDCODE RAW)
R3D is the REDCODE RAW file format recorded by RED cameras, a compressed raw codec that preserves the original sensor data for wide latitude in colour and exposure.
Timecode
Timecode is a frame-accurate address written as hours:minutes:seconds:frames that labels every frame of a clip so editors can sync, reference, and conform footage precisely.
EDL (Edit Decision List)
An EDL is a simple text file that lists every edit in a sequence by source clip, timecode in and out, and position, used to move a cut between systems.
Colour grading
Colour grading is the post-production process of adjusting colour, contrast, and tone across a project to correct footage and give it a deliberate visual style.
Rec. 709
Rec. 709 is the international colour space standard for high-definition video, defining the gamut, gamma, and white point that most screens and broadcast deliverables expect.
Log profile
A log profile is a camera recording curve that stores a wide dynamic range in a flat, low-contrast image, giving the colourist maximum latitude to grade in post.
H.264 (AVC)
H.264, also called AVC, is a widely supported video codec that compresses footage efficiently for delivery, streaming, and lightweight proxies.
HEVC (H.265)
HEVC, also called H.265, is a video codec that delivers about the same quality as H.264 at half the bitrate, common for 4K and HDR capture and streaming.
MXF (Material Exchange Format)
MXF is a professional media container that wraps video, audio, and metadata together in a single file, standard across broadcast and high-end post-production.
NAS (Network Attached Storage)
A NAS is a storage device connected to a local network that lets several computers read and write the same files, often used to share media across an edit suite.
Cloud storage
Cloud storage holds files on remote servers reached over the internet, providing capacity, redundancy, and access from anywhere without owning physical drives.
Egress fees
Egress fees are the charges a cloud provider applies when you move data out of its network, separate from the cost of storing it.
Object storage
Object storage keeps each file as an object with its own metadata and unique key in a flat namespace, built to scale to billions of items rather than mimic a folder tree.
Presigned URL
A presigned URL is a time-limited link that grants access to a specific object in cloud storage without exposing the account credentials behind it.
Multipart upload
Multipart upload splits a large file into smaller parts that upload independently, often in parallel, then reassembles them into one object in storage.
Checksum (SHA-256)
A checksum is a short fingerprint computed from a file's contents, used to verify the file arrived intact and to detect identical copies.
Frame rate
Frame rate is the number of individual frames displayed per second, measured in fps, which sets how motion looks and how footage matches a delivery standard.
Bitrate
Bitrate is the amount of data a video uses per second, usually in megabits per second, balancing image quality against file size and playback demand.
Container format
A container format is the file wrapper that holds video, audio, and metadata together, distinct from the codec that actually compresses the picture inside it.
Ingest
Ingest is the process of bringing footage into a post-production system, copying it off cards or drives, verifying it, and organising it for the edit.
Media Asset Management (MAM)
Media Asset Management, or MAM, is a system that catalogues, searches, and tracks video and audio assets so a team can find and reuse media across projects.
Raw video
Raw video stores the minimally processed data straight from the camera sensor, keeping maximum flexibility for exposure, white balance, and colour in post.