The Waveform

1. What is the IRE scale? What does it mean on the waveform?
2. What is crushing and clipping? What does it tell you when you see it happening on the waveform?
3. Why is the waveform monitor so important to the digital cinematographer?

The IRE scale indicates the exposure levels. Because precise exposure levels are hard to identify with bare eyes, utilizing these mediums can lead to better image quality for post production. Within the IRE scale, the y axis--the vertical axis-- identify the exposure levels of the image. The higher the line, the brighter the image. The lower the line, the dimmer the image. In the horizontal axis, identifies the position of the image. The left side of the IRE scale will be high if the left side of the image is bright. Anything above 100% is "crushed" and anything below 0% is "clipped." Anything that is above or below the line is not "broadcast legal."