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Glossary

Active scene

Currently selected scene displayed in the canvas.

Animation

A change to a visual layer’s properties between the start and end points.

Animation mode

The mode that allows you to adjust the properties of an animation.

App Bar

Editor header that gives you access to media, shapes, and text to add to your composition, plus the recorder and templates. You can also publish or export your composition, invite collaborators, and change your settings or preferences.

Auto-leveling

An audio feature that automatically adjusts the volume for individual audio clips in your timeline

Automatic microfades Non-visible fades Descript applies between clips. These fades assure you don’t get popping noises during playback.

Background

Base layer color of a scene.

Basic member

Type of drive member; basic members can comment on projects and have limited transcription, editing, recording, and exporting capabilities on projects they created. They can also invite more basic members to the drive. The drive owner can add basic members for free.

Blade tool

A timeline tool that splits your clip where you click.

Canvas

Editor panel where you can arrange and adjust the visuals in your scenes; not visible on audio-only compositions.

Captions

Live text connected to your composition’s script.

Clip

The visible or audible section of a project file used in a layer or track.

Comments (page)

Comments made on a published page’s transcript.

Comments (project)

Comments on a Script, added in and viewable in a project

Composition

The main work area in Descript; a composition is where you edit and assemble (and potentially even create) your content.

Consenting speaker

The person submitting their voice to create a custom Overdub voice.

Copy highlights

Feature that copies all the highlighted sections of your script to your clipboard.

Correction

Script Editor tool for making transcript corrections; doesn’t affect the underlying script media.

Correction wizard

Feature that detects transcription errors so you can quickly review and correct them.

Detach audio

Feature that detaches audio from a video; after detaching, Descript will turn your video into a multitrack sequence with the video and audio on separate tracks.

Drive

Central storage for projects, templates, quick recordings, and Overdub voices you create in Descript.

Drive member

Descript user who has been given access to a drive.

Drive owner

Descript user who has administrative privileges of a drive.

Drive view

Central hub for project organization in Descript.

Duplicate transcript

An issue that occurs when, in a multitrack sequence, a speaker's voice can be heard across multiple tracks, causing inaccurate assignment of speaker labels.

Edit Speakers Menu

Menu where you can add and adjust speaker labels and link Overdub voices to them.

Editor member

Drive membership type; editor members add monthly transcription time to the drive. editors can create/edit projects, transcribe files, and invite basic members to the drive. Adding editors creates an additional subscription charge for the drive owner.

Effect (Audio)

Feature used to alter or enhance audio properties.

Effect (Video)

Feature used to alter or enhance video properties.

Extended layer

A visual or audio layer that extends over multiple scenes.

Filler word detection

Feature that quickly identifies potential filler words (e.g., ”um,” “like,” “you know”) in a composition or project.

Flatten tracks

Feature that takes an edited composition or script track and creates a brand new consolidated file in your composition, overwriting existing timeline edits.

Gap clip

A silent clip you can add to the script track or media layers.

Green Screen

Feature that uses AI to remove a video’s background.

Gutter

A preview area for Scene thumbnails located to the side of the script.

Hand tool

Timeline tool that allows you to adjust the horizontal view of the timeline by click and dragging on the timeline.

Hover toolbar

Tool panel that appears when you highlight a section of text in the script editor.

Ignore

Feature that puts strikethroughs text in your transcript and non-destructively deletes the associated Script media.

Import transcript

A feature that allows you to sync an existing transcript with its corresponding media; this does not count towards monthly subscription hours free of charge.

Inline notes

Parenthetical annotations in your script editor that do not affect the text/audio sync of your Script media.

Insert Bar

Section of the app bar that allows you to add media files, templates, shapes, text, and record directly in Descript.

Jibber jabber

Nonsense audio that replaces words not included in Overdub’s 1,000-word vocabulary on Free and Creator accounts.

Keyframe (animations)

Start and end frame that defines the properties at the start and end of the animation as well as the animation’s duration.

Layer

A layer contains the visual and audio elements you use to create content within a composition.

Live collaboration

Feature that allows multiple users to edit and comment on projects at the same time.

Live editing

Editing while recording in the main app (transcription must be enabled).

Live transcription

Feature that transcribes your in-app recording in realtime.

Main editor

The primary window where you interact with your compositions.

Manatee

The Cadillac of sea creatures.

Markers

Indicators used to break your composition into segments or mark important moments.

Media library

Library in your project where you can view and access your project files, sequences, and stock media.

Overdub

Feature that generates synthetic speech that sounds just like your voice.

Page

A published standalone web page of a Descript composition with a shareable link and embeddable web player.

Placeholder text

Text associated with your script that can be replaced with Overdub or transcribed media files.

Playhead

Indicates where playback will begin when you next press play.

Project

Container for the content you create in Descript; stores all of your media files and your compositions.

Project access

A Descript user’s ability to view and edit a project.

Project file

Audio or visuals you import into your project and the recordings you create directly in Descript.

Project link

Sharable link for accessing a Descript project.

Project owner

User who created a project or has been transferred project ownership.

Project search

Feature that allows to to search for text, word gaps, or filler words in a composition or project.

Properties

Define the look and sound of your composition’s media along with the media’s duration and position.

Properties panel

Editor panel that allows you to view and adjust properties of almost everything you select in your project.

Quick action

Command menu that give you access to a host of navigation, search and editing features.

Quick Editor

Light-weight editor used to edit recordings made with the quick recorder.

Quick Recorder

Descript’s standalone recorder; allows you to make video or screen recordings without opening the main app, by clicking the Descript logo on your computer’s menu bar.

Quick Recordings (Drive view tab)

Drive view section that contains recording made with the quick recorder.

Range tool

Timeline tool used to select portions of video or audio layers in the timeline.

Record to scene

Recording a video or audio layer within a scene.

Record to script

Recording a video or audio layer to your script track.

Recorder

Recorder in the main editor capable of recording multitrack audio, video, or screen recordings.

Recording panel

Panel that displays the recording settings in your main editor and allows you to start/stop a recording.

Recordings (folder in Private Workspace)

The default location for recordings you make with the quick recorder.

Replace file

Feature that loads in a new file, replaces the project files in use, and deletes the replaced file.

Replace Script Track

Feature that lets you replace a range of the script track with new audio/video using roughly the same script.

Replace transcript

Feature that allows you to replace a file’s transcription with a new transcription.

Scene

Segments of your video created by hitting the / key or clicking + in the script track; allow you to add and adjust media layers in your video without touching the timeline”.

Scene boundary

Start or end point of a scene.

Scene thumbnail

Visual representation of scenes in the script editor.

Script

The fundamental, underlying element of editing in Descript; keeps all visuals, audio, and scenes aligned in your composition.

Script editor

Editor panel where you edit your media by editing text, correct and adjust your transcript, and add or correct audio with Overdub.

Script track

Unique track that contains the script media in a composition.

Select tool

Timeline tool used to quickly select layers and clips in the timeline.

Sequence

A virtual container that keeps grouped tracks in sync with each other while you edit in a composition.

Sequence Editor

Descript’s multitrack editing view and workspace.

Slip tool

Timeline tool that shifts the portion of a project file played within a clip.

Speaker Detective

Feature that uses AI to identify speakers and apply speaker labels in a transcribed file.

Speaker label

Labels that identify speakers in your media files or link script text to an Overdub voice.

Spot audition

Keyboard shortcut for playing back a short snippet of media from your current playhead's position. (Mac: Shift + Command + Space; Windows: Shift + Control + Space)

Stock media

Media from our integrated cloud libraries in the media library that’s available for your compositions.

Studio Sound

Feature that uses AI to enhance speakers' voices while reducing and removing background noise, room echo, and other sounds you don't want.

Tags

Feature that allows you to label ranges of non-speech media in the script track; help assure that speech text is not misattributed to non-speech sections of your text.

Template

A collection of pre-made scenes that you can apply to scenes in a composition.

Template gallery

Stores all the templates you can use in a composition.

Template project

Special projects where you assemble a collection of scenes into a template.

Timeline

Editor panel where you can make fine edits to timing, make adjustments to your wordbar, and apply effects and transitions.

Timeline export

Export feature that non-destructively exports a composition to a format that can be opened in most major audio and video editing tools.

Tracks Individual audio and video rows in the sequence editor.

Training session

Special projects containing the training media used to create your Overdub voice.

Transcription

The text transcription associated with your script.

Transcription glossary

A collection of terms you can create to help Descript correctly detect tough-to-transcribe words.

Transcription limit

Monthly transcription time available for a drive.

Transition

A visual effect you can apply when moving between scenes and clips.

Transition handle

A small white circle that appears when you hover your mouse over the top-corner of a clip in the timeline. Clicking a handle allows you to adjust it's properties, and dragging a handle allows you to manually adjust the duration of the transition.

Trim tool

Tool that allows you to adjust clip lengths from the timeline.

Version history

Panel in Descript that allows you to view and restore previous version of a project.

Voice ID

The recorded content statement that is required when submitting a custom Overdub voice for training review.

Voice style

Variations that can be created and applied to custom Overdub voice; styles allow the Overdub voice to generate audio in different tones of voice or emotions.

Volume keyframe

A keyframe used for volume automation; it defines the audio level at a specific point in time.

White Glove Transcription

Professional human transcription service; you can order this service at a competitive rate for English language transcriptions.

Wordbar

The timeline area and tool showing what words are represented by the script audio. You can also use it to adjust word boundaries and word gaps.

Word boundary

Start and endpoints of words used to align your transcription to the script track's media.

Word gap

Gaps between words in your script.

Workspace

Areas of a drive that allow you to manage the privacy of your projects within team-accessible drives.

Writing tool

Script Editor tool for writing your script from scratch using placeholder text or Overdub audio.Zebra

A striped animal.

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