Communication Arts- Video

ProductionMr. Mikula

Composing Basic Camera Shots•Don’t be a hoser!

▫You are not watering a garden▫Good writing and Good video much the

same!•Shoot to edit

▫Think and plan before you shoot▫Record for extra time before and after shot

Basic Camera Shots

•Shots are defined by how much of the scene you show in your frame. ▫Physical space- walk▫Focal length- zoom

•Long Shot (LS)•Medium Shot (MS)•Closeup Shot (CU)•Extreme Closeup (XCU)

Long Shot (LS)

•A long shot frames a wide field of view of your subject and its surrounding.

•Use them sparingly….details get lost and they get boring!

XLS

LS

Medium Shot (MS)

•Frames more of your subject while still revealing some of the background.

•For a person, it is usually from the waist up!

Closeup Shot (CU)

•This shot focuses your viewers attention on specific details. Use for emotional impact.

•For a person it is usually shoulders up!

Extreme Closeup Shot (XCU)

•Frames only a portion of your subject.•VERY DRAMATIC! (Don’t overuse it)•For people it would usually mean the

eyes, the nose, and mouth!

The Rule of Thirds

•You should mentally divide the frame into thirds, both vertically and horizontally.

•Place your key subjects where those lines intersect. NOT IN THE MIDDLE!!!!!!!!

Room at the top• Headroom- refers to the amount of space

between the top of a persons head and the top of your frame. Don’t let them sink or hit their heads!

• Watch the edge of your frame- you may decapitate the person!

Lead Space/ Background

•Leave space in the direction the person is looking or moving.

•Watch what’s in your background!

Camera Movement

•Panning- Horizontal Pivoting▫One of the most abused shots▫Make sure there is a beginning-middle-end▫You are leading your viewer to something…

pause at the end so they can see it!•Tilt- pivoting up or down

▫Same as above•Tracking

▫Smooth camera movement with a subject

Camera Movement (cont.)

•Zooming- reframes the video quickly▫Very convenient- often abused!▫OK to do, but be prepared to edit out the

craziness or you will make your viewer sick•Zoom in- can concentrate the viewers

attention on a detail•Zoom out- can serve to reveal the location

of a subject (can be funny)

Playing with Angles

•Flat Shot- camera and subject same level•High Angle- Camera in raised position•Low Angle- camera lower (great

exaggerated effect)•Point of View (POV)- showing things from

the perspective of an actor/subject (very effective!)

•Over the Shoulder (OTS)- used often to demonstrate a conversation

Creative Camera Placement•Try new things, look at the world in different

ways▫Horizon lines should be messed with sparingly▫Step aside- add depth by shooting your subject

at an angle.▫Near and Far- make sure there are objects in

the foreground and the background- screen depth.

▫Blurring- you can switch the camera to manual focus and blur the background for effect

Editing

•You can own a killer toolbox, but that doesn’t make you a mechanic!

•Non-Linear editing- when the images are digitized

•IT ALL STARTS WITH PLANNING!!!!!!!!!!

Transitions

•When editing you will need something to bridge the gap between shots

•A Cut is when there is no transition, the shots switch instantaneous (VERY ROUGH )▫Manipulate Time and space

Elevator or road trip examples

Transitions (cont.)• Jump Cuts- when images follow one another,

but have no logical connection. EXTREMELY disorienting▫ Jump Cut Magic- New objects in same scene▫180 Rule- Filming a game from opposite ends of

the court▫Cutaway Shot- Editing a speech (Max Headroom)

• Fade/Dissolve/Wipe- transitional devices to signal an end, a passage of time, or a deliberate change▫Use sparingly when appropriate▫Be consistent

Visual Continuity

•Positional Continuity- if you shoot things at different time, be very aware of any changes that may have occurred (Independence Day)

•Directional Continuity- if things suddenly change directions, the viewer gets disoriented▫Conversation- make sure the two subjects

face one another (When Harry Met Sally)

Sound Continuity

•Volume Continuity- don’t make the audience reach for the volume control over and over▫Mic Placement▫Fixing Audio levels afterwards is not a

great idea•Cafeteria during lunch vs. Cafeteria after

lunch

Making “Sound” Decisions• Voice-Overs- This should happen during

editing, not during filming▫They should provide framework for the

content, not be the content▫They must match the video

• Music- can have a dramatic effect on the viewer when used correctly.▫Use the right song- not the one you “like”▫Lyrics can detract from the video ▫Copyright issues!

• Sound FX▫Can be effective….or corny!

Interviewing

•Comments from those “in the know” lend credibility to the story.

•It is more effective to have participants provide information on camera instead of doing it in a voice over.

•The purpose of an interview is to get information and quotes you can use, plan accordingly!

Some tips:•Try to have all of your equipment set up

ahead of time. •Make the interviewee comfortable by telling

them what you are doing before you start the interview.

•Open ended questions!!!!!!!!!•Conduct the interview in a place associated

with their role in the story.•Don’t rush them, they will usually add more.• If the answer is unclear, rephrase the

question.•Shoot on an angle, they aren’t talking to the

camera.

Generating story ideas