The Preliminaries
The Basics of The Video Camera
- How does a video camera work
|
Camera Handling Basics
The “Building Blocks” Of Video………
Some commonly used terms:
- Shot
- Sequence
- Scene
- Subject
- Angle
Type of Shots
Moving Shots
- Either the camera or the subject is moving
Static Shots: basic
- Camera remains stationary
- Easiest to watch
- Basic component of the finished video
- Static => Move => Static
- Changing the angle & shot size
Shot Sizes
3 Basic Sizes – terms used in the film industry
Wide Shot (WS) also called Long Shot (LS)
- View of the overall scene
- Gives perspective to viewers, where it happened
- Contains – full figure(s)
- Medium Shot (MS) – sometimes called Mid-Shot
Draws attention to the subject
- Concentrates on an area of interest
- Good for showing interaction between two or more subjects
- Contains – upper torso
Close-Up Shot (CU)
Valuable
- Shows significant details of actions and expressions
- Contains – head and lower shoulder
Moving The Camera
Basic Movements
1. Panning
to reveal the surrounding or scan subject
Horizontal sideways movement
- Taken from fixed position
- Slow, smooth & continuous
- Start & end point
- Moves in one direction only, no reverse
- Stops smoothly – 3 seconds
2. Tilting
Vertical pan – up & down
- Taken from fixed vantage point
- Slow, smooth & continuous
- Start & end point
- Moves in one direction only
- Stops smoothly – 3 seconds
Other Camera Movements:
- Dollying or Trucking – stationary subject
- Tracking – moving subject
- Crabbing – around subject
Zoom In & Out ( T & W)
- An alternative way to compile static shots into one unit or scene
Tips On Camera Movement Techniques:
- Keep all movements as smooth and as steady as possible
- Begins and ends
- Keep subject centred – headroom & leadroom
- Practise before recording
|
Composition
- Arrangement of the various elements within the picture frame
- Reason for including the element
Simple Rules
- Make a habit of scanning the picture from side to side
- Not necessary to put the subject in the centre
- Fill the frame
|
Putting Together A Video Story
Types of Videos
Newsreel Video
Compiled or edited from large number of shots & scenes
- Without any direction or preplanning during the production
- Examples:- documentary & magazine
Continuity Video
- Compiled or edited from large number of shots & scenes
- With direction & preplanning during the production
- Example:- dramas
The Shot, Scene and Sequence
A Good Video Story Requires Continuity
- Continuity is the order or arrangement of scenes, both action and static, in a logical, smooth flowing story
How To Put Together?
Be aware of parts and sub-parts of the story
- In video – shot is used to denote a single composition
- Scene and sequence are used as divisions within the video stor
|
Shooting Your First Video
- Think of what others will see and not just what you see
- Select a subject
- Use the simplest shooting techniques, building your sequences with a series of elementary static shot
|
