Cycle Two Index

Cycle Two

Production

The Videographer

The term videographer refers to a person who is controlling multiple aspects of video production at one time. In professional, budgeted video productions aspects such as lighting, audio recording, interviewing, etc. are often done by separate people. However, with practice and good concentration it is possible to do many production tasks at once.

Location Shooting

• Review script, storyboard, and shot-list before you begin shooting.
• Plan your shooting schedule based on logic and practical reality. The script may be chronological but your shooting schedule does not have to be.
• Shoot more than you need and record “headers and footers” (extra material at the beginning and end of a shot).

Focus

• Locate the manual focus control on the camera. Auto focus can cause changes in focus during a shot that can be very distracting to viewers.
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• Locate the focus ring on the camera. Use this ring to manually focus the camera.
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Zoom In - Focus - Zoom Out

• To focus on a subject zoom all the way in, focus, then zoom out to the appropriate framing.

Shot Composition

Three aspects to consider when composing a video shot are:

1. Framing or Field of View
2. Camera Angle
3. Movement

Framing or Field of View – When framing a shot consider the following:

“Rule-of-Thirds” in Composition – A convention in framing where the frame is divided in to three even sections both horizontally and vertically. The idea is to try to place centers of interest (subjects and actions) along the dividing lines and especially at the intersections of the lines.

The rule-of-thirds can be used when deciding on camera framing, angles, and movement.

Headroom – do not leave too much space in the frame above your subject. Subjects are usually positioned towards the top of the screen rather then the bottom.

Noseroom (or Looking room) – When framing a subject who is not looking directly at the camera allow extra space to the side of the frame that they are looking towards.

Leadroom – Similar to looking room but is used to balance a subject in motion. If the subject is moving from left to right they should be positioned to the left of the screen to give a balanced shot.

Cropping – Aesthetic and/or dramatic intensity can be added to a shot by cropping or cutting out unwanted visual information (e.g. a shot of a crowd can seem more intense if the entire frame is filled with people, rather then a wider shot showing more empty space).

Camera Angle:

• At eye level or straight on camera angle is considered neutral.
• Above eye level or from above looking down gives a diminutive shot.
• Below eye level or from below looking up gives an imposing shot.

Movement – some conventions for camera movement are:

• Pan – panorama or horizontal pivot of the camera.
• Tilt – vertical pivot of the camera.
• Dolly – movement of entire camera (either on wheels or handheld) toward or away from subject.
• Truck – lateral movement of entire camera (either on wheels or handheld)
• Crane – vertical movement of entire camera (either using a crane or handheld).
• Cant – Sideways tilt of the camera (also called a Dutch angle).
• Zoom – dynamic focal length change (Telephoto to wide angle or visa versa).

Abbreviations for camera shots:

CU – close up
XCU – extreme close up
MS – medium shot
WS – wide shot
XWS – extreme wide shot
OTH – over the shoulder
POV – point of view
EL – eye level shot
HA – high angle shot
LA – low angle shot
PAN – panorama or horizontal camera movement
WA – wide angle
2S – two shot (two subjects in frame)
3S – three shot (three subjects in frame)

End of Section