Chapter 4 Video Camera Operations

Objectives Understand how white balancing a camera affects the picture. Summarize how depth of field contributes to composing a good picture. Identify the composition of each type of camera shot. Illustrate a variety of camera movements. Explain how a videographer can psychologically and physically affect the audience.

Principles of Composition If audience cannot see it on screen, it does not exist–unless clues allow audiences to assume that what they do not see does indeed exist Example: talent playing a guitar Audience does not need to see entire neck of guitar–they will assume it is there Maintain constant control over the camera to give these clues Always have hands on pan handles Have tilt and pan unlocked

Visual Clues “Finish” a Picture Africa Studios/Shutterstock.com

Rule of Thirds Tic-tac-toe grid imagined on TV screen Important items in shot placed at intersections of grid lines Common shots: close-up and medium close-up Eyes 1/3 down from the top of the screen Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Rule of Thirds (Cont.) Important people or objects shot slightly to left or right of center Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Action Nearly every shot includes some kind of action: Subject matter is moving Camera is moving Both subject matter and camera are moving

Head Room Space between top of person’s head and top of screen; should be minimal Incorrect Correct Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Nose Room Lead room: space between tip of person’s nose and side edge of the frame Use rule of thirds when framing nose room Incorrect Correct Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

White Balancing Camera needs to be “told” what white is in order to “see” all colors correctly Set automatically or manually To white balance manually: Zoom in on white object on set under set lighting until it fills the screen Activate white balance circuit on camera Zoom back out and shoot normally

White Balance Interior Example Not White Balanced White Balanced Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

White Balance Exterior Example Not White Balanced White Balanced Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Gain Control Gain: strength of video signal Located in gain select, gain switch, menu option, or on CCU Strength of video signal from camera to recorder increases or decreases Affects white level, black level, color, and tint Ex. When image is too dark: Increase gain to artificially brighten picture, but image may become grainy

Pre-Focusing Zoom Lenses Cannot focus zoom lens when in “zoomed out position” To focus, or pre-focus: Zoom in on farthest and most important object Focus camera on object Zoom lens out Everything remains in focus until subject camera distance changes lighting changes

Zoom/Macro Macro setting allows operator to focus on an object that is very close to the camera Macro image is similar to microscope image Fully zoomed-in lens is similar to telescope image

Depth of Field (DOF) Distance between closest and farthest points from the camera that is still in focus Minimum object distance (MOD):Closest distance an object can be to camera and still be in focus Contributes to DOF Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Great Depth of Field Occurs when camera’s depth is as large as possible Zooming does not change focus No one particular item stands out for emphasis Also called deep depth of field Josemaria Toscano/Shutterstock.com

Shallow Depth of Field Moves audience’s attention to one portion of picture in focus Background is out of focus Allows exact control over what viewers look at Sunny studio/Shutterstock.com

Shallow Depth of Field (Cont.) Operator must refocus camera if talent moves towards or away from camera Selective depth of field: choosing to have shallow DOF in shot or scene Rack focus: process of changing focus on camera while hot; ‘pull focus’ Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Factors Affecting DOF Aperture Subject to camera distance Focal length More movement in each area creates more pronounced effect for either shallow or great DOF

Depth of Field Chart

Discussion Why are there so many lights in the ceiling of a television studio?

Shot Sheets Shot sheets make complex shooting much simpler Shot: Individual picture taken by camera while shooting program footage All shots in scene are assigned consecutive numbers Only camera 1’s shots are on camera 1’s shot sheet Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Wide Shots Extreme long shot (ELS/XLS) Long shot (LS) Wide angle shot (WA) Establishing shot: specific type of ELS used to tell audience where and when program takes place Long shot (LS)

Extreme Long Shot (ELS/XLS) Biggest shot camera can capture of subject matter Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Long Shot (LS) Captures subject from top of head to bottom of feet with less of surrounding detail in shot Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Individual Subject Shots Medium long shot (MLS) knee shot Medium shot (MS) mid shot Medium close-up (MCU) bust shot Close-up (CU) narrow angle shot Extreme close-up (ECU/XCU)

Medium Long Shot (MLS) Top of person’s head to just above or below knee Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Medium Shot (MS) Top of person’s head to just above or below waistline Common for group shots Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Medium Close-Up (MCU) Top of person’s head to just below chest Used in newscasts or dialog scenes Does not crop top of person’s head Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Close-Up (CU) Top of person’s head to below shoulders Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Bad Close-Up (CU) With close-ups, always include neck and top of shoulders to avoid “floating head” Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Extreme Close-Up (ECU/XCU) Shot of specific body part Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Multiple Subject Shots Two shot —Two news anchors at desk Three shot —Sportscaster and two news anchors at desk Four shot —Meteorologist, sportscaster, and two news anchors at desk Group shot —Basketball team after a game

Specific View Shots Profile shot Subjective shot Reaction Point of view (POV) shot Reaction Over-the-shoulder shot (OTS)

Profile Shot Talent’s face displayed in profile Bad shot, profile appears flat on screen Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Subjective Shot Camera becomes eye of one cast member Audience sees world through eyes of a character Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Reaction Shot Captures one person’s face to what another person is saying or doing Very powerful shot Oneinchpunch/Shutterstock.com

Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS) Back of person’s head/shoulder in foreground while face of other person is in background Most common shot on programs Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Bad Framing Never frame shots with edges on joints of body Body parts will appear amputated Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Camera Movement When moving on tripod: Begin from still shot Start move slowly then speed up until nearly complete Slow down until complete For body, position body where it ends and twist to position needed at beginning of shot Camera directions given in respect to camera operator’s point of view

Dolly dolly in (DI): pushing camera toward set dolly out (DO): pushing camera away from set Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Truck Truck right (TR): move right while facing set Truck left (TL): move left while facing set Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Pan Pan right (PR): camera scans to operator’s right Pan left (PL): camera scans to operator’s left Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Tilt Tilt up (TU): point lens up to ceiling Tilt down (TD): point lens down to ground Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Pedestal Pedestal up (PedU): raise height of camera on tripod Pedestal down (PedD): lower height of camera Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Arc Arc right (AR): move in a circle to right (counterclockwise) Arc left (AL): move in a circle to left (clockwise) Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Psychology of Presentation Consistent slight low/high angle will manipulate audience’s opinion of subject Extreme low/high angle is comedic High and low angles are unethical in news programming

Low Angle Shot Low angle shot makes talent powerful, respected, and feared by audience Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

High Angle Shot High angle shot makes audience feel that talent is weak and insignificant Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

Career Page O*Net Online Interesting information about: Job descriptions Duties Outlooks for television camera operators

Discussion In broadcast journalism newscasts, what are ethical considerations of using low and high angle shots? News should be unbiased and not manipulative. Is using these shots manipulative? What are examples of when and how this manipulation of public might occur?