CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 3 CAMERAS

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES Explore the History of motion picture Cameras; Explore the History of motion picture Cameras; Gain an understanding of the Technical equipment used for motion picture Recording; Gain an understanding of the Technical equipment used for motion picture Recording; Transcend basic functions to be able to manipulate the features of Digital Video Equipment to create Highly Controlled Images; Transcend basic functions to be able to manipulate the features of Digital Video Equipment to create Highly Controlled Images; Survey Movements in the Traditional Arts that can be applied to Video Production. Survey Movements in the Traditional Arts that can be applied to Video Production.

HISTORY OF THE MOTION PICTURES Pre-Cinema Persistence of vision A.D Persistence of vision A.D Magic lantern -1600s Magic lantern -1600s Thaumatrope Thaumatrope Zoetrope Zoetrope Series photography – 1878 Series photography – 1878 Eadweard Muybridge

FILM 35mm film 35mm film 16mm 16mm 8mm 8mm Super-16 Super-16 Super-8 Super-8 70mm 70mm

VIDEO First public demonstration of a video system First video broadcast

VIDEO STORAGE: Videotape 2-inch reel-to-reel 2-inch reel-to-reel 1” 1” U-Matic U-Matic VHS VHS

VIDEO STORAGE: Videotape Digital Betacam Digital Betacam DVC-Pro DVC-Pro Mini-DV Mini-DV DVCam DVCam Digital-S Digital-S Digital-8 Digital-8

VIDEO STORAGE Drive and Optical Storage Memory cards Memory cards Hard drives Hard drives In-camera read-write media (DVD) In-camera read-write media (DVD)

VIDEO SYSTEMS NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) - “Standard Television” NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) - “Standard Television” 525 lines; 4:3 aspect ratio High-Definition Video – High-Definition Video – 1,080 lines; 16:9 aspect ratio PAL (Phase-Alternating Line) – PAL (Phase-Alternating Line) – 625 lines of horizontal resolution 24P – 24P – 24 frames per second using progressive scanning

THE CAMERA TEAM Director of photography (DP) Director of photography (DP) Camera operator Camera operator Focus puller Focus puller Clapper/Loader Clapper/Loader Dolly grip Dolly grip Second unit Second unit

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS Imaging for Digital Video CCD – Charge-Coupled Device CCD – Charge-Coupled Device CMOS – Complementary CMOS – Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS Lens Magnification: Compound Lenses (zoom lenses) Compound Lenses (zoom lenses) Prime Lenses Prime Lenses (fixed focal- length lenses) Wide-angle lens Wide-angle lens Telephoto lens Telephoto lens

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS Lens Focus Focus Focal point Focal point Auto focus Auto focus Setting focus Setting focus Proper exposure Proper exposure Creative exposure Creative exposure Internal light meter Internal light meter Manual aperture overrides Manual aperture overrides

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS Lens f-stops f-stops

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS Lens Depth of field “Courtesy of RiverDream Productions”

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS Lens Maximum sharpness setting Maximum sharpness setting Macro setting Macro setting Lens hood Lens hood

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS The Camera Body Power switch Power switch Batteries and Batteries and A/C power Start/Stop Button. Start/Stop Button."REC."

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS The Camera Body The Tally Light The Tally Light The Viewfinder The ViewfinderEyepiece View screen Microphone Microphone The Headphone Jack The Headphone Jack

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS The Camera Body The Playback Control Buttons The Playback Control Buttons The Media Storage The Media Storage The Handgrip The Handgrip Time Code Indicator Time Code Indicator

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS The Camera Body Shutter Speed Shutter Speed Gain Gain Aspect Ratio Aspect Ratio4:316:9 Image Stabilization Image Stabilization Backlight Feature Backlight Feature White Balance White Balance

TRIPODS

ADVANCED CAMERA SUPPORT SYSTEMS Steadycam Steadycam Jib arm Jib arm Camera cranes Camera cranes Vehicle mounts Vehicle mounts Marine housings Marine housings

APPROACHES IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY Determine the “look” of a project Four Distinct Approaches Realism Realism Expressionism and Film Noir Expressionism and Film Noir Impressionism Impressionism Surrealism Surrealism

APPROACHES IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY Realism Sharp focus Sharp focus Realistic lighting Realistic lighting

APPROACHES IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY Expressionism and Film Noir Dark in visual tone Dark in visual tone Stylized lighting cast from severe angles Stylized lighting cast from severe angles Bizarre and fantastic stories Bizarre and fantastic stories “Film Noir” “Film Noir”

APPROACHES IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY Impressionism “Golden Age of Hollywood” “Golden Age of Hollywood” Diffused images Diffused images Impression of some emotional state Impression of some emotional state Twinkling eyes and fog-filtered Twinkling eyes and fog-filtered A romantic memory A romantic memory

APPROACHES IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY Surrealism “Beyond reality” or “above reality” “Beyond reality” or “above reality” Concrete irrationality Concrete irrationality Psychoanalytic psychology; Dream analysis Psychoanalytic psychology; Dream analysis

EXERCISES 1. Design and shoot a Two-Minute Master Scene. Use the technical information in this chapter to realize the Principles of the Visual Language you learned in Chapter Shoot some camera tests. Can you create a Shallow Depth of Field? How can you take that same composition and convert it into one with a Deep Depth of Field? Practice Hand-Held camera work. Describe how you could improvise a Dolly Shot with available resources. 3. Of the artistic approaches introduced in this chapter, which is your favorite artistic approach: Realism, Expressionism, Impressionism, or Surrealism? Write a scene in this style and outline how you portray this approach Visually. Copyright 2008 Taylor and Francis