Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Technical Terms Camcorder: An appliance intended solely for capturing sound and motion pictures (Camera), and stores them on tape, disc, or other media (recorder). Digital intermediate (DI): Original camera film that is converted into ultra-high-definition video for use in postproduction. Digital: To record images and sounds as numerical data, either directly in a camera or during the process of importing them to a computer.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Technical Terms Film: An audiovisual medium that records images on transparent plastic strips by means of photosensitive chemicals. Grip: Production staff member who practices many of the technical crafts associated with program production. Live: A program that is recorded and, sometimes, transmitted for display continuously, in real-time. Shoot: To record film or video. Also, "a shoot" is an informal term for the production phase of a film or video project.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Technical Terms Television: Studio-based, multi-camera video that is often produced and transmitted "live." Video: An audiovisual medium that records on a magnetic tape or digital storage media by electronic means. Also, single-camera program creation in the manner of film production, rather than studio television. Visual literacy: The ability to evaluate the content of visual media through an understanding of the way in which it is recorded and presented.

ABOUT VIDEO Chapter 1

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Objectives Compare the advantages and drawbacks of both film and video media Recognize the impact of video communication Understand the nature of the video world Summarize the tasks and responsibilities involved in each of the three major phases of video production

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. How Video Developed Before video, there were only film and television. –Film was used to create most programs. –Television was used to broadcast live programs. Digital recording improved quality. Electronic production technology has evolved into video.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Advantages of Film Relatively portable equipment Highly refined ability to reproduce quality images Potential for sophisticated editing Availability of permanent archival

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Drawbacks of Television Heavy, complex, and immovable equipment Lower image quality Limited ability to render shades of gray Inefficiency of recording for later editing

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Improvements to Television Miniaturized hardware Development of camcorder Improved picture sharpness Improved gray scale range Development of high-quality color TV signal can now be electronically copied and edited

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Video Versus Film Film has several advantages over video. Video has several advantages over film. The weaknesses of each are becoming less important. Film and video are growing closer together.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Weaknesses of Video Video is not as sharp or clear as film Color looks subtly different from film Most cameras are not capable of highly selective focus techniques Long-term storage is expensive Archival storage has not yet been achieved Video is less flexible in sound editing

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Weaknesses of Film Film is more expensive to shoot and process Film is less tolerant of different light levels Sound recording is more cumbersome Color balancing is time-consuming and expensive Titles and effects could not be edited in real time Editing requires negative cutting

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Hybrid Forms Visual hybrids of film and video are being created Many productions intended for theaters and broadcast are now shot digitally

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The Digital Intermediate (DI) Film recordings are usually transferred to video before editing The DI produced has as high of a quality as the original This eliminates most drawbacks of film postproduction After postproduction, programs are scanned back onto film

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Digital Postproduction

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Improvements in Sound Editing Computerized editing software can handle almost limitless number of audio channels Multilayer video sound tracks are now the rule

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Converging Job Skills Skills needed for film and television once differed greatly Today, the two media share many procedures Many people work with both forms Film and TV communicate using the same “language”

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Types of Video Production Commercials Miniseries Feature films TV programs Personal documentaries Computer games Specialized cinematography

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Distribution Channels Broadcast TV Cable TV Satellite TV Discs Internet

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Jobs in Video Story creation Graphic design Equipment operation Audio and video engineering Management

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The Nature of Video Laws in the actual world do not hold true in the video world –Law of space –Law of time –Law of gravity Special effects are used to fool viewers

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Video World Laws of the video world can fool the viewer One side of a door is at a location. The other side is on a set.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The Language of Video Expression Video communication uses a visual language: –An image is like a word –A shot is like a sentence –A scene is like a paragraph –A sequence is like a chapter Video has a form of grammar Video has its own rhetoric Visual literacy

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The Construction of Video Programs Video communication is like written communication Organizing and developing a coherent story is important Effective programs require the following: –Logical organization –Clear presentation –Energetic pacing

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Phases of Video Production Preproduction Production Postproduction

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Preproduction Includes everything done before shooting: –Scripting –Scouting locations –Gathering cast and crew –Planning production requirements Often longer and more complicated than production

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Production Covers the actual shooting of the material Several people share the responsibility for the “look” of the program: –Director –Cinematographer –Production Designer

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Production Assistants Production management staff Gaffers Sound recordists Key grips

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Postproduction Just as important as production Involves editing raw material: –Selecting shots to be included –Assembling shots in order –Adding music and sound effects to audio –Creating titles and visual effects

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. TIP OF THE ICEBERG This introductory chapter has provided a very brief overview of video communication and production. The rest of the book and power points are devoted to the details of the world of video. production.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed. Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all. Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick