Video Basics

The fields of television broadcasting and film are huge. Salaries can range from an hourly minimum wage to the tens of millions depending on luck, skill, schooling and networking. The first big question is why? Typically we generate TV & film for one of (or several of) 3 reasons: for pure art, for an audience, or for a client.

Video Production types

There are 2 basic production types live and canned. Live production is exemplified by the traditional broadcast while canned production is where footage is shot, then edited, then distributed to the user. Canned production far exceeds live production because all aspects of the finished product can be manipulated, while live production is at the mercy of lady chance (i.e. a team can do all they can to
minimize errors, but because it's live, errors can result in termination of broadcast).

Live Production - FNN does not use live productions but have in years past.
1. Film: using IMovie or Final Cut as an editor, footage and sound is mixed in a post-production environment to generate a finished product.
2. Broadcast : a time-line-based piece of software that ties together live and pre-edited elements to generate a finished product.

All the work is done upfront BEFORE the shooting happens.

Types of Filming

1. Studio

- When video is shot in a controlled environment, you can optimize things such as camera placement, lighting and sound. End-product is often of high-quality, but can suffer from authenticity if a desired look from the outside world is wanted.

2. On-location

- Shots in the 'real world' can often be noisy and unpredictable but generally give a truly authentic feel to the piece. Benefits of shooting on-location are that you can get an authentic environment, you can get dialogue that might be unpredictable but valuable, you can capture events or interviews you might not otherwise get and finally, using multiple cameras, you can get 'B-Roll' footage, that can be used to enhance the primary shot.

Mic options

Handheld (2pin)
Desktop (3pin) - remarkably sensitive
Headset - good sound
independent recording using iPod touches or other mobile recorders- AS LONG AS YOU TIME YOUR SCENES - otherwise syncing sound and video will be very time consuming!!!!

Rules of Conduct

Also note that there are rules of conduct implied with video production:

Be Careful handling the equipment
- Change SD cards and lenses over a table
- Use the strap when available
- Secure and carry the camera when mounted on a tripod carefully

Be Respectful when shooting
- Do not disrupt other classes
- Don't intentionally record someone without their knowledge or implied consent
- Never record in washrooms or locker rooms

Be Accountable
- If you are outside of the Comm Tech area, it is to complete your production - not to get food, make calls, chat with friends etc.
- Get the job done, and return to class ASAP to continue in on the post-production phase.

Camera Setup

These settings are easy to overlook,
but potentially DISASTROUS to your production if not set properly

ASPECT RATIO

Wide-screen is the new standard - use the menu settings to choose WIDE-SCREEN if appropriate

AUTOMATIC SETTINGS

AUTO FOCUS works well in most cases, but changing the setting to MANUAL FOCUS can ensure your shots STAY in focus

WHITE BALANCE

As with digital photography, setting white balance ensures proper colours and can pro-actively eliminate "colour casts", manually correcting colour afterwards is a pain.
Finding the White Balance settings is a big challenge - Consult the PDF manuals in the handouts folder to set the white balance for specific cameras (in the PDF, use EDIT FIND and search for the word "balance")

AUDIO SOURCE

Higher quality cameras like the Canon XL1's can record audio with a variety of sources and settings
Be sure to MONITOR the sound using headphones, and adjust settings appropriately
Video on using your phone as a mic.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tFcUghQ3TI

Introduction

This unit introduces students to the processes of audio-video pre-production, production, and post-production. Students learn basic shot sizes,camera movements, and special effects to create a storyboard and to script audio-video material. Students compose andcapture images, editaudio-video footage, and apply finishing operations before presenting the production to an audience. The safe and careful handling of sensitive equipment is emphasized. Students learn to apply ethical standards and policies in their productions while exploring further education and career opportunities.

Proper "Video Production" can be broken down into the following three stages:

Clip for discussion (Indy Movie)

Screen Shot 2018-07-29 at 8.39.55 AM.png

Preproduction (planning stage)

PreProduction is planning. Before you start "SHOOTING" a video or animation, you must:

Define your Concept, Identify your target audience
- OBJECTIVE - What is the MESSAGE? What is the objective of your piece?
  - Prove a Thesis ie - America's eating food that's bad for them (SUPERSIZE Me)
  - Recreate the experience
  - Document the event - making of...
- TARGET AUDIENCE - who is your piece intended to influence? How will it reach them?
  - Students
  - Organizers
  - Parents
  - Sponsors
  - In house audience vs External Audience
- CLIENT - Who is "commissioning" your work? Who wants to see it succeed?

Write a Script (Even the best movie idea can be a BAD film - look at Battlefield Earth) The basic script themes are:
- Love — hate, sex, desire, etc
- Death - permanent changes, etc
- Justice — morality, rules, etc
- Family - fatherhood, motherhood, childhood
- Fear — escape, jeopardy, terror, etc.

PreProduction work that you do can serve several purposes

Describe the project and convince "Investors" that your production is worth committing to
Coordinate the efforts of those involved in the production

There are 3 things that are critical to keep in mind while you bring your ideas to fruition:

1) Storyboards
2) Shot types
3) Camera movements

1) Storyboards

The storyboard is

A “Visual Script” for your production, looking very much like a comic strip version of the story.
A production “Blueprint” for your crew to follow.
A detailed list of the assets you need to create: graphics, video, dialogue, sound effects, text etc.

The storyboard is intended for

The “studio” for approval before production is started
The production crew, to assemble the assets

Process

BRAINSTORM the original story idea or “Concept”
WRITE a script or outline for the story
STORYBOARD the script
REVISE

Purposes

To work out and discuss your ideas, and to fix bad stories before they get made
To visualize how your production will look, and get creative with shots and action
To describe how your production is sequenced, and act as a step by step guide to making and shooting your film
To plan where and what type of additional sound effects or dialogue will be included

Tips

Put your shots and scenes of your storyboard in an order that tells your story clearly.
Plan your story so that the visual images and the script can be clearly understood by reading your storyboard.
Plan your production in the most interesting and appealing way possible for the audience.
Plan not only what happens in each shot, but also how fast or how slow you want it to happen.
Eliminate unnecessary or repetitive shots and add missing shots. Cut long boring shots and break them down into shorter more interesting shots.
Ensure that there is a smooth, clear, logical flow from shot to shot and scene to scene.

A great example of a storyboard:
1.2.1 storyboard sample.PDF

Extra rationale for storyboarding:
1.2.2 storyboards.PDF

Storyboard Blanks - 1.2.3 blankstoryboard.pdf

Finally - if you get tired of drawing things manually - try CELTX, a completely free storyboarding and production tool.

Tutorial Celtx - filmed for TGJ3M from J. Mac on Vimeo.
Tutorial on how to effectively use Celtix at the high school level.