BITM 2123

Digital Audio & Video

Technology

Lecture 11:
Video Production Process
[ Production ]
Single and Multi Camera
Operation
• There are two different ways of
shooting a video production
• Single camera operation is used to
shoot the entire show
• Multi camera operation (two or three)
are interlinked to a production
switcher and their outputs selected or
blended as required
• Each of these techniques has
particular advantage and limitation
Single camera operation
• A single lightweight camera is
independent, compact and free to go
anywhere
• Often involve interrupting and repeating
the action in order to reposition the
camera
• For a taped production, the director can
adopt techniques that are similar to those
of the film maker
• Allows to concentrate on doing one thing
at a time
• Free to readjust the camera position and
the subject or the light
Multi camera operation
• Multi camera group simply switches
from one camera to another; an
advantage when shooting a series of
events going on at the same time or
spread over a wide area
• The director of multi camera is
located away from the action,
watching a series of picture monitors
in a production control room
• He issuing instructions to the crew
over the intercom headset and to the
floor manager
Holding Camera
• Camera has to be in he right position and
stable so that objects being recorded are
not blurry
• It is recommended to buy a tripod
because no one can hold a camera as
steady as a tripod can
• Holding a camera in the classic position-
in both hands, eye looking into the view
finder, elbows resting at sides
• Cameras with a pivot display are easier to
use
• If videotaping while walking, keep the
knees relaxed to absorb shocks
Holding Camera -cont
• If videotaping while standing still, use
stable objects nearby such as walls,
cars, tables etc to keep your balance
• With an exposure time of 1/60th to
1/50th of a second, the slightest
movements are still discernable on
video tape
• If the camera is not equipped with
image stabilization system, the only
choice is to use the tripod
• If you still have to hold the camera
with hand, imagine the camera is a
bowl of soup filled to the very edge.
Holding a camera
Panning & Tilting
Lighting Technique
• The technical purpose of lighting is to
get proper exposure within the
contrast range of the medium.
• The aesthetic purpose of lighting is to
set the subject apart from background
to direct the viewer’s eye in the frame
• Lighting can emphasize important
details or completely hide them. It
can flatter a subject by bringing out
positive attributes, and it can de-
emphasize or hide less attractive
attributes
Three-point Lighting

• The most basic lighting arrangement

uses a technique developed by
photographers and cinematographers
in those early times - the three-point
lighting principle. This employs a KEY
LIGHT (performing the job of the
sun), the BACK KEY (as a
counterpoint to the key) and, finally,
a soft or FILL light.
Key Light
• The key light is normally positioned to one
or other side of the camera. As the word
suggests, it provides the primary source of
illumination of the subject. But a key
light alone will generally produce a
flattening of the image in that the subject
(perhaps an actor or interviewee) will
appear two-dimensional and merge with
the background. To alleviate this, a
balancing light - the back key - is used to
provide back-rim illumination on the
performer’s head, giving it a more three-
dimensional feel.
Fill Light
• Fill light is used to fill in the strong
shadows caused by the key light
• The fill light will be applied to the
opposite side of the camera to the key
light.
• It will normally be much softer than the
key, and will serve primarily to bring
up detail on that side of the subject.
• It is not necessary to get rid of the
shadows but to achieve a pleasing ratio
between the lights and shadows of the
subject
Back Light

• Backlight is also known the

‘kicker’
• It is positioned behind the
subject and is used to separate
it from the background
• It create a sense of depth to the
image and helps make the
subject stand out better
• Back light can be in different
colour –bluish or orange
Reflectors
• The cheapest way to improve a
subject’s lighting when shooting in
sunlight is to use a reflector
• This is simply a surface such as a
board, screen, cloth or a wall
• Reflectors are easily made from a
board covered with aluminium cooking
foil or matte-white painted
• Indoors, reflector can be used to
redirect light from windows into
shadowy corners or reflect sunlight as
a filler
Bounce Light

• It is a common trick in photography

to point a flash-gun at the ceiling or a
wall when photographing interiors to
give the scene an overall wash of
diffused ‘bounce light’
• The same idea can be applied when
shooting video
• Point the lamps at the nearby
surfaces to get a soft ‘base-light’
Shot sizes and Zooming
• Variety is important in all aspects of creating
good video and varying distance is no
exception
• A video shot entirely from one distance
(distance between the camera and the
subject never varies) would be dull
• Physical and emotion reality, mod and
expression are established in good part by
the distance
• By choosing the distance of the shot, you
established and control the impact of the
video
• There are 5 principal distance techniques
Types of shots and distance techniques

1. Wide shot / Long shot

2. Medium shot
3. Medium close-up (MCU)
4. Close-up
5. Big Close-up
Wide shot / long shot
• Establishes the subject and location of the
action
• You can see the whole person and maybe
enough of the surroundings to see where
you are
• It is usually used at the beginning of a
video or scene since it establishes the
setting
Medium shot

• Clarifies the subject or action

• Gives the viewer more information
about the subject and clarifies the
theme of the video
• You can see most of the person
speaking including his or her hands
Medium Close-up
• Provides even more details for
the viewer
• You can see the top of the person
from the middle of chest upwards
• In this type of scene, the
background has receded and the
person or group of people being
videotaped fill out the entire
scene
• Basic shot for an interview
 Close-up

• Zero in on a single object –

e.g. someone’s face to fill out
the whole scene
• Details of expression and
feeling may be conveyed in a
close-up shot
• You can see little more than a
head
 Big Close-up
• Very close (tight) on the
head
• Sometimes it cutting off the
forehead
Camera Height
• It’s comfortable for most people to shoot
video at their own eye level however it does
not always produce the best results
• A person sitting down will look better and be
more comfortable if you videotape them
from their eye level instead of your own if
you are standing
• This is important when videotaping children;
a video that explores the world at their eye
level will be much more effective and
interesting
• Modern camera with pivot LCDs make it
easier to watch what you are video taping
Camera Height -cont
• Taping at different camera heights can
suggest emotional effects or mood
• Generally, it is best to choose one camera
height to use throughout a video except for
special effects
• Extreme camera angles can provide a good
effect if used well and sparingly
• E.g. taping from ground level or from above
a scene should only be used if doing so
clarifies the action or make sense in the
storyline
• A “subjective” angle means taping as if the
camera’s eye is that of one of the character
and can be a dramatic effect but should be
planned carefully