_View the Camera shots, angles, and movements
presentation. These notes will be important to understand as we will be using
them to create quality video footage for our news casts later in the quarter.
Visit the following website for examples of things to think about before planning out your story. Shot Composition is extremely important in the planning stages.
This presentation will also include composition, lighting, and sound notes.
For additional examples of shots, movements, and angles CLICK HERE.
When composing a story, there is not magical rule on how long a camera shot should be held. However, consider the following:
In thirty years of working in TV I can tell you that I have yet to find a formula for how long to stay on a shot. There are many variables:
(1) Content (2) Intended Audience (3) Medium which the intended audience will be viewing the program
Your question specifically mentioned “Internet Broadcast.” For Internet Broadcasts the tolerances tend to be greater than for some other mediums, so that would tend to broaden my answer even more.
Don Hewitt, famed executive producer for 60 Minutes repeatedly used a phrase when speaking with his reporters, cameramen, editors, etc. It became a mantra for which Don became famous. I think we in the church can learn from it as well. When questions would arise about content during a segment, camera blocking, an edit, etc., Don Hewitt would tell the 60 Minutes team,
“Tell me a story …”
In other words … how does the question at hand affect the telling of the story? What is the story? How will my audience understand it? The story must be more than simply a delivery of facts. But rather “the story” should be the factual, creative, compelling and engaging telling of truths.
Don would use the example of Bible stories handed down (in many cases verbally) from one generation to another. Jesus, more than any other communicator than I am aware of used stories to communicate truths.
I think if you judge your question regarding shot duration for a webcast under the Don Hewitt’s standard, the answer may surprise you. Although I did not answer your question in a direct fashion, I think the best answer to “how long should I stay on a shot?” is, “as long as you need to.” __________________ Tom D'Angelo New York City
Be creative, stay busy, pay attention, and be prepared (think about what is next).
StoryBoards
Use a storyboard to plan out the shots, movement, and angles of your story.
Visit the following website for examples of things to think about before planning out your story. Shot Composition is extremely important in the planning stages.
To get a better understanding of what a storyboard is and how it will help with your planning, go through the storyboard notes.
Each frame should be pre-planned and drawn on the storyboards. Use the storyboard planning sheet to assist in your planning.
You may need to use several of these sheets for your story.
1st Assignment: Angle - Shots and Movement Photo Project
_You will use your newly acquired knowledge of camera angles and movements to create a storybook like you would see on Reading Rainbow or Arthur. If you need an example, watch this example of a Book on YouTube.
You
will be using all original pictures for this project. Remember that
you are trying to use a variety of camera angles in order to make your
story interesting. You will also have to use interesting Ken Burn
effects on your pictures in order to tell your story (we will be covering iMovie on a separate day).
You will need to use the random Impromptu Generatorto
get a person, place, and activity to be done. Pick one of the 3
options the generator creates for you and write a 2 minutes story. Use
the storyboards to draw out what your pictures will look like and how they line up with the story.
The focus of this project is to utilize ALL the
various camera angles and shots that we discussed in class.
PROCESS:
The movie must show ALL original pictures (you can edit them in doodle buddy if you wish).
The movie must demonstrate ALL of the different camera shots (labeled).
The movie must demonstrate ALL the basic camera angles (straight, high, low, canted/dutch, over the shoulder).
You will need to narrate the story as a voice over.
The project needs to be AT LEAST 2 minutes in length and no longer than 6 minutes.
The History of Television
_Of
all the mass media, television is the medium of choice for
many Canadians. "In terms of audience penetration, television
is the most mass of all the mass media" (N. Felesenthal,
1976). It touches our lives "more intimately, more seductively,
and more persuasively than any other" (Marshall McLuhan,
1980). Television is arguably the most powerful medium in
the world
today. It has created what McLuhan refers to as "the
global village".
Moses Znaimer (1995) recently reminded us of the pervasiveness
of this medium with these statistics:
There
are approximately one billion TV sets in use world wide.
There are
10.4 million TV households in Canada compared to 90.4 million
in the United States.
Program
development costs in the United States amount to $1 billion
annually.
In Canada
and the United States, television accounts for 20 per cent
of all advertising dollars.
Seventy-six
per cent of Canadian households have cable--more than any other
country.
Britain
ranks second behind the United States as an exporter of TV
programs.
For most
people, the question of how television works is a mystery even
though television is often considered the greatest human
invention and the most popular form of mass media. The invention
of television was the result of many years of research and
labor by numerous people and countries.
Television
History
Do you know
who invented television and when? Find out the answer by
viewing the following short videos. All of the videos can also be viewed on YouTube at the links provided at the right of the video.
_ The
motion picture and television industries have developed a
basic
code that
communicates technical information quickly. The
various camera techniques used in film and television
affect meaning.
As
you watch a movie or television program, you are aware that
the images you see are shot from various distances and from
various angles. It is this variety in visuals that creates
interest for the viewer. No doubt, a program would be very
boring if all of the images were similar in shot and angle.
However,
as viewers, we also interpret camera shots and angles for
meaning. We may do this unconsciously, but we do read these
signals. You can probably recall a moment in a movie or television
program when the camera focused very closely on a potential
victim's face or on a weapon in someone's hand. What did
this signal to you? Did you prepare yourself for something
drastic to happen? Were you able to read the fear in the
victim's face or eyes? The close-up shot communicated to
you, the viewer, the intensity of the situation. It communicated
meaning.
Camera
shots, camera angles, and camera movements are the
codes that we will explore that are used to construct meaning
in movies and television.
The
distance of the camera to the subject is determined by the
camera shot. You will see a variety of camera shots in movies
and television programs. Part of the reason for this is to
generate interest for the viewer, but camera shots have a
much greater significance than this. Camera
shots act as visual codes to create meaning.
Interview Instructions for “Up
Close and Personal”Your first project is an interview.You will learn interviewing skills,
camera shots and techniques, as well as basic operation of the cameraYou will pick a partner and another
pair of partners with whom you will work.Partners will each prepare interview questions, but only one will
actually interview the other on tape. Total time (includes set-up and close)
should be 3 to 4 minutes.This
means you (and your cameramen need to plan carefully and pay attention to the
time.)
Interviews must be realistic: some aspect of the
interviewee’s life/experience.
Consider:School activities, church and community activities, hobbies,
experiences, etc.The subject
doesn’t have to be an “Olympic hopeful” to offer insight into what it means to
be a football player, swimmer, track star, volleyball player, cheerleader,
flag, boy/girl scout, model.Consider human interest type background as well.Is you partner a son/daughter of a
divorced family?An adopted
child?New to Becker?Solo pilot?Mountain climber?Star Trek expert?Writer?Musician?Part of a group?Explore a variety of options.
Your written work is due the day you tape (right
after taping)
a. Copy of the 15 to 20 second
“set-up”.
This is the background information through which the
interviewer answers the 5 W’s and H for the audience and prior to asking the
first question.Note:you really are obligated to provide an
answer to the question “WHY?For
example, if the person is adopted, you could find out how many of our student
body/how many Americans are adopted and include this in your opener.
b. Copy of the 5 to 7 planned questions
you will ask.
Three of these must be
prefaced with a “backgrounder” sentence.E.G.“I know that you just recently met
your birth mom. What kind
of things went through your mind prior to meeting her?”“Backgrounder” is in bold and
italics.A good interviewer will
be open to follow-up questions.
c. Copy of the 15 second “close”:
This is the material you will use to close the
interview, which may include a thank you and “tie to audience.”(E.G.“I want to thank you for being here today on ‘Up Close and
Personal.’I appreciate your open,
sensitive answers to questions about being adopted.I know that I have a better understanding of what adoptees
feel.Thanks for sharing and good
luck in the future.This has been
_____________(your name) with this week’s “Up Close and Personal.”
Television Jobs Brochure/poster - EC
For this assignment you will focus on 4 of the main jobs that take place in the news world and create a brochure or poster for one of the jobs: Anchor/Reporter, Cinematographer/Camera Person, Editor, Producer. This project will have you explore the careers and find out what they do in their careers.
Must include:
· Information about schools (classes) and/or special training needed. You should find several schools.
· Information about salary vs. size of job.
· Job description.
· Information about other roles within the job title (i.e. types of reporters)