Objective: This section will introduce students to all phases of single-camera video and film production theory and techniques that can be applied to fiction, documentary, commercial, experimental or music video genres. Students will learn skills in pre-production, production and post-production through assignments that include conceptual, technical and collaborative fundamentals. Assignments and Grading: Project 1: Script Breakdown and Production Schedule - 25% Students will breakdown a Master Scene Script into a Shooting Script and create a feasible production schedule. Due on Day Three. Project 2: Camera and Composition Skills – 25% Students will demonstrate their knowledge of basic camera shots and composition elements. Due on Day Five. Project 3: Single-Camera Video Production – 25% Students will with work with a partner to create a 5 minute video short in either the narrative fiction or documentary form. Due on Day Nine. Section Exam – 25% ________________________________________________________________ RTVF Department policy: late returns/abuse of check-out privileges. Any report of a late equipment return, or other violations (including unauthorized check-out1) of departmental procedures relative to use of equipment or facilities, may affect your final course grade (point deductions are determined by the instructor). Repeat offenders will receive stronger penalties and will be denied the use of equipment and/or facilities based on the following schedule: 2nd infraction: 1 week loss2 of equipment use3 3rd infraction: 2 week loss of equipment use 4th infraction: loss of equipment use privileges for the remainder of the current semester in all RTVF classes (Instructors are given detailed reports of all infractions from the equipment room staff and copies are also sent to the RTVF Production Committee.) 1 Unauthorized check-out violation will be if a student checks out equipment for another student who has lost their privileges. 2 Loss begins on the date of the infraction. 3 Equipment use includes equipment/media check-out, editing facilities, and studio use.

FILM SECTION

FILM SECTION SCHEDULE Day 1 Introduction to film section. General description of video and film formats. Brief overview of fiction and documentary genres. Discussion of pre-production planning, script breakdown and production scheduling. Overview of crew positions in film and video location productions. Review Equipment Check-out Procedures and Policies. Discuss Project #1 due on Day 3. Day 2 Introduction to basic camera shots, movements and composition. Discussion and readings will include specifics of shooting video vs. shooting film, including characteristics of film stocks, videotape and digital media. In-class demonstration of Super-8 and 16mm motion picture film cameras. Day 3 Camera lenses, f-stops, depth of field, color temperature, white balancing, filters. In-class demonstration of Video Cameras and tripods. Project #1 due. Discuss Project #2 due on Day 5. Day 4 Video and Film Post-Production. Discussion will include basic rules of shooting and editing for continuity, master scene structure and methods of editing film and video. Day 5 Demonstration of Adobe Premiere non-linear editing equipment and techniques. Work on non-graded video editing exercise in class. Project #2 due. Discuss Project #3 due on Day 9. Day 6 Demonstration of Soundminer and Adobe Encore. Continue working on video editing exercise in class. Day 7 Approaches to lighting with in-class demonstrations. Readings include coverage of basic lighting design, techniques, filters and tools. Day 8 Work day. Shoot or edit Project #3 during class time. Day 9 Section Exam. Project #3 due at beginning of class.

INTRODUCTION TO RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM RTVF 2210 Some basic comparative differences between Film and Videotape Conceptual Guidelines For your team production assignment, you may choose to work in either the fiction or documentary form. Your production will not use any narration or dialogue, but instead must be told VISUALLY. Narrative Filmmaking: A story told in either fiction or documentary form, on film or video, must possess characters and events that unfold over time in a structure with a beginning, middle and end. Characters face conflicts, challenges or obstacles that they react to physically and psychologically to try to resolve. The conclusion presents a culminating action that joins all the elements of the story, resulting in the main character(s) achieving a goal. The story is often structured in “three acts”, with the introduction of characters and conflict being introduced in the first “act”, the climax occurring at the end of the second “act” and the resolution near the end of the final “act”. The theme of a narrative is the message the filmmaker wants to share with the viewer. The Fiction Form: The fiction film implies a written script with actors following the director’s “vision” for the film. It can be feature length (90+ minutes), a made-for-TV movie (60-90 min.) or a short (2-30 min.) Different length fiction films have different narrative structures. While the feature film will often follow the classic three-act structure, the made-for-TV movie will be structured to allow for commercial breaks. The short film can follow a truncated 3-act structure, but often relies on character over plot and action over dialogue. Short films often have surprise plot twists at the end. The fiction film can be set in a studio or on location and is shot out of sequence for maximum efficiency. If you and your partner decide to produce a fiction film, you may not use dialogue but instead

DAY ONE Introduction to film section. General description of video and film formats. Brief overview of fiction and documentary genres. Discussion of pre-production planning, script breakdown and production scheduling. Overview of crew positions in film and video location productions. Review Equipment Check-out Procedures and Policies. Discuss Project #1 due on Day 3.

must tell your story with action. You may incorporate music and other audio as desired.

INTRODUCTION TO RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM RTVF 2210 The Documentary Form: A documentary can include a process, an action, a portrait of a person or place, a historical overview, or an issue-oriented film. Documentary is often defined as “the creative treatment of actuality.” Of course, a film can never be totally unbiased. The mere placement of a camera alters reality. The choice of editing one shot next to another alters reality. The documentary filmmakers’ job is to record real events and present them in an engaging manner to the viewer. This can be accomplished in a fairly straightforward manner or a fragmented, manipulative, artistic manner. The goal of the documentary filmmaker should be to articulate and represent some reality in an engaging manner for the audience. Documentaries often incorporate interviews, observational footage, interaction between the filmmaker and the documentary subject, and other approaches. If you and your team choose to produce a documentary, you may not use dialogue but may incorporate music and other audio. Basic movements of a Film or Video Camera

a. pan b. tilt c. dolly d. trucking or tracking e. boom

Basic shots

a. Long shot (LS) b. Medium shot (MS) c. Close up (CU) d. Extreme close up (ECU)

Composition Composition is the arrangement of elements in the action field in relation to the frame lines of the picture. Composition falls into three parts: framing, camera modification (zooming in or out), and action field control (camera moves) There are many books, theories and “rules” of composition. The following discussion will be limited to only a few guidelines. Since the frame aspect ratio is 4 horizontally to 3 vertically, the design of sets, titles, charts, maps, etc., must fit these proportions. INTRODUCTION TO RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM RTVF 2210

F-5

Head Room

When you follow action with the camera, it is a good idea to “lead” the action slightly. If you do not, and if the action gets near the side of the frame toward which it is going, your audience may get the uncomfortable feeling that the subject will run into the edge of the frame. Low Angles and High Angles

Low Angles put the audience in an inferior position. High angles put the audience in a superior position. Low angles are good for showing a character who is more powerful than another character. High angles are good for showing characters weaker than other characters. From this, you can see that a low angle would be good to use in a shot of an intruder approaching his or her victim, and a high angle appropriate for the shot of the victim cringing on the ground. Foreground Treatment Foreground treatment is really an additional kind of framing which helps emphasize the center of interest. A shot of a farmhouse with a field of hay in the foreground and bald sky all around usually doesn’t look as pleasing as it would if it had a picket fence and some tree branches in the foreground. Rule of Thirds This rule states that important information and horizon lines should be compositionally placed on the upper or lower third “line” of the frame and not on the center “line”. As a general rule, put an actor’s eyes in the upper half of the frame.

F-6

INTRODUCTION TO RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM RTVF 2210 Basic Positions on a Film Crew Producer Director Assistant Director (1st AD, 2nd AD, etc) Director of Photography Camera Operator (Cinematographer / Videographer) 1st and 2nd Assistant Camera Operators Sound Crew

Crew includes Mixer, Boom Operator and Recordist Script Supervisor Loader Gaffer - Electrician, directs others on how to position and plug in lights Crew includes the Gaffer, the Best Boy, the Electrician and the Generator Operator Grip - Handle cables, push dollies, carry equipment Crew includes the Key Grip, the Dolly Grip and additional Grips Props Wardrobe Set Design / Carpenters Script Supervisor - Continuity Makeup Medical - Nurse Craft Services Call Sheet The call sheet has all the information that the technicians, actors, and actresses will need for the next day’s work on a set or on location. It is used for fiction film, commercials and also for documentary. A call sheet is usually given out toward the end of one day’s shoot in preparation for the next day. The call sheet has a lot of information on it that will tell each member of the cast and crew when to be where, what to show up with, what the location is like, what props are needed, etc. The main purpose of the call sheet is to help you prepare for your job. While call sheets will vary depending on the production, there is basic information that is almost always

F-7

INTRODUCTION TO RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM RTVF 2210

1. Day of shooting. For example day 7 out of 50 days. 2. Picture — name of the film or commercial. 3. Production number — films and television shows and

commercials are often given a number for identification. This is especially true if they are being produced or distributed by a company with several shows under production.

4. Name of the director. 5. Crew call. This is the time that the crew is to report

for work. 6. Shooting call. This is the time the shooting should

begin. Therefore, the camera, lights, actors, sound crew, etc., should be ready to shoot at this time.

7. Set description. This will tell you whether the shot is a day or night shot, whether it is interior or exterior and a description of the location and what action is to take place. A set can be either a stage of a distant location can be called a set.

8. Date 9. Scene number. This is the scene number from the script,

used for editing the film. You can turn to this scene number in your script and know exactly what dialogue and action should take place in a given scene.

10. Cast number. Each cast member is given a number in a script, starting with the lead person and going through every cast member, including small parts. The numbers listed in the cast number box on the call sheet indicate which characters will be filmed that day. 11. D/N. This tells you whether the shoot is day or night.

12. Pages. This number will tell you how many pages or eighths of a page will be shot as a part of a certain scene. * A script is usually divided into eighths of a page.) 13. Location phone number and address. 14. Character. This is where you write the characters’ names that will be on set that day.

15. P/U or pickup. This is the time at which an actor or actress is to be picked up from his or her hotel or home to be taken to the set.

16. Rpt to/mu (report to makeup). This is the time scheduled to allow for makeup to be applied to an actor.

17. On set. This is the time the actor is to report to the set in costume, with makeup, knowing script lines, ready to rehearse and then shoot.

18. Atmosphere and stand-ins. The atmosphere means extras or background people. The stand-in is the actor’s double who may stand in while the crew is lighting the scene.

19. Comments — transportation. Here is listed what

F-S

vehicles are due, where at, what times. 20. Report to. Designates where atmosphere and stand-

ins are to go.

F-S

INTRODUCTION TO RADIO, TELEVISION AND FILM RTVF 2210

21. On set. Designates when atmosphere and stand-ins are to report to set.

22. Advance schedule. Tells the crew what to be prepared for in the next few days of shooting.

23. Special instructions. This information alerts crew if special rigs, rain, gags, mounts, etc., will be needed.

24. Assistant director. The name of the assistant director.

25. Unit manager. The name of the unit manager. 26. Approved. The unit production manager (UPM) or 1st

AD (assistant director) usually signs this sheet. The back of the call sheet often has space to include some additional information for the technical crew. Each department on a set (costume, set, makeup, props, grip, gaffer, camera, sound, etc.) is usually assigned a number. There will be a column telling each department exactly what is needed on the set that day. For example, this may indicate the number of motorcycles needed in a scene for the prop department or the number of camera packages needed for the camera department. Another column will give the specific call time for each department. The camera crew may need to show up at 7:30am, but the makeup department may not need to be on the set until 9:30am. Basic Planning and Writing of the Script

1. Concept / Log Line 2. Treatment 3. Story Board 4. Master Scene Script 5. Shooting Script

F-9

Day 3 Camera lenses, film speeds, f-stops, depth of field, color temperature considerations, white balancing, filters. Stages in film production and postproduction, including processing, laboratories and video post production houses.

Lenses

1. Definition of focal length 2. Wide Angle 3. Telephoto 4. Normal Focal Length 5. Variable (zoom)

F - Stops

1. Lens settings — the size of the aperture opening in the lens.

2. Common F-Stop numbers 3. How F-Stop changes effect depth of field

Terms:

1. Fast lenses 2. Open up 3. Close down (stop down)

Lens Care:

1. Cleaning 2. Storage 3. Lens hoods 4. Covering the lens

Color Temperature The color quality of some light sources can be stated in terms of color temperature, and is a measure that defines the color of a light source relative to the visual appearance and expressed in degrees Kelvin (K) . The main light sources used in filmmaking are daylight, tungsten lamps and fluorescent lamps. These three sources each have different color appearances to film and video stock and must be taken into consideration when selecting film stock or video filters. Daylight is normally read at 5,500 degrees K, tungsten lamps at 3,200 degrees K. K.

Color Temperature for Various Light Sources Artificial Light

Source Degrees Kelvin

Match Flame 1,700 Candle Flame 1,850 40-Watt Incandescent Tungsten Lamp 2,650 75-Watt Incandescent Tungsten Lamp 2,820 100-Watt Incandescent Tungsten Lamp 2,900 200-Watt Incandescent Tungsten Lamp 2,980 1000-Watt Incandescent Tungsten Lamp 2,990 3200 K Tungsten Lamp 3,200 Molard “Brute” w/ Yellow Flame Carbons and YF-101 Filter (approx) 3,350 “C.P” (Color Photography) Studio Tungsten Lamp 3,350 Photoflood and Reflector Flood Lamp 3,400 Daylight Blue Photoflood Lamp 4,800 White Flame Carbon Arc Lamp 5,000 High-Intensity Sun Arc Lamp 5,500 Xenon Arc Lamp 6,420

Daylight Source Degrees Kelvin Sunlight:Sunrise or Sunset 2,000 Sunlight: 1Hour after Sunrise 3,500 Sunlight: Early Morning 4,300 Sunlight: Late Afternoon 4,300 Average Summer Sunlight at Noon(Washington D.C.) 5,400 Direct Midsummer Sunlight 5,800 Overcast Sky 6,000 Average Summer Sunlight (plus blue skylight) 6,500 Light Summer Shade 6,500 Average Summer Shade 7,100 Summer Skylight will vary From 9,500 to 30,000

Lighting Conversion Filters Motion picture film comes either balanced for daylight (measured at about 5,500 degrees Kelvin) or Tungsten light (measured at about 3,200 degrees Kelvin). This

means that daylight balanced film is formulated to be sensitive to the color temperature of daylight and that no additional filter corrections are needed to make colors appear “normal” in a daylight shooting situation. In the same vein, Tungsten balanced film is ready to accept tungsten light with no additional filter corrections. If you only have daylight balanced film and you have to shoot an interior scene with tungsten lights, you must make some corrections using specifically designed filters or gels to convert the tungsten light (3,200 degrees Kelvin) to the color temperature of daylight (5,500 degrees Kelvin). In this particular situation, you would put a specific blue gel (Tough Blue 50) in front of the tungsten light so that the light, after it has gone through the gel and reaches the film, is converted to 5,500 degrees Kelvin color temperature. You can also choose to alter the color temperature by varying degrees using lighter versions of this blue gel. Below is a list of Tungsten Conversion Filters. No. Name Description 3202 Tough Blue 50 Boosts 3,200 K to nominal 5,500 K daylight (full blue) 3204 Tough Booster Blue Boosts 3,200 K to 4,100 K (one half blue) 3206 Tough 1/2 Booster Blue Boosts 3,200 K to 3,800 K (one third blue) 3208 Tough 1/4 Booster Blue Boosts 3,200 K to 3,500 K (one quarter blue) 3216 Rough 1/8 Blue Boosts 3,200 K to 3,300 K (one eighth blue) If you only have Tungsten balanced film and need to shoot indoors but also need to use light coming in through a window, you must change the color temperature of the light as it comes through the window from 5,500 K to 3,200 K, thus matching the needs of the Tungsten balanced film. You would do this by placing a specific orange gel over the window (RoscoSun 85). Partial conversions are used where less than full correction (a cooler or bluer daylight appearance) is preferred. All roll material is 58 inches wide and 100 square feet. On the next page is a list of Daylight Conversion Filters.

No. Name Description

3401 RoscoSun 85 Converts 5,500 K Daylight to a nominal 3,200 K 3407 RoscoSun CTO Converts 5,500 K daylight to a nominal 2,900 K 3408 RoscoSun ½ CTO Converts 5,500 K daylight to a nominal 3,800 K 3409 RoscoSun ¼ CTO Converts 5,500 K daylight to a nominal 4,500 K 3761 Roscolex 85 Rigid acrylic panel performs same functions as RoscoSun 85 (Important note: Do not confuse sunlight with daylight. Sunlight is the light of the sun only. Daylight is a combination of sunlight plus skylight. The values given are approximate because many factors affect color temperature including the sun angle and the conditions of the sky such as clouds, haze and dust particles can raise or lower color temperature.) Other Camera Filters (paraphrased-Kodak Student Filmmaker Handbook) Neutral Density Filters reduce the intensity of light reaching the film without affecting the tonal rendition of colors in the scene. Several companies, including Kodak make neutral density filters. RoscoSun’s Neutral Density filters have several variations - two of the materials also convert daylight to 3,200 K (tungsten balanced color temperature) Neutral density filters can either be put on the camera lens to lower the amount of all light, or on windows or other outdoor openings to only lower the amount of light coming through them. Below is a list of RoscoSun materials that can be placed on windows, etc. No. Name Description

3402 RoscoSun N3 Reduces light by the intensity of one stop 3403 RoscoSun N6 Reduces light intensity two stops 3404 RoscoSun N9 Reduces light intensity three stops 3405 RoscoSun 85N3 Reduces light intensity one stop and converts daylight to a nominal 3,200 K 3406 RoscoSun 84N6 Reduces light intensity two stops and converts daylight to a nominal 3,200 K 3809 RoscoScrim Perforated material, 54 in.wide, reduces light intensity two stops with no effect on color temperature 3762 Roscolex N3 Rigid acrylic panel, reduces light intensity one stop 3763 Roscolex N6 Rigid acrylic panel, reduces light

intensity two stop

Polarizing filters are used to subdue reflections from surfaces such as glass, water and polished wood and also to control the brightness of the sky. Polarizing filters are actually two pieces of glass held together by an outer ring. The pieces of glass have tiny wire meshing inside, so that when you rotate the pieces of glass and look at a shiny object, the glare is reduced. By reducing glare, the polarizing filter will also increase the color saturation of the object. It is important to remember that with a polarizing filter, be sure to remember that this filter has a filter factor. This means that the filter eliminates some of the light coming through the lens, and you must compensate for this by increasing the film exposure with a larger aperture opening.

Filters for Black and White Films can emphasize clouds, reduce the brightness of blue sky and water, penetrate haze in distant landscapes, increase tonal contrast between colored objects and produce special effects such as simulated night scenes. Filters for black and white film fall into three main types: (1) Correction filters change the color quality of the exposing light so that the film records all colors at approximately the relative brightness values seen by the eye.(2) Contrast filters change the relative brightness values so that two colors that would otherwise record as nearly the same shade of gray will have decidedly different brightness in the picture and (3) Haze filters that reduce the effects of aerial haze.

Day 4 Demonstration of video editing equipment. Discussion will include

control track, time code, insert and assemble editing and basic rules of continuity shooting and editing. Editing and Filming It is important to understand the relationship between editing and filming. The editor is not going to be able to construct a film successfully from the footage shot unless adequate footage is returned from shooting. The editor will not be able to vary camera angle, achieve continuity or give the film an acceptable pace unless the footage is adequate to the task. When the film is shot, the filmmaker must have an idea of what goes into the editing process so that he or she can know what to shoot and how to shoot it. Of course, this is more important for a narrative film than for an abstract film, which may be made almost totally in the editing. Approaches to Shooting and Editing Master Scene Technique: In this technique, the action for an entire scene is covered in one continuous shot. Often, portions of the complete scene are then covered from different angles and distances in close-up shots after the master scene has been shot. These additional shots emphasize reactions, points of view, details, and reverse angles. In editing, these additional shots are inserted into the master scene in a way that gives the appearance of uninterrupted action - - the “match cut”. By editing these shots together, the viewer perceives continuous movement in the action, There are rules for this style of shooting and editing. These principles of “continuity” must be followed in order to preserve the illusion of continuous time and coherent spatial relationships. Cutting often appears to be motivated by the action itself, and for this reason is often referred to as the “invisible” edit. This style of editing, where the edits are not obvious, is often called “Classic Hollywood Editing”. Parallel Editing: Cutting back and forth from one location to another or one storyline to another, usually to show that two actions are occurring simultaneously but sometimes also to compare or contrast two actions

Shooting Ratios The unedited footage is called rushes or dailies. They are given these names because often the director will send the exposed negative off to a lab to be developed on a daily basis so that he or she can see what was shot within 24 hours. Almost invariably, there is a considerably greater amount of rushes than there is of final film. The ratio of film shot to final footage is usually between 5:1 and 10:1. But, the ratio varies tremendously depending on the type of film being made and the method of filming. Documentary filmmakers often have much higher shooting ratios because of the unknown nature of what exactly will happen on location, sometimes garnering shooting ratios of 40:1 and higher. Often one of the most difficult tasks in writing up a budget for a film is to estimate the amount of footage that will be needed. When there is a script for a film, a great deal of additional footage is shot to give the editor a selection of shots and to guarantee that there will not be any continuity gaps either within scenes or in the story line. It is not unusual when two possibilities for a story line exist, for both to be filmed and the final choice delayed until the film is being edited. Often the same actions filmed several times in several “takes” to get different camera angles (positions) and to guarantee that the actors have performed their task well. When no script is being used, either because actors are improvising or because it is a documentary film, much footage is wasted because the camera operator is unable to predict what will happen. Film Time and Film Space Film time and film space are very different from actual space and time. It is important to understand how. Film time and space are created in the editing room. One of the most difficult concepts for the novice filmmaker is the realization that the sequence of events as they happen in real life or as they are acted out is not necessarily the way those events will appear in the film. Take the case of a film that is acted from a script. There is a tendency for the novice to shoot the events to be filmed in the order that they will be edited, but this may be unnecessarily inefficient. Scenes to be shot at the same locale and scenes using the same actors should be shot close to one another in time, though they may be far apart in the final film. Similarly, in the space that a film creates, one person may appear to be looking at another, though the two people were not filmed in the same place or at the same time.

Continuity Shooting Matching Action: If the type of film you are making demands continuity of action within scenes, that is, the action is to look as though it occurred in a continuous time period, various precautions must be exercised in shooting to guarantee the editor footage adequate to the editing of such scenes. Whenever the editor has to make a cut within the scene, he or she has to have two shots which match, that give the illusion that no time has passed between them. When one take ends and the next begins with a different camera angle or a lens of different focal length, and the action involves the same actor, there must be what is called an overlap of action. That is, whatever action was performed toward the end of the first take must be repeated at the beginning of the next take. This will allow the editor a choice as to what point to cut. It guarantees that there will be no gap in the action. For example, if in the first take the actor strikes a match and lights his cigarette and in the second shot we want a closeup of him puffing, we will take the first shot through his puff. The next take might start just before the puff and continue through it. The overlap of action gives the editor some freedom and guarantees continuity. It should be obvious that details and continuity of action must match from shot to shot to allow for continuity editing. Positions should be the same, neckties should not change color in mid-scene, hand positions should not jump unexpectedly from one shot to the next, the sky should not go from sunny to cloudy in one scene, and so forth. Editing can also be used to condense apparent time (cutting out actions) and to expand apparent time (overlapping action). Cut-away shots When the rushes are not adequate to indicate continuity, the editor needs a cut-away, a shot not in the main action. A cut-away could be someone reacting to the main action or perhaps to an important object. The rushes should contain enough cut-aways to get the editor over such continuity bumps. The cut-away is a shot supposedly taking place at the same time as the main action, but not directly involved in the main action. The most common variety of cut-away is the reaction shot. This is simply a shot of a person reacting to the main action as listener or spectator. Cut-aways, when properly used, do not interfere with the integrity or continuity of the main action. They are often useful for overcoming continuity gaps when footage is not sufficient in this respect. Cut-aways are one

of the easiest ways of stretching or condensing actual time to give the film different time. If we cut between a race and the spectators’ reactions, we often lengthen the actual time of the race. On the other hand, if we cut away for part of a movement, when we cut back we may have cut out a large chunk of action. 180 degree rule In general, all the camera angles of an object or person should stay on the same side of the action to avoid disconcerting changes of position. If we draw an imaginary line through the main action, all the camera shots must be on the same side of that line. To illustrate this, consider a conversation between two people, A and B, looking at each other. A is at the right looking at B who is at the left looking at A. If we were to draw a line through the action, from A to B, and to keep all our camera positions on one side of that line, we would always preserve the screen direction. A is looking left in any shot and B is looking right. If we crossed the 180 degree line, however, even though the actors had not physically moved, it would appear that they had switched places, with B looking left and A looking right. An edit between two shots of the same subject matter where the camera has crossed the 180 degree line is disconcerting to the viewer. The viewer will accept shots from many different vantage points, heights, and distances, and will incorporate them into an interpretation of real space, but when the above rule is violated,

relationships of people and objects may be obscured. If the camera must cross over this line, it is important to either show the actor changing direction or to insert a neutral shot (a shot with the camera right on the 180 degree line) in between the shots where it crosses over.

Screen direction: The typical “chase” scenes in films show both the pursuer and the pursued moving in the same direction on the screen so as to heighten the illusion of a chase. When cutting between subjects that are about to make contact, opposite screen directions are used to emphasize that the subjects are moving toward each other (A moving left to right and B moving right to left) to convey that they are about to meet. 30 degree rule: Every cut, like every camera movement, should have significance. Cuts should not involve slight changes in image size or camera angle. A cut from a person filmed at a distance of five feet to a shot taken of the subject at five feet would be meaningless and inefficient. The subject would jump a little closer but no new information would be revealed. The same goes for a medium shot of a subject cut to a medium shot of the same subject with the camera moved a foot to the right or left. These two shots, cut together on the screen would visibly “jump” and there would be no new information for the viewer. The 30 degree rule states that if you are going to edit together two shots of the same subject, the camera needs to have moved at least 30 degrees (think of an arc) between the two shots to eliminate the appearance of a jump. Jump-cutting: In recent years it has become popular to dispense with match cutting and other “rules” of continuity editing to purposely include jump-cuts. The most common type of jump-cut used is simple cutting out of footage that would otherwise give the sequence normal continuity. One

should only break continuity editing rules if it truly benefits the telling of the story. Do not fall into copying a fad without considering how it truly affects what you are attempting to communicate with your audience. Types of jump cuts:

1. Action cut out of a scene 2. Mis-match of action 3. Mis-match of screen position 4. Too similar angle (break the 30 degree rule between shots) 5. Reverse in direction 6. Change in details, props or costumes 7. A moving shot to a static shot or vice-versa in the same scene 8. Mis-match in lighting or color 9. Mis-match in logical progression of events or action 10.Mis-match in sound

 

 

Shooting for the Edit *Sound. Be aware of it. Get room tone and ambient. Weather. •Cut-aways. Cover yourself. Use to cover jump cuts or give info.

*180 degree rule •Extra time before and after shooting a shot •Continuity *Establishing Shot / Master Scene Shot / Individual Shots *Shoot it twice if possible *eyeline match. •A wide variety of shots / angles! Distances

Different grades of videotape you can buy There is a slight gain in image quality, but more importantly, there is a reduction in DROP-OUTS(a loss of signals due to imperfection in the surface of the tape. Do not use cheap tape: it can clog the VCR heads and will cause problems in editing. Various signals recorded on a videotape 1. The Two Audio Channels 2. The Image/Video Signal 3. Control Track This is like electronic sprocket holes. The control track is how the tape “talks” to the equipment, what allows it to move through the equipment at the correct speed. Also can be thought of as “Glue”, which everything else sits on top of. Must have CT to have audio or video.

4. SMPTE Time Code Gives you an exact “Address” for each frame of the videotape which never changes. Types of Timecode are: LTC - Longitudinal Time Code VITC - Vertical Interval Time Code Steps In Editing Log your footage, using Timecode numbers as references Break down your shots - index cards Paper edit EDL (Edit Decision List) - a list of each edit using Timecode numbers for in and out points.

Day 5 Demonstration of 16mm motion picture film editing.

Students will edit a 16mm film project. Necessary materials and pre-shot film is included in the Film Readings include overview of film editing and techniques. Basic Approach

1. Planning 2. Filming 3. Post Production

In this class, you will be given some film that has already been shot and processed. You will then edit this film. In future classes and in the real world, you may go through the entire film process from shooting through processing and editing. In these cases, after exposing a roll of film, the film is unloaded in total darkness and put into the can in which it came. Tape the can with black gaffers tape to reduce the possibility of light getting in. Put the can in the box in which it came and send it to a film developing laboratory for processing. You must tell the lab exactly how you want the film processed, printed, returned, etc. Film generally should be handled on equipment that is clean and if possible in rooms which have filtered air and humidity and temperature control. Of course, this is not always possible, so take care of the film and avoid carelessly damaging it with bent reels, long fingernails, rings, etc. When you receive your workprint film, look closely at it and make notes. This is called logging your footage. Your workprint will have the shots out of order, so you can cut the shots to separate them and put each on individual

cores or hang them in the trim bin. Basic Film Editing Steps:

1. Get film back from lab - usually shots are out of order 2. Break film into individual shots 3. Label 4. Rough Cut 5. Fine Cut

Basic Tools of Film Editing:

1. Splicers a. Wet Cement Splice b. Butt Splice with tape 2. Viewers 3. Rewinds 4. End locks 5. Bench 6. Sync block - to be used if also editing sound 7. Split reels and cores or spools 8. Scissors 9. Tape

10.Grease pencil 11.Film Cleaner

12.Lint free gloves

sprung handle

The direction of the light within a scene will suggest the time of day, the type of location, and the mood of that scene. It will also model the objects within a scene, bringing out their shape and texture, or perhaps intentionally not bringing out their shape and texture. The bright, cheery daytime dining room may become a sinister, shadowy, nighttime scene by changing the placement of just a few lights. Lighting Instruments The most basic lighting set up is called three point lighting.

1. Key light - main light that gives basic exposure and establishes mood

2. Fill light - fills in shadows caused by key light and softens the image.

3. Back light - visually separates the subject from the background. The Key Light and Key Light Placement The primary source of illumination in any given scene, which establishes the perceived direction of the character of the light, is the key light. Key light placement is always dictated by the effect desired by the cinematographer. There are three important questions to consider when setting key light: Front-back: Which side of the subject will be illuminated? High-low: Should the light strike the subject from a high or low angle? Hard-soft: Should the light be directional or diffused? A traditional starting point for the key light placement for close-ups is about 45 degrees left or right from the camera and from 30 to 45 degrees above the floor. The cinematographer will more often put it elsewhere,however, depending on the mood and location of the scene. Another rule of thumb dictates that the key light come from outside the actor’s look. In other words, if the actor is looking off-camera (usually the case in narrative films) the key should come from the other side of his line of sight so that the actor is looking between the key light and the camera. Note that there are many, many variations on the typical three point lighting set up, and the scene and mood should dictate lighting placement.

Lighting According to Function

The key light is the main light falling on a principal area of action. It may be near the camera, to the side, or even more than 90 degrees from lens axis. It is the key plus the fill which determines the lens f-stop. The key light is usually a spotlight, and placed high in order to cast a pleasing nose shadow, keep the actor from squinting, and drop the shadow of the actor on the background so that the shadow is less noticeable.

The fill light is a soft light, usually a diffused bucket light or broad, usually placed near the camera, which fills in the shadow created by the key light.

The back—light is usually a spot placed high behind the actor, casting a highlight on the actor’s hair and shoulders. This separates the actor from the background and helps create in the audience a feeling of depth. To prevent flare from the back-light, use barn doors, goboes, and lens shades.

The background lights illuminate the background. The background is usually made lighter or darker than the actor’s faces. Background lights may be either spotlights or floodlights. Generally speaking, there is much background light in high key scenes and very little in low key scenes. The key and fill often serve as background light when the area being photographed is small. There should ordinarily be a key light and fill light for each principal acting area In studios, back-lights and background lights are usually strung along the top of the set flats or suspended from a ceiling grid. In location may have to be placed on

a boom, which is a long arm and counterweight mounted on a heavy stand.

Day 6 Approaches to lighting with in-class demonstrations. Readings include coverage of basic lighting design, techniques, filters and tools.

High Key Lighting High Key lighting has a very bright, flat look, with very few shadows. Many lights are used to give a high amount of illumination. Do not confuse “high key” with “high contrast”. In many ways, they are the opposite.

Low Key Lighting Low Key lighting is a much darker approach, with lots of contrast between different objects.

Cucoloris Lighting Tools:

1. Cucoloris. Often simply called a “cookie” on the set, a cucoloris is used to create a shadow pattern on a

backdrop or another object. When it is positioned in front of a light source, the cookie breaks up an evenly or flatly lit area into pools of light and shadow. As with most professional lighting instruments, cookies are very expensive, but can also be made inexpensively with some cardboard or tree branches, etc. A professional cookie is made with wood or wire mesh and has cut out patterns within it.

2. Dots or Fingers.

These tools are used to alter or correct an isolated segment of light without affecting the overall pattern. If there is a glare off of someone’s glasses, a small dot might be used to block the light from that area of the scene, thus eliminating the glare. Dots are round and of varying size and fingers are simply

elongated versions of the same material. Both have long handles to facilitate placing and angling them.

Because of the thin wire construction of the outer frame of dots and

fingers, no shadows are cast on the subject

matter.

Dots

F-56

3. Flags and Cutters. Flags and cutters are opaque instruments designed to

totally hold back light from areas where light is not desired. They’re also galled “Gobos”. Flags and cutters do the same thing, but flags are more square in shape and cutters are longer and narrower. They are made of black, fire-resistant black cloth, sown on a closed metal frame. Their handles are black and they come in various sizes. The cutter is usually used for a larger lighting unit or when you have to get farther away from the light, or where the light would leak or spill over if you used a smaller flag. Flags.

4. Scrim. A scrim is a screen-like instrument that is used in combination with reflectors to cut down on the amount of light hitting a subject. Scrims come in single or double widths.

5. Sandbag. Professional motion picture sandbags are made from canvas or heavy vinyl and filled with sand or lead pellets. The bags are placed on all lighting, tripod and other stands once they have been set up properly and are in place. The bags usually just lay over one leg of the stand. Always try to place the bag on the leg opposite any weight attached to the stand to balance it out. Bags come in several sizes and weights, and are fairly expensive if purchased at a professional equipment facility. Many students choose to make their own sandbags (be sure to sew it shut tightly). In a pinch, a backpack with lots of books in it will serve as a “sandbag.”

6. Stands. There is one stand that is by far the most popular. It is called a C-Stand (or Century Stand). The C-

Stand is also occasionally called the Gobo Stand. The C-Stand takes a few minutes to master, but once understood, is reliable and always available in abundance on a professional set. The C-Stand is designed as a multipurpose support for lighting fixtures, flags, gobos, props, and other items that need to be held still. The legs are staggered in height to allow them to fit around and under furniture, props and other lighting instruments. The sliding leg, also called a “Rocky Mountain” leg, is available on some stands. This allows one leg to be raised so it can rest on an elevated surface if necessary. A C-Stand weighs about 11 pounds and when lowered is about 40 inches in height. When raised, it can reach almost 14 feet in height. Each riser is a tube inside a larger tube. To keep the center of balance as low as possible, always raise larger tubes before raising smaller, thinner tubes. The

F-58

stand has a head on it that can grip a 40 inch tube or extension arm. This arm has another head called a gobo head. This head grabs onto the dot, gobo, scrim, etc.

Century stand, or C-stand. Counter balance

sand bag

7. Barn Doors.

These are metal “doors” attached to a light that can be partially closed to direct the light in specific directions. Light Meters: Light meters are instruments that allow you to measure the amount of light in a location. The purpose of the light meter is to understand what F-Stop setting to set your camera at under these specific lighting conditions. In order to get the best recommendation, you need not only to measure the light but also need to “tell” the light meter what speed film you are using (what ASA it is meaning how sensitive it is to

light. Please note that film “speed” is NOT how quickly or slowly film moves through the camera.). “Fast film” is very sensitive to light and has a higher ASA number such as 1600. “Slow film” is less sensitive to light and has a lower ASA number such as 200. You also then need to tell the light meter what shutter speed you are using on the camera. If you are filming in real time, the shutter speed is 24 frames per second (fps) There are three types of light meters - Incident, Reflected and Spot Incident - Designed to measure the amount of light falling directly onto the main subject of the scene. The light meter is held next to the object and facing back toward the lights. Reflected - Designed with the light-sensitive cell located behind some sort of shield to control the light acceptance angle. This shield may be a perforated grid, a simple narrow tube or a magnifier. The purpose of the design is to produce a meter that is more or less directional so that the meter can be pointed toward a given object and not read light from all directions at once. For a reflected light reading, the light meter is normally held near the camera and measure the light coming back from specific parts of the scene (usually characters’ faces, since this is the object most crucial to proper exposure.) Spot These are reflected readings where the meter is fitted with a special lens that allows only a very narrow angle of acceptance, usually from 5 degrees to minus 5 degrees. Because the measuring angle is so small, spot meters also have a viewfinder. Spot meters are capable of giving accurate readings of small portions of a scene. They will also measure flesh tones from a great distances, making them ideal to use with long camera lenses. Spot meters are ideal in situations where taking incident readings would be inconvenient or impossible, such as at a concert or similar event.

Unfortunately, like most specialized precision instruments, they are very expensive.

Sekonic 1-398 incident light meter. Incident meter calculator dial

Day 7 Work Day

Day 8 Work Day Day 9 IN CLASS SCREENING OF VIDEO PROJECTS. FILM EDIT DUE. SECTION EXAM