Chapter 2

•  BASIC ELEMENTS OF PRODUCTION

CHAPTER 2 - PRODUCTION

Know all the production techniques that can facilitate AND enhance a script

NEW TECHNOLOGY • Digital •  Satellite • DVD •  Internet (Streaming) •  Itunes, ipods, Smartphones • Mobile Video

Basic Knowledge is Essential

•  Studio • Camera • Control Room •  Special video effects •  Sound (Mics, Music, SFX)

Studio

• Benefits/Drawbacks •  Special Elements

Camera Angles •  Writer should consider camera as a means to

direct audiences attention to the action •  4 major areas of attention

Distance between audience & subject Amt. of subject audience sees (WS, MS, CU) Audience position in relation to subject

(placement) Angle at which audience sees subject (side, back, front)

Camera Movement •  Writer must understand & designate 6 specific

movements to direct audience attention Zoom In /Out

Pan Right / Left Tilt Up / Down Dolly In / Out

Truck Right / Left Boom

Camera Shots • XCU - Extreme Close Up • CU - Close Up • MS - Medium Shot • WS - Wide Shot • LS - Long Shot(Establishing) • Variations of the above

VARIATIONS

• MCU- Medium Close Up • 2S (two shot) • M2S (medium two shot) • OTS - Over the Shoulder • Full / Knee / Hip / Bust Shots

Rule of Thirds

Rule of Thirds

Editing •  Fade up from Black •  Fade down to Black

– designates passage of time – like curtain in theatre – usually used at beginning/end of

a program

Editing

• Dissolve • One shot smoothly changes to

another. (morphing) – Fast / Slow – Usually used to show change of

place. Sometimes change of time

Editing • Cut

– Switching instantaneously from one picture to the next

– Sets Mood / Rhythm / Pace

Editing

•  WIPE – One picture wipes another picture off the screen –  ie: a window shade being pulled over a window – Can be from any direction or have a pattern – Designates a change of place or time – Do not overuse!

Editing • Super - (Superimposition)

– Placing of one image over another

• Key - 2 source special effect – CG- Character Generator - a tool

to provide text on screen

SAMPLE SCRIPT TEMPLATE

SEE HAND OUT

AUDIO SCRIPTING

AUDIO FORMAT

•  Write on one side of page only •  Double space copy for ease of reading •  All SFX and MUSIC should be caps &

underlined •  Talent instructions: ( ) & CAPS (YELL) •  Speakers names in CAPS •  Spoken copy in upper & lower case

SAMPLE RADIO/AUDIO SCRIPT

SFX: BUSY CITY STREET, HONKING HORNS, CARS, BUSES, PEOPLE TALKING

VENDOR: Ha’ Dogs! Get your ha’ dogs here!

SFX: BUSY STREET

WOMAN: I’ll take a hot dog!

MUSIC UNDER SFX (CITY SOUNDS)

WOMAN: As usual, BEST hot dog ever!

VENDOR: Hey, I’ve been in the ha’dog business for a long time. It’s nice to have regular customers.

MUSIC: UP AND IN FULL

VO: SUPPORT OUR CITY’S LOCAL VENDORS

MUSIC FADES

SOUND •  TV and Radio use sound the same

– Boom to follow action – Lavaliere (lapel) mic

•  Sound must follow visual action – OS / OC (off screen / off camera) – VO (Voice Over) - over video

Radio

•  Primary elements – Microphones – Sound effects – Music

Used for Theme / Background / Transition

Writers Job •  Indicate performers orientation to mic: On / Off Mic - Performer in front of

mic /some distance away from mic Fading On /Off - Performer slowly

moves toward/away from mic Obstructions - Sounds like a barrier

between performer (behind a door, outside a window, etc.)

SFX (Sound Effects)

•  Establish locale or setting • Direct audience attention / emotion •  Establish time & mood •  Signify entrance / exit •  Segue -A smooth transition from one sound to the next

MUSIC

•  Bed - music used under an announcer’s sound tracks

•  Bridge - a transition of sound/music connecting 2 consecutive segments of a program

Also, in/out of commercial breaks •  Theme - Personal ID

Recording/Editing •  Cross Fade - Dissolving from one

sound into another. One fades out as the other fades in.

•  Blending - 2 or more different sounds combined (dialogue & music, dialogue & SFX, music & SFX or all 3)

•  Fade In/Out - Bringing up / Turning down volume

ASSIGNMENT 1

GO TO: academic.luzerne.edu/tmchugh Com 105 / Assignments – Find a pre-produced :30 COMMERCIAL

•  AUDIO/VIDEO SCRIPT –  Describe each shot in commercial using Audio and Video

terminology •  AUDIO (RADIO) SCRIPT

–  Describe each shot in commercial using Audio terminology

MICROPHONES • Cardiod - Heart-shaped • Omni Directional - all directions • Figure 8 - Bi-Directional (two) • Shotgun - Uni-Directional (one)

“Heart Shaped” - Pick-up front / Sides No pick-up from back

Pick-Up from all directions

Pick-up from Front & Back - Not Sides