MANHATTAN NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK

FIELD PRODUCTION WITH SONY NX5U

Chapter 1 Introduction to the Camera 1 Lens Cover….……………….………….………………………………………………….……………1 LCD & Eyecup Viewfinders…….……………………………………….…………….1 Charging & Attaching Battery..…………………………..…….………………..2 Attaching AC Adapter to Power Camera…….……………………..3 Memory Cards & Slots……..……………………………………………………………..4 Power Switch & Record Buttons……………………………………….……..5 Camera Mode vs Play Mode (Visual Index)………………….……6 Tripod Use………………………….………….…….………………………………………………….8

Chapter 2 Capturing an Image 9 Camera Menu Settings……..…..….………………………………………..…………9 Automatic vs Manual Mode….…..………………………………………………..11 Focus & Zoom Controls.……………..………………………………………………..11 Understanding Exposure and Light……….…………………………….13 ND Filter……………………..…………………………….………………………………………..…..15 White Balance……………..……………………….………………………………………..…..15

Chapter 3 Composition & Interviewing 17 Shot Types……..…..….…………………………………………………………………..…………17 Rules of Composition…..…………………………………………………………..…..20 Interviewing Techniques…………………….………………………………………..21

Chapter 4 Introduction to Sound 23 Sound Equipment………..…….…………………………………..…………….…………23 Connecting & Setting up Microphones………………………….….26 Monitoring Audio…………….……………………………………………………….….…..28

Chapter 5 Lighting Basics 30 Video Camera Light.………………………………………………………………………30 Lighting Tips……..……………………………………………………….…………..……….….31

Chapter 6 Field Production Essentials 32 Elements of Storytelling………………………………………………………………32 Organizing & Transferring Media to Hard Drive..…….…….33

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lens Cover To open or close the lens cover, move the lever to the OPEN or CLOSE position.

LCD Viewfinder The LCD Viewfinder is a panel that folds out near the top handle of the camera. It operates on a hinge and does not detach from the camera. When the camera is powered on and in CAMERA mode, the open LCD Viewfinder displays the image the camera is seeing.

Eyecup Viewfinder At times, specifically when shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, it will be difficult to see an image using the LCD Viewfinder. In these scenarios, it may be best to use the standard viewfinder with the attached eyecup. Move the lever underneath the eyecup until the picture is clear.

Ch. 1 Introduction to the Camera

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Charging & Attaching Battery When filming in locations with no access to power outlets, it is best to operate the camera with a fully charged battery.

To charge the supplied battery:

1) Set the switch on the AC adapter/charger to CHARGE.

2) Connect the power cord to the AC Adapter /charger.

3) Connect the other end of the power cord to an available wall outlet.

4) Place the battery on the charger by pressing down and slide it in the direction of the arrow.

*Always re-wrap charger cables neatly and secure them with the supplied cable ties. Return the charger base and cables to the camera bag.

Once the battery is fully charged, attach it to the camera.

To attach the battery pack, press the battery pack against the back of the camera and slide it down. There is an arrow on the battery and it should be facing down when inserting into the camera.

To remove the battery, make sure the POWER switch is OFF. Push the BATT RELEASE button and lift the battery pack up simultaneously to remove it.

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Attaching AC Adapter to Power Camera When filming indoors or at locations where you have access to a power outlet, you have the option of attaching the AC adapter to the camera to receive power. The connecting cord looks similar to the battery and goes in the same location as the battery pack. To attach the AC adapter to power the camera, do the following:

1) Connect the power cord to the AC adapter/charger. 2) Connect the other end of the power cord to the wall outlet. 3) Connect the “connecting cord” to the AC adapter/charger. 4) Set the MODE switch on the AC adapter/charger to VCR/CAMERA. 5) Press the attachment on the other end of the “connecting

cord” (resembles a battery) into the back of the camera. Make sure the arrow on the attachment is facing DOWN. Push in and slide it down until it snaps into place.

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Memory Cards & Slots The HXR-NXSU stores recorded video and audio on memory cards. The NX5U will accept either SDHC or SDXC memory cards. The memory card must be a Class 10 and we recommend a card with at least 16GBs of space.

There are two memory card slots on the back of the camera protected by a hinged door. Press the door to access the memory card slots.

Insert the memory card with its notched corner facing down until it clicks.

To eject it, lightly press the card in once and release it. The card will then pop out.

There is a small lamp next to each slot. When the lamp flashes red, the camera is reading/writing data. Do not attempt to eject the memory

card or data may be damaged.

*Note: Inserting a memory card in the wrong direction could damage the card. Never force the card into the slot.

To select which memory card slot to use for recording, first make sure the camera is powered on and set to CAMERA mode. Press the A or B button next to the slot where the card you want to record on is inserted. The lamp of the selected slot lights up green. When a memory card is first inserted, you will be asked to format the card; follow the on-screen prompts to complete the formatting.

Memory Card Slot A & Access Lamp

Memory Card Slot B & Access Lamp

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Power Switch & Record Buttons

To power the camera on, press and hold the green button and push the lever to the ON position.

There are two record buttons. The primary button is located in the center of the power switch. The handle record button is located on the camera handle near the LCD window.

With a memory card inserted and the camera powered on and set to CAMERA mode, pressing either RECORD button once will begin the camera recording. The green word "STBY" at the top of the LCD Viewfinder will change to a red "REC" to indicate camera is recording, and the two recording lamps will light up red. To stop recording, press either record button again. The lamps will turn off, and the camera will go back into standby "STBY" mode.

RECORD Button

POWER Switch

Handle RECORD Button

Recording Lamp

Recording Lamp

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Camera Mode vs Play Mode (visual index) To record footage, the camera must be in CAMERA mode. To review footage recorded to the memory card, the camera must be in PLAY mode.

To switch between CAMERA mode and PLAY mode, power the camera on and press the MODE button located in the bank of buttons near the LCD viewfinder and also located on the left side of the camera’s body.

Upon pressing the MODE menu button button, the MODE menu will appear in the LCD viewfinder. To select CAMERA mode, use the arrow keys to highlight the CAMERA option, and the EXEC button to select it. Then select the MOVIE option.

To watch recorded footage on your memory card, navigate to the PLAY option in the MODE menu. Then select VISUAL INDEX. You can also select the dedicated VISUAL INDEX button located on the left side of the camera under Assign 6 or the top near the LCD monitor to quickly switch between CAMERA and PLAY modes. (See image on next page)

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Once you are in PLAY mode and want to review the footage, be sure to select the card (A or B) where your media is stored. You can use the arrows on the side of the camera or the top of the camera to navigate through this playback window. You can also simply touch the screen but be aware that the touchscreen setting could be disabled.

Once you are in PLAY mode, the LCD screen will display a list of clips saved on the memory card. To watch a clip, highlight it and press EXEC. To return to thumbnail view, select the VISUAL INDEX button.

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Tripod Use To attach the tripod plate to the camera, line up the screws on the plate with the holes on the bottom of the camera, then use a coin to tighten the screws. When the plate is securely screwed onto the bottom of the camera, slide and lock the plate with the camera attached onto the tripod.

When using the tripod, ensure all tripod leg locks are securely tightened before mounting the camera to the tripod head. Once the camera is on the tripod, twist the knobs on the tripod to raise and lower the height. Be sure to hold onto the camera’s handle when adjusting the tripod height.

IMPORTANT: Always remove the plate from the camera and place on the tripod after your recording is complete.

Remember to return the tripod to the shortest height and lock the knobs. Always place the tripod in the bag feet first. The heaviest part of the tripod should be at the top of the bag where the handle is located.

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Camera Menu Settings Before you begin recording, it is important to ensure all of your menu settings have been set properly. To access the menu settings, make sure the camera is ON. Press the MENU button located in the bank of buttons next to the LCD viewfinder. The menu screen appears on the LCD viewfinder. Scroll through the options using the arrow keys that surround the execute (marked EXEC). You may also navigate the menu using the SEL/PUSH EXEC dial and arrow keys located on the side of the camera, illustrated above.

Next, let’s discuss the recommended camera menu settings for the purposes of using the NX5U to create media at Manhattan Neighborhood Network. In most cases you will not have to adjust these settings, but it is good practice before a shoot to confirm that you are shooting with the recommended settings. We are going to go through select menu setting for each primary setting.

1) CAMERA SET Gain Set: These settings determine the strength of the camera’s gain setting. Gain helps add brightness to an image but by increasing gain, you risk having an image that looks grainy and distorted.

H 12dB M 9dB L 0dB

Ch. 2 Capturing an Image

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Hyper Gain: Off - Gain create an extremely “noisy” image making it appear grainy. You should avoid using gain to make your image brighter but we highly recommend you DO NOT use hyper gain.

WB Preset: Manu WB Temp - This setting allows the user to manually set the white balance “temperature” by using the SEL/PUSH/EXEC dial when the white balance switch on the side of the camera is set to PRESET.

Flicker Reduce: On - This setting helps to reduce flicker from fluorescent lights and computer screens.

Steadyshot: Off - This setting should not be on when using a tripod.

2) RECORD/OUT SET (RECORD/VIDEO OUT SETTINGS) Rec Set:

HD/SD Set: HD/Hd Rec Format: 1080/30pFX, 480/30ps HQ Rec Button Set: (first setting)

3) AUDIO SET (AUDIO SETTINGS) Audio Format: Linear PCM Audio Limit: Off Headphone Out: Stereo Int Mic Set: Int Mic Sens: Normal Int Mic Wind: Off

XLR Set: XLR AGC Link: Separate Audio Manual Gain: Separate Input 1 Trim: 0dB Input 1 Wind: Off Input 2 Trim: 0dB Input 2 Wind: Off

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Automatic vs Manual Mode The NX5U gives users the ability to take control over their image. In this chapter, we will focus on how to manually adjust specific elements that affect how the image appears. If you are in a hurry, having difficulty getting your image to look appropriate or not comfortable using manual settings, simply flip the switch (Figure D) on the side of the the camera from MANUAL to AUTO.

Focus & Zoom Controls The camera’s lens performs three primary functions: Focus, Zoom, and Iris (exposure). We will discuss exposure in the next section. The first ring on the lens or the ring located towards the front of the camera gives you the ability to focus your image.

To use the focus ring in MANUAL mode, set the FOCUS switch (Figure B) to MAN. We recommend you always have this setting in MANUAL mode.

The PUSH AUTO (Figure C) button allows the user to temporarily use the automatic focus while the FOCUS switch is set to manual. Holding down the PUSH AUTO button activates automatic focus for as long as the button is pressed. When release, the focus returns to manual control.

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The second ring on the camera’s lens or the middle ring is the ZOOM ring. Twisting it downwards will zoom in to the shot, while twisting the ring upwards will zoom out and widen the shot.

The zoom ring isn’t the only way to zoom in and out. There are two zoom levers - one located on the camera handle and the other near the hand strap. Pressing down on the side labeled with a W will zoom out or widen the shot. Pressing down on the T side will zoom in or tighten up the shot.

There is a small switch on the side of the camera handle (Figure B). This is the Handle Zoom Switch. Setting this switch to VAR allows the user to determine how fast to zoom in or out by how much pressure is put on the zoom lever. Setting the switch to FIX sets the zoom to a fixed speed.

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Understanding Exposure & Light Exposure refers to how much light is entering the camera body and being “exposed” on its internal sensors. There are several manual functions on the NX5U that affect the exposure or the brightness of the image. We will discuss four things that affect exposure and brightness: Iris, Gain, Shutter Speed, ND Filter.

IRIS When light passes through the lens, before it enters the body of the camera, it passes through an opening called an iris. The iris is a small device that can open up wide or close down tight. This allows the user to choose how much light can pass through the iris and hit the camera sensors. The iris is controlled by the last ring (Figure A) on the camera’s lens, the ring furthest from the front of the camera.

Before you can adjust the iris function, first make sure the AUTO/MANUAL switch is set to the MANUAL position (Figure H). Next, press the IRIS button (Figure E) until a caption appears in the lower left hand side of the LCD viewfinder consisting of an F followed by a number. This indicates you are able to manual control the Iris. If you see a highlighted “A” before the F number, this means the camera is set to Automatic Iris.

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GAIN Gain is a function of the camera’s internal sensors that boosts an image’s brightness even after the iris has been completely opened. This is useful inflow light situations but has the side effect of adding grain and visual distortion to the image.

To adjust the gain, do the following:

‣ Make sure the AUTO/MANUAL switch is set to the MANUAL position. ‣ Press the GAIN button (Figure C) until you see a caption at the bottom

of the viewfinder with a number and the letters “dB,” which stands for decibels, the measurement unit for gain. A higher number means a brighter image.

‣ Set the amount by locating the GAIN switch on the side of the camera (Figure F) and set it to H (high), M (medium) or L (low).

It is recommended you keep this setting on L (low). If your image appears grainy, you can turn on Automatic gain by pressing the GAIN button until the gain number is preceded by the letter “A.”

SHUTTER SPEED The SHUTTER SPEED should be set at “60” if you want no shutter “effects.” Lowering the shutter speed will result in blurred images that are sometimes used to reflect a dreamlike or hallucinatory mood. Higher shutter speeds don’t make an obvious difference, but can be used to decrease the amount of blur on high-speed objects in the frame.

To adjust shutter speed, make sure you are in MANUAL MODE. Press the Shutter Speed button (Figure D) until you see a highlighted number with no letters following or preceding it on your LCD Viewfinder. Then scroll the SELECT/PUSH dial (Figure G) up or down to raise or lower the Shutter Speed. Press the SELECT/PUSH dial in, like a doorbell, and the number will be save. Again, it is best to keep that set at “60.”

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ND Filter When shooting in bright sunlight, too much light could enter the camera. In this case, switch on the ND FILTER, which stands for Neutral Density Filter. The first setting on the switch allows 1/4th of the available light to enter the camera. The second settings allows 1/32nd of the available light to enter. The third setting allows 1/64th of the available light to enter. If you are having trouble white balancing outdoors, it may be due to too much light entering there camera. Activate the ND filter and try again.

*Note: If when settings up a shot you notice the image is unusually dark, check to make sure the ND Filter is off.

White Balance Just because the human eye looks at a wall and perceives it as white doesn’t mean that the camera knows the wall should look white — its sensors could be set in a way that causes the white wall to look orange or blue. Light looks different on camera than it does to the human eye. To determine the way the camera sees and records color, we use a process called WHITE BALANCE.

To set your White Balance, do the following: ‣ Make sure the AUTO/MANUAL

switch is set to MANUAL. ‣ Next, locate the White Balance

memory Switch (Figure B). Set the switch to Position “A.”

‣ Press the White Balance Button (Figure A) marked on the side of the camera as WHT BAL. You will see an icon appear on the LCD viewfinder that looks like a black rectangle above two white triangles followed by the letter A. This is the White Balance icon, the A indicates the manual setting will be saved under the A position on the White Balance Memory Switch. You can save another location (for example: outdoors on B and indoors on A) if you will be switching between locations with different lighting.

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With this icon in the viewfinder, you can tell the camera what color you want it to perceive as white.

To White Balance, point the camera at a white piece of paper so that the white fills the entire view of the screen. Press and hold the White Balance Set button (Figure C), which has a small white balance icon above it. The white balance icon in your viewfinder will start flashing rapidly. After a moment a number will appear — this is the color temperature setting needed for the paper to appear white. Release the white balance set button. After a moment, the number will disappear and the white balance icon will reappear.

When a white balance adjustment value has not been successfully obtained, the white balance icon will go from rapid to slow flashing. Make sure the white is filling the screen and that your image isn’t too bright or too dark, then try setting the white balance again.

Note: You will have to set a white balance every time you change locations or if the lighting conditions change where you are shooting.

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Shot Types When composing a shot, it is important to understand how to properly frame a shot. Below are examples of the most common shot types:

Extreme Long Shot (ELS) This is an establishing shot. This shot sets the tone and mood and generally consists of showing an exterior building or landscape.

Long Shot (LS) This shot generally shows the entire human body, from head to toe.

Medium Shot (MS) This shot is generally framed from the waist to the top of the subject’s head. This shot can consists of a single person or multiple people.

Ch. 3 Composition & Interviewing

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Medium Close-Up (MCU) This shot is also referred to as a “Bust Shot” as it is framed from right below the subject’s bust to the top of their head. This shot is generally used for interviews, especially when a lower third graphic with the subject’s name is going to be added during post-production.

Close-up (CU) This shot focuses on either the face or a specific detail of a subject. The close-up takes us into the mind of the character. This shot is known to be used to capture the emotion of a subject. This shot should be used after a wider shot has introduced us to the subject.

Extreme Close-Up This is an extreme tight shot of an element of a larger subject. When shooting people, this can be the nose, feet, eyes, etc. When shooting objects, this could be a leaf on a tree, wheel on a car, etc.

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High Angle Shot This is when the camera is placed in a high position looking down on its subject. This causes the subject to appear weak.

Low Angle Shot This is when the camera is placed low and makes the subject look strong and powerful. The added height of the subject or object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer.

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Rules of Composition

Rule of Thirds The rule of thirds helps to compose a shot properly. The goal is to visually divide the screen into three equal parts vertically and horizontally. The primary subject (for people, it’s usually the eyes) should lie one of those lines or possibly even the intersection.

Headroom Headroom refers to how much space there is between the top of your frame and your subject’s head. Proper headroom leaves about a finger’s worth of space above your subject’s head. In television production it is considered bad composition if you cut off your subject’s head or have several fingers worth of space above their head.

Noseroom/Leadroom Noseroom is a composition rule in which the composed shot should allow for some room in front of the subject. Avoid having your subject’s nose touch the edge of the screen. You also don’t want the back of their head too close to the edge of the screen. Leadroom is essential the same as noseroom but it refers to moving objects/subjects.

Noseroom/Leadroom

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Interviewing Techniques When conducting interviews in the field there are a lot of options for how to setup the camera and the person or persons on camera. Let’s look at a few options for interview setups:

On-Camera: Host and Guest(s) The subjects in this interview setup can be seated or standing. The host and and guest(s) are interacting with one another.

The camera operator can zoom from a two-shot in the beginning to a MS of the guest when guest is responding to questions. This takes technique takes practice but adds interest to the shot.

On-Camera/Off-Camera The subject(s) of this interview setup is on camera while the host is off-camera asking questions. You typically cut out the questions being asked by the host, therefore, the guest must answer in complete sentences.

HOST GUEST

CAM

CAM

GUEST

HOST

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Over-the-Shoulder This setup shows a portion of the interviewer’s shoulder. The interview will first be conducted focusing on the subject(s). In some instances, when using one camera, the camera operator will then switch sides and record the interviewer asking the questions and edit between the two shots during post-production.

CAM

GUEST

HOST

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Securing high quality audio when recording video can be one of the most challenging aspects of field production. In this chapter we are going to look at the types of microphones and audio equipment available then explore how to use those microphones with the Sony NX5U.

Sound Equipment

XLR CABLES XLR cables are used with professional equipment such as microphones and speakers. “XLR” refers to the connector type on the cable. XLR plugs have three prongs and XLR sockets have three holes. Some XLR cables have a small latch on the socket connector that must be pressed to release a plugged-in cable.

Note: Always neatly re-wrap XLR cables when returning them to MNN.

SONY ON-BOARD MICROPHONE This is the “on-board” microphone that comes pre-mounted on all Sony NX5Us at MNN. While the camera comes with a built-in microphone, it is best to use this microphone for the simplest method of capturing audio. It will only pick up audio from sources located directly in front of the microphone.

Input Type: Mic+48V How to Use: This microphone is mounted to the top of the camera. Make sure your subject is approximately 3-5 feet and located directly in front of the camera. Purpose: When recording interviews and dialogue, this is the simplest option when you want to capture multiple interviews in a short amount of time. This microphone will not result in the best audio so it is usually recommended to use as a backup microphone or to capture natural sound such as the sound of traffic, rain, etc.

Ch. 4 Introduction to Sound

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SHOTGUN MICROHPONE + BOOM POLE The other option for a shotgun mic consists of both the shotgun and boom pole. This microphone cannot be attached to the camera so it is important you also request the boom pole when making a reservation. The camera operator will need to have an individual responsible for holding the boom pole. It is best to hold the pole above or below the subject so that the mic+pole does not appear on-camera.

Input Type: Mic+48V Purpose: This is used in situations where there are more people being interviewed than microphones available. This is also good to use in narrative and fictional productions where you do not want to a microphone be visible on the subject.

WIRED LAVALIER This microphone is referred to as a “lavalier” because it is small enough to be clipped to a person’s shirt or collar. This microphone Is run underneath the subject’s shirt and clipped onto their lapel. When reserving this microphone, you may also need to reserve a XLR cable to extend the distance of the subject from the camera.

Input Type: Mic+48V Purpose: This is used for interviews, preferably seated so the XLR cables to not appear on camera. These microphones are highly sensitive and best used indoors.

WIRED HANDHELD This microphone is typically used for street interviews and field reporting. It is durable and ideal for outdoors. This mic should be held close to the sound source to pick up adequate audio levels.

Input Type: Mic

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WIRELESS MICROPHONE SET (HANDHELD/LAVALIER) MNN currently has two available types of microphone wireless kits (Sennheiser and Sony). These kits come with a lavalier transmitter, a plug-on transmitter than can be used with a handheld microphone and a receiver that is attached to the camera.

Input Type: Mic Purpose: These microphones are best when your subject needs to be mobile and free of cables. Another benefit is that interviews and dialogue can be recorded from a distance.

Note: If you reserve a wireless kit and you need to use the plug-on transmitter, you must also checkout a handheld microphone. You must also supply your own AA batteries when using wireless microphones.

HOW TO USE WIRELESS MICROPHONE LAVALIER TRANSMITTER/RECEIVER

SENNHEISER ‣ Squeeze the two levers on the side and lift up. ‣ Insert the batteries. ‣ With the door open, hold the ON button for three seconds until it turns

on. ‣ Push the door to close. ‣ Repeat the above steps to turn it off and remove the batteries.

SONY ‣ Squeeze the two levers together on the side of the battery door and

pull. ‣ Insert batteries. ‣ Squeeze levers and push to close. ‣ Flip the on/off switch located on the side of the receive/transmitter.

**The plug-on transmitter (Sony/Sennheiser) has a door that slides open by pushing down with thumbs.

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Connecting & Setting up Microphones There are two XLR sockets on the NX5U that gives users the ability to record sound from separate microphones at the same time. There are two inputs on the camera labeled INPUT 1 and INPUT 2. Plug the XLR cable into the input socket you intend on using.

HOW TO PLUG/UNPLUG THE MICROPHONE ‣ Find the end of the XLR cable with the

prongs and plug into INPUT 1 (Figure A). ‣ The plug clicks in the socket when it is

locked securely in place. ‣ If using two microphones, insert the

second XLR cord into the socket labeled INPUT 2.

‣ To detach the XLR plug from the socket, hold down the small metal latch at the top of the camera’s XLR socket and pull the plug out.

HOW TO SETUP THE “INPUT TYPE” There are three microphone input types: Line, Mic and Mic+48V and their settings can be adjusted depending the microphone (Figure B). You will see the mic type noted for each of the aforementioned microphones but see below for the INPUT TYPE for each microphone available at MNN.

LINE This input option is selected if you get a line feed from an audio board.

MIC This input is selected when using the wireless microphone kit and the wired handheld microphones.

MIC+48V This input is selected when using the wired lavalier microphone, the shotgun mic and the on-board shotgun microphone.

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ADJUSTING THE INPUT CHANNEL SETTINGS Locate the bank of switches on the side of the camera These controls allow you to adjust the following: audio source, control setting & audio levels.

AUDIO SOURCE There are two sets of audio source switches for each input: 1 and 2. The top set of switches (Figure C) gives you the option of using the internal mic (INT MIC) or INPUT 1 (an external mic). NEVER use INT MIC as an audio source. Every NX5U camera comes supplied with an on-board mic and that is the best option for a primary or backup microphone. Flip this switch DOWN to select INPUT 1.

The other set of switches directly below (Figure D) gives you the option of INT MIC, INPUT 1 or INPUT 2. If you are using a second microphone, flip this switch to the very BOTTOM to select INPUT 2. If you are only using the on-board microphone, flip this switch to the MIDDLE to select INPUT 1.

**Again, NEVER select INT MIC as an audio source option.

CONTROL SETTINGS & AUDIO LEVELS (auto/man) This setting gives you the ability to manually adjust the audio level knob. If you flip the switch to MAN, you can adjust the knob to to raise and lower the audio levels. In most instances, you will want this switch set to MAN. When recording in extremely loud environments, it can be beneficial to flip this switch to AUTO so you levels do not overmodulate and create sound distortion.

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Monitoring Audio The most important element of video is capturing good audio. The most important audio essential is to monitor audio. Audio should be monitored in two ways, with your eyes and ears.

AUDIO LEVEL METERS To ensure that audio is successfully coming into the camera, look for audio level meters on the lower right hand corner of the LCD display. The levels rise and fall according to the volume of the audio signal being picked up by the camera. When recording a person’s voice, the levels should stay consistently in the upper half of the meters but should NOT touch the red mark at the end. If levels consistently hit the red mark, the sound may be distorted.

A more effective method of checking the audio levels is to activate the STATUS CHECK button (Figure G) located on the side of the camera.

The Status Check window allows you to see which input is going into which Audio Channel, the Input Type (Line/Mic/Mic+48V), and a more detailed view of the audio level meter. Ideal audio levels for a subject’s voice should fall between 20 and 10 on this scale.

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HEADPHONE MONITORING One of the most important audio essentials when recording video is monitoring audio using headphones. While it is important to see that audio is being recorded by viewing the audio levels, it is just as important to make sure the sound you are recording is free of any rubbing noises from jewelry or radio interference when using wireless microphones.

Always wear headphones when recording audio. It is best to wear headphones that cover the entirety of your ears, but earbuds will suffice.

On the NX5U, you have the ability to listen to the two audio inputs separately or together. On the back of the camera, located underneath the eyecup viewfinder is a switch that let’s you monitor channel 1 audio, channel 2 audio or a mix of both. When listening to a mix of both, you will hear channel 1 in one ear of your headphones and channel 2 in the other ear.

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Video Camera Light In some field production situations, you may find you need additional lighting. When shooting at night or in low light situations, it may be beneficial to request a video light with the NX5U. Manhattan Neighborhood Network has two options when attaching a video light to the Sony NX5U.

SMALL LIGHT This small Sony light is mounted to the top of the NX5U by sliding the light onto the “cold shoe” and twisting the locking wheel until it is tight.

To turn the light on, locate the switch on the side of the light and push in the green button and lift up or pull down. You have two bulb options; flip the switch UP to turn on a single light (1X), flip the switch DOWN to turn on both lights (2X).

LARGE LIGHT This large Sony light is also mounted to the top of the NX5U by sliding the light onto the “cold shoe” and twisting the locking wheel until it is tight.

To turn on, push the green button in and lift up to the ON position. This light also has a battery indicator so you know approximately how much battery life remains. It is also equipment with barn doors so you can adjust the direction of the light and a brightness dimmer so you can adjust the amount of light.

ATTACHING THE BATTERY Both video lights are powered by a Sony battery. To attach the battery, slide the battery onto the back of the light with the triangle symbol on the battery facing DOWN. You will hear a clicking sound once it is in place. To remove the battery, push the battery release button and lift the battery from the back of the light simultaneously.

Ch. 5 Lighting Basics

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Lighting Tips Video productions in the field can be extremely difficult when trying to capture an image. There are a lot of settings that can be adjusted on the NX5U that affect the exposure of an image, as mentioned in Chapter 2. There are other lighting elements to keep in mind when shooting in the field.

USE NATURAL & AVAILABLE LIGHT When shooting indoors and there is sun outside, try to use the natural light from the windows. Place the subject to that they are facing the window. Never place a subject’s back to a window as it will make the subject appear as a silhouette. If you are shooting indoors during the evening, use as many available lights as possible. Turn on lamps, overhead lights and any other potential light sources. Avoid placing your subject directly beneath an overhead light as it will illuminate the top of the subject’s head and nose, creating a harsh shadow on their face.

SHOOT ON CLOUDY DAYS When shooting outdoors, the best day to shoot is on a cloudy day. The clouds act like a filter over the sun and give your image a nice even tone. If shooting outdoors on a sunny day, try to place your subject in a location that is shaded so they aren’t squinting their eyes while looking into the camera.

USE A BOUNCE BOARD A bounce board or “reflector” is a reflective surface used to “bounce” light onto a subject and help reduce shadows on the face. Simply position the board facing a light source and tilt it until the light hits the subject.

High-grade reflectors are available at film and video supply stores but an even inexpensive, homemade bounce board can help. It can be as simple as a piece of white foam core (sold at most art stores) or a piece of cardboard painted white, gold or silver. Different colors give the light reflected a warmer or cooler tone.

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Elements of Storytelling

WHAT IS STORY? A story is a fundamental way that humans organize and store information. A story is a selective batch of information. It selects details and arranges them.

When a story takes shape, we’ve taken a string of events and invested them with meaning. What was important enough to shape into a story..and tell others about it?

That unsuspected sum is the special mathematics of story. Story imbues meaning to words, images and events. It also connects us in a very simple way, as listener and teller.

Stories connect events and create meaning; they also connect people to each other.

HOW TO WRITE A STORY? Writing a story can seem overwhelming and difficult. When writing a story, a common trick is to answer the 5W’s and H: who, what, when, where, why and how. Any story should answer most or all of these questions. Find a topic or subject and practice answer the 5Ws and H. Then begin visualizing how you would want to hear and see that story.

Is the storyteller the narrator? Will you write and record a voiceover based on the 5Ws and H? Will the storytellers be various individuals who you have answer those questions or will it be a combination of both.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF B-ROLL? Once you have determined your story and how you want to present it, it is important to accompany that story with visuals. B-roll is footage relevant to what the storytelling is discussing. Whether you are the narrator or interviewed subjects on a topic, it is important to capture images and/or video of the topics being discussed. For example, if someone is telling a story about grocery shopping in Florida, you could show (b-roll) images of them in Florida or if possible shoot video of oranges at the grocery story. Always shoot at least 10 seconds of b-roll so you have enough to work with during post-production. If you don’t have a lot of options for shooting b-roll, vary the shot composition to make it appear as if the it were a new b-roll shot. Avoid using too much of the same thing for b-roll.

The most important thing to remember about b-roll is that you can NEVER shoot too much b-roll.

Ch. 6 Field Production Essentials

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Organizing & Transferring Media to a Hard Drive Once you have completing recording media for your production, the next step is post-production. In preparation for editing, it is important you have a storage device with enough space to hold the media recording onto the SD media cards.

We recommend you obtain an external hard drive (Mac formatted if editing at MNN) with at least 1TB of space and 7200 RPM speed.

You can review your clips in-camera and delete any unnecessary footage. Once you have confirmed the clips you want to use in post-production, you can begin the process of transferring your clips to your hard drive.

Before you begin transferring clips, it is extremely important to remember to be ORGANIZED. When working with digital media, you can accumulate a lot of files and you want to make sure you know how to find them once you are ready to begin editing. Here are the recommended steps when organizing and transferring SD card media onto your hard drive.

*These following steps are specific to MNN equipment and software.

‣ Plug in your external hard drive.

‣ Create a project folder on that hard drive. Title that folder the name of your show, episode or something related to your project. Inside of that folder, create another folder titled MEDIA. This is where you want to keep all video clips, images, music, etc.

‣ Plug in your SD card into the slot on the back of the Mac computer. Once your card mounts, click on it to open the contents of the card.

‣ When an SD card is formatted for use with the NX5U, it creates a special folder called PRIVATE. This folder is where all of the media clips you recorded on the NX5U are stored.

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‣ Next, you will need to reveal the

contents of the PRIVATE folder to find your clips. Right-click on the AVCHD file and select “SHOW PACKAGE CONTENTS.”

‣ This will reveal the BDMV file. Right-click on that file and select “SHOW PACKAGE CONTENTS.”

‣ Now you will see various files and folders. Your clips are stored in the STREAM folder with the extension .MTS. Drag the entire STREAM folder to your MEDIA folder on your external hard drive. You can then rename the STREAM folder to something that relates to the clips. **You can also drag the entire PRIVATE folder to your hard drive and then organize your media.

‣ If you want to review any of the clips on the computer, open

the application VLC. Once open, select the clips you want to review and drag them into the drop area for VLC Media Player. The player will automatically begin playing each of the clips.

‣ After reviewing clips, you can

rename them on your hard drive by single-clicking the default name and changing to something specific to the clip.

‣ After you have transferred and organized your media, you are ready to begin editing.

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