Preface to the third edition p. xi What is this book all about? p. xi Who is the book written for? p. xi Do I have sufficient equipment? p. xii Isn't all this equipment complicated to use? p. xii Why do we need to learn 'techniques'? p. xii How can this book be used? p. xii And then? p. xiii Remember! p. xiii Terminology p. xiii A final word p. xiii The way ahead p. 1 What is video production? p. 1 Breaking the ice p. 1 The need for 'know-how' p. 1 It's designed for you p. 2 First impressions p. 2 Learning basics p. 2 Remember the purpose p. 3 Resources p. 3 Simplicity p. 3 What facilities do I need? p. 5 Is there a right way? p. 6 Your productional approach p. 7 Technicalities p. 8 Equipment performance p. 8 Technical basics p. 9 Meet your camera p. 10 A range of designs p. 10 Cameracraft p. 10 Camera features p. 12 Main features p. 12 The lens system p. 16 Focal length and lens angle p. 16 The zoom lens p. 18 Changing the lens system p. 19 Zoom lens control p. 19 Altering the iris p. 20 Lens accessories p. 22 The image sensor p. 23 Sensitivity p. 23
The viewfinder p. 24 Indicators p. 25 Audio circuits p. 26 Power p. 26 Camera arrangements p. 29 Controlling the camera p. 29 Handling your camera p. 29 Supporting your camera p. 31 Hand-held cameras p. 31 Shoulder-supported cameras p. 32 The monopod p. 32 The panning head (pan head, camera mounting head) p. 33 Using a tripod p. 34 The rolling tripod/tripod dolly p. 34 The pedestal p. 35 Jib arms p. 35 Telescopic columns/motirized elevator pedestal p. 37 Special mountings p. 37 Other mobile mountings p. 37 Handling care p. 37 Using your camera p. 39 Why bother? p. 39 What gets on the screen? p. 39 How close should we be? p. 40 How much can we see? p. 41 Using a different lens angle p. 41 So why move around? p. 42 The zooming process p. 45 Focusing p. 47 Auto-focus p. 48 Depth of field p. 49 Maximum sharpness? p. 50 Difficult to focus? p. 50 Pre-focusing the zoom lens p. 51 Exposure p. 52 What is 'exposure'? p. 52 Underexposure and overexposure p. 54 Automatic exposure p. 54 Practical solutions p. 55 Handling your camera p. 56 Why all these rules? p. 56
Panning and tilting p. 57 Following moving subjects p. 58 Framing movement p. 59 Walking p. 59 Shooting from vehicles p. 59 Picture-making basics p. 60 Practical conditions p. 60 Selecting the shots p. 60 Persuasive shots p. 61 What is it all about? p. 61 Clutter p. 62 I can't see it properly! p. 62 Composing pictures p. 63 Theory and practice p. 63 The brief shot p. 63 'Dull' is in the mind p. 63 Clever shots p. 64 Fitting the frame p. 65 The rule of thirds p. 65 Well-balanced shots p. 65 Good balance p. 67 Juggling proportions p. 68 Grouping (unity) p. 68 Camera viewpoint p. 68 Distortions p. 69 Anticipating editing p. 69 Continuity p. 69 Improving flexibility p. 69 Crossing the line p. 73 Practical lighting p. 74 Lighting for everyone p. 74 The camera does not compensate p. 75 The key factors p. 75 The light's intensity p. 76 If there is not enough light p. 76 If there is too much light p. 76 Hard light quality p. 77 Soft light quality p. 78 Lighting contrast p. 78 Light direction p. 79 Three-point lighting p. 80
Measuring light levels p. 80 Typical light levels p. 81 Color temperature compensation p. 81 Using colored light p. 82 Shooting in daylight p. 82 Using reflectors p. 83 Bounce light p. 84 Do we need to light it? p. 84 Lighting options p. 84 Economy lighting p. 85 Makeshift equipment p. 85 Lightweight lighting fittings p. 86 Supports p. 86 Gaffer grip/gaffer clamp/alligator ('gator') clamp/clip-light p. 86 Wall-plate p. 87 Lightweight lamp tripod/stand p. 87 Spring-loaded support pole (Jack tube, Varipole, Acrow, Polecat, Barricuda) p. 87 Lamps p. 88 Camera light (video light) p. 88 Hand-held lamps (sun gun) p. 88 Open-bulb fittings p. 88 Scoop p. 89 Skypan/open pan p. 89 Broad p. 89 Umbrella p. 90 Multi-lamp sources p. 90 Lensless spotlight/open-bulb spot p. 90 Fresnel spotlights p. 91 Practical lighting p. 91 The general approach to lighting p. 91 Shooting without lamps-in lit surroundings p. 93 Using one lamp-the only light available p. 93 Using one lamp-in lit surroundings p. 93 Using two lamps p. 94 Using three lamps p. 94 Limited lighting p. 95 Using multi-lamp lighting p. 95 Audio techniques p. 101 The essential component p. 101 The nature of sound p. 102 Acoustics p. 102
Mono sound p. 103 Stereo sound p. 104 Microphone care p. 104 Directional features p. 104 Popular types of microphone p. 107 Other types of microphone p. 107 Supporting the mike p. 107 Camera microphones p. 107 The hand mike/baton mike p. 108 The shotgun (rifle) microphone p. 109 Using the shotgun (rifle) microphone p. 110 Personal microphones p. 111 Wireless microphones (radio microphones) p. 113 Fishpole microphones p. 113 Small booms p. 115 Desk mikes p. 116 Stand mikes p. 116 Hanging or slung mikes p. 117 Hidden mikes p. 117 Controlling dynamics p. 117 Dynamic range p. 117 Automatic control p. 117 Manual control p. 119 Monitoring sound p. 120 The audio mixer p. 120 Using the audio mixer p. 121 Sound complexity p. 122 Live sound p. 123 Recorded inserts p. 123 Sync and non-sync sound p. 124 Why alter the soundtrack? p. 124 Making the changes p. 125 Discontinuous shooting p. 126 Getting organized p. 127 Preparations p. 127 Working single-handed p. 128 Practical methods p. 128 Variations on a theme p. 129 Anticipation or 'doing the obvious' p. 130 Improvizing p. 131 Audio dubbing p. 131
Anticipating sound editing p. 132 Music and effects track p. 132 Filtered sound p. 132 Reverberation p. 133 Program music p. 134 MIDI systems p. 135 Sound effects p. 135 Backgrounds p. 137 The importance of the background p. 137 The impact of the background p. 137 Real and unreal backgrounds p. 138 The neutral background p. 138 Economical settings p. 139 The location as a background p. 140 Keep a lookout p. 141 Camera height p. 142 Foreground pieces p. 142 The location as the subject p. 143 Versions of 'reality' p. 144 What can we do about the background? p. 145 Rearranging the background p. 145 Altering the background p. 146 Auxiliary backgrounds p. 147 Partial settings p. 148 Typical examples p. 149 Creating depth p. 150 Permanent sets p. 150 Adjustable permanent setting p. 150 Facing reality p. 151 Chroma key backgrounds p. 152 Titling p. 152 The basics of videotape recording p. 154 Various designs p. 154 Incompatibility p. 154 Recording principles p. 156 Helical scanning p. 156 Cue pulses p. 157 Audio on videotape p. 158 Standards conversion p. 160 Magnetic disk recording p. 161 Editing p. 162
The need to edit p. 162 The editing process p. 163 Editing equipment p. 163 Editing opportunities p. 165 Organization p. 165 Editing begins p. 166 Selecting required sections p. 166 The order of shots p. 166 Cutting points p. 167 Transitions p. 167 Good continuity p. 168 Editing during shooting p. 169 Generations p. 170 Electronic splicing p. 171 The editing process p. 172 Off-line and on-line editing p. 173 Edit controllers p. 174 Linear and non-linear editing p. 174 Post-production editing p. 175 Good editing techniques p. 176 People p. 180 Talent p. 180 Inexperienced talent p. 181 The presenter p. 182 When there are problems p. 182 The camera's viewpoint p. 183 People passing by p. 184 Organizing your production p. 185 Art conceals craft p. 185 How techniques develop p. 185 The problem of familiarity p. 185 The problem of quality p. 187 Elaboration p. 187 Communication can be elusive! p. 188 Begin at the end p. 188 Develop a system p. 190 The empirical approach p. 190 The planned approach p. 190 Storyboards p. 191 Why plan? p. 192 Thinking it out p. 192
Start with an idea p. 193 Coverage p. 193 Building an outline p. 194 Broad treatment p. 195 Finding out p. 195 Remote surveys (the 'recce') p. 197 Developing the contents p. 200 Freedom to plan p. 201 Writing the script p. 202 The script's purpose p. 202 Is a script needed? p. 202 Basic script formats p. 203 The full script p. 205 The drama script p. 205 Hints on script-writing p. 206 Be visual p. 206 Assimilation rate p. 206 Relative pace p. 210 Style p. 211 Copyright and contracts p. 211 Production techniques p. 213 Single- and multi-camera production p. 214 Multi-camera variations p. 216 What is the aim? p. 216 The camera's role p. 218 The camera as an observer p. 218 The persuasive camera p. 219 Beginning and ending p. 219 Production methods p. 220 There is nothing there! p. 220 Shooting objects p. 221 Shooting people p. 222 A single person p. 222 Conventional arrangements p. 224 Effective shots p. 224 Concentration p. 226 Interviews p. 226 Editing continuous interviews p. 228 Shooting groups p. 228 Car interviews p. 231 Walking interviews p. 231
Shooting demonstrations p. 234 Typical demonstrations p. 234 Approaches to demonstrations p. 234 Thinking it through p. 236 The problem of time p. 236 Visual effects p. 241 Using effects p. 241 Using filters p. 241 Distorted images p. 242 Mattes p. 243 Reflections p. 243 Pepper's ghost p. 243 Projected backgrounds p. 245 Color medium ('gels') p. 247 Light effects p. 247 Scenic effects p. 247 Electronic effects p. 249 Effects can extend horizons p. 249 Opportunities for improvement p. 250 Adjusting picture quality p. 250 Electronic effects sources p. 251 Matting or keying p. 252 Using mattes p. 252 The special effects generator (SEG) p. 252 SEG adjustments p. 253 Luminance keying p. 254 The chroma key process p. 254 What is chroma key? p. 254 What can chroma key do? p. 255 Inserting people p. 255 Display panel p. 256 'Magic paint' p. 256 Camera mattes p. 256 Transformation p. 258 Abstract effects p. 258 Staging with chroma key p. 258 Taking care p. 258 Background selection p. 259 Coping with problems p. 259 Compatibility p. 262 Practical chroma key staging p. 262
Shot-by-shot production p. 263 What is 'virtual reality'? p. 264 Further video effects p. 265 Desktop video p. 266 Extending facilities p. 266 Desktop video formats p. 266 Operation p. 267 Memory limitations p. 267 Broadcast quality p. 267 Video basics p. 269 Technical details p. 269 Producing video p. 269 Reproducing the picture p. 269 How we see color p. 270 How the camera sees color p. 270 The color picture p. 270 Practical cameras p. 271 Scanning p. 271 Sync pulses p. 271 Color video p. 272 Transmitting the signal p. 272 Forms of video signal p. 272 Program sound p. 273 Reproduced quality p. 273 Units p. 273 Monitors and receivers p. 273 The digital world p. 278 Battery care p. 280 Types of power p. 280 Battery basics p. 281 Using batteries p. 282 Cell capacity p. 283 Types of cell p. 283 Battery care p. 284 Battery charging p. 285 Useful data p. 287 Power consumption p. 287 Typical light levels p. 287 Typical color temperatures p. 288 Lens angle p. 288 Shot heights p. 289
Hyperfocal distance p. 289 Aspect ratio p. 290 Audio tape formats p. 290 Camera set-up graph p. 291 Index p. 293 Table of Contents provided by Blackwell's Book Services and R.R. Bowker. Used with permission.