TV production midterm Flashcards
LS
LONG SHOT
as referenced to as wide shot or the establishing shot;
Far away enough from a person so that their entire body and a bit of their surroundings can be seen.
MS
MEDIUM SHOT
used to covey conversation and action.
The basic shot in standard TV production; includes most of a person’s body.
CU
CLOSE UP
Used in culmination scenes;
establishes a sense of emotional impact.
Frames head and shoulders.
LOW ANGLES
gives character power and authority;
“by placing the viewer in a lower position, you endow the character with force and strength.
HIGH ANGLES
used to portray an action as being overwhelmed, submissive, or downtrodden.
“Shooting from a higher angle implies control and dominance over the individual.”
DEPTH OF FIELD
the distance between the nearest point at which objects are in focus ad the farthest point at which objects are in focus in a camera shot.
In order to create a great depth of field, you need subject/camera distance (more sub/cam distance the more depth you have).
EX. 3 Ft. Away is considered to be very shallow depth
Determining factors
The F-stop, The Distance from Subject to Camera, The Focal Length of the Lense.
THE F-STOP
The lower the f-stop number the larger the lens opening (allowing more light)
F-22 smallest for most TV production lenses.
the smaller the sense opening the greater the depth of field.
THE DISTANCE FROM SUBJECT TO CAMERA
The greater the camera to subject distance, the greater the depth of field.
THE FOCAL LENGTH OF THE LENS
The shorter the lens the greater the depth of field.
CROSS SHOOTING
two people facing each other;
cameras should shoot across each others angles or the person or object farther away from it.
RULE OF THIRDS
Placing items of interest for that frame within the 4 points of interest.
- Used for framing 4x3, 16x9
- A still photography principal we use in TV to help frame
- Avoids the temptation to center things
- Divides image into thirds (9 boxes)
180 DEGREE RULE
AKA the axis of action
plane of action; as long as all the cameras are placed on the same side of this axis, the action continues to flow i the same direction.
-keep all of your camera on one side of the same plane of action
FRAMING
The camera operator chooses what is seen in the shot and what is excluded.
KEY
an image, usually a text–cuts into existing image like a stencil or cookie cutter.
DOWNSTREAM KEY
The key farthest downstream or on top.
- Whenever you key something you add a layer.
- The downstream key puts the thing farthest downstream on top of all the other keys.
PAN
horizontal movement of the camera lens
• “Pan right” is the lens going right
TILT
Vertical movement of the camera lens
ZOOM
The “in” and “out” movement of the camera lens (only movement that doesn’t happen in nature).
TRACK/TRUCK
horizontal movement of the entire camera
• the entire head goes left or right
PEDESTAL
vertical movement of the ENTIRE camera
• “down or up”
DOLLY
“in” or “out” movement of the entire camera.
ARC
a slightly curved dolly/truck move (left/right)
Variable Focal Length Lens
zoom lens
Wide Angle Lens
zoomed out
• creates a distortion
• Object appear farther apart than what they actually are
(not talking about width)
• objects appear faster
• More pronounced when tilting (almost like a fisheye lens)
• Blocking talent closer together because TV already accentuates that width (exists regardless with either a wide or narrow angle).
Narrow Angle
TELEPHOTO lens; zoomed in
• appear closer together than how they actually are; creates a lack of depth
• Will appear to move slower than in real life
Normal Angle
Midway
Camera “angle” needs
Perspective, position, and shot size
“normal perspective”
the lens should be at “eye level” with the subject.
“vulnerable perspective”
the subject should be shot above the subject’s eye level and the camera should be tilting down.
“superior perspective”
the lens should be below the subject’s eye level and the camera should be tilting up.
PROPER FRAMING
needs:
headroom, headroom/noseroom/talkspace,
and the rule-of-thirds
SELECTIVE FOCUS
Emphasizing an object in a shallow depth of field through focus while keeping its foreground or background out of focus.
FOLLOW FOCUS
maintaining the focus of the lens in a shallow depth of field so that the image of an object is continuously kept sharp and clear even when the camera or object moves.
“the idea that you’re set up and dollying back in order to keep a person moving toward you in focus.”
RACK FOCUS
When the director shifts focus from one object to another in order to direct the audience’s attention. In this example, the director may start with shallow focus on the bird, and then put the bird out of focus and sharpen the socks hanging on the line behind it.
CAMERA 1
shoots stage left (actor’s left); cameras should cross shoot at all times
CAMERA 3
shoots stage right (actors right);
cameras should cross shoot at all times.
CAMERA 2
normally takes care of the “cover”
FOCAL LENGTH
the best lens for this would be WIDE ANGLE LENS; makes the foreground and background appear farther apart.
OLD TV ASPECT RATIO
(NTSC) 4x3
for every 4 inches wide the units were 3 inches TALL.
Blocking with the old ratio was easy because it was boxy, with the new there is more room (we have to be aware of everything else in the frame).
NEW ASPECT RATIO
16x9 for every 16 inches wide the units are 9 inches tall.
What is the best way to achieve focus?
the best way to achieve focus (most of the time) is to zoom all the way in and then pull out.
HEADROOM
the space between the top of the subject’s head and the top of the frame.
The tightest the shot is the less headroom it’ll have
The looser the more headroom
Leadroom/Noseroom/Talkspace
all the same; the space between the person being shot and the side of their frame. • More space in front than behind them; don’t center them. Negative space (behind) is used for horror or thriller
ECU/XCU
Extreme close up.
example: ECU JOHN (no headroom of John’s head or chin)
CU
close up
EX. head and shoulders
MCU
medium close up
EX. chest up
MS
medium shot
EX. a men’s waist + hip area up.
MLS
medium long shot
EX. Knees up
LS
long shot
OS
over the shoulder
2s or 3s
2/3 shot (medium shot)
GS
group shot
What should you do to make sure all shots don’t look perfect?
All shots framed differently; never break at the hip bone go above or below so it doesn’t seem too perfect.
The technical director uses which of the following pieces of equipment?
The switcher
What term is most widely accepted for the person in charge of the CCU units during a multi-camera production?
Video operator
Which of the following is considered the voice o the director on the floor?
The floor director
OR
The floor manager
When the director says “speed it up” it is directed towards the teleprompter operator (T or F)
FALSE
The person responsible for timing the show is
the associate director
Which person does not exist in single camera production?
Technical director (there are no camera to switch in between from)
Which of the following terms would only apply to someone appearing as themselves on camera and not to someone who was in character?
Talent
Directors interpret the actors lines (T or F)
FALSE
KEY LIGHTING
most prevalent source of lighting that hits the talent and provides the majority of light reflected back into the camera lens.
MAkes
THREE POINT LIGHTING
key light, fill light, back light create a balance of aesthetic unity called “triangular lighting”
Very minimal, mimics natural light
SOFT LIGHTING
Diffused light Nearly shadowless scattered normally lenses unfocused Florescent (softer tints)
HARD LIGHTING
Incandescent bulbs only thing providing shadow well defined beams Dark shadows/creates shadows can be lensed (Fresnel) Focusable
TRIANGLE LIGHTING
shines light on the front side of the subject while casting the other side into darkness creating the illusion of 3D.
• The KEY light is the most important in terms of triangle lighting
• Need to use HARD light for the key (creates shadow)
• The other two lights are based on the key
LIGHT METER
measured in footcandles (FC) or LUX anywhere else in the world
Ratio is 1:1 the KEY to itself (key to the key) 200 FC
FILL
used to minimize the shadows created by the key so we can see details on the other side of the face.
SOFT
removes shadows without creating additional.
1/2 : 1
One half the key
100 FT candles
Backlight
serves to back light the subject from its background; helps create depth. In order for this to work the backlight must be focused on the head and shoulders.
-Hard light (soft can’t be focused)
Background
light focused the opposite way.
