http://www.bbctraining.com/onlineCourse.asp?tID=5914&cat =2781 Before you shoot
◼Know your story
◼Decide how to tell your story ◼Follow your program style ◼Choose your kit ◼Plan your shoot Know your story
◼ It is vital that you know the whole story
and how your sequence fits into it ◼ Story summaries are one tool you can use to ensure you don't lose the plot ◼ If you have time, pictures and storyboards can help to visualise your ideas How to do it ◼ Decide the story's angle. ◼ Write a summary or sketch storyboards. ◼ However "last minute" the shoot, make sure you have a clear brief. ◼ Check that what you're doing is realistic in the time available - don't compromise your safety. ◼ Unforeseen events can occur - be ready to react if the story changes, and follow new developments. ◼ Remind yourself "I will always focus on telling the story". Story Summary
◼ A good story summary
Reveals characters Outlines the main points of the story Suggests where it will lead ◼ Key words from a summary help you plan how to shoot and what to shoot Example of a Story Summary: ◼ Blue Peter Special Feature – Above the Clouds ◼ Matt Gyves
'Above the clouds is the
challenge for Simon Thomas, a Blue Peter presenter, to reach the top of Europe's highest mountain.' Exercise: What’s the Story?
◼ A good story has a hook, characters, a
setting and a key question.
In this exercise you'll identify an
interesting angle from a wordy 'brief' and write a succinct story summary.
Read through the brief and look for an
interesting angle. Decide how to tell your story
◼ Your story angle/summary determines
the scenes, sequences and shots you need to plan. ◼ A 'sequence' is a series of shots cut together so that the action flows seamlessly. ◼ To achieve this in the edit, you need to capture a variety of shots. How to do it ◼ Follow the "five shot" rule ◼ On each new shot, change the shot size and the angle - use the zoom if you're in a hurry. ◼ Shoot the person, the thing, then the person and the thing. ◼ Plan cutaways and cut-ins. ◼ Overlap the action. ◼ Shoot the whole action three times from three different angles. For sufficient coverage and edit options
◼ If you need 5 shots, get 8.
◼ If you need 3 shots, get 5. ◼ If you need 1 shot, get 3. Follow your program style
◼ Get familiar with your program style
◼ Plan to shoot accordingly ◼ Otherwise, you risk coming back with unusable material How to do it ◼ Absorb your program's style: watch previous episodes and rushes. ◼ Mimic its shot sizes, angles, eye lines and framing. ◼ Think about the key stylistic features. Long or short takes? Lots of camera movement or relatively static? ◼ Don't get carried away - if in doubt keep it simple. Choose your kit ◼ Work within your budget. ◼ Decide what picture and sound quality you want. ◼ Think about logistics, particularly when choosing sound equipment. ◼ Know how much kit you are capable of carrying - and for how long. ◼ Choose kit you are familiar with. ◼ Make sure the sections of your kit are compatible. Plan your shoot
◼ Create a timetable and shooting schedule.
◼ Include time for travel and setting up. ◼ Allow time to warm up your contributor and put them at ease. ◼ Plan to do your most important shots first. ◼ Allow extra time for unforeseen events. ◼ Forecast the impact of weather and location changes. Film the perfect picture
◼Shoot for continuity
◼Expose correctly
◼Make the most of available light
Frame your picture
◼ Never place important subjects at the
extreme left or right of the picture - some TV sets will cut them off. ◼ If a contributor's head is moving around a lot, loosen the shot slightly, rather than constantly adjusting or have their head constantly banging the edge of frame. ◼ Avoid distracting backgrounds or objects 'sprouting' from the subject's head. Frame your picture
◼ Frame to include any expected action
rather than adjust the shot to accommodate it. ◼ When panning with a moving object, leave 'walking room'. Frame your picture ◼ Include something in the foreground to create depth and a sense of perspective. Or shoot through a feature in the environment - a window, leaves etc.
◼ Think about shooting from an unusual
camera height or position - such as from ground level or high above the scene, eg from an upstairs window. Frame your picture
◼ Always keep the camera level - unless
you want to tilt it for effect, in which case tilt it a lot to make it look deliberate. ◼ Be aware that dramatic compositional techniques can be distracting. Shoot for continuity ◼ Aim for consistent shot sizes, eyelines and looking room. ◼ Overlap the action. Ask participants to repeat it so you can film the action using other shot sizes. ◼ Allow subjects to enter and leave the frame ie film the empty scene before and after the moving object appears. ◼ Shoot lots of cutaways and close ups. Shoot for continuity ◼ In group discussions get wide shots of the group and close-ups of listeners and head-turns. ◼ Run the camera for an extra 10 seconds at the end of each shot. ◼ Avoid ‘cutting down the line’. Changing the angle of the shot is better. ◼ When changing the shot, be aware of what's still there from the previous one - eg people moving around ◼ Cross the line yourself while filming. This overcomes continuity problems because you usher the audience over the line as you cross it. Capture what’s important ◼ Remind yourself of the principles of storytelling. ◼ Follow the action: carry the camera at all times and keep it running before, during and after an event. ◼ Decide who your key character is. ◼ Be ready to adjust if something more interesting occurs in your main story. ◼ Make a decision and stick with it. ◼ Check you've got everything on your script. Expose correctly ◼ To record any image in a camera, you need to let a certain amount of light through the lens. How much light you let in is known as the exposure for that picture. ◼ A good, accurate exposure is a vital part of getting a great picture. ◼ It helps to understand how this works in principle, so that you can control exposure in situations where the auto setting won’t give you what you need. Expose correctly
◼ Exposure is about how much light you
let into the lens. ◼ This is controlled by the camera’s iris (aperture). ◼ The iris is measured in “f” stops. ◼ The higher the “f” number, the smaller the hole in the iris. Expose correctly
◼ Contrast is the range of light strengths
in any scene. ◼ Where the range is small – low contrast – the whole scene can be exposed satisfactorily. ◼ In high contrast areas, you never get a good exposure. ◼ Avoid windows. Make the most of available light ◼ For any scene, identify where the key light source is coming from and whether it has a hard or soft quality. ◼ Prevent ugly lens flare: don't point the camera at hard light sources and avoid solely backlit subjects. ◼ Try to exclude bright windows from indoors shots. ◼ Outdoor pictures look best in early morning or late afternoon light. ◼ If it looks good, it is good - if it looks bad, it is bad! 3-point lighting
◼ ‘Three Point lighting’ is the use of three
directional light sources to illuminate a subject. These are known as the key, fill and back lights. The principle is best illustrated using mains lights. Record the sound you want
◼Record clean sound
◼Reduce unwanted sound
◼Record atmos Record clean sound
◼ Place the mic as close as possible.
◼ Before you start filming, stop and listen. Think about what you want to record and what to suppress. ◼ If you record outside, take a windshield. ◼ Always monitor sound on good-quality headphones, but be aware that high volumes can damage your hearing. Record atmos ◼ The best atmos is recorded at the same time as the original dialogue. ◼ Collect atmos by letting the camera run on for another five seconds after each shot. ◼ Be aware that the background noise might change - if so, record 5 seconds of the new conditions. ◼ If you're recording a picture, always record ambient sound Prepare for edit
◼Review what you’ve got
Review what you’ve got
◼ If possible, review your material on location
before you leave. ◼ Watch all footage before the edit. ◼ Check back to your story - what do you want it to convey? ◼ Consider if another, better story is emerging. ◼ Editing your own material is an invaluable learning experience. Log your shots ◼ Use a logging system that suits you: pen and paper, Word/Excel or special software. ◼ Log the master tape or direct copy. ◼ Note tape name. ◼ Give each shot a short name. ◼ Assign ratings to shot to help spot the best, eg ***=outstanding. ◼ Note each shot's timecode IN and OUT. ◼ Recognise timecode breaks. ◼ Print log for reference during the edit. ◼ Prepare an edit shot list of desired shots, which has tape names and timecodes.