the dave exam

includes the cameras, lighting, and documentaries lectures

What does a camera actually do? how does it turn what you’re seeing into a video?

It converts light into a useable and controllable electronic video signal

what are the 3 basic types of video cameras?

1. consumer camcorders

2. ENG/EFP/Pro-sumer

3. Professional, studio

fill in the blanks: light is reflected off an object and gathered by a _____. the light is then _____ and focused on the _______ _______.

lens, split, imaging device

fill in the blanks: the imaging device transforms the light into electrical energy called a “video signal”. the signal is ______ and _______, then reconverted into video pictures

amplified, processed

what are 3 important factors for deciding what type of camera you should choose for your project?

1. type and size of imaging chip

2. pixel size and number of pixels

3. lens quality

how does light get converted to a signal in a camera?

through an imaging chip

what are the 2 basic chips in tv production?

ccd: charge coupled device

cmos: complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor

what’s the biggest difference between TV and film imaging chips?

aspect ratio

what is aspect ratio?

the ratio between the width and height of a frame

what is voltage?

the potential difference between two points which causes current to flow in the circuit

what is current?

the rate of charge flow between two points caused by voltage

do you need to watch out for voltage or current?

the human bosy has a high resistance to electric current, so without sufficient voltage a dangerous amount of of current can’t flow through the body. in short, watch out for both!

what is a wire?

a single piece of a conductor. can be copper, aluminum, or another material

what is a cable?

a bundle of wires. it’s capable of carrying more electricity at a higher current to supply higher demand pieces of equipment like lights, fans, or effects gear

what is gauge?

the “strength” of a cable. in north america, AWG is standard. as gauge goes up, so does the ability to carry more power and current.

what are some key gauge numbers?

• 12 gauge is a key number

• 14 gauge is common in households

• cheap extension cords can be as low as 16 gauge

what are the gauges of some common wires?

what is the power formula?

watts ÷ volts = amps

what is CRI?

the ability of a light source to properly and faithfully reveal the colour of an object compared to an ideal/natural light source. The highest possible CRI is 100 and is attributed to a perfect black body

what is colour temperature?

the “colour” of white light emitted by a light source based on a perfect black body at a given temperature

what is a black body radiator?

any object that fully absorbs all frequencies of light (ex: the sun). all objects are black body radiators, the amount of radiation and position in the spectrum depends on the object temperature and its emissivity

describe tungsten lights (description, advantages and disadvantages)

description:

• high colour temperature

• throw lots of light

advantages:

• dimmable

• low cost

• don’t use mercury

disadvantages:

• get very hot

• high power requirement

• may explode

describe HMI bulbs (description, advantages and disadvantages)

description:

• used to recreate sunlight

advantages:

• high light output

• more efficient than incandescent bulbs

• high colour temperature

disadvantages:

• expensive

• contains mercury

• can explode if dropped

describe fluorescent bulbs (description, advantages and disadvantages)

description:

• can be used relatively close to subject

• often used to light interiors

advantages:

• high efficiency

• low cost

• lightweight

disadvantages:

• can sometimes flicker

• some have low CRI

• contain mercury

describe LED bulbs (description, advantages and disadvantages)

description:

• monochromatic

• throw less light than other bulbs

advantages:

• soft, even lighting

• low power consumption

• can be battery powered

disadvantages:

• expensive

what is a documentary?

a non-fiction film without actors whose purpose is to convey factual information

a compelling documentary should be…

compelling, has emotion, entertaining, and based on facts

describe the types of documentaries

observation:

• puts the audience as the “eyewitness”

• the camera appears to be unseen

interview:

• uses interviews to make a contrast between sequences

• structured in intercut fragments of observations, or completely uninterrupted

describe different types of recreations of events documentaries may use

dramatization:

• used to portray people and events the filmmaker doesn’t have access to irl

• should be based on fact

mise-en-scene:

• what the directors and producers put into the frame

• ex: a documentary about lights has an interview with lights in the background

exposition:

• the line of argument which is what the film is saying

• sequences that lead the audience to make their own conclusion

what is a mockumentary?

a film/tv show that portrays itself as a serious documentary, but satirizes its subject

what is the ken burns effect?

adding motion (zooms, pans) to still images in a documentary

what are the 2 biggest factors that affect depth of field?

iris and sensor size

how do you calculate zoom factor?

divide the larger focal length by the smaller focal length (ex: a 70-300 lens becomes 300 ÷ 70 = 4.3x)

what is phantom power?

the process of delivering DC power through the mixer to a microphone

If you wanted a more compressed image, would you use a long or wide lens?

long lens

what are the 3 most basic chip sizes?

⅔ inch, ⅓ inch, ½ inch

what does gain do?

it amplifies the image, so when it’s turned up its at the expense of the noise

do cameras use AC or DC?

DC

what is time code?

a specific number assigned to every frame in a video. it can be set to match the actual time

what’s the difference between free-run and record-run?

free-run is like a clock, but record-run only starts when you’re recording

what is HD resolution?

1080 × 1920

What is an ND filter? What does it stand for?

• neutral-density

• decreases the amount of light coming into the camera without changing the colour temperature (sunglasses for the camera)

what is the first thing you should do when you put your eye in the eyepiece?

adjust the diopter

Which has more depth of field- wide-angle lens or narrow-angle lens?

narrow-angle lens

What are two ways to control depth of field?

1. chip size and iris

2. distance

what does XLR stand for?

ground, lead, return

what’s the approximate range of human hearing?

20 hz - 20,000 hz

what are some things you should put on an invoice?

1. your name

2. your contact info

3. the job you did

4. the invoice date and number

according to dave, what percent of every cheque should you put away for taxes/just in case?

40%

what are the 2 main bodies you pay taxes to?

1. federal government

2. provincial government

what does a macro lens do?

it lets you shoot within a minimal focal distance

what type of microphone are the wireless mics in the camera kits?

dynamic mics