Video Production Chapters 1 & 3

Types of production

• Studio, Field, Remote, DIY, one-man band

  • Field is at a different location with uncontrollable conditions

    • Single camera, smaller crew, less equipment

    • Very little control over setting

    • Requires arguably more planning

  • Remote has a truck with controls but still not a studio

    • Combination of studio and field production

    • Uses: sporting events, parades, awards ceremonies

    • Challenges: similar to field production, so much stuff

Basic tech functions in production

• Transducing

  • Transforming a physical space into energy 

• Channeling

  • Through the cables

• selecting/altering

  • Switcher

• Monitoring

  • On the screen

• recording/playback

  • Headphones, speaker

Short history of video productions

• Programs were initially shown live

  • I love Lucy – first show filmed for reruns (note “filmed”)

• Other technological developments:

  • Electronic video recording/editing

  • Color

  • Portable video equipment

  • Computer-based technologies

• High-definition television (HDTV)

  • ATSC standard (Advanced Television Systems Committee)

    • Umbrella term for various HDTV formats

    • Mandated 2006 (2009?)

    • High resolution and wide aspect ratio

      • Broadcast standard: 1920x1080 pixels, 16:9 ratio

    • Dominant in nearly all areas of professional TV production

  • NTSC (National Television Systems Committee):

    • Broadcast standard 640 (720)x480 pixels, 4:3 ratio

Guiding principles

• Teamwork: crucial! Productions are only as good as their weakest link

• Discipline: attitude, responsibility, dependability, professionalism

  • Practical knowledge/application of skills

• Creativity: versatility, flexibility; problem solving

What impacts the number of people involved in a production?

• Studio vs field production

• Union vs nonunion

• Degree of a facility’s automation

• State of the economy

Crew

• Producers

  • In charge of the overall organization

  • Make sure all elements are in the right place at the right time

  • Do the most intense work during pre-production

  • Roles vary during production and post-production

  • Oversee final editing

  • Oversee distribution promotion of a program

• Directors

  • Prepare script for production

  • Scout location or rent studio facilities

  • Oversee casting

  • Meet the shooting schedule

  • Oversee rehearsals

  • Call shots

  • Oversee editing and post-production work

• Associate directors (AD)

  • Help the director with various tasks

  • Time the production

  • Note script changes and continuity problems

  • Set up schedule for any editing

• Stage manager/floor manager/floor director

  • Overseer of the studio

  • Relay instructions from director to talent

  • Work with talent on blocking

  • Broadly supervise staging and lighting

  • Hand signals

• Camera operators

  • Ready the cameras for operation and adjust cameras once lighting is set

  • Frame and compose the shots, based on director’s instructions

  • Compose pictures properly; develop an aesthetic sense for what looks good

  • Understand the shots needed and think ahead to the next one – especially in unscripted

  • Stay engaged

• Prompter operators

  • Control the rate of the script on the prompter

  • Check the script for errors or anything confusing

  • Much harder than it seems

• Lighting directors

  • Most work is done before production

  • Set lighting instruments

• Audio engineers

  • Work with microphones, audio consoles, and intercom between director and crew

  • Test, select, and position appropriate microphones before recording

  • Test and cue music, sound effects, and audio elements before recording

  • Monitor levels to maintain quality and consistency

• Graphics operators

  • Run the computer system that creates or imports text, images, visual effects

  • Preps graphics so they are ready when director calls for them

  • Often creates the graphics outside of production

• Technical operators

  • Operate the switcher

  • Act as the head technical person on the set

  • Ensure that all equipment works

  • Oversee and assist crew members

• Videotape operator (former name), recordist, playback, tape op, replay

  • From when productions were recorded on, and source video was played back from videotape

  • Record the program

  • Play back video from whatever source is available

  • Play back and/or record video signals (think replay)

  • Label and file stored recordings

Convergence of video technology and humans

• At some point, someone or something will fail – be prepared!