9-19-11 Camera Scavenger Hunt

For reading time today: http://news.nettop20.com/

We will begin our camera unit today with a camera scavenger hunt.

Camera Scavenger Hunt:

Take turns working on the following shots:

1. Use a zoom in and a zoom out to make a creative shot.
2. Use a tilt up and a tilt down to make a creative shot.
3. Use a pan left or a pan right to make a creative shot.
4. Use focus to make a creative shot.
5. Shoot something upside down or sideways.
6. Make a smooth dolly in a creative way.
7. Walk while shooting and make it as smooth as possible.
8. Make a silhouette shot in front of a light source.
9. Experiment with the microphone on the front of the camera. How far can it pick up sound?
10. Hold a shot for at least ten seconds and keep it as still as possible.
11. Perform several interviews: Make sure everyone knows how to set up for an interview. What seven items must you bring to an interview? How far away should the person be? What should the background look like? What do you need to know about lighting and shooting into a light source? What is the first thing the camera operator must do to set up their shot? Where should the reporter stand? How far away should the microphone be? What should you consider as you are getting sound bytes?

Final Assignment: Compose the following scene based on this scenario:
“Just one more step and it would have all been different”

You need to figure out where to shoot this scene. In addition, what need to be acted? What needs to be said on camera? How should the shots be put together to tell a story? What is the message you are trying to convey?

9/15/11

I watched the Fox nine news and paid attention to some stories. 

1. In Norway there was a fire on ship caused by the engine. this is an example of Significance.


2. There was a guy who got saved by a burning car. this is an example of human interest.
 
3. A little girl found both of her parents dead in her apartment. this is an example of unusualness.

4. The weather for this week is supposed to be pretty cold. this is an example of timeliness.

 

9-14-11 Camera Notes

Notetaking on Camera Techniques

INTERVIEWING:
• What seven items should you bring with you when you are shooting an interview?
 
(Clocks Tick Tock Making Heads Pound Loudly) 
CameraTripodTapeMicrophoneHeadphonesPowerLight

• Shooting into a light source = silhouette


• Where do you want your light source? behind the camera



• On what object should you focus the camera? a persons' nose

*white balance

• No tripod=bad


• Date and Time=never (display button)


• SP/EP : Standard Play/Extended Play

• Camera shoots in SP (highest quality setting as we can).

• Pre-Roll: start 3-5 seconds before interview


• Post-Roll: start 3-5 seconds after interview


CAMERA SHOTS:

***BACKGROUND: 

• DYNAMIC=has some depth, not plain
•  interviewee is at least 6-8 feet from wall
• interviewee IS the shot, not a poster

• 1 Shot=middle of the chest-above the head. Microphones are to be heard, not seen.

• 1 Shot with graphic=over the shoulder graphic

• 2 Shot=middle of the chest-above the head. 1 shot with two people.

• CU-close up

• MS-medium shot

• LS-long shot

• ECU/ELS- extreme close up/extreme long shot 

*create a series of shots

• Rule of thirds-imaginary lines are drawn dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. You place important elements on the rule of thirds.


CAMERA MOVEMENTS:
• Tilt-up and down


• Pan-left and right


• Zoom-closer or farther away (changing focal length)


• Dolly-camera on wheels

LIGHTS:
• Key- the main bright light that comes from the front, usually from the side.


• Fill- fills in the shadows opposite of the key light. (behind)


• Back- separates the interviewee from the background.


MICROPHONES:
• Unidirectional- picks up from one direction

• Omnidirectional- comes from all directions. microphones on top of cameras are omnidirectional.

• Cardiod- unidirectional

• Lav/Lapel Microphone- clip on

• Boom Microphone- usually unidirectional

9/13/11 Writing a Story

10 Steps to Writing a Story – Broadcast Journalism

1. Find a topic.
-  school issue
- news worthy
- know your audience
2. Find an angle.
- determines questions
- focus's on topic
- angle can change
3. Collect information.
-  background
- location
- schedules
4. Conduct the interviews.
- 3 experts (coach,captains,managers)
- ask at least 3 questions.
- ask open ended questions (who, what, why, how..)
sound bite: piece of audio that can stand on it's own.
5. Shoot your reporter stand up.
- reporter should appear on camera
- *should appear in the middle
-
6. Organize your sound bites.
- you can choose the order of interviews
- you can choose the ones you want
- do it with editing software
7. Write segues/transitions in your story.
- between each sound bites
- 
-
8. Write the ins and outs of your story.
- what the reporters/anchors going to say leading into your story
-
-

9. Collect B-roll to add to your story (throughout steps 4-9)
- all video footage for the story
- natural sound
- incorporate the 5 senses

*Steps 4-8 in your story are called the A-roll.
*A-roll: all the audio in the story
*so all the A-roll first, then do B-roll

9/12/11 What is Broadcast Journalism?

Define “Broadcast Journalism” in 1-3 sentences.

Broadcast Journalism is the telling of current events that are news worthy through television, radio, and the internet. It's become more available to people, and through television, radio, and the internet it's more affordable. It's also easier to find what you want to know instead of waiting, you can get news/events right away as it's happening.

the six criteria of newsworthiness.

1. Significance - event that effects a lot of people. (9/11)

2. Unusualness- out of the ordinary (murder, fire,war..)

3. Proximity- events that happen close to us (sports stats., weather, traffic..)

4. Prominence- care about celebrities (Kim Kardashians wedding, Obama gets a dog..)

5. Timeliness- care about how current the events are (sports stats., weather..)

6. Human Interest- a "feel good" story (new animal born at the zoo)




What are the differences between print journalism and broadcast journalism?

1. Broadcast journalism is more current

2. Print Journalism gives you the choice to read what you want.

3. Print Journalism provides more detail.

How is the Internet impacting broadcast journalism? 

You can choose what you want to read and read as much as you want while everything is current.