Media Production TV

Need to purchase: 
DVCAM 60/124 min full size tape

Tripods -- double checked they are locked in position before putting the camera on.
In tripod case -

• Pan/Tilt bar - goes in on a 45degree angle. Tighten until snug.
• Plate- what the camera attaches to, like a snowboard boot binding- triangular portion goes forward, slide until you hear a click. Tighten until snug.

2 or 3 is a good setting for the fluid head of the tripod, not zero. Zero is silly.

It has to be level.

Check the carpenters level/bubble and level out by loosening the head. Tighten until snug.

Cameras -- match up triangles on camera and camera plate, and snap in until you hear a click.
Press button to release: easy in, easy out. (that's what she said)

Side pocket of the camera bag:

• batteries ($350) -- must be kept warm in winter. Push button - green lights indicate charge. Battery snaps in to back of camera, push button for release

To turn camera on... click on.

Look for slider release and open tape door. Tape door is flimsy, be careful.

Tape will only go in one way.

If it doesn't go in nicely, don't jam it in. If you don't do it properly it will reject it. (that's what she said)

View finders are black and white so they are easier to focus, but there is a colour viewfinder on the side of camera. Most professional cameras do not have colour viewfinder.

Front of lens is focus. Zoom in all the way, focus, zoom out.
Right behind focus is zoom ring, but we have to use the toggle switch.
ND filter (neutral density) tells camera is you are indoors or outdoor.
Indoors: ND filter set to off.
Outdoors on crummy day: ND filter set to 1.
Outdoors on sunny, bright day: ND  filter to 2.

Autofocus is for losers.

Iris -- controls lens aperture.
Open up to let more light in, close to shut out light. Works like an F-stop in a DSLR  camera.

Last thing you have to do before you shoot - white balance.

White Balance tell the camera what type of light you are shooting under.

1. Get a blank piece of white paper and hold it in front of camera.
2.  Zoom in to completely cover picture.
3. WHT BAL- silver knob
4. Hold up until flashing icon on viewfinder stops flashing.

If you don't set the white balance people will look blue or green.

No. 

Gain should be on L (low/normal). Gain brightens the picture but desaturates the colour and makes it grainy..

Make sure the light source is at your back -- do not shoot towards a window or your subjects will be backlit.

You are now ready to shoot.

Wide shots: fill frame as much as possible. Do not waste space.

Close up: Head and shoulders. Leave lead room, offset subjects just a little.

With close ups, look for psychological closure: you don't need to see it all to know what it is.

Look for depth. Look for things in foreground, middleground and background.

Pans. End of the pan in the most important shot, so end on something good.

Zooms. You don't see zooms, you see dollys. Dollys make things more personal. Zoom brings things closer through a lens, a dolly brings you physically closer.

Keep these short and smooth.

Homework: watch television and look for camera moment, psychological closure, and depth.

Moral of the day: Take GOOD care of the equipment.