How To - Media Production (Production)
- Erika Snell
Part 1: Camera Operation
Camera settings to look out for (most phones and cameras do these automatically or have an auto function):
Media Format - if using a camera with an SD card, ensure the cards are formatted before use so there is enough space for the recording
Always double check that all previously recorded footage is offloaded before formatting each day
Battery Power - make sure there is sufficient power to film or a power cable to plug in if necessary
White Balance - setting the color temperature for where you are filming so that the color white appears true white as if the light on it is reflected off a perfectly black object
Measured in Kelvin, standard for lighting inside is 3200K (warm, orange) and daylight is 5600K (cool, blue)
Essential to set properly otherwise subject’s skin tone could appear to be blue or orange if not properly set (can fix in post-production but always best to get accurate setting on camera)
Typically lighting at home is warmer and offices or outside daylight is cooler
Can be set by holding a white card in front of camera and using the white balance function on camera
Phenomenon of changing temperatures can be tested when outside - cover eyes for 10-20 seconds and then open them, everything should first look blue and then slow transition to orange because eyes can adjust naturally
Iris/Aperture level - allows you to adjust how much light you are letting into the lens of the camera
Very important to use so image can be seen in the best way
Too much light, things can be ‘overblown’ and washed out which takes away detail from the image
Too little light, things will be difficult to see
Like the pupils of eyes, when in bright conditions, they shrink to let less light in and when in dark conditions, they enlarge to let more light in
Measured in F-stop, the higher the number, the more closed the iris is and, less amount of light is let in
F 1.4 = essentially open, lots of light coming into lens
F 16 = essentially closed, very little light coming into lens
Focus - making sure the subject is in focus for a clear image
Racking focus is a common camera function where the image starts blurry and then ‘racks’ to be in focus or vice versa
Also determines if the image will have a shallow or deep depth of field
In practice with your eyes, if you hold your finger in front of you and focus on it, and then focus on whatever is behind it, this is how cameras also rack focus (although it can be a much smoother and gradual transition)
Depth of Field - range of distance within which all objects will be in acceptable sharp focus, the area in front of and behind the principle point of focus that will also be in acceptable focus
Shallow depth - everything is blurry apart from the main subject
Deep depth - almost everything in the image is in focus
Tripod Level - ensure the angles don’t look tilted (unless that is the style suited for the film)
The best practice is to use a building or whiteboard or whatever reference available to observe either a straight vertical line if the shot is at an angle to the reference or a straight horizontal line if the shot is straight onto the reference
Level the tripod to this line based on the camera image
Don’t rely on the level within the tripod because they are not always accurate
Framing Composition/Rules
30 Degree Rule - states that if an editor cuts to the same character or object in another shot, the second shot must be positioned at least 30 degrees away from the first camera setup
If the camera moves less than 30 degrees, the cut between shots can look like a Jump Cut (typically used to move time forward if intentional) or a mistake
Is jarring to the audience watching if not used correctly
A rule that pretty much every YouTuber breaks
180-Degree Rule - used to establish where the camera should be placed in relation to the characters on camera in order to not confuse the audience on the geographical location of the characters
To establish the 180-degree line, draw an imaginary line from one character's nose to the other, that runs straight through the two characters
Once established, the camera should only be placed on one side of the line
Crossing the line example: a soccer player is running with the ball from left to right, trying to score a goal. If we cut to a camera on the opposite side of the field, the soccer player will appear to be moving from right to left towards their own goal.
Pay attention to eyeline. When cutting between single shots in a dialogue scene, you want both characters to appear as if they're facing each other. The character on the left side should face camera-right, and the character on the right side should face camera-left. This ensures that the eyeline matches. If both characters appear to be looking in the same screen direction in their single shots, it means the 180-degree rule was broken and their eyelines won't match.
The Rule of Thirds - one of the most common camera framing techniques used in film or photography that focuses on positioning a character to show their relation to other elements in the scene
Imagine a tic-tac-toe board - two lines running vertical, and two more running horizontal, keep the important subjects where the lines intersect
Typically, the subject is placed in the left or right third of the image and the other two thirds are left more open
Part 2: Audio Operation
Sound mixing is incredibly important because anybody can watch bad video footage and feel fine but hearing bad audio is incredibly difficult to listen to
Audio is also very difficult to fix in post-production
Sound Mixer places microphone as close to subject as possible to record audio
Uses headphones to listen before and during filming
Adjusts input levels of microphones accordingly
If levels are too low, can boost them in post-production but it could introduce static type noise
If levels are too high, audio can over-modulate (audio distortion) and sound bad
Record room tone - audio of the location being filmed when no one is talking
Record about 2 minutes worth to be able to have a base audio layer for the scene
When editing, the transitions between different dialogue takes won’t sound as obvious with room tone as an additional layer
If voiceover is required
Don’t record outside or in public, use a studio or quiet room
Don’t record entire script in one or two takes, break the script up into short paragraphs
If there is a mistake, the recording won’t need to restart from the beginning
Best practices for wiring a lavalier microphone on a person
Step 1 - let the person know that they will need to be touched in order for the mic to be placed, make sure that they are comfortable and acknowledge what was said
Step 2 - ask them to take the cable with mic and feed it through the bottom of their shirt and out the top
Step 3 - take the mic and cable and create a sort of figure 8 and then pin to the actor’s shirt, approximately 6 inches below their chin
Step 4 - attach the transmitter pack to the person’s pants, belt, or jacket pocket
Ensure that they don’t have a phone anywhere on their person
This can sometimes be awkward if unpracticed so try it out with someone first because it’s best for the Sound Mixer to place the microphone to ensure it’s done correctly
Could be placed poorly (too far or close to face)
Could be pinned incorrectly (the mic could be facing the wrong direction)
Wire could be sticking out
If using a boom microphone (the ones attached to cameras), know that they pick up all audio! (ambient noise of people walking in the background, birds, etc.)
If in a quiet space then it should be okay to record dialogue with one
If there may have been extra noise during a take, always take the time to play it back in real time and listen, audio can rarely be fixed in post-production
Concepts to think about
Diegetic sound - any sound that the character or characters on screen can hear
EX: the sound of one character talking to another would be diegetic
Non-diegetic sound - any sound that the audience can hear but the characters on screen cannot
EX: any appearance of background music is a prime example of non-diegetic sound
Part 3: Lighting Operation
Lighting concepts to think about:
Typically, the front of the main subject should be front lit and not too much light coming from the back
The opposite creates a lot of shadows
Stylistically you may want this look
Be aware of surroundings and observe the space
Deciding if the camera should be to the left or right of the actor may be determined by whatever light you have to work with
Film lighting sets the tone and mood of a film, tells viewers where to direct their gaze
Three-Point Lighting Technique
The first light is the ‘key light’ which is the main source of light that is traditionally set up at a 45-degree angle from the subject’s face
The second light is the fill light, which is usually softer and less intense, is set up at an opposite 45-degree angle from key light to soften shadows, create contrast, and fill in the subject’s face
The third light is the back or rim light and is placed behind the subject to create an outline of the subject or provide some detail to the subject’s hair (sometimes it’s called a ‘hair light’).
This increases the separation between the subject in the foreground and the background
High Key vs. Low Key
Deals with contrast between the subject and background
High-key lighting has low contrast, and the exposure is more even across the shot
Well-lit shots: High-key lighting is created through well-lit shots designed to focus on brightness and white tones while reducing contrast, dark tones, and shadows
EX: comedic films, beauty shots, and light-hearted films are characterized by high-key lighting
Low-key lighting has high contrast with strong shadows, deep blacks with highlights, and minimal light sources.
It’s intense: Low-key lighting is also commonly used in horror films, where the scares are not just a result of what you do see, but also of what you don’t
EX: dramas, mystery, suspense, and any film on the dark end of the emotional spectrum
Soft vs. Hard
Hard or direct light comes from shining the light source directly onto the subject creating defined shadows with clear lines and a harshness or intensity in the scene
Hard light adds dimension, depth, and complexity to your subjects
Creates shadows and harsh lines
EX: fluorescent overhead lights or light from a lamp with no covering can create the desired harshness for a scene
Soft lighting creates gradient shadows that wrap around the characters
Soft light is more flattering than hard light and is more natural-looking and makes your subject appear warm, welcoming, and friendly
EX: diffusing light with filters, diffusions, gels, or textiles like sheets or curtains, bouncing light off of walls
Back Lighting - This basic lighting is meant to hit the actor or object of focus from behind.
It is usually placed at an elevated angle, higher than the actor or object that it's meant to light
Backlights are used to separate characters or items from their background
Often gives the actor or object more shape and depth, making them more separate from the background but if the only light is from the back then it casts the subject in shadows
Color Temperature
Daylight (blue light) will be around 5,600K while typical indoor light (warm orange) will have a temperature around 3,200K
The temperature of the lighting will affect the mood of the story and create depth or contrast between the characters
Part 4: Continuity Supervisor Operation
Scripty (for short) is in charge of ensuring that (1) nothing looks out of place from scene to scene, (2) what is being filmed matches the script, and (3) taking notes so the editor can navigate the footage easier
Things to think about when filming:
Ensure that actors’ hair and outfits are the same (if they should be) when filming different scenes
Ensure that the set looks the same if filming in the same location on multiple days
Could be something as simple as making sure all chairs are pushed in at the desks in the classroom
Take note of any clocks in the space being used to film
Either be able to adjust the time or try to avoid having it in the shot
Listen to the dialogue being spoken by the actor and make sure it matches the script
Do not interrupt a scene while it is being filmed but do mention any inconsistencies to the director
Can always play the video back to see if the take is usable or not
Pay attention to character action
If an actor goes to open a door with their right hand, make sure they use their right hand again if/when the scene is being shot from a different angle
Example of a way to take notes:
Column 1: Scene/shot, followed by the numbers/letters that reference the shot list
Column 2: Take, followed by the number for each take
Column 3: Camera notes, was the take good or bad
Column 4: Sound notes, was the take good or bad
Column 5: Description, short description of scene
Column 6: Continuity/Editing Notes, any notes for the editor that may be helpful (like scene inserts or changes to shots, anything that may differ from the shot list that they’ll be using to edit together)
Part 5: Slate Operation
A film slate is a tool used during film production to help synchronize the audio and video in post-production while also displaying important information, like the scene number and take number, that is useful for organizing footage
Typically consist of wooden clap sticks on top of an acrylic dry-erase whiteboard
Typically a slate would display the following information: Production title, Director’s name, DP’s name, Camera, Date, Scene, & Take
For a smaller production, scene/shot and take are what matter most
The ‘clapping’ part of slate is very important to ensure that the video and audio are synchronized
Visually, the editor can see when the clap occurs on the video image and the peak of audio on its waveform
Editor can then move the waveform in the editing software to link up the video for it to match
If what is being used as a slate doesn’t have a ‘clapper’, the slate operator can simply clap their own hands in front of the camera after shower the board with scene and take
More important when recording on multiple cameras at once and recording audio separately from the video camera
(if recording audio directly onto the camera and using only one camera then have a slate ‘clap’ isn’t crucial)
Order of operations before the start of recording a shot
Mark the slate with the Scene/shot and take
Real ones include names of Director and Cameraman, roll of film or card deck that footage is recorded to, date, and time of scene
MOS means that no audio is being recorded
Hold the board in front of the camera while the camera is rolling
Call out the slate
EX: if the film slate reads "scene 5A, take 2" then a proper call out would be: "Scene five apple, take two. Mark.”
This would mean the fifth scene of the script, the first shot of the scene, and the second attempt at filming that shot
To indicate shot letter, use a word that starts with the same letter
End with mark, similar to ‘over and out’ to indicate that the slate is finished with saying what is on the slate
Clap for synchronization in front of the camera
Walk off!
Part 6: Arriving ‘On Set’
Have copies of Script, Shot List, and Storyboards
The roles mentioned previously are the bare minimum of what any set needs and may be done by more or less people
Stick with your roles and schedule that are set for the day!
Can help each other if it’s beneficial
At the end of the day, the person in the role for that day can make the final decision
Camera Operator, Sound Mixer, and Lighting Designer find best places to set up camera, tripod, microphones, and any additional lights
Director takes actor through what they’re doing and overlooks the entire setup
Scripty has a laptop and/or pen and paper ready to take notes
Slate has a whiteboard or phone ready to label the beginning of each shot on camera
Part 7: Start Filming!
Basic Steps to follow before recording each shot:
Slate holds whiteboard in front of camera that indicates scene/shot and take (EX: Scene 5 Shot B Take 2 or S5B T2)
Director says “Roll camera”, Camera Operator starts recording and says “Rolling”
Director says “Roll sound”, Sound Mixer starts recording and says “Speeding”
Slate reads out the slate, ‘claps’, and walks out
Director says Action!
Scene plays out
Director says Cut!
Both Camera Operator and Sound Mixer stop recording
If the take is good then move on to reset for next shot
If something goes wrong, after ‘cut’ simply reset and start again
Only change would be for the slate to indicate it’s a new take and for the scripty to indicate that the take was bad
During the shoot, there may be an additional shot that is not on the shot list that needs to be recorded (for example an insert close up of a hand on a doorknob as the person opens the door)
Label that as Shot 13Ab assuming the shot prior was 13A and after will be 13B (or whatever labeling system works, it’s important to be consistent for the editor)
B-roll (short clips of different aspects of the setting that are about 10 seconds) is smart to film, gives the editor more footage to work with and helps with transitions between scenes
Hallways outside of the classroom
Outside of building and the trees that surround it
People walking around
Scripty needs to make notes of what was additionally recorded
All in all, take one shot at a time, see what works, and make sure everybody is contributing to their role
Part 8: Breakdown
Ensure there isn’t any equipment or materials left behind
If using a camera that records onto SD cards, be sure to take them out in order to offload footage
Make sure any trash has been discarded
Scripty shares notes with Editor (recommend using Google sheets so it can be shared easily and nothing can get deleted)
Re-evaluate schedule if necessary