I don’t know about you, but when I’m watching TV or a movie, I react negatively if I see a shot with elements in the frame arranged in a way that looks odd. That’s called composition.
So I’d like to share my 5 “rules of composition” that I use in film production and television production when I set up a shot and adjust as the shot progresses. I say “rules” because you should consider the old saying, “Rules are meant to be broken”. I’d like to add, “. . . if there’s a good reason to”. When learning how to make videos, I’ve noticed that my students in filmmaking school seem to want to break the rules because it is convenient or because they want to make their mark as non-conformists. Not good enough! There has to be a reasonable technical or artistic reason for straying from the proven path or you’re likely going to make your audience uncomfortable with poorly composed shots.
Now, I’ll get off my soap box and lay out my 5 rules:
1. Position the Main Subject. Always consider putting the main subject in the middle of the frame. If there is a definite left, right, front or back to the subject it might be shifted to the right or left, but if, for example, it’s a round flower vase (no right or left) perhaps it should be in the center of the frame if it is to be the only thing in the shot. As soon as you put it to one side you draw attention away from the vase and into the empty space on the other side of the frame. If nothing will ever be introduced in that space, then your audience is left wondering what was supposed to be there when the shot ends. Admittedly, there could be many reasons for ignoring this advice, but make sure you have a definite reason.
2. Set the Headroom. The term headroom refers to the distance between the top of your subject (like a person’s head) and the top of the frame. When it is a human head, it’s disturbing if the top of the head is “cut off” by the top of the frame. As you tighten the shot from a medium shot to a close up to an extreme close, up you will eventually have to sacrifice the top of the head, but in a very close shot that’s acceptable. It’s better composition to keep the chin and loose the top of the head. A good way to think about this is to always have the person’s eyes on the (imaginary) line that defines the top third of the frame. Which leads me to …
3. Use the Rule of Thirds. In your imagination as you view your shot in the viewfinder, divide it into thirds both vertically and horizontally. The most interesting or powerful areas in the frame are where the vertical and horizontal lines intersect. So, for example, if you’re taking a shot of a small wooden church on a distant hill out in the country, you might want to place the church on one of the two intersection points in the top third of the frame. It’ll be a more interesting shot than just centering the church, especially if you see the church in profile (that gives it a sense of back and front).
4. Set the Lead Room. Lead room refers to the space you should put in front of a subject that is looking or moving left to right - or right to left. This can be a person standing still in profile speaking to someone who is off camera, or a car that’s moving as you pan or track with it. It’s common to put more lead room in front of the subject, but not so much that the subject’s back is against the frame behind it. The space in front is more important to the viewer than the space behind.
5. Check the Periphery. The periphery is the part of the shot that is right against the boundaries of the frame. After you’ve framed your shot, but before you roll, you should quickly check the frame all the way around. After your eye has traveled 360 degrees, you should search within the frame as well. It’s sometimes amazing what you find. Often it’ll be things that should not be there during your shot (electrical cords from your lighting, a shadow of the boom mic. or maybe even a person who you don’t want in the shot). A periphery check is very important.
Just as a driver should be constantly aware of other traffic, signs and pedestrians, as a camera operator you should constantly think about the nuances of composition. The results in your digital video production will be worth it!
For more information, check out my digital video production textbook
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
What's in Your Sound Kit?
If you’re shooting a digital video production or a television production that has a very tight script you’ll likely have planned your equipment needs right down to the last cable, adapter and microphone clip for every day of shooting.
If, however, you are shooting documentaries (where you often have no idea what situations you’ll be faced with) or corporate training videos (if your script is less specific) you’ll want to have a good all-around set of equipment in your sound kit. This also applies to your camera kit and your lighting gear, but let’s just concentrate on audio.
Here’s the most important things to have for most shooting situations:
1. A Selection of Microphones. A selection of microphones is nice if you can afford them. It’s a good idea to carry one wireless and two wired lavs. Also, a hand mic. for street interviews and a shotgun - which can also be used as a hand mic. Wind socks for these microphones are also good to have.
2. Shotgun Mic Equipment. If you have a shotgun, you should also pack a pistol grip shock mount for it and a boom pole (often called a fish pole).
3. A Small, Battery Operated Mixer. A small, battery operated mixer will allow you to plug several mics into one input on your camera. A good one that should be sufficient for most situations is a mixer that accepts four sound sources (either microphones or line inputs from playback devices) about the size of a standard, red construction brick (although a lot lighter).
4. A Supply Of Mic. Cables. Of course, if your microphones are not wireless you’ll need a supply of mic. cables. Always take one or two more than you’ll need. You never know when they’ll break down and fixing them is time consuming. One more tip - if all your cables are black, you can identify them by sticking a different color of electrician’s tape on the end of each cable so you’ll know which end goes to which mic.
5. Be Prepared to Fix a Cable. OK - I just suggested that you shouldn’t take time to fix a cable if you can avoid it, but sometimes you have to. Make sure your sound kit includes a small tool kit that has wire strippers, a small soldering iron, solder, electrician’s tape, pliers and a small screw driver set.
6. Bring Spare Batteries. If any of your microphones or mixers use batteries, take several spares of the proper kinds with you.
7. Tying Material. Some sash cord or velcro strips for tying up mic. cables are also good to have.
Try to think of what else you might add to this list, especially if you are going it alone and figuring out how to make videos by yourself.
You can read more about digital video production in my ebook!
If, however, you are shooting documentaries (where you often have no idea what situations you’ll be faced with) or corporate training videos (if your script is less specific) you’ll want to have a good all-around set of equipment in your sound kit. This also applies to your camera kit and your lighting gear, but let’s just concentrate on audio.
Here’s the most important things to have for most shooting situations:
1. A Selection of Microphones. A selection of microphones is nice if you can afford them. It’s a good idea to carry one wireless and two wired lavs. Also, a hand mic. for street interviews and a shotgun - which can also be used as a hand mic. Wind socks for these microphones are also good to have.
2. Shotgun Mic Equipment. If you have a shotgun, you should also pack a pistol grip shock mount for it and a boom pole (often called a fish pole).
3. A Small, Battery Operated Mixer. A small, battery operated mixer will allow you to plug several mics into one input on your camera. A good one that should be sufficient for most situations is a mixer that accepts four sound sources (either microphones or line inputs from playback devices) about the size of a standard, red construction brick (although a lot lighter).
4. A Supply Of Mic. Cables. Of course, if your microphones are not wireless you’ll need a supply of mic. cables. Always take one or two more than you’ll need. You never know when they’ll break down and fixing them is time consuming. One more tip - if all your cables are black, you can identify them by sticking a different color of electrician’s tape on the end of each cable so you’ll know which end goes to which mic.
5. Be Prepared to Fix a Cable. OK - I just suggested that you shouldn’t take time to fix a cable if you can avoid it, but sometimes you have to. Make sure your sound kit includes a small tool kit that has wire strippers, a small soldering iron, solder, electrician’s tape, pliers and a small screw driver set.
6. Bring Spare Batteries. If any of your microphones or mixers use batteries, take several spares of the proper kinds with you.
7. Tying Material. Some sash cord or velcro strips for tying up mic. cables are also good to have.
Try to think of what else you might add to this list, especially if you are going it alone and figuring out how to make videos by yourself.
You can read more about digital video production in my ebook!
Friday, August 6, 2010
6 Tips for Setting Up to Shoot
Shooting is of course the main activity of the production stage of digital video production. In a large film production where you are the camera operator and you have a director, after you’ve mounted the camera on the tripod you’re ready when the director calls for you to roll. Right? Well, not really. There are a few preparations you should be making while the director is still fussing with the talent.
In fact, even if you are thinking about how to make videos by yourself, here’s a list of things you shouldn’t forget to do:
1. Level the Tripod. If your tripod has a built in spirit level, use it. If not, sight the tripod from 2 angles at 45° to each other. For example - from the back of the camera and from one side. Make sure it’s not leaning in any direction.
2. Do a Manual Color Balance. In the lighting conditions under which you’ll be shooting, do a manual color balance for the camera off of a white piece of paper or a proper white card. Automatic color balance is OK sometimes, but to get the best results, you must color balance manually.
3. Check the Sound Level. This should be done with headphones on while watching the VU meters on the camera’s display. If a subject is mic’d up and will be speaking on camera, ask the person to help you set the sound level by speaking at the volume they’ll use when the camera rolls.
4. Check Your Focus. With the camera set to manual focus, zoom in, focus the lens then zoom out. If the focal distance between camera and subject does not change during the shot, doing this will ensure that the focus will always be crisp even as you zoom in or out.
5. Do an Early Slate. When you’re shooting video you don’t have to slate the shot when it is being made. You can do it earlier. So, hold the slate in the lit area, zoom in to a tight shot of it and record for about 5 seconds. Then stop the camera.
6. Frame the Shot. If you know what field of view the director will want for the shot you will be taking, frame it now. If you don’t know what the director will call for, choose a pleasing field of view - frame it up and wait for the director to tell you what is required. Better to have some kind of shot ready rather than wasting time later. It’s more efficient.
Be prepared. You and your director will appreciate it.
Learn more about how to make videos by reading my digital video production textbook.
In fact, even if you are thinking about how to make videos by yourself, here’s a list of things you shouldn’t forget to do:
1. Level the Tripod. If your tripod has a built in spirit level, use it. If not, sight the tripod from 2 angles at 45° to each other. For example - from the back of the camera and from one side. Make sure it’s not leaning in any direction.
2. Do a Manual Color Balance. In the lighting conditions under which you’ll be shooting, do a manual color balance for the camera off of a white piece of paper or a proper white card. Automatic color balance is OK sometimes, but to get the best results, you must color balance manually.
3. Check the Sound Level. This should be done with headphones on while watching the VU meters on the camera’s display. If a subject is mic’d up and will be speaking on camera, ask the person to help you set the sound level by speaking at the volume they’ll use when the camera rolls.
4. Check Your Focus. With the camera set to manual focus, zoom in, focus the lens then zoom out. If the focal distance between camera and subject does not change during the shot, doing this will ensure that the focus will always be crisp even as you zoom in or out.
5. Do an Early Slate. When you’re shooting video you don’t have to slate the shot when it is being made. You can do it earlier. So, hold the slate in the lit area, zoom in to a tight shot of it and record for about 5 seconds. Then stop the camera.
6. Frame the Shot. If you know what field of view the director will want for the shot you will be taking, frame it now. If you don’t know what the director will call for, choose a pleasing field of view - frame it up and wait for the director to tell you what is required. Better to have some kind of shot ready rather than wasting time later. It’s more efficient.
Be prepared. You and your director will appreciate it.
Learn more about how to make videos by reading my digital video production textbook.
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