9
Chapter 3
The Video
Camera and
Support
Equipment
Types of Video Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Studio Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Camcorders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Convertible Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
The Parts of the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Camera Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Viewfi nder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Camera Lens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Mounting the Camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Hand-Held Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Tripod Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Camera Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . .80
Cleaning a Dirty Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Post-Production Camera Care . . . . . . . .82
Chapter 4
Video Camera
Operations
Composing Good Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
White Balance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Pre-Focusing Zoom Lenses . . . . . . . . . .87
Depth of Field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Lines of Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Head Room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Nose Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Shot Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Calling the Shots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Wide Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Individual Subject Shots. . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Multiple Subject Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Specifi c View Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Camera Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Psychology of Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Chapter 5
Videotape, Video
Media, and Video
Recorders
Videotape Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Video Heads and Helical Scan. . . . . . . . . 111
Dirty Video Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
Cleaning Video Heads in VHS and
S-VHS Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Cleaning Video Heads in Digital
Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Videotape Widths and Formats . . . . . . . . 117
Videotape Reels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Videocassettes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Digital Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Control Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Digital Video Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Recording Audio and Video . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Test Recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124
Heads and Tails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Audio Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Radio Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Chapter 6
Audio Basics
The Functions of Sound for Television . . . 132
Sound Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Types of Microphones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Wired and Wireless Mics . . . . . . . . . . .136
Dynamic Microphones. . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Condenser Microphones. . . . . . . . . . . .138
Ribbon Microphone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
Non-Professional Microphones . . . . . .139
Specialized Microphones . . . . . . . . . . .140
Pick-Up Pattern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Mics on the Set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Mics on Talent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144