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Television Production & Broadcast Journalism
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Never follow a pan left with an immediate pan right, or vice
versa. The movement in the resulting image is not pleasing to
the viewer. You can cut to a different camera between a pan left
and a pan right without ill effects.
Production Note
• Tilt. Pointing only the front of the camera (lens) vertically up or
down; the dolly and tripod remain stationary. Tilt up (TU) by
pointing the lens up toward the ceiling, and tilt down (TD) by
pointing the lens of the camera down toward the ground.
• Pedestal. Raising or lowering the camera on the pedestal or tripod
while facing the set. The tripod and dolly remain stationary. Pedestal
up (PedU) is to raise the height of the camera. Pedestal down (PedD)
is to lower the height of the camera.
• Arc. Moving the camera in a curved truck around the set, while
the camera remains fi xed on the main object in the shot—the main
subject never leaves the frame of the picture. An arc right (AR)
involves rolling the camera, tripod, and dolly in a circle to the
camera operator’s right (counterclockwise) around the subject of the
shot. Rolling the camera, tripod, and dolly in a circle to the camera
operator’s left (clockwise) around the subject is an arc left (AL).
Think of an arc camera move like circling a car that you’d
like to buy. While looking at the car, you walk all the way
around it while facing the car as you walk.
Visualize This
Psychology of Presentation
Some television production techniques, if used properly, can actu-
ally cause the audience to physically “feel” something. An example of
this is subjective camera, described in the previous chapter. The audi-
ence sees images from a camera mounted in a stunt driver’s car as he
drives up and down large hills at high speeds. The audience can “feel”
their stomachs lurch as the car rockets down a steep hill. The videog-
rapher can also plant attitudes in the minds of viewers merely by the
way a picture is framed. A program has the power to shape the view-
ers’ perception of someone or something without expressly verbalizing
an opinion. This is a signifi cant power to have over a large number of
people. An experienced and talented camera operator can infl uence an
audience without the majority of individuals even realizing their opin-
ion has been manipulated. This kind of talent comes with great respon-
sibility as well.
A low angle shot is created by placing the camera anywhere from
slightly to greatly below the eye level of the talent and pointing it
upward toward the talent, Figure 4-22. The talent appears to be above
the audience. Tilting the camera up while shooting a character makes
the audience see the character as powerful, feel respect for the character,
tilt: Pointing only the front of
the camera (lens) vertically up
or down while the dolly and
tripod remain stationary.
pedestal: Raising or lowering
the camera on the pedestal of
a tripod, while facing the set.
The tripod and dolly remain
stationary.
arc: Moving the camera in
a curved truck around the
main object in the shot—the
main subject never leaves the
frame of the picture.
low angle shot: A shot
created by placing the camera
anywhere from slightly to
greatly below the eye level of
the talent and pointing it up
toward the talent.