Media I: Video ConceptsMrs. Boni

2016

Extreme Close-Up (XCU) – Used for details, or extremely close shots.

Close-up (CU) – From about an inch ABOVE the head to the tops of the shoulders. Used for emotion. Used in dialogue. Television is a close-up medium.

Medium Close-up (MCU) – Goes from just above the head to about the middle of the chest. Used the same as a close up.

Medium Shot (MS) – From just above the head to waist (the navel – not the top of pants). Used to show two characters in dialogue, or used to show actions.

Long Shot (LS) – From just above the head to knees. Usually used like a wide shot (WS)

Wide Shot (WS) – from just above the head to just below the feet. Used ONLY to establish a scene (at the beginning). Also used when a new character enters or leaves a scene.

Extreme wide shot (XWS) – Used ONLY at the beginning of the scene to show setting or climate. Ex – Entire building, a mountain.

XCUCUMCUMSLSWSXWS

Usually the XWS is even MUCH BIGGER, Like the Restaurant in Seinfeld, or the exterior apartment shot in Friends

Shot Types

Links to shots - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuhWNJr89u8Link to Dear Kitten - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4Sn91t1V4gComposition - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zMQ9QwRlmQ

Pedestal Up

Pedestal Down

Pedestal - Raising the camera up or down like an elevator

Tilt – Turning the camera up or down

Tilt Down

Tilt Up

Pan – Turning the camera left or right

Pan Left

Pan Right

Truck – Moving the camera left or right

Dolly – Moving the camera forward or back

Dolly in

Dolly out

Truck left

Truck right

Rules of Shooting Video

Continuity: Making sure all audio and video are consistent throughout (costume, hair, make-up, situation, props). The illusion that everything ‘flows’ in real time from one shot to the next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKm5nk6O9-g

Rule of 3rds: Camera operator mentally divides the picture frame into 3rds both horizontally and vertically. The picture elements are then placed along the intersections of the lines, called “centers of interest.”

 

 

 

Picture Balance:  Subjects are arranged to provide a pleasing picture with SIZE, COLOR or SUBJECT POSITIONING.

30-3 Rule: No shot should be longer than 30 seconds and no scene longer than 3 minutes.

Jump Cut: Where image seems to “jump” person/object in video appears, disappears or moves in frame abruptly.

180 Degree Rule: When shooting 2 people in conversation, the camera should not break the 180 degree line (shoulder to shoulder shooting)

Match cut or cut-in: While keeping the action going, camera cuts in closer on the action to make 2 shots look like one continuous motion.

Cut Away: When cutting from one shot to another to prevent a jump cut.

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect. Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo or video.

● Intersections are called points of interest

● Camera operators place subjects on the intersections

Balancing a Shot – SizeEqualize the size of all objects in the shot so they do not look off balance. The shot should not be distracting or uncomfortable for the viewer. Balance can be achieved through “weighing” objects by size, shape, color, value, texture, and eye direction or a combination of these.

Balancing a Shot – PositioningBalancing ElementsPlacing your main subject off-center, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo or video, but it can leave a void in the scene, which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

DepthConvey the sense of depth that was present in the actual scene. You can create depth by including objects in the foreground, middle-ground and background.

Balancing a Shot - Colors

Primary Colors – can mix any color from this initial set

● Yellow● Red● Blue

Secondary Colors / Complementary Pairs

● Yellow and blue – GREEN● Blue and red – PURPLE● Red and yellow – ORANGE

The complementary pairs are:

● Blue/orange● Red/green● Yellow/purple

Warm colors – Yellow, orange, redCool colors – Green, blue, purple

Visual Look at 180 Degree Rule

Links to Further Explain:

● 180 Degree Rule Basics: https://youtu.be/oNOT9iHDSXU

● 180 Degree Rule Overview: https://youtu.be/Bba7raSvvRo

● Breaking Down the 180 Degree Rule:https://youtu.be/HinUychY3sE

● Crossing the Line with 180 Degree Rule: https://youtu.be/vhuxu-AkqNg

● The Conversation: https://vimeo.com/43723464

Storyboard

A storyboard is your pre-planning sheet that explains what happens visually and audibly in each shot.

● The more planning into your detail, the better your project will end up.

● Shot TYPE goes under the number

● Audio and any camera movement goes under the sketch of the shot

● Remember video is a CLOSE UP medium

Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux_Em1lVsjI&feature=youtu.be