improving the skills in the art and technique of lighting and camera work

8/7/2019 Improving the Skills in the Art and Technique of Lighting and Camera Work

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Improving the skills in the art and technique of lightingand camera work

ByLighting Cameraman

Zulfikar Fahmy

2005

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The point behind Lighting & Camera Workshopis that you can get some ideas of how a person

can think visually, and it will provide you with

the basic knowledge and guidelines to help you

obtain good quality pictures.

Here are program schedule for the training and

some important tips and advices that you really

should remember before you go out for an

assignment. Many useful guidelines have

throughout the years been made by painters,

sculptures and photographers. You can use

these guidelines to achieve the goal of how we

can think visually.

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Introduction


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Program schedule for the Training

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PART 1

INTRO TO BASIC LIGHTING

GETTING STARTED Why do we light? What is the lighting source? Natural light and artificial light Ext. (exterior) Int. ( interior) Light quality Hard Light or Soft Light Bounced Light How to use lighting equipments

Light direction the 360 degreeBasic Lighting principles

Lighting a flat surface the 45 degree Three point lighting Key, fill, back Eye light, background light and kick

.

PART 2

INTRO TO CAMERAUsing the camera tripodThe video camera

The Lens Field of view Focusing Back focus The view finder Exposure The shutter In built camera filter Gain Batteries Tapes

Color bar Aspect ratios

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Time code Microphones

CONTROLING THE CAMERA Exposure (iris, gain and ND filters) The shutter Zoom White balance Black balance The depth of field Holding the camera Camera movements

Get to know your camera!What is focus shift?The use of wide angleThe use of telephototripod or handholdCheck your white balance

PART 3

CONTROLLING THE LIGHTIntro to grip equipmentsControlling the light fixture

The barn doors Flood or spot Gobo or snoot Lighting and shadows Shadow sharpness Shadow size Shadow length Multiple shadows

Using lighting filters Soft filters Converting filters Effect filters ND filters

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The difference between Camera filters and lighting filtersNotes:

- FINAL QUESTIONS AND ROUND UP.- Lighting & grip workshop.

PART 4

THE ART OF USING THE CAMERAComposing and framing a shotThe aspect ratios

Academy (1.33 : 1 ) TV Wide ( 16 : 9 ) Wide screen ( 1.85 : 1) Anamorphic ( 2.35 : 1 )

Shot sizeAs long as we recognize that each shot is an over-lapping portion of the

long shot.The close up (the eyes are the most important part in the face).The medium shot (Most used to reveal, dialogue, Scenes and TV.The Long shot (full shot) and use of the body language.

The basic camera setupsSingle angular shot 45 to 60 degree

Master tow shot ( face to Face )Over the shoulder Points of viewProfile

Camera AngleObjectiveSubjectivePoint of view

Notes : Camera work shopDelegates will be divided into groups and attempt to film the following topics:

SHOT SIZETake your camera and establish two-shot (2 persons) in different situations.

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Use basic camera set upFrame size.Existing set.

DEPTH IN FRAMINGUse your camera to create a composition with the use of the foreground, actionarea and background.CAMERA ANGLETwo persons sitting by the stairs, a third person comes in and talks to the other two.Use the camera to show level, high and low angle.

MASTER SCENE

A man sitting in his office, two men come in, maybe they are police officers.They ask to see some files, the man gives them the files, and they look at thefiles and then leave.Use camera set-ups to create the same situation in the master shot.

PART 5

CONTRASTSBad lighting VS good lightingLighting ratioThe ratio of the Key light + fill VS fill light onlySubject to back ground contrastLighting and color VS contrastLow key and high key

PART 6

THE ART OF FRAMINGSTATIC FRAMING

The 2/3 rule The triangle rule Balance One center of interest The foreground, subject matter and the back ground The depth of the frame The background

Composing with the lens wide and tele Color harmony

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DYNAMIC FRAMINGGood camera work begins with a good composition and ends with oneFraming through camera movementCraneTilt-up or down

Tracking forward or BackFraming the movement in side the frame

SCREEN DIRECTION AND CONTINUITY The eye line Looking camera right or camera left

Looking up or down Moving inside the frame The enter and exit rule Moving towards the camera or away

NOTES : CAMERA WORK SHOPDIRECTION CONTINUITYTake your camera and follow a person from point 1 to point 2, keep your eyesopen for screen direction, e.g. enter camera left, exit camera right, etc.

Two persons, one prefers to take the lift, the other will take the stairs and theywill meet on the second floor, use your camera to follow them and consider thescreen direction.

PART 7

LIGHTING IN THE STUDIO

introduce delegates to the studio safety in the studio use of color and diffusion materials in the studio vision and lighting control rigging methods, crossovers, grip gear, pack shots

Production planning and interviews in their many forms arecovered.

current professional studio cameras lighting for multi camera

give delegates experience of controlling the light

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Good Color vs. Real Color You might assume that television viewers want to see colors reproduced asaccurately and faithfully as possible. Studies have shown, however, that color

preferences lean toward exaggeration.

NOTES: WORK SHOP LIGHTING IN THE ST

Lighting two people Each will have his Key light One light sores will cover both of them Use the Key and back effect

Lighting three people

You can give each one his own Key Treat them as tow groups Using a big sores of light

Panel groupWe can light them

Individual Paired

Overall

PART 8

THE ART OF PLACING THE CAMERACreating a shot plan Visit the location with the director. Review the storyboard, Sets and props costumes and make-up Shooting test Where is the camera? Whose point of view? What is the size of the shot? How far are we from the subject in the scene? Emotional distance. What is the angle of the view? What is our relationship to the subject? Are you cutting (static) or moving (dynamic)? Are you comparing points of view?

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Number of each camera set up in a sceneTHE LINE OF INTEREST (The 180 degree line)

Notes : Basic camera exerciseUse the camera basic setups and your own visions in camera placing to shootthe following:

Please do not cross the line and think clean entrance and exit, do notforget the eye contact.1. Person A is sitting trying to fix his mobile phone.2. Person A is leaving a building, he meets person B on the other side of the

road.3. Person A is calling person B on the telephone, try to establish a line of

action between them.4. Person A is sitting on a desk, person B came and sat in front of him and

started talking.5. Person A is doing shopping in a supermarket; try to follow him in camera

directions (the right enter - exit frame).6. Person A got lost in the building, follow him until he finds the meeting room.7. A person got lost in the building, follow him till he finds the meeting room

use hand hold camera8. Person A is going down the stairs, person B is calling for him before he

leaves the building.9. Person A is walking, he drops something, person B picks up the thing and

catches up with person A.10. Frame a person in an extreme Close-up, Med close-up and close up. Use

standard 4:3 and 16:9 so you can see the difference.

PART 9

LOCATION LIGHTING

Introduction to the techniques, mechanics and craft of lighting onlocation.

What do you need? A lighting toolkit which? Modern lighting equipment and the use of color Existing light sources Use of reflective materials Grip gear Basic portraiture, interiors and interviews Dealing with mixed daylight and artificial lighting Color temperature correction safety on location

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LOCATION LIGHTING FOR Features Drama Documentaries

EXTERIOR NIGHT SHOOT

SHOOTING A CAR SCENE

NOTES : EXTERIOR!! Work shop in practical exercises in real-life locations

PART 10

STAGING DAILOGUE SEQUUENCESCamera set up and actor placement-stagingThe staging system for dialogue sequences.

There are three basic patterns of figure deployment in a frame:I . A . L

They are the simplest arrangement of actors according to the line of action.The I pattern for two players is the basic building block in the staging system.

Staging Dialogue for Two Subjects ( I )

Position oneFace-to-faceReverse shot pattern

OTS over the shoulder Long lens OTS Low-Angle reverse shot

Position twoShoulder-to- shoulder

Position threeAn angle of 90 degree

Position four Face away direction

Position fiveWithhold eye contact-both actors looking at camera direction

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Position sixBack to back

Staging Dialogue for Three Subject(A) Pattern and ( L) Pattern

NOTES : CAMERA WORKSHOP

EXERCISE 1

Day or night Int:

Staging Dialogue for Two Subjects sitting by a table, maybe one is standing.

EXERCISE 2

Day Ext :

Staging a Dialogue for Two Subjects sitting on a bench, maybe one is standing,or both are standing.

You are required to use the zoom in your camera to establish the differencebetween the wide angle framing and the narrow angle ( tele-shot ).

Position oneFace-to-faceReverse shot pattern

OTS over the shoulder Long lens OTS Low-Angle, High-Angle ( reverse shot)

Position twoShoulder-to- shoulder

Position threeAn angle of 90 degree

Position four Face away direction

Position fiveWithhold eye contact-both looking at camera direction

Position sixBack to back

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PART 11

PRACTICAL LIGHTINGPractical introduction to the techniques, mechanics and craft of tasks lighting inthe studio with enough theory to provide a solid foundation to the hands-onworkLighting the chrome key green or blueCyc lightSilhouetteCameo and Limbo lighting agnist black or gray Back groundNews reader Practical and props (Lamps in the set)Light shiftsNOTES: practical lighting and camera work shop

PART 12

LIGHTING AND SHOOTING FOR THE NEWS

WHAT THE NEWS VIDEOGRAPHER WILL COVER?

You have been sent to cover Conflicts Elections Big disasters Events Accidents Anything that affects a big part of the population Rare and weird things

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THERE? Never block in any emergency vehicles and always leaveenough room for them to come and go. Always respect crime scene tape. Never cross it. If you arrive at a crime scene before the police had achance to put up

Crime tape, never trample all over the scene you might ruintheir chance of recovering evidence by contaminating it.

Never get in the way of emergency workers. You mightprevent them from saving a life.

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HOW CAN YOU SHOOT THE SCENE? Always look for emotions. That's what makes the story. Shoot things that won't last

Always shoot the minors first; this shot will become thewhole structure of the news clip. You might only get few seconds for dramatic shot, so bequick If you can frame a close up related to the background, itwill help for getting a successful coverage Do not waste time looking for the most dramatic frame.

HOW DO YOU SET UP YOUR INTERVIEWS?Interview techniqueVOX POPUsing camera lightUsing the text reader

PART 13

INTRO TO MOTIVARTED LIGHTINGMOOD LIGHTINGMood is perhaps the most powerful contribution of light

COMEDY DRAMA COMMERCIAL MUSIC VIDEO REALISTIC LIGHTING NATURALISTIC (Existing light) STYLIZED AND THEATRICAL FANTASY GLAMOROUS FILM NOIR

We will show examples for the topics aboveNOTES : Camera and lighting work shopPS!Try to establish a scene where the key light comes from:Candle light - Table lamp - TV lighting

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Basic Guideline in

LIGHTING & CAMERA WORKSHOP

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Why do we light?Lighting creates the environment for storytelling and it directs our attention by

emphasizing on the objects or spaces in the picture and by guiding the eye towhere the action is happening, light is the key factor in establishing mood, timeand atmosphere.Light can give the minimum requirement of technical need to record a goodquality picture in your video target or film emulsion.

What is the lighting source?Hard light sourcesProduce intense, small bright highlights shadows that tend to be dark and sharpedged. Hard light achieved by using Fresnel fixture. Fresnel shadows tend to be

cleaner and sharper than the shadows of normal light.By focusing the Fresnel lamp allows you to control both the beam angle and thelight intensity.The wider the beam (flood), the less the intensity, the smaller the beam (spot),the greater the intensity.To reduce the output of the hard light aside from flooding, we can insert scrims(a metal net) in front of the fixture or soft filters.

Soft light sources

Produce gentle, smooth, flattering highlights and shadows to reveal thecharacter of the subject. The large soft highlights change gradually into subtleshadows on the curved surfaces of the subject and scene. There are also moreareas in the softly lit scene, where details will not be lost. There are differentways of creating soft light effects by using light banks (2 or more light sources)together will create a larger and more powerful single source. A true soft lightmust be diffused, the larger the diffusion material and the further it is placedfrom the light source, the softer it will be. Another way to create soft light is toreflect the light source against a white surface .

Bounced lightBy bouncing the light you can achieve an indirect soft lighting look. It provides an even,often realistic look that is easy to achieve and work with.Bounce light makes life easy for the actors since they do not have to hit the exact mark to be properly lit. The angle of the bounce is very important, the look of side bounce isvery different from front and top bounce.

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Where are you filming? Interior or exterior?Int. (interior)

Try to find the most suitable place to put the camera, considering the lightingsource. If it is daytime, the window is the probably the light source, so that youhave some exposure on the face of the subject.Most offices have strong enough fluorescent light lighting tube which can beused as the light source. If the lighting inside is not strong enough, you mustuse an extra light source, 1 or 2 lighting fixtures 800w or 650w.Bouncing lighting fixtures against white paper hanging on the door or the wallwill increase the lighting intensity inside the place. When you bounce a lightagainst the ceiling, a soft, even lighting area is achieved. But make sure the wallis white, if the wall has another colour, the colour may transfer to the subjects

face.Do not worry about making minor adjustments at the location, e.g. drawing thecurtains to exclude or reduce light, moving chairs or tables, removing objectsfrom the background, think composition, but remember to put things back to itsoriginal place when you finish shooting. Ext. (exterior)You must try to find the most suitable place to put the camera considering thelight source, remember this time it is the sun!The sun must always be in your back or by your side. Use reflector as a fill to

avoid hard shadows and high contrast. If you are out filming in the evening, it isvery useful to use a camera with a light mounted on the top with a soft filter.

White balanceCorrectly calibrating a camera to record/display true white. Therefore,remember to take the white balance, so that you can adjust your camera to thedifferent types of lights entering the lens and hitting the video target.

Black BalanceAutomatically balance the three colours RGB for optimum black.

Color temperatureMeasured in Kelvin degrees, this measurement refers mostly to daylight andartificial light.The most common light temperatures:Daylight, 5600 kTungsten light, 3200 kFluorescent wrong colour temp,

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FocusMost cam-recorder cameras give you the choice between auto and manual

focusing.So you determine the best resolution or clarity of the image being shot.Auto-focus may cause problems, because the object has a tendency not tobecome sharp when there is a movement between the main object and thecamera lens.

Focus shiftThis is a camera technique using manual focus that shifts the focus from a

subject close to the camera to a subject further away. This is used to shiftemphasis from one subject to another. To use this, you need to establish anarrow depth of field (telephoto shot, open iris wide separation betweensubjects).

Depth of fieldThis is the distance between the closest point and furthest point for which anobject looks sharp. Factors that affect depth of field include:The lens (wider angle . . . more depth of field, more telephoto, smaller depth of field).Exposure (more open the iris, the smaller the depth of field)

Distance of the subject to the camera (farther away means more depth of field).

ExposureThere is also the choice between manual and auto exposure. It is notrecommended to use auto exposure on the camera all the time, because thepicture quality is constantly changing. Get used to look into the view-finder todetermine the proper exposure. Auto exposurelets the camera adjust the iris to allow the best amount of light through the lens

while shooting.

Manual exposure you control the aperture. Aperture is measured in F-stops. In general, smaller F-stop f1.4 f2 f2.8numbers mean a larger aperture, more light that is let through.

ZebraIt is a function in your viewfinder which will warn you if part of your frame isover exposed.

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Field of View

The Field of View (FOV) is the angle described by a cone with the vertex at thecamera's position. It is determined by the camera's focal length, with the shorter the focal length the wider the FOV. For example, for a 35mm lens the FOV is 63degrees (wide-angle), for a 50 mm lens it is 46 degrees (normal), and for a 135mm lens it is 18 degrees (telephoto). A wide angle lens exaggerates depth whilea telephoto lens minimizes depth differences

Framing

Framing refers to including and excluding different picture elements within thecamera frame.

Composing and Shooting for the newsBefore you press the rec button and start shooting, do compose your frame

Headroom and NoseroomLeave the proper amount of noseroom and headroom in front of and above the personyou're shooting.For example, don't have a shot where there's excessive empty space above aperson's head. That's just dead space. There should be just a little room abovea person's head in a shot.And if the person is looking to the side, add space in the direction in which theperson is looking.

Background Interference Avoid objects in the background which can distract from the person you arefilming.Have you ever recorded shots where trees seem to grow out of people's headsor telephone wires appear to run through their ears?

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TripodThe best advice to reduce picture instability is actually to use a tripod.Remember to level your tripod, it looks bad when you see a building in the

background is about to fall on its side.Do not fix the tripod while you are shooting, panning & tilting. If a suddenchange in the composition would occur, you can quickly adjust to what ishappening within the frame.

Hand heldIf you have the camera on your shoulder, do not move all the time, it isenormously irritating!Use wide angle when the object is moving and you do not have the control of the focusing. The larger the wide angle is, the less visible focus error andcamera shaking.

RecordingBefore you start shooting, roll your tape for 30 seconds at the beginning of your tape with the lens cap on (or with color bars)This will avoid having any crinkles at the start of the tape appearing in the videoyou want to shoot.Do not stop or move the camera before you know that you are showingsomething new or different.

When camera is recording, do not zoom in and out all the time and constantlypan from side to side, this irritates the viewer, it is best to use the zoom to focusif you have enough batteries.When you are on location and many things happen at the same time, the photographer must have one eye on the view-finder and one eye on what to shoot next.

Labeling Your TapesWhen you are doing a shoot that requires more than one tape, be sure to labeleach tape at the scene. And pick a label that will make it easy to identify later.There's nothing more frustrating than starting to edit and not knowing which tape is of

which shot or what is on each tape.

Cover-upSince you very often must make a shoot quickly without having a precise script,it is better to film too much rather than too little.

InsertsIn addition to cover the main theme, do some extra shooting (cut aways) in thearea around you, so that the editing person can use the extra material to cover the reportage or the programme.

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SoundMost in-camera microphones do a pretty good job of picking up general soundsduring taping. But please try not to use the on camera mic, it is not that good

after all.Avoid showing the microphone in the shot.If you are using a separate mic, make sure you have the correct microphoneadapter cord andfind out if it runs on batteries.If you are on your own, use headphones to adjust the best audio level andmonitoring the sound.

Be quickAs soon as you shoot the footage; remember you are shooting for a newsbroadcast and not the history channel. If there is one thing the news producershate, it's old news.

WHAT THE NEWS VIDEOGRAPHER WILL COVER?You have been sent to cover

Conflicts Elections Big disasters Events Accidents Anything that affects a big part of the population Rare and weird things

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THERE? Never block in any emergency vehicles and always leaveenough room for them to come and go. Always respect crime scene tape. Never cross it. If you arrive at a crime scene before the police had achance to put up

Crime tape, never trample all over the scene you might ruintheir chance of recovering evidence by contaminating it.

Never get in the way of emergency workers. You mightprevent them from saving a life.

HOW CAN YOU SHOOT THE SCENE? Always look for emotions. That's what makes the story. Shoot things that won't last

Always shoot the minors first, this shot will become thewhole structure of the news clip. You might only get few seconds for dramatic shot, so bequick

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If you can frame a close up related to the background, itwill help for getting a successful coverage Do not waste time looking for the most dramatic frame.

HOW DO YOU SET UP YOUR INTERVIEWS?You must consider framing and if you will be hand-holding the camera or usinga tripod.Remember the eye direction; ask the programme leader to sit in such a waythat the object will be looking at near camera (us).

You must not ask long and complicated questions, and avoid questions that canbe answered with only yes or no .

Ask politely the object not to look into the camera lens.In advance, ask the object to dress in calm, quiet colours.If you will be interviewing 2 people, try to let them sit next to each other either on a sofa or 2 chairs or around a table, and remember different heights.Maybe you will begin with 2 shots and then zoom in to one shot, you must findthe right time to pan between person A and person B.Do not let person A and B look at each other the whole time, you must thereforestand so close to the camera that they can communicate with you.It is clever of the programme leader to call the guests by their names, it helpsthe photographer to find a starting point and gives time for a new frame.

VOX POPVox pop means asking a few people the same questions and then gathering allthe answers into one fast sequence.Choose a busy area (e.g. the market square/shopping centre), and make theobject come to you, rather than running after him/her.When you are out on location, try to find a light source, so that you have someexposure on the interview object.Try to find alternately where the object is standing against camera left or camera right, if you would like to give the impression of something controversial.When you interview a person who is standing up, hold the camera in such away that you still have room for the journalist interviewing the person.Avoid shooting objects against a white background and open sky.Do not use a long time on each person.

FILMING THE ACTIONThere are two types of actions, controlled and uncontrolled:

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Controlled actionWhen the camera man can shoot and direct any eventsMany times, using different lens, change camera positions, like in drama, TV

series.Uncontrolled actionEvents which cannot be staged or arranged, anticipate action by trying topredict where the subject/action will go (establish sense of direction) and thenbe ready to shoot it when it moves into the frame of your shot. Think ahead andget positioned for the action that is to come.Let action happen within the frame. Do not constantly move the camera in adesperate attempt to catch everything.And do not be afraid to allow your subject to move out of the frame, rather than tryingto follow them with your camera.

Team work, how it works !Most important is thinking of the safety of the others and then yourself.Making a program is the efforts of lots of talented people put together, so try tounderstand the nature of each others jobs.As a videographer try to deliver shots that will be easy to edit and a soundwhich one will be able to hear.Avoid involving yourself in other peoples jobs; you have enough to take care of.Act as a professional, ask politely, and remember the magic word please.

The most common mistakesAbandons the camera, believing the area is safe and secure.Runs out of batteries.Filming when not intending to shoot (e.g. shooting walking feet) and notshooting when intending to shoot (leave the camera on standby).Zooming and panning too muchShooting from a long distance so that you have to zoom in.Giving a lot of headroom between the object and the sky.Filming your subject standing against a window or open sky.

If one should be so unfortunate as to black-out the shooting place and no fusesare available.Forget to switch on the microphone battery.Gain up the camera without noticing.Shooting the object in a noisy place, so that the background noise ruinseverything.The main action is missed, because something else is being filmed.

NB! If you are having a break or stop filming, fix the camera tight on the tripod, thenyou will avoid the camera tipping and falling on the floor.

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Camera Safety IssuesDo not take or operate camera outside during rain or periods of extreme

humidity. Exercise caution when changing to or from cold surroundings to a

warm environment. Condensation (dew) can form.Never aim a camera lens directly at the sun. Permanent damage can result to

the camera's CCD imaging chip.Never record while the cassette compartment is facing down.

Carry the camera by its handle only, not by a strap or any other part. Whileoperating the camera off a tripod, place the camera carrying strap around your neck.Never place a camera in a position where it can be accidentally tipped over.Watch yours and others' footing around tripods.Use care in attaching cables to the camera. Don't wiggle cable connections(straight-in, straight-out, contact points aligned)When using a tripod, be sure camera is securely fastened to its boot beforereleasing your grip on the camera.When camera is not in use for a prolonged time, attach the lens cap. Useapproved cleaning methods to clean camera lens.Exercise extreme caution when working with AC adapter to ensure that it isn'taccidentally dropped or pulled by connected camera.Be sure tape is paused (not recording or playing) before ejecting.STUDIO SAFETY ISSUES

Safety chains must be used at all times on all lighting instruments hanging onthe lighting grid.Make sure that all lamps fit firmly in their holders.Use the right cables according to the strength of the light.Lights are not to be moved/adjusted without the use of gloves.Make it a rule never to touch the bulb with your bare hand.When you are adjusting a light, make sure nobody are standing/sitting beneaththe light.Do not overload the lighting boom with many lights.Add the power rating of the lights you plug into any circuit and ensure that their total consumption does not exceed the circuit maximum, e.g.:2000 Watt = 10 amp3200 Watt = 16 ampTalent should be made aware that lights are going to be turned on.Studio must be cleared completely after use.Camera cables should be coiled back to their original positions (in figure 8patterns).Lens caps should be placed on the cameras.Do not put lights near to the studio wall, the minimum distance is 1.2 metre.Children must not be left alone on the studio floor.

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A to Z in LIGHTING AND VIDEO TERMS

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A

anamorphic A lens used for wide-screen processes that has differentmagnifications in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the image

arc light Intense light produced by electricity passing between (arcing across)two electrodes.

arc The movement of a camera on its dolly along a curved path.

ambient light Base light. Existing or created light that partially fills in shadows.

aspect ratio The numerical ratio of picture width to height. The standard

broadcast aspect ratio is 4X3.

art director Person in charge of designing and developing production elementsthat relate to graphics and sets.

atmosphere Aspects added to scene to enhance mood or feeling. Rain,lightening, or asynchronous sounds commonly add a dimension of realism to ascene.

auto focus Electronic system in some cameras that attempts with varyingdegrees of success to automatically focus subject matter.

auto iris System that automatically adjusts a lens aperture to compensate for the brightness of a scene. (See automatic exposure control.)

B

back focus Adjusting the distance between the back of a lens and the cameratarget to attain the sharpest image possible of an object at infinity. Back focusadjustment determines whether a zoom lens will stay in focus when movedthrough its focal length range.

back light Light directed from behind and above the subject used to separateand add dimension to a scene. Slightly stronger than front light.

backlight compensator BLC A camera control that opens up the lens aperturetwo-to-three f-stops. Used to compensate for the error made by automatic iriscircuits when shooting into light or against a bright background.

background light Light intended to illuminate a background. Generally abouttwo-thirds the intensity of the key light.

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backlight switch Camera control which overrides auto iris system and opensthe iris two or three f-stops. Commonly used in backlit situations where auto-iriswould result in dark skin tones and underexposure.

ballast An electrical transformer that changes electrical voltage for HMI lights.

bar chart A graphic consisting of vertical bars which show the relativedifference between selected variables.

barn door Side and/or top flaps that attach to front of light and shape the lightbeam. Commonly used with a Fresnel light.

barney A cover for a video or film camera designed to protect it from dirt, rain,snow, sand, etc.

bars and tone A carefully-controlled audio and video signal generally recordedat the beginning of a videotape and later used to properly setup playbackequipment. "Bars" consist of a test pattern of color bars "tone" consists of anaudio signal of a certain frequency at 0dB.

base light Even lighting used over a set or production area. Often a set isinitially lit with basic (base light) illumination, and then the key and back lightsare added.

basic make-up Primary or elemental make-up. As opposed to corrective or character make-up, make-up intended to significantly alter or enhanceappearance.

bass battery light A battery operated, portable light commonly used for ENGwork. Often mounted on top of camera.

beam projector; beam spot projector A spotlight that projects a focused, hardand generally narrow beam of light often used to simulate sunlight comingthrough a window.

Betacam A broadcast-quality format developed by Sony and used in severaltypes of camcorders.

black balancing Electronically setting the black level of a camera tocorrespond to TV black.

black level The darkest portion of the video picture. Reference black.

blocking To establish camera angles and positions and the movements andpositions of actors before a production rehearsal.

blue screen process Process of photographing action in front of a blue screento make a matte special effect possible.

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BNC Widely-used video connector used for video, sync and RF signals.

body cam A type of camera mount which attains some measure of stability by

resting on the shoulder and attaching to the chest or belt area.bounce light An even, diffused light over an area that results from light beingreflected off of the ceiling or wall in a room.

breakdown Analysis of script segments for the purpose of determining bestsequence for shooting scenes and setups. Also referred to as "breakdownsheets." Term also refers to analyzing a script for a cost analysis.

brightness range Range in reflectance from the darkest to the lightest subjectmatter in a scene as measured by a reflected light meter.

broad A broad-beam floodlight with a rectangular reflector used to lightbackgrounds and to throw light over a wide set area.

broad-beamed lamp A lighting instrument within a rectangular reflector thatcreates a broad, somewhat diffused light.

butterfly diffuser A large net diffusion screen used between direct sunlight anda subject to soften the harshness of the sun.

C

C-clamp A screw-down clamp used to mount lights to studio grid pipes andlighting

cable guards Metal shields or "skirts" on a camera pedestal that sweep cablesout of the way so the camera doesn't roll over them.

camcorder An all-in-one cam era and re corder.

cameo background A totally black background.

cameo lighting The use of lighting with a dark background so that subjectsappear as if they are being photographed against a totally black background.

camera blocking Working out camera and talent positions and movementsprior to the taping of a show.

camera car A car or truck with a camera mount, used for the taping of sceneswhile the vehicle is in motion.

camera cue light Tally light. A red light on the camera that indicates when it is

or-the-air or being recorded.

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camera head The actual television camera which is at the "head" of a chain of camera-related electronics.

camera jib Remotely-operated, crane-like camera mount which can typicallymove a camera from floor or ground level to a height of 10 or more feet.

camera left and right Directions given from the camera's point of view. Thereverse of "stage left" and "stage right," used in theater.

camera light A light normally mounted on the top of a camera to provide addedillumination

camera operator Person who is responsible for operating a camera, generallyunder the command of a director.

camera prompter An electrical device for displaying a script that can be readby talent during a production. Also called TelePrompTer.

camera rehearsal Rehearsal using cameras, designed to make final checksbefore a production.

catchlight A small, concentrated reflection from a major light source whichappears in a subject's eyes.

chroma key blue A deep shade of blue commonly used in backgrounds whichis intended to be keyed out and replaced with other video. See chroma key.

chroma resolution As distinct from luminance detail, the amount of detail incolor channels.

chromakey An electronic matting effect that keys out or removes a portion of video of a specific color. Another video source is then substituted for theremoved area. Generally, a deep, saturated blue is used as a keying color..

cinemascope The first modern wide screen movie format. It achieved a 2.35:1aspect ratio by using a 2:1 anamorphic lens.

coaxial cable / coax An electrical cable designed to carry video signals. It hasa central wire core surrounded by an insulator and a braided wire shield.

color bars A series of colored bars of established properties used as anelectronic standard for adjusting brightness, contrast, color intensity, and color balance.

color conversion filter A camera filter used to convert light from indoor tooutdoor color temperature.

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color correction Adjustments that alter and correct the tonal and color qualitiesof video.

color temperature The dominant color of a light source measured in degreesKelvin.

component recording Videotape recording in which the color information isrecorded separately from the luminance and synchronization information.

component Refers to the use of independent, individually controlled audio or video elements in a single television or audio system. A TV system having aseparate monitor, tuner, and audio system would be an example.

component signals In contrast to a composite signal, non-encoded video

signals. Typically, refers to separate luminance and chromanance signals.

composite signal A video signal that contains all of the necessarysynchronizing pulses. A video signal in which the luminance and chrominanceinformation have been combined using a standard such as NTSC, PAL or SECAM. The composite video format is also used for consumer video recordingsystems.

continuous white balance Automatic camera white balance mode that makesmoment-by-moment adjustments in response to changing light conditions.

continuity cutting An editing approach based on either a temporal or logicalsequence that centers on maintaining a smooth flow of events.

continuity The process of monitoring and insuring consistency in productiondetails from shot to shot. Production details include consistency in proppositions, lighting, clothes and make-up.

contrast range / contrast ratio The maximum range of brightness from whiteto black in a scene.

contrast Ratio of light and dark on a scene.

conversion filter A lens attachment designed to convert the color temperatureof outdoor light to indoor color temperature or vise-versa.

cookie A small metal pattern placed in front of or inside a focusing light toproject a patterned shadow on a background.

cover shot An establishing wide-angle or long shot of a set used both toestablish the relationships between subject matter in a scene and tomomentarily cover problems with lip sync or mismatched action.

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coverage In single-camera, film-style production the videotaping dialogue andaction in a dramatic scene from the perspectives of the essential camerapositions

crab dolly / crab A camera mount with steering controls that can move thecamera in any direction.

crabbing Moving a camera sideways or in arc on a crab dolly. Also referred toas trucking.

crane camera crane A camera mount capable of booming to a high vantagepoint.

cross back lights Using two back lights a few feet apart in such a way that

when viewed from the camera position the light very slightly wraps around thesides of the subject.

cross-cut To cut back and forth from one scene to another, often to followaction happening at the same time in two different places.

cross fade The process of bringing down one audio or video source whilesimultaneously bringing up another.

cross light The use of two keys on opposite sides of a subject often at a 180-degree spacing.

crossing the line A 180-degree or more shift in camera position resulting in areversal of on-screen action or audience perspective. "The line" is also referredto as the imaginary line and the action axis .

cucalorus (kookie) A pattern used in a focusing spotlight to create a pattern or silhouette on a background.

cue A signal to start a production event. Also, to find a desired spot on a audioor video tape.

cue cards Large white cards used by on-camera talent to help them remember dialogue. Black markers are normally used to write material in large letters.

cut-in shot The use of a close-up shot of something within a scene in order toshow added detail.

cut The instantaneous changing from one shot to another. The term also refersto the removal of scenes in a script or production.

cutaway The use of a shot that is not part of the primary action but which is

relevant to it and occurring at the same time. In an interview a cutaway iscommonly used to show the interviewer's reaction to what is being said.

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cutting in the camera Shooting scenes in the desired sequence so that little or no editing is required. Often used in covering news stories where there will notbe enough time for editing.

cutting on the action Changing shots at the moment some action is takingplace.

cutting on the beat Editing shots in time with music. Generally cuts begin atthe start of a measure of music or on any beat within a measure.

cyan Blue-green. A secondary color in the television additive process a primarycolor in the subtractive printing process.

cyc / cyclorama A large, curved, seamless, background generally white or light

gray .

D

DC (direct current) Electrical current that maintains a steady voltage andelectrical polarity.

dedicated equipment Electronic equipment designed for a specific purpose, asopposed to computer-based equipment which represents one of many possiblecomputer applications.

definition The clarity and sharpness of an image. Amount of detail in thereproduction of a television picture.

depth of focus The range of distance between the back of the camera lens andthe focal plane within which a lens image will remain acceptably sharp.

depth of field The range of distance in sharp focus along the lens axis.

depth staging Arrangement of objects on a set so that foreground,middleground, and background are each clearly defined on a TV screen.

diffused light Soft light. Light which casts an indistinct, soft shadow.

diffuser An attachment that fits over the front of a light and softens its quality.

diffusion filter Filter that decreases image sharpness. Used for smoothing outskin blemishes and for dreamlike effects. Filter consists of polished glass withone side smooth and the other slightly rippled which causes light passingthrough it to be deflected slightly to decrease image sharpness.

dimmer An adjustable electrical circuit that lowers the voltage on a light,

thereby reducing its intensity and color temperature.

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discharge-type lamp Any one of several types of lights which does not rely ona tungsten-type filament for illumination. Typically, a lamp which createsillumination through the interaction of a high voltage with gas.

docudrama A dramatic production based on factual events or an actualsituation.

dolly To move the camera on its mount in a straight line directly toward or awayfrom a subject. A wheel-based camera mount.

dolly shot A shot made with a moving dolly.

double fog effect filter A combination filter which uses soft fog with a heavylow contrast filters. The results in clearer detail than the standard fog filter, while

maintaining a dense fog appearance.

dry rehearsal Rehearsal without production facilities, generally done outsidethe studio, right after the camera blocking phase.

Dutch angle A canted shot. A shot in which the subject matter appears titled(normally running up or down hill) on the screen.

DVD / digital versatile disc (generally referred to as digital video disc) Discsystem the size of an audio CD that can hold seven times the data, or a full-length feature film.

dynamic composition Elements of composition related to the moving imageand to the interrelationship between scenes.

EC camera (Electronic Cinematography camera) A high-quality videocamera designed to closely resemble a film camera, both in operation andtechnical quality.

ECU (extreme close-up) Generally, a head shot.

EFP (electronic field production) The use of portable video equipment for taping on location.

EC camera (electronic cinematography camera) A high quality videocamera, often resembling a film camera in basic features, which is associatedwith single-camera video production.

electronic cinematography Videography. Using video cameras to doproduction, especially single-camera production.

electronic viewfinder A small picture tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD)

built into a video camera enabling the operator to see what the camera isphotographing.

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ENG (electronic news gathering) The use of portable cameras and videotapemachines or microwave links to cover on-location television news stories.

establishing shot A wide shot meant to orient the audience to an overall localeand the relationship between scene elements.

existing light The normal, prevailing light at a location.

EXT Script designation for exterior. Exterior and interior (INT) designations areused to describe scenes in film-style scripts.

exteriors Shots in an outside location.

eye light A small light used in close-ups to illuminate the upper facial area.

eyeline The direction an actor is looking. To maintain continuity during theintercutting of single-camera, film-style scenes, shots of people talking to eachother need to have consistent eyelines.

F

f-stop Lens aperture. The number attained by dividing the focal length of a lensby its aperture. Indicates the amount of light passing through the lens and,subsequently, exposure.

fantasy set Television setting which is abstract or bears only limitedresemblance to a realistic setting.

fill light A soft light used to partially fill in the shadows caused by the key light.Typically, one-half the intensity of the key light.

film-style video production Single camera video production. Video shot out of sequence with one camera and then assembled into a complete show inpostproduction. Typically, multiple takes are made of each scene. Thiscontrasts with switch-feed video productions where multiple cameras are usedand the production is edited on a video switcher as it is shot. filter A plastic or glass material placed over or behind a camera lens to alter the light in someway. Primarily used to change color temperature. Also, a device that allowscertain parts of an electronic signal to pass while stopping others.

filter A transparent glass or gelatin lens attachment designed to modify color or in some way or to modify the image. Electronic filters are used in non-linear editing systems to modify the video in numerous ways.

filter frame Holder used on the front of a light or a camera which holds coloredgels, filters, diffusers, etc.

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filter wheel A holder containing multiple filters that can be rotated into placebehind the camera lens.

fixed focal length lens A prime lens. A lens of a set focal length. Sometimespreferred in film and HDTV work.

flag An opaque piece of material placed in front of a light used to block aportion of the beam.

flare Light reflections from shiny objects, or a bright spot or streak caused byinternal lens reflections.

flat lighting Soft, even lighting that produces minimal shadows and minimizesthe depth or dimension in subject matter.

floor plan A pre-production drawing, generally to scale, that indicates all setpieces, walls, and often lights and camera positions.

florescent light filter Color correction filters that attempt to give natural color renditions under fluorescent lighting.

fluid head The pan head of choice for EFP cameras because its internal partsmove through a heavy liquid, making very smooth pans and tilts possible.

flyaway units A portable satellite up-link commonly used in electronicnewsgathering.

fog filter An optical filter that fits over a camera lens and creates the illusion of fog.

follow focus Shifting camera focus to accommodate subject movement.

follow shot A moving camera shot which keeps a moving subject within theframe.

follow spot A large, high-powered, stand-mounted spotlight. Typically operatedby hand and used to follow a action on a stage.

following source The use of lights in a lighting design that are consistent withthe apparent sources of light within the room or setting. If a table lamp in ascene is visible and supposedly turned on, subjects near the lamp should bekeyed so that the lamp appears to be supplying their illumination.

foot-candle The measure of light intensity used in non-metric countries. Thenumber of lumens per square foot. One foot-candle is equal to 10.76391 lux.

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format In videotape, the size of the tape, the way it is spooled or housed andthe way in which the video and audio information is recorded on the tape.Betacam, M"-2", S-VHS and Hi8 are popular tape formats.

four-way barn doors Flaps attached by hinges to the four sides of a spotlight,intended to mask off and shape the beam.

FX Special effects.

G

gaffer The chief electrician responsible for lighting.

gaffer grip A clamp used to attach small lighting instruments to scenery,

furniture, doors, and other set pieces.

gain Audio or video amplification. The strength of an audio or video signal.

gamma The contrast ratio between the input and output of the camera. Thecontrast gradient.

gear head A camera pan head in which gears are used to achieve smooth,controlled pans and tilts. Primarily used in motion picture and single-cameraHDTV work.

gel gelatin A piece of optically pure colored, translucent material used over alight source or to filter the light coming into a camera lens.

genlock A device or procedure used to synchronize multiple video sources.

gobo In video a scenic piece through which the camera shoots and which willbecome a part of the scene's foreground. For example, by shooting thorough agobo of a keyhole-shaped piece of black cardboard, the impression is given thatthe camera is peering through a keyhole.

graduated filter Lens filter that changes its effect from one part of the image toanother.

gray card A medium gray card that reflects 17.5 percent of the light falling on it.Used as a standard for medium or average reflectance.

gray scale compression A distortion of successive shades of gray whensubject matter is reproduced by video. Typically the brightness values at thedarker end of the scale are pushed together so that they merge. This results inmost tones, especially skin tones, appearing much darker than they should be.

gray scale A card or test chart containing a range of gray patches from white toblack used in setting up gamma or the gray scale response of cameras.

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grid A criss-cross arrangement of pipes near the ceiling of a studio usedprimarily to hang lights.

grip An on-location person who helps carry and set-up equipment.ground row Row of lights at the bottom of a cyc (generally hidden fromcameras) which provide even illumination across the front surface of the cyc.

H

HDTV High-definition television. Includes various digital broadcast televisionstandards of more than 1,000 lines, plus the 720-line interlaced format. A formatis generally considered high-definition if it has at least twice the horizontal andvertical resolution of standard definition TV (SDTV).

hand props Any object on a set which is used or handled by the talent. Alsocalled a property.

hard light A sharp, focused light which casts harsh shadows.

hard news As opposed to soft news , news stories which center on straightfacts and do not emphasize the human interest angles.

hard wired An electronic piece of equipment that is more or less permanentlywired to other equipment.

haze filter A filter that removes ultraviolet light and diminishes haze in a scene.

headroom The area between the top of the actor's head the top of the pictureframe.

high-key lighting Lighting characterized by minimal shadows and a low key-to-fill ratio.

highlights The brightest parts of a video image.

HMI light A high-efficiency, discharge-type light source that has the same color temperature as sunlight.

hot spot Undesirable concentrations of light on a set or subject matter.

hue Color. Refers to a name of a specific color for example, red only withoutthe dimensions of brightness or saturation.

house lights Normal, existing overhead work lights in the studio or theater.

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) An organizationresponsible for creating a number of technical standards in television.

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image enhancer An electronic circuit that sharpens detail in video pictures.Image enhancers commonly improve edge sharpness, reduce color edgefringing, correct color displacement, and reduce snow and noise.

image stabilizer A device that is part of a camera lens or camera mount thatreduces or cancels vibration or moderate movement. Often used when acamera is hand-held or mounted in a moving vehicle.

in-camera editing Videotaping shots in the order you want them to appear inthe final production. Also called editing in the camera .

incident meter As opposed to a reflected light meter, a photoelectric meter thatmeasures and intensity of light falling on an object.

insert shot A close-up shot of something within the basic scene which is usedto show features or details.

insertion loss Loss of signal strength due to connection to a device.

intensity The brightness of a light source as measured in foot-candles or lux.

interview format Using a basic interview as the basis of production or programsegment.

iris An adjustable diaphragm that controls the amount of light passing through alens.

J

joystick A hand-operated control which can be moved in any of four directions(sometimes even vertically) to control various computer operations.

jump cut Generally an inappropriate edit between two scenes which, for anynumber of reasons, keeps the segments from flowing together smoothly andunobtrusively

K

Kelvin scale Unit of measurement used in TV lighting which indicates the color temperature of a light source.

key light The brightest frontal light on a scene. A light which establishes theform, dimension and overall appearance of a subject.

kicker, kicker light A light typically placed between the backlight and the filllights. Sometimes used to simulate the light from a window behind a subject.

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kukaloris (cookie) A metal pattern used in a special spotlight that's used toproject a pattern on a background.

LLCD (liquid crystal display) A technology used in flat panel displays to showalphanumeric data.

lens extender An optical lens unit to increase the effective focal length of azoom or fixed focal length lens. Some lens extenders are electrically flipped intoposition within the lens housing others are manually placed over the front of or behind the lens.

lens flare A bright spot in an image caused by a bright light hitting the elements

of a lens.

lens shade Lens hood. A round or rectangular black hood that fits over the endof a camera lens to shield the lens from strong sidelight or inclement weather.

lens speed The f-stop which transmits the maximum amount of light for aspecific lens. The smallest f-stop number.

light level The intensity of light measured in foot-candles or lux.

light meter A device that measures the amount of light which is either reflectedfrom or is falling on a subject. See reflected and incident light meters.

lighting director An individual responsible for the planning, design and set-upof lights for a production.

lighting grid A criss-cross arrangement of pipes suspended below the studioceiling used to hold lights.

lighting plot A detailed drawing, generally to scale, showing the placement of each light in relation to talent positions and scenic elements.

lighting ratio The relationship between the key and fill lights. Typically 2:1 for color and 3:1 for black and white television.

lighting tent A white fabric enclosure that totally covers a subject. Lightingtents are illuminated by two or more soft light sources to produce an extremelyflat lighting effect which can be useful in photographing bright, shiny objects.

limbo background A background of any color or brightness that has nodiscernible detail.

logical sequence An editing approach in which segments are assembled in anatural, time-based progression.

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low contrast filter An optical camera filter that lowers contrast of subject matter and mutes colors. Often used to bring the brightness ratio of a scene withinvideo range and allow more detail in dense shadow areas.

low-key lighting Lighting characterized by a high key-to-fill ratio which resultsin predominant shadow areas. Typically used for night scenes in dramaticproductions.

lumen Measurement of light quantity. Lumens per square foot equals foot-candles.

luminance key An electronic key effect controlled by the brightness of onevideo source.

luminance The black-and-white aspect of a television signal. Also called the Y-signal. When part of a composite color signal, the luminance signal consists of 0.30 red, 0.59 green and 0.11 blue.

lux Unit of light intensity used in metric countries. One foot-candle is equal toabout 10.7 lux.

M

master black control An adjustment on camera CCUs which controls theblanking, pedestal or black level in the video.

matched shots In single-camera production similar views of a subject from twocamera angles that can be cut together in editing.

master shot A wide, all-inclusive shot of a scene that establishes major elements. Often in single camera, film-style production, action and dialogue aretaped from the master shot perspective before the closer insert shots are done.

matched action A technique in which a single camera is used to photograph arepeated sequence of action. When the various takes are edited together itappears that the scene was simultaneously photographed from various angles.

matched cut An edit in single-camera, film style production during which thecamera position and angle switches during action. The action smoothlycontinues from one shot to the other.

matte box An adjustable square box, typically constructed with bellows, thatgoes on the front of a camera and acts as a lens shade, and filter and matteholder.

matte key Commonly refers to keying letters or symbols from one video source

into

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MCU Script designation for medium close-up.

MS (medium shot) Object seen from a medium distance. Normally covers

framing between long shot and close-up.MLS Script designation for medium long shot.

monitor A TV set, normally without an RF tuner or audio circuitry, used for thechecking of color, composition, etc., during a production.

monochrome Although it means one color , it generally denotes a black andwhite television picture.

MS Script designation for medium shot.

multi-camera Simultaneous use of more than one camera in a production.

N

NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) The primary trade organizationrepresenting the interests of commercial broadcasting.

neutral density filter; ND filter A filter that reduces the light coming into acamera lens without altering its color.

neutral set A production set that does not suggest a specific setting or locale.

noddies Cutaway shots of an interviewer's visual responses (nodding, smiling,etc.). Noddies are useful as transition devices during editing.

normal lens A camera lens that gives a normal image perspective and has afocal length approximately equal to the diagonal of the focal plane.

NTSC (National Television System Committee) A professional group thatsets television standards. The TV color system laid down by the NationalTelevision Standards Committee is used in the United States.

NTSC standard Normally refers to the 525-line, 60-field system of broadcasttelevision which combines chroma with luminance information into onecomposite signal.

O

objective camera A sustained camera angle that approximates the viewpoint of a human observer.

OTS-shot A shot taken over the shoulder of one person, focusing on the face of a second person.

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OSV A script designation for an off-screen voice.

overexposure Excessive amounts of light from the lens transmitted to the

camera's target. This normally results in loss of video quality. The problem issolved by using a smaller iris opening.

P

PAL (phase alternate line) The TV color standard used in most of westernEurope and other parts of the world, including Australia, India, China, Argentina,Brazil and most of Africa.

pan The movement of the camera horizontally from the pan head .

pan handle The handle attached to the pan head of a camera that enables thecameraperson to pan or tilt the camera.

Panaglide A brand-name for a body camera mount which uses a system of counterbalanced springs to keep a camera reasonably steady, even when thecamera operator is walking or running.

panning Moving the camera left or right on the pan head.

pantograph Expandable device for hanging lighting instruments and TVmonitors from a studio lighting grid.

parallel cutting The alternate intercutting of two related stories so that each isregularly updated and both reach a conclusion at about the same time. Thestories are generally related in some way.

ped down To lower the height of a camera through the action of the camerapedestal.

ped up To use the camera pedestal to raise the camera vertically.

pedestal 1) An adjustable camera dolly or support with wheels. Pedding thecamera up or down refers to raising or lowing the camera on the pedestal.2) The black level of a television picture as shown on a waveform monitor.

photoflood lamp A lamp that resembles a normal light bulb except that itproduces a much higher light output. Photoflood lamps normally last only aboutsix hours.

pinning Narrowing down and concentrating a light beam from an adjustablespotlight.

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polarizing filter A filter (often adjustable) that reduces or eliminates reflectionsfrom glass, water and shiny surfaces. Also used to dramatically intensifycontrast between the sky and clouds.

pool-hall lighting Lighting from a single source, usually hanging in the middleof the set and visible in the scene.

POV Point of view. A shot from an angle that approximates what a designatedactor is seeing at a particular moment.

power zoom A lens with a servo motor that makes possible electricallycontrolled zooms.

practical A prop that will actually be used in a scene, as opposed to those that

are meant to be seen only. For example, a light that can be switched on or off by an actor.

prime lens A fixed-focal-length lens.

production day.

prop Property. Something that is handled or used within a set by talent during aproduction.

pull focus Shifting focus from one part of a scene to another to redirect viewer attention.

pyrotechnics Special effects involving explosions.

Q

quartz lamp Tungsten-halogen lamp. Widely used in television and filmproduction, an incandescent lamp with a number of internal improvements over standard lamps, including a consistent color temperature and uniform lightoutput over its life.

quartz-iodine A very efficient and very bright incandescent light.

R

rack focus Shifting camera focus from one part of a scene to another, therebyforcing a shift in audience attention.

rails Tracks for camera mounts laid on the ground (resembling small railroadtracks) which allow for smooth follow shots for cameras.

range extender An optical attachment to a lens (or an internal device) thatincreases focal length.

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reaction shot A cut to performer's face that registers a response. Generally aclose-up of someone reacting to the central dialogue or action.

realistic set A production setting which appears (from the camera's viewpoint)to be authentic.

reflected light meter A photoelectric device that measures the amount of lightreflected from a subject. In determining exposure, reflected light meters assumean average 18 percent reflectance.

reflector board A silver or bright white surface used to reflect light onto asubject. Generally used outside to soften and fill in the light from the sun.

replica set A production setting which is a copy of, and is designed to look

exactly like, a well-known site.

representational-supportive set A production setting, such as a news or weather set, designed solely to support the function of the production.

RGB (red, green and blue) The primary colors of light used to create a color TVimage.

rim lighting Placing a lamp behind a subject, often with little or no front light, togive a glowing edge or outline of light around the subject.

rule of thirds A composition guideline that suggests putting the center of interest at the crosspoints of two vertical and two horizontal lines that divide theframe into three equal segments

S

safe action area Also called essential area . The inner 90 percent of the videoframe. Since the outer 10 percent of a broadcast picture is typically cut off byoverscanning, this area is considered safe for most subject matter. See alsosafe title area .

safe area See safe action area and safe title area .

safe title area The inner 80 percent of the video raster or frame. Since theouter 20 percent of a broadcast picture is cut off by some home receivers, thisis considered safe for essential subject matter such as titles and text. See alsosafe action area.

safety chain A metal chain (sometimes a cable) attached to both a light and alighting grid, designed to keep a light from falling if it's clamp comes loose.

scoop A floodlight, often used as a fill light, which has a deep, diffuse, andgenerally elliptical reflector.

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scouting; scouting locations Searching for a suitable location for doing one or more on-location scenes in a production.

screen direction General direction of movement within a scene or a visualframe. To avoid viewer confusion, screen direction must remain consistent fromshot to shot.

screenplay A film-style script for a production.

scrim A metallic net placed over the front of a light to reduce intensity.

SDTV Standard Definition Television. TV signals using a 4:3 raster area withabout the same sharpness as the original NTSC television standard.

SECAM (System Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire) A broadcast standardfor broadcast used in France and the Soviet Union.

second unit A video or film production team responsible for doingsupplementary scenes.

servo zoom A lens which uses a motor-driven mechanism to alter focal length.

set designer An individual who handles the initial phases of creating aproduction setting.

set props Objects on a set that are handled or used by talent.

set-up 1) In single-camera, film style production, a single camera position fromwhich one or more segments in a scene are done.

sharpness Apparent image resolution or clarity of an image.

shoot and protect A term which relates to the need to keep the full HDTV 16:9aspect ratio free of extraneous subject matter, even if it is reproduced in a 4X3ratio. In this case action should be confined to the smaller area (the shootrange), but the larger area (the protect range) must be free of microphonebooms, lights and other distracting elements.

shooting ratio The amount of tape recorded relative to the amount of tapeactually used.

shot-by-shot script style As opposed to the master scene script style, whichoutlines only general scenes, the shot-by-shot script style lists each individualshot.

slate A small blackboard-type visual photographed at the beginning of a scene

that identifies the scene in terms of basic production information such as thedate, scene, take, director, etc.

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SMPTE/EBU time code A digital electronic signal recorded on a video or audiotape that provides a precise time-based numbering system together with other information. Also called address track. The name designates a standard agreed

upon by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and theEuropean Broadcast Union.

SMPTE Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. A professionalengineering society responsible for establishing technical standards in film andtelevision. The SMPTE is the largest such society in the world.

snoot Metal cone used to restrict the light beam from a lighting instrument.

softlight A floodlight producing an extremely soft and virtually shadowless light.

softwall flats Set pieces consisting of wooden frames covered with canvass or burlap.

that will be edited onto the edited master.

spot meter A reflected light meter with an extremely narrow angle of acceptance (often about 5 degrees) designed for accurate light readings at adistance.

spotlight Lighting instrument that produces a focused, relatively undiffusedlight.

stand-in An individual who resembles the main talent who can substitute for them during specific phases of production. Often used during lighting set-ups.

star filter An optical filter that has finely etched criss-crossing lines on thesurface that creates fingers of light around bright lights and spectral reflections.

Steadicam A brand-name for a body camera mounts which uses a system of counterbalanced springs to keep a camera reasonably steady, even when thecamera operator is walking or running.

still frame A graphic of any kind presented as a single, static video image.

storyboard Pictures (generally drawings) that illustrates the proposedsequence of shots in a production.

studio floor plan A scale drawing of a studio area showing where scenery andprops (and sometimes lights and cameras) are to be placed.

sungun A small, battery-powered light mounted on a film or video camera.Sometimes called a headlight.

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S-VHS VHS format using special tape that offers more than 400 lines of resolution.T

tail slate or end slate A slate used at the end of a scene. (See slate.)

t-stop As opposed to relying on a simple mathematical ratio, an iris setting thatdesignates the actual amount of light going through a lens. T-stops are moreaccurate than f-stops, which do not take into consideration light losses withinthe lens.

take A single shot. In single-camera production a specific shot often requiresseveral takes before it meets the approval of the director

talent Individuals who perform in front of a camera.

talking head Slang for the typical (and not too exciting) head-and-shouldersshot of actors seen on talk shows and newscasts.

tally light The red light on a video camera that indicates the camera is on theair or that videotape is recording.

target The light-sensitive front surface of a television camera imaging device. Itcoincides with the focal plane of the lens.

tease a short, initial, often provocative segment of a production intended to graband hold attention.

telephoto lens A lens that seemingly brings subject matter closer to thecamera. A prime lens with a focal length of more than twice the camera'snormal focal length.

teleplay A script for a dramatic video production.

three-shot A video picture containing three individuals.

tilt A camera move from the pan head involving moving the lens up and downalong the camera's vertical y-axis

time code SMPTE/EBU time code . A series of eight numbers identifying thehours, minutes, seconds and frames related to a specific video frame on a tape.

time code (SMPTE/EBU time code) A digital electronic signal recorded on avideo or audio tape that provides a precise time-based numbering systemtogether with other information. Also called address track. The name designatesa standard agreed upon by the Society of Motion Picture and TelevisionEngineers and the European Broadcast Union.

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time-lapse photography Significantly slowing down the frame rate of motionphotography so that events which may take minutes, hours, or even days, canbe shown and observed within seconds.

tracking shot A dolly shot that follows a moving subject or moves with respectto a stationary subject.

traveling shot A moving camera shot.

treatment A written outline of a dramatic production, generally covering, amongother things, an outline of the story, actors and locations. (See module onProduction Outlines and Treatments for a complete discussion.)

tripod Three-legged camera mount. Sometimes wheels are attached to

facilitate camera movement.

tungsten-halogen light Quartz light. The most-used type of studio and on-location light. They get their name from the tungsten element that is encasedwithin a quartz filled with halogen gas.

TV black The blackest part of a TV picture generally 3 percent reflectance.

TV white The whitest part of a TV picture generally 60 percent or morereflectance.

two-shot A picture showing two individuals.

two-way barn doors Flaps attached by hinges to two sides of a spotlight,intended to mask off and shape the beam.

U

UV filter (ultraviolet filter) Transparent filter that absorbs UV wavelengths.Used to help penetrate haze and give clearer video of distant views. Also usedover a lens simply to protect the surface of the lens.

umbrella reflector A white or silver umbrella with a bright light placed near thecenter used for creating soft light.

underexposure An inadequate amount of light from the lens being transmittedto the camera's target resulting in a dark picture specifically, a loss of shadowdetail and a compressed gray scale.

user bits Additional digital information that can be recorded within theSMPTE/EBU time code. A limited number of user bit letters or numbers can beentered to register reel number, date scene, take, etc

V

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Variable-focal-length lens Zoom lens .

video gain switch A selector switch on a camera or CCU which increases gain

or amplitude of a video signal--generally at the expense of some video quality.Used to compensate for the lack of light.

voice-over Speech heard over related video, without the person talking beingseen on the screen.

W

walk-through A rough rehearsal in which no cameras are used. Generally theactors walk from place to place and check their actions without speaking anydialogue.

whip-pan Swish pan. A very rapid camera panning action where subject matter is deliberately blurred. An early in-camera special effect used to link shots or sequences.

white balancing Electronically adjusting a camera's chroma channels for a lightsource so that white will be reproduced as true white. Most cameras canautomatically white balance when the operator fills the screen with a white cardand pushes a white balance button.

wide angle A lens or a scene that represents an angle of view significantlywider than normal. A wide-angle lens or shot is either a prime lens with a focallength significantly less (at least 25 percent less) than a normal lens, or a zoomlens used at a focal length significantly less than normal.

X

XCU Script designation for extreme close-up

XLR connector Canon connector. A standard, three-prong professional audioconnector.

XLS A script designation for extra long shot.

Z

zebra stripes Black lines superimposed over specific areas of an image in theviewfinders of some cameras used as an aid in making video level adjustments.

zoom lens A lens with a continuously variable focal length and angle of acceptance .

zooming The process of varying the focal length and, therefore, the angle of view of a zoom lens.

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About the Trainer

EDUCATION

Date 10/12/2004 Date to: 12/12/2004Place of Study: Arri Lighting AcademyDetails: Practical Lighting Operations in studio and on locations

Date From: 01/09/1989 Date to:01/06/1991Place of Study: The London International Film School, London EnglandDetails:2 years diploma in Art and Technique of Film Making.

Date From:01/08/1990 Date to: 01/09/1990Place of Study: The Academy of Drama, Film and Television, Budapest,HungaryDetails: The first European Seminar for Director of Photography Students(aMaster Class)

Date From: 01/05/1985Date to: 01/06/1987Place of Study: The New York Institute of Photography"Details: Open University; Course in" Professional Photography"

Date Form: 01/09/1973 Date to: 01/08/1976Place of Study: Hellwan University- College Of Applied Arts, Caira, EgyptDetails: Cinema and Photography, Cairo, Egypt(equiv. of 2 years universitystudies)

JOB HISTORY

Date Form: 19/09/2004Date to: 26/11/2004Employers Name: BBL Media AS, Oslo NorwayDetails: I worked as a lighting director in a novel film 22 mins , shot on locationwith sony HD 750 Cameras.

Date From: 15/09/2004Date to: 15/11/200Employ Name: That's TV, Oslo-NorwayDetails: I worked as a lighting director in a mini series (10 Parts) Shot onlocation with 2 Panasonic P50 Cameras.

Date Form: 01/04/2004Date to: 01/06/2004Employers Name: NRK( Norwegian Broadcasting TV)Details: I Joined NRK on a freelance basis where I worked as a lighting director in a mini series shot on location on DV-Cam. I was also working as a focuspuller in a Danish action drama series.

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Shot on DG-Beta. I also worked in 3 TV Promo for NRK as a gaffer. Date From:01/10/2003 Date to: 01/03/2004Employers Name: Bright Light AS

Details: Director of Photography in two 25 min corporate film shot on DG-Beta.We Had to shoot on different location and at different times of the year, so itcame to 11 days shooting.

Date Form:01/09/2003 Date to: 01/11/2003Employers Name: That's TV Production NorwayDetails: Working as a lighting director in a 10 parts drama series shot on 2 DV-Cam Sony 570 on both location and studio.

Date Form: 01/05/2002Date to: 01/09/2003

Employers Name: Alligator film studio, NorwayDetails: I worked as a Part time studio manager where I was in charge of different tasks like booking the studio 16mx22mx10m, making sure thateverything is in working order, renting out lighting and grip equipment.

Date Form: 01/08/2002Date to: 01/11/2002Employers Name: Dream Factory ProductionDetails: That was my first low budget full length feature film where I worked as adirector of Photography, I shot my films on Sony HD900-25p.

Date From: 01/05/2002Date to: 01/06/2002Employers Name: Bright Light ASDetails: A 50 mins documentary film shot on DV-Cam, I was working as DOP,the film was shown on prime time Saturday on NRK.

Date From: 01/05/1996Date to: 01/11/2001Employers Name: Bergen University, NorwayDetails: Department of information science and Media Studies.Working as a visiting teacher and student's lighting and camera technique for both location and studio.

Date From: 01/07/1999Date to: 01/09/1999Employers Name: Bergen University, NorwayDetails: working as DOP on a 44 Parts documentary film (media focus) shot onSony Beta SP and DV-cam Sony 500.

improving the skills in the art and technique of lighting and camera work

Documents