Media Studies Blog 2009-11

Editing is the ordering of shots to create meaning in your film.

Linear is a sequence of time that makes logical sence.

Non-Linear is the opposite of Linear, this meaning it disregards time.

Montage is bringing together different unrelated images to create a meaning, it can also be used to show time passing.

Point of View (POV) is where the camera shows what the person is seeing. 

 Editing is a part of something called post production and one of the most important things in film. Editing is where you take different shots and put them together to create meaning, flow and style. It helps you remove any unwanted footage. This helping you to put together your best footage to make your film work.

A microphone is the most vital piece of audio equiptment. Using them is a difficult skill and must not be overlooked when creating your film. There are many different types of microphone, used for different areas in your film, however, all microphones have one thing in common, they all have a Diaphragm. The job of all microphones are the same, to pick up acoustic sounds and convert them into audio signals. Microphones must not be overlooked when makingyour film, a good quality microphone means good quality audio.

Audio Monitoring and Metering

Displaying the audio levels visually to help monitor sound, this helping you maintain the best quality audio for your film .

There are two different types of meter used for monitoring sound.

VU (Volume Unit) Meter – This displays/measures how loud the audio signal is.

PPM (Peak Program) Meter – Very similar to the VU Meter, however, its rise time is much quicker.

*Rise time is the time it takes to judge the sound level.

In televison and film there are many different shot types used. Different shots have different names. Some of the most common shot types are:-

Extreme Wide Shot – These are often used as establishing shots because they are far away from the object of attention, this is useful when setting the scene.

Very Wide Shot – This shot is still very far away from the object of focus, however, it is in view. This is again concentrating on setting the scene.

Wide Shot – The object now takes up the full frame. It is also known as a Long Shot.

Mid Shot – Shows the object in more detail, usually from the middle of the body up to the top of the head.

Medium Close Up – This is usually from the shoulders up to the top of the head. In between a Mid Shot and a Close Up.

Close Up – Something in the main focus of the frame.

Extreme Close Up – This shot shows one feature of your object in great detail.

Cutaway – This is a shot of something other than the current object.

Over-the-Shoulder Shot – Looking from behuind one object to another object.

Noddy Shot – Usually used during interviews, when the interviewer listens and reacts to what is being said. They can be used in other ways too.

Point-of-View Shot – Shows something as though it is from the point of view of the object/person.

Weather Shot – A shot of the weather, usually the sky. This is used to set the scene.

When using an ordinary video camera all settings are automatic and nothing needs to be done manually, however, in order to improve your camera work, you must learn to take control of your camera and set all settings manually. In most cases auto-functions work very well, however, it may go in and out of focus, this affecting the quality of the shot you were looking for. Auto-focus gives an ameatur shot, in order to operate manually the camera should have a focus ring at the front. Turning the focus ring clockwise gives a closer focus and turning it anti-clockwise gives a more distant focus.

There are many other manual functions such as Zoom, Iris, White Balance, Audio, Shutter and Effects.

Zoom moves you closer or further away from your point of view. Zooming is easy to do, however, it works well in moderation.

Iris is an adjustable opening that controls the amount of light going in, this is known as exposure. Most professional cameras have an Iris Ring, which turning it anti-clockwise opens and lets more light in.

White Balance tells the camera what whit should look like in your shot, therefore balancing the other colours. This function is normally done automatically, however  can this sometimes can make the colours in the shot look unnatural.

Audio is very important and should not be overlooked. Most cameras come with a built-in microphone which work fine for general work, however, external microphones can be used.

The Shutter is usually used for fast action footage. An advantage to the shutter is that it can make a shot sharper, however, the disadvantage being it can make a shot jerky.

Most cameras come with a range of effects, some can look brilliant or, if used too much, can look tacky. Again, they should be used in moderation.

Good organisation makes for a good shoot. When planning a shoot you need to think of many things such as audience, the purpose of the video - the shots will fit this best, casting, script, equiptment and location. When thinking about your location it is vital you do a location scout, this is to ensure if it suitable for your shoot, if you are permitted to shoot there, the weather and how this will affect your video, facilities for your cast and crew and finally, the sound levels.