Chapter 4: Video Camera Operations

Head Room

the space from the top of a person's head to the top of the television screen

Great Depth of Field

When a camera's depth of field is as large as possible, but also keeps all the items in the image in focus wile zooming.

white-balance

You need to _______________ a camera every time you enter a new lighting environment, no matter how close the lighting seems to the eye

Rule of Thirds

A composition rule that divides the screen into thirds horizontally and vertically, like a tic-tac toe grid placed over the picture on a television set. Almost all of the important information included in every shot is located at one of the four intersections of the horizontal and vertical lines

White balance

A function on cameras that forces the camera to see an object as white, without regard to the type of light hitting it or the actual color of the object.

Macro

A lens sitting that allows the operator to focus an object that is very close to the camera

Shallow Depth of Field

a depth of field technique that moves the audience's attention to the one portion of the picture that is in focus

shot sheet

A numerical listing of each shot to be captured by each camera in a multi-camera shoot. Shot sheets are developed specifically for each camera.

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.

over-the-shoulder shot (OSS)

A shot in which the back of one person's head and shoulder are in the foreground of the shot, while a face shot of the other person in the conversation is in the background.

profile shot

A shot in which the talent's face is displayed in profile. Horizontal angle.

Extreme Close-Up (ECU/XCU)

A shot of an object that is so magnified that only a specific part of the object fills the screen

medium shot (MS)

A shot that captures a subject from the top of the head to a line just above or below the belt or waistline. Also called a mid shot.

Close-Up (CU)

A shot that captures a subject from the top of the head to just below the shoulders. Also called a narrow angle shot.

Long Shot (LS)

A shot that captures a subject from top of the head to the bottom of the feet and does not include many of the surrounding details

four shot

A shot that captures four items.

reaction shot

A shot that captures one person's face reacting to what another person is saying or doing.

medium close-up (MCU)

A shot that frames a subject from the top of the head to a line just below the chest. Also called a bust shot.

three shot

A shot that frames three items.

medium long shot (MLS)

A shot that includes the top of a subject's head to a line just above or just below the knee. Also called a knee shot.

two shot

A shot that includes two items of primary importance.

group shot

A shot that incorporates any number of items above four.

establishing shot

A specific type of extreme long shot used to tell the audience where and when the program takes place.

pre-focus

A three-step process to focus a zoom lens. 1) Zoom in on the furthest object on the set that must be in focus in the shot. 2) Focus the camera on that object. 3) Zoom the lens back out.

shot

An individual picture taken by a camera during the process of shooting program footage.

studio pedestal

Because it is pneumatically or hydraulically controlled, the _________________ is capable of raising and lowering smoothly while on air.

pedestal down (PedD)

Lowering the camera on the pedestal of a tripod, while facing the set. The tripod and dolly remain stationary.

pan

Moving only the camera to scan the set horizontally, while the dolly and tripod remain stationary.

arc

Moving the camera in a curved truck around the main subject in the shot—the main subject never leaves the frame of the picture.

pan left (PL)

Moving the camera to the camera operator's left to scan the set, while the dolly and tripod remain stationary.

pan right (PR)

Moving the camera to the camera operator's right to scan the set, while the dolly and tripod remain stationary.

truck

Moving the camera, its tripod, and dolly to the left or right in a motion that is parallel to the set.

dolly

Physically moving the camera, its tripod, and dolly perpendicularly toward or away from the set.

tilt

Pointing only the front of the camera (lens) vertically up or down while the dolly and tripod remain stationary.

tilt down (TD)

Pointing the camera lens down toward the ground, while the dolly and tripod remain stationary.

tilt up (TU)

Pointing the camera lens up toward the ceiling, while the dolly and tripod remain stationary.

dolly out (DO)

Pulling the camera backward while facing the set.

pedestal

Raising or lowering the camera on the pedestal of a tripod, while facing the set. The tripod and dolly remain stationary.

pedestal up (PedU)

Raising the camera on the pedestal of a tripod, while facing the set. The tripod and dolly remain stationary.

arc left (AL)

Rolling the camera, tripod, and dolly in a circle to the camera operator's left (clockwise) around the subject of a shot.

arc right (AR)

Rolling the camera, tripod, and dolly in a circle to the camera operator's right (counterclockwise) around the subject of a shot.

high angle shot

Shooting talent with the camera positioned higher in the air and pointing down at an angle.

dolly in (DI)

Smoothly pushing the camera directly forward toward the set.

extreme long shot (ELS/XLS)

The biggest shot a camera can capture of the subject matter. Also called a wide angle (WA) shot.

minimum object distance (MOD)

The closest an object can be to the camera and still be in focus.

depth of field (DOF)

The distance between the closest point to the camera that is in focus and the furthest point from the camera that is also in focus.

rack focus

The process of changing focus on a camera while that camera is hot. Also called pull focus.

nose room

The space from the tip of a person's nose to the side edge of the frame. Also called a lead room.

truck left (TL)

To move the camera, its tripod, and dolly sideways and to the camera operator's left while facing the set.

truck right (TR)

To move the camera, its tripod, and dolly sideways and to the camera operator's right while facing the set.