In the following video you can see some of the most important camera shots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe2PqbUk0bU
In this video you can learn more about the camera movements:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z68dMBAAn-k
1. Camera operation and functions:
Recording Speed:
Never ever record to a video tape at any speed other the Standard Play. The camera has other options as Extented Play, but do not use it because the tape stays the same lenght, we just put more and more information on it and the quality gets worse.
Date/Time Imprint:
It is important to know which control on the camera turns off the date/time feature. Once this information is on your tape, it cannot be removed! If you do not want to see it, then you have to turn it off before you begin shooting. The timecode should be similar to this: 02:13:38:24 which means the recorded time:
01- one hour, 13 minutes, 38 seconds and 24 framed shots per second
Fade and Dissolve Control:
If you are planning on editing the tape you shot, do not use the built-in fade and dissolve effect because you cannot remove this special effect afterwards and 'recover' the images.
The Zoom:
If you want to have a particular item, person on focus, you have to zoom in first, then focus and zoom out. This way the certain person, object will be on focus while shooting. If you do not do that, the image would not be clear enough and out of focus.
White Balance:
No matter if are outside or inside, whenever you change the location of the camera, you have to redo the white balance. In order to do this you have to point the camera to a white wall or paper. If you do not do that, the picture's lighting would not look natural as you can see in the image below.
This is an example how the picture would look if you do not check the white balance.
Tripod usage:
We have learnt how to use a tripod and how to put a camera on it. In order to fix the camera, so it is in the right position, you need to do "bubbling". The tripod is definitely very important because we can shoot smoothly and without shaking. If you hold the camera, that is called "handheld" and it is used to evoke a feeling of chaos. The film Coverfield is shot all the way trough with handheld camera and the audience can imagine that is also there because of the shaking, it makes the action believable.
The following video is about how to use a video camera:
2. Using the camera.
Rule of Thirds applying to film language:
Do not film the object/person in the middle of the frame and do not shoot eyes e.g. close up shot, within the first line, it is supposed to be slight above or under the first line. It is good to keep a space before the face because otherwise it would look like the person is facing a wall.
3. Continuity editing.
180 degree rule:
This rule helps to maintain continuity by ensuring that the action within a sequence takes place in front of an imagining 180 degree line. If the line is crossed the change in perspective can be disorientating for the audience.
Eyeline match technique:
It means that a character looks at something and in the next shot we see what they are looking at.
Cross cutting:
This involves cutting back and fourth between different locations which helps to convey that two or more things are happening in the film in the same time. It also builds suspence.
The following video summarizes what continuity is about:
4. Mistakes in the first shoot.
In our first shoot, the preparation for the preliminary task we have broken the 180 degree rule once by shooting over the shoulder shot from the wrong side. In addition, sometimes there was empty space in the frame (broken rule of thirds).
5. Industry terminology.
STAND BY / STANDING BY - readys everyone into position for the take. The AD calls STAND BY and the response tells them that everyone is prepped
TURN OVER / TURNING OVER (Roll film/Rolling etc) The director tells the camera operator to start filming - a few seconds of film is then run as the camera gets up to speed - this is often referred to as LEAD IN. Once done the Camera operator will respond TURNING OVER or ROLLING (etc) to indicate being up to speed
ACTION! - Cue for the actors to perform the take, and the crew to do their jobs. It is good practice for the Director to let the film run on a further few seconds after the take is completed before cutting - this is referred to as LEAD OUT
CUT! - Cue for the camera to stop running film. Industry practice expects that the camera operator does not CUT before being told
5. From still to video camera.
I found filming with a video camera very different and far more exciting. I enoyed very much because it is such a nice feeling to use the camera, shoot and then to see the result. It also is very interesting to find out how cameras work and to finally figure out how our favourite movies has been shot.
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