Shooting productions in the real world, away from the studio, requires creativity, compromise, and patience. This course will teach ways to accomplish the best video possible while coping with all the challenges of shooting on other people’s property.

Storytelling

Topics to be covered include:

• Handling the camera: How to hold a steady shot, why we do not like pans and zooms, get close-ups by getting up close.

• Exposure control: Understand f-stops, how does the iris affect exposure, using zebras effectively, shutter speed, gain.

• Composition: elements of composition, using the theoretical in the real world.

• White Balance: understanding color temperature how to train yourself to watch for changes in color temperature Using color temperature creatively.

• Lighting: Principles of good lighting, ratios, different kinds of light (Rembrandt light, half light, lite side vs. dark side lighting, hard light vs. soft light), different light sources, the 3-light setup, how to use everyday fixtures and light on the cheap.

• Stories: Time permitting we will watch stories that illustrate the principles discussed in the class and examine some of the difficulties encountered while shooting them.

Camera work

This one or two-day course is structured to offer camera operators a toolset for HD & HDV camera technology. Topics to be covered include: HD & HDV camera operation, proper exposure for HD, optimizing for the field, optimizing for post-production, proper camera set-up, essential paint menu manipulation and troubleshooting. The one-day course covers all of the above topics and three hands-on sessions. The optional second-day class is designed to provide greater hands-on proficiency and give opportunity for individuals to develop preferences and set-ups in regards to HD & HDV camera operation and acquisition.

Greenscreen Video Techniques

This exciting workshop will be split into two parts - the instructor will actually be demonstrating these techniques live, not just talking about them! The first half of the evening will cover shooting and lighting techniques when shooting HDV with a greenscreen background. The second half of the evening will cover using and keying the greenscreen in Final Cut Pro. You’ll get to see how a proper greenscreen shot is set up, lit, and videotaped as well as how it is then imported into FCP, and then inserting a new background.