The Basics Unit Test Study Guide

TV Production
Use this study guide along with your worksheets; and mrsgtvproductions.blogspot.com
(youtube link); Video Basics I, II, III and Sound Success Segments I, 2, 3 to study for the
Unit Test.
Basic Shooting:
-Manual Iris and Focus Controls are two important functions to look for when purchasing
a Camcorder
-Having an external microphone input jack is another key factor to consider when
purchasing a Camcorder.
-A headphone jack to monitor audio while recording
-The best way to stabilize your shot is to use a tripod. If a tripod is not on site, use a
table, a bench, a rock ,etc. (stable surfaces) to stabilize your shot.

Lighting:
-Ideal lighting for capturing outdoor footage is on an overcast day
-A cheap tool that can be used to provide extra light or color balance is a reflector.
-White balance insures the correct color temperature each time you change locations.
-Use Barn Doors when light spills where you dont want it to. This will block off light
and direct it to exactly where you want it.
-A gel is used to change the color of the light.
-If your shot is too dark or too bright, go to manual iris and make adjustments. The iris
controls the amount of light, similar to your pupil function.
-When outdoors,;
+if the sun is too bright, use a diffuser to decrease light intensity.
+If the sun is coming from the side of your subject, you can use it as your main (key)
light source

Sound:
-One of the disadvantages when using built-in microphones is that they can pick up a
lot of background noise.
-A shotgun mic is good for long or short distance miking.
-The lavalier mic is small and concealable
-One of the advantages to using a wired mic is that radio interference is not as great an
issue

-One of the advantages to using a wireless mic is that you can move around more freely.
-The best balanced cable to use when hooking up a wired mic is an xlr cable.
-Ambient noise refers to environmental issues.
-Use headphones to monitor your audio when recording
-A wind sock over the microphone helps to block wind noise when taping outdoors. If a
wind sock not available, have someone hold up a foam board to block the wind; turn
away from the wind direction, or use a building to block the wind.

Shot Composition/Movement:
- Pan: Horizontal (lef/right) camera movement
- Tilt: This is a vertical (up/down) camera movement:
- Zoom: This is an optical (toward/away) movement
- Truck: This is a physical (left/right ) camera movement:
- Dolly: This is a physical (toward/away) movement
- Pedestal: Not tilting, but physically moving the height of the camera up or down,
usually on a tripod.
- Hitchcock Zoom, Zolly or Dolly Zoom: - This is a strange and wonderful camera
movement that is one of the least common, but one of the most noticeable. The camera
physically dollies, either in or out, and at the same time the lens zooms in the opposite
direction.
- Rule of Thirds: The rule of thirds states than an image is most pleasing when its
subjects or regions are composed along imaginary lines which divide the image into
thirds both vertically and horizontally:

-Look Room: off-set framing of a person in the opposite side of the direction the person
is looking.
-Shot Types (ECU; CU; MS; LS; Establishing Shot or ELS; High Angle; Low Angle;
Dutch; Face-to-Face)