Basic Camcorder

I. Introduction-You Know More About Video Than You Think

You are aIready an expert on video. You may not know it, but you are "literate" in this important medium to a high
degree. Don't think so? f you watch local or network news, sports coverage, game shows, talk shows, "This Old
House," or anything that isn't a Hollywood movie or prime-time network entertainment show, you are a sophisticated
consumer of high-quality video programming. You have (unconsciously maybe) studied how the pros do it. f you want
your videos to look professional, try to think backward a little bit, especially after today, and figure out how they got a
certain picture or shot. We'll go over the standard types of shots and compositions, and a few of the non-standard
ones that can have interesting effects.
n this workshop, we'll go over the basics of planning a video, how to operate the camera, fundamentals of picture
composition and camera movement, and touch on in-camera editing. We'll offer true video editing and other advanced
video skills in future workshops.

II. Thinking Like a Producer-What's Your Message? Who Are You Trying to Reach?
f you're shooting the 1990s equivalent of the snapshota party, a wedding, a child's birthdaybe ready to react
quickly but smoothly to unexpected changes in the action (more about this later). You are in essence shooting a
documentary, so different expectations and standards apply. f you're shooting a planned productiona video
greeting, a tour of a facility, a teaching or marketing presentationgood results (even barely acceptable ones) require
a little careful planning.
Try to develop a mental picture of what your message is and how you want it to be received. Do you want your
message delivered with flash and dynamism? s your message better conveyed with deliberation and smoothness? t's
important to keep your intended audience in mind during this planning stage. Are you shooting for kids? Adults?
Professionals? Undergraduates? Understanding their expectations and meeting them as closely as possible is an
important part of planning your video.
Where are you going to shoot? Do you need permission to shoot there? Must you reserve the space in advance? f
reservations are needed, be safe and overestimate how much time you'll need. What about noise? Will your
microphone pick up unwanted traffic sounds, sirens, or aircraft? Such sounds may add immediacy and authenticity to
certain types of videos, but they would be real distractions in others. Consider factors such as these as you do your
planning.
Don't expect to get all of these things right the first time. That's why the pros rehearse. Allow time in your planning for
a few run-throughs before you actually try to tape anything for keeps. This gets everybody used to the camerathe
people in front of it and the people behind it.
III. Camera ControIs-Where They Are, What They Do

Viewfinder, White BaIance, Focus, Zoom
Features can vary from camera to camera. Whether you have a conventional VHS camcorder or a newer 8mm or Hi8
camera, the following basics will generally apply.
A. The Viewfinder
The viewfinder is really just a little television, or video monitor, that shows you what you're shooting and how it will look
when you're done. You can also play back whatever you've just shot on this little monitor to see if it looks okay.
Most viewfinders display information about the status of the camera so you can keep track of things while you're
shooting. Most will indicate whether you're recording or not, a tape (or time) counter, an exposure indicator telling you
whether there is enough light, and most importantly, an indication of how much power is left in your battery.
B. White BaIance-True CoIor Reproduction
Our eyes automatically adjust for different types of light, but the imaging devices (or "chips") in video cameras that
change the light into electronic, recordable signals can't do that. f the camera is incorrectly set the colors will be off.
Fluorescent lights tend to give whites and other colors a bluer look, and sunlight and incandescent lights tend to give a
redder tinge. To allow for this shift in color, set the camera's white baIance adjustment for the type of lighting you're
shooting in.
n the same kind of light you'll be shooting with, aim the camera at something whitea piece of blank paper, a white
wall, a white blouse or tee shirtand press the white balance button on the camera. After a moment, there should be
an indication in the viewfinder that the adjustment is complete. For the rest of the taping, unless your lighting changes,
your color reproduction should be accurate. f you start taping outside, as guests arrive at an afternoon party, set your
white balance there. f you move inside under fluorescent lights in your kitchen or den, you need to reset it under the
new light conditions so the colors will be consistent. t only takes a few seconds, and it makes a big difference. Some
of the latest cameras do this automatically. Check your instruction manual to be sure.
C. Focus and Zoom (Wide-AngIe to TeIephoto) ControIs
The most identifiable indicators of the amateur videographer are poor or inconsistent focus and constant zoom, in and
out, in and out. Here's how to prevent both from drawing away from the subject of your video.
1. Focus is important for a clear picture (unless you're doing a piece on what it feels like to be drunk), and many
cameras have an autofocus feature. This is a mixed blessing; it does automatically reset the focus, but it may not
focus on what you are focusing on. t works best with a stationary camera and an unmoving subjecta speaker at a
podium and the camera on a tripod, for example.
Autofocus works less well if you're working with the camera in your hands, trying to tape one person in a moving
group. f you're taping a softball game for example, the camera would constantly shift the focus as different people
move in front of the lens. t doesn't know whom you're trying to keep up with. n addition, cameras usually try to focus
on what's in the center of the frame. What if you're trying to get the batter on one side of the picture with the expanse
of the field filling up the framewhat will the center-weighted autofocus do?
ManuaI focus is the best way to go in these situations, but that can be difficult with the small viewfinders on some
cameras. f you're not sure of the focus (or you can't wear your glasses when you put your eye to the viewfinder), aim
the camera at your desired subject and turn on the autofocus to get the focus right. Then turn if off, compose the
picture the way you want, and off you go.
A professionaI focusing trickWhen focusing manually, you can preset the focus to get the most "depth of field."
This is the range of distance from the camera that's in focus. This only works if the camera stays stationary once it's
set, however. Follow these steps:
1. Zoom all the way in (a close-up) to the obj ect furthest away that you want in focus.
2. Set your focus manually (or automatically, but turn the autofocus off when it's set).
3. Now everything from fairly close to the camera to that point will be in focus unless you
move the camera.
2. Zoom controIs change the focal length of the lens, which affects the image you record. Zooming out (usually "W"
on the zoom control) gives you a wide-angIe shot. The angle in question here is the angle of view that the lens
presents, which is fairly wide from side to side, depending on the type of lens on your camera. As you zoom in, the
lens (its focal length, really) gets longer and the angle of view gets narrower. n the middle range, the focal length and
angle of view closely resemble the view of the human eye. When the camera is zoomed out, the result is a narrow-
angle, more commonly called a teIephoto shot. (See the illustrations on the next page.)
Zooms are fun, and they give you tremendous flexibility, but the temptation to use them too much overwhelms many
beginning videographers. Resist that temptation! The zoom is a fairly recent technical innovation in lenses. t's just
thirty or forty years old or soand remember all those movies from the 1960s that zoom rapidly in to a close-up of our
heroand remember how distracting that was? Compare that with just about any professional film or video of even
slightly more recent vintage and you'll see that the zoom is used sparingly.
To be more precise, they use it all the time, but not while taping. They regularly go from close-up to long shot and all
points in between, but usually not while the camera is running. Go ahead and try it while taping some non-essential
things to see how it looks, and adapt your style accordingly.
IV. Video Composition- The Basics of a Good Image
Shot Distance, Headroom and Noseroom, Backgrounds, Subject Movement
The most common subj ect for videotaping, of course, is people. How do you make them look their best without
distracting from them? There is one primary rule of thumb for both video and still photography: loser is better. How
many snapshots have you seen (or been in) where the subject's best smile is lost in a picture that has too much
background? Get in there, get close... but be careful if you use your zoom to get that close-up. 'll explain that shortly.
A. Shot distance
To the right is a series of stiIIs representing the different types of "shots" from Iong shot to cIose-up:
1. Extreme Long Shot (XLS)

Also known as a cover
shot, this sets the
scene by placing your subject
in his environment for your
viewer.

2. Long Shot (LS) or fuII shot
Similar to the XLS,
but with more
emphasis on the
subj ect relative to the
background.

3. Medium shot (MS) or waist shot

This one's name is self-explanatory.

4. CIose-up (CU) shot
.the same with this one.

5. Extreme CIose-up (XCU)
.and this one. Note the way the top of
the head is cut off, while the top of the
shoulders is in the shot. When framing
this tightly, make sure you don't cut the
head off the shoulders, or it will look
like a disembodied head in space.


B. Headroom and Noseroom
Headroom and noseroom are the terms for proper framing of close-ups. The CU on the previous page is an example
of good headroom. Here's another:


Too much headroom makes the subject appear to drop out of the frame, like this:


And of course, too little headroom makes him look like he's being pulled out of the top of the frame:

Try to give your subject enough room in the frame without giving them so much that it swallows them. Remember,
you're working on a TV screen, not a movie screen.
Your subject needs noseroom for proper framing in a profile shot.


This is good noseroom.

...and this isn't.




C. Backgrounds-Enhancing Your Subject, Not Distracting from It

Be conscious of what's behind your subject. How many times have you seen lamps or trees growing out of someone's
head? Watch out for it or your subjects could end up like these poor characters:

D. Subject Movement-How to Keep It in the Frame
The whoIe thing with shooting peopIe is that they rareIy sit stiII. Who wouId want them to? This is video, after
aII. How do you keep them in the frame? Two basic ruIes appIy in most situations.
1. Leadroom means aIIowing space in the frame for your subject to move or point into. This gives your viewer
a sense of moving or Iooking (or imagining) with the subject, in a way going where the subject goes, even
though they reaIIy can't. Compare these pictures:

The one on the left looks like we're going somewhere with the runner; on the right, he's leaving without us. Try for
leadroom when possible (or desirable). But.how do you do that?
V. Camera Movement-Pans, Tracking, TiIts, SpeciaI AngIes
Most people in casual use don't need a tripod.but most of the time it really shows. These are the guidelines for
moving the camera without making your viewer seasick.
1. A pan is a lateral, left-or-right movement of the camera while standing still (or mounted on a tripod). Try for slow,
smooth movement, not jerking or hesitating. Too quick a movement can disorient your viewer, taking away their visual
cues for context. Try this when you can plan for a panning movement. Plant your feet in the direction where your
lateral movement will finish, and without moving your feet, turn and point your camera at the point where the
movement will begin. Once you're shooting, uncoil your body smoothly in the direction you want to the camera to
move. This gives a much smoother movement, especially at the end of the pan where jerkiness is most noticeable.
2. Tracking means literally to follow the action, moving behind, beside, or in front of your subject. Walking forward with
the camera on your shoulder while following your subject is going to reveal the greatest amount of shaky movement to
your viewer, so do this cautiously. This just seems to transmit more vibration to the camera. Walking alongside allows
a smoother step, but it can be harder to watch where you're going. Walking backward while leading the subject is also
smoother and you definitely can't watch where you're going very well, but this can be a very effective shot. Watch the
news or a newsmagazinethey like this shot. t appears a lot. There's movement, it's dynamic, yet it isn't flashy and it
keeps your subject smack in the middle of the frame. Just try to peek over your shoulder or get someone to guide you
so you don't find that gopher hole the hard way.
3. A tiIt shot means the camera is looking down or up, so to speak. magine shooting down at a three-year-old from
an adult's full height. That's a high-angle shot. This can be a subtle indication that your subject is weak or passive.
Shooting up at an adult from a child's-eye-view would be a low-angle shot, indicating strength or power. This may
seem to be over-stating the importance of these camera angles, but think about the quadrennial presidential debates.
Every time, they haggle about camera placement, to make sure the angles are as flattering as possible. n 1988, when
Michael Dukakis (5'8" or so, believe) was debating George Bush (6'2", think), the discussions were quite heated,
assure you.
So unless you want to make a point, or it just suits your subject, shoot at your subject's eye level when possible. This
is especially important if you're doing candid work with children. t shows their world from their point of view, and lets
your audience share it with them. f you're doing a more formal presentation, it makes it easier for the audience to
relate to your on-camera subj ect.
4. SpeciaI or obIique angIes can add dynamism and energy even to images with very IittIe movement. These
are shots in which the bottom of frame is not paraIIeI with the horizon Iine, Iike
so:
Remember all the car commercials that have the car moving rapidly across the screen, and at an oblique angle? That
makes even a Ford Escort seem a little bit inviting.

Movement: An Important Tip
Whenever the subject moves or the camera moves, try aIways to be zoomed out to a wide-angIe position. If
the camera is zoomed in on the subject, she couId move out of the frame with as IittIe as one step to the side.
Even if she doesn't move, the camera couId Iose her if it pans just a coupIe of degrees.
With the camera zoomed out, the subject has more room to move in the frame before Ieaving it, and the
camera has more Iatitude for movement without Iosing her. It's aIso easier on the viewer. Some peopIe can
get queasy if the camera moves too much, and zooming in accentuates this sensation very much. Wide angIe
is best, so combine zooming in and movement with caution.

VI. In-Camera Editing-Thinking About Continuity.or, Making Sense Out of What You Shoot
f you can't edit your footage, it becomes important to think carefully about how long each shot should run. Most non-
professionals tend to shoot too much for too long. Short and sweet is best, but it takes some planning. t may seem
cruelly short when you're taping it, but in five years will you want to watch every detail of a two-hour party? Twenty
minutes to summarize such a party is probably plenty. f, for example, it's a party for a three-year-old (or an eighty-
year-old), you won't want to get everything. There will be certain moments, though, that you just won't want to miss
the arrival and departure of the guests, a bit of general revelry or game playing, the opening of giftsbut most
important is the birthday cake with its candles. That's the key image for a birthday party, of course, but it's best if you
can build up to it, trying to tell the story of this party.
f you're preparing a more formal video, consider the important aspects you want to emphasize. f it's a tour of the
campus, for instance, you may want a longish shot, maybe five to eight seconds, fromMARTA as it approaches the
campus. Next, maybe a three-second street-level shot of the Urban Life Building, starting level and slowly tilting up to
show it against the city's skyline. From there you could cut to one- or two-second shots of students in the Library Plaza
during the break, in the University Center, working in the library, crowding the TC or the Computer Center.
Remember, you can do all this in the camera. Think about what you want to convey, what pictures will create the mood
or tell the story, and stick to the plan.

VII. ConcIusion
We've covered a lot of information in this workshop. We talked about the TV that we all watch, and how those images
are made. We went over the role of the producer, and how to think in terms of delivering messages visually. We
discussed the most common camera controls, how to use them, and their effect on the picture. We looked at examples
of picture compositions, both good and bad, and how to use different lens settings and movements for different results.
Finally, we examined the reasoning behind in-camera editing, and how to prepare for a good final result.
Making good videos is a skill, like cooking or driving or riding a bike. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or be
Steven Spielberg. Think about what you want your viewer to know, feel, or understand. Choose the types of
compositions that will effectively make that happen. Practice practice practice, especially before the critical got-to-get-it
shots. Get the shot, but if you're editing in-camera, don't hold it too long. Follow my advice and you can make terrific,
effective videos that you can be proud of. Good luck.