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Camera Operators Guidelines

Important things to remember when using a Camcorder:

1/ FOCUS:

Always use manual focus - auto focus can be easily upset when you least want it to be by changes in the shot framing, movement, etc.

2/ WHITE BALANCE:

If your camera has a manual white balance always remember to white balance every time the lighting conditions change, or if possible, before every shot or series of shots. Correctly white balancing the camera will ensure realistic looking colors.

If you don't have a manual white balance be aware of the limitations of the auto white balance of your camera. In most conditions it will be fine, however when the light falling on the cameras auto white sensor (usually a small white square somewhere on the front or top of the camera) is different from the light falling on the subject then the picture might not be correctly white balanced. Note: if your camera has a through the lens white balance system then you should not have this problem.

In these situations you can usually select the cameras white balance to either an indoor or an outdoor preset position, depending whether the light falling on the subject is daylight or tungsten light from an ordinary lightbulb. Some cameras even have a setting for fluorescent light.

3/ STABILITY OF SHOT:

Support your camera as steadily as possible. If you don't have a tripod, or you are in a situation where it is inappropriate to use one, brace the camera firmly against your body and if possible lean against a door etc.

Use wide angle (zoomed out) as much as possible when hand holding the camera (get as close as possible to your subject if you have to do a close up) as any camera shake is far less apparent the wider the zoom setting.

Another way of getting a more stable handheld shot, especially with a small camcorder, is to use a mono pod (a single pole tripod). This allows you to support the camera against the ground, while still allowing freedom of movement. It is also useful with a shoulder camera (such as an M40 etc.) and can act as a brace against the shoulder when fully collapsed, and can be extended quickly to give more stability to zoom and follow action in the distance. It is not as good as using a decent, solid tripod, but it is lighter and easier to carry and set up in a hurry.

Concentrate on making any pans and zooms as smooth as possible, decide what your starting and finishing shots are before you do the pan and hold the starting and finishing

shots of each pan for ten seconds or so, this will assist the editor.

Tips for assisting the editing process:

The way you take your shots and the type of shots you take can greatly affect the ease of the editing process.

Take plenty of static shots for cutaways, with lots of changes of frame and close ups etc. for the editor to be able to piece together over the story that is read from the studio. Use a tripod if you have one, otherwise us wide angle and frame your shot by moving closer or further away from it.

Do some zoomed or panned shots as well, but make sure they are smooth (use tripod) and have plenty (say at least 5 sec) of the beginning and end shot of the take.

Another good idea is to leave an extra five to ten seconds of pre-roll before each shot and five to ten seconds of postroll after each shot as this is necessary for the machines to be able to correctly lock up in the editing process if the editing is done using linear machines.

You can mark each scene or change of story by recording ten seconds of black (just with the lens cap on) and this will help the editor to find a particular scene on cue forward etc. You can also hold your fingers up in front of the camera to indicate takes, or just hold your hand over the lens to indicate shot changes.

Before you turn the camera off after shooting a story, always leave ten seconds of black (even just your hand over the lens) so that if you turn the camera back on in a hurry you don’t erase anything important.

Interviews:

If you are doing an interview film the main part of the interview with a medium close up (head and shoulders) shot of the guest (preferably using a tripod) from over the shoulder of the interviewer so that the guest is looking at the interviewer and hence slightly to one side of the camera and ALWAYS leave more space on the side of the frame the person is looking towards than the other (looking room).

After the main interview is completed you should move the camera round to the opposite over the shoulder position behind where the guest was standing and film the questions again and also noddie shots if the interviewer. The editor will then edit these as necessary to make the completed interview.

Always have the interviewer use a handheld mic for any interviews and make sure they hold it about a hands length from the guests mouth (make sure it is not too obvious if it is shot). Never let the guest hold his own mic. Never rely on only the camera top mic, unless as a last resort, and if you have to do this get as close as possible to the subject. If you have two lapel mics this is another option for getting good sound.

Always listen to each interview on headphones as you are doing it to ensure there is no overly loud background noise or any buzzes from faulty mics etc. Correct these things by mic placement, moving location, changing mics etc.

For more information see other handouts and refer to me if you have any problems.

 

David McLauchlan

Producer

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