Digital Video Pre-Production

1. Develop ideas. How do You generate ideas ? What do u want to say ? How do u want to convey it? Who is your intended audience ? Do u want to entertain, educate, shock, titillate, scare, make the punters feel good, convince them to a course of action or a way of thinking, feeling, propaganda, selling a product, etc etc. Look at Bertolt Brecht.
2. Ascertain what your goal is and work out how to realize that.
3. What is the presentation medium ? tape, cd-rom, streaming video. dvd
4. Brainstorming. Just keep generating ideas without judging them. Become inspired, motivated by your environment, other people, music(beck), books. Watch people.
5. Length of piece.
6. Use whatever methods, styles suit you.
7. Write, then storyboard or reverse if it suits your style.(Are you visual or verbal?)

Just Do it ! Develop ideas and brainstorm them.

Types, genres of video pieces
Documentary, "fly on the wall"(rats in the ranks, big brother), drama, comedy, news story, a current affair style story, action, kung fu, ads, advertorial (danoz), cooking, lifestyle programs(our house), sport, soap opera, melodrama, tragedy, cop shows, music video, satire, irony, science fiction. Instructional, reality tv(BB), childrens programs, crime, gangster(sopranos), game shows. Combinations. Out of context.

Style
Realism, melodrama (over the top), fantasy, expressionistic, surrealism, dreamy, grunge, punk, abstract, weird, spooky, atmosphere, arthouse, violent, sensual, based on relationships, film noir, Silent films,

Narrative Method
Sequential, linear, reversed, non-linear, cut back and forth , flashbacks(wonder years), Quentin Tarantino(Pulp fiction),

2. Pre-production, Video Camera shoot

Video Standards
PAL, Secam, NTSC
Analog - Umatic, VHS, Video8, HI-8, VHS-c, Svhs
Digital - Digital 8, MiniDV, BetacamDV , DVDrom,
Digital Video File formats
.avi, Quicktime(.mov), RealVideo, JavaEncoded, IBM Hotmedia. MS Media.
Analog vs Digital
Analog loss of signal, Digital = clone
Non-Linear editing possible

Video Camera Operation
Maintenance - keep out of dust, sun, heat , cold, condensation.
Don't leave in car etc. Look after batteries
Clean lens
Batteries
Shutdown if not needed, Viewfinder sucks most power
Use manual zoom, Don't use autofocus

Use "Camera" mode for filming

White Balance Indoor and outdoor light
Automatic White Balance
Choose Auto-Focus or Manual
Auto - Focus
pros - can follow action easily
Cons - too noisy, Hunting, Sucks power, Focal area is determined by camera not operator

Manual Focus

• zoom in, focus up, and pull back out before shooting
• depth of field : max =
  1. wide angle
  2. small aperture
  3. more light
• Push auto - when in a hurry - use it

1. zoom into an object about 50 metres away, set focus to infinity, then adjust the diopter ring in the viewfinder until it is focused to your eye - every body is different -check this before you start shooting ! or
2. adjust diopter until the indicator lettering inside viewfinder is in focus

1. full auto
2. aperture priority- chooses correct shutter speed for the light conditions, then you can adj ust the iris (aperture) to whatever you desire. N.B. Backlighting - due to auto exposure reading bright sky e.g. you need to stop up (let more light in) by increasing aperture setting, so e.g. person's face is not too dark.
3. shutter priority - for sports - use fast shutter speeds
4. full manual - choose your own combination of aperture and shutter speeds (e)Portrait Mode- narrow depth of field so background is out of focus
5. Sports Mode - automatically selects fast shutter speeds

PANS AND ZOOMS
pans - don't do them !!
If You must , start on still , pan slowly, stop on still and hold-if you do decide that a pan is necessary rooms - avoid them - intensity of interview increases - pull in slowly - creates certain mood - creates movement
zooms - avoid them like the plague
if intensity of interview increases, pull in slowly
creates a certain mood, creates movement

TELEPHOTO
don't use unless you have a tripod. less depth of field

HAND HELD
Always use widest angle lens - move in and out physically to frame up gives less wobbly picture if wide angle and it also provides more depth of field .