Video Camera Techniques, 2nd Edition

Book description

Video Camera Techniques is an ideal starter guide for anyone owning a camcorder, newcomers to the field of broadcast or corporate video-making, or students who all wish to make videos to professional standards.


Written in Gerald Millserson's easy to understand style, this step by step guide will help you to master the operation of your camera and quickly develop your own style and imaginative skills.

This new edition now covers the latest types of video camera and gives guidance on camera handling and picture making form basics to advanced techniques.

Gerald Millerson's books on video and television have long been acknowledged as among the best ever published. For more in-depth coverage of all aspects of video production his highly acclaimed Video Production Handbook is the definitive work on the subject. He is the author of two other titles in the Media Manuals series - Lighting for Video and Effective TV Production. His other books published by Focal Press are The Technique of TV Production (now in its 12th edition), The Techniques of Lighting for TV and Film and TV Scenic Design Handbook.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Table of Contents
  6. INTRODUCTION
    1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  7. VIDEO CAMERAS
    1. Consumer camera systems
    2. Professional camera systems
  8. MEET YOUR CAMERA
    1. You can always check
    2. Successful picture making
  9. CAMERA SYSTEMS
    1. One-piece units
    2. Modular systems
  10. CREATING THE PICTURE
    1. The CCD image sensor
  11. THE CAMERA LENS
    1. The zoom lens
    2. The focus control
    3. Adjusting the lens aperture
  12. THE VIEWFINDER
    1. Types of viewfinder
    2. Viewfinder adjustments
  13. SMALL-FORMAT CAMERAS
    1. The video light
    2. The camera microphone
    3. The need for indicators
  14. PORTABLE/LIGHTWEIGHT CAMERAS
    1. Formats
    2. Power flexibility
    3. Working set-up
  15. STUDIO CAMERAS
    1. The camera chain
    2. Facilities
  16. HAND HOLDING THE CAMERA
    1. Moving around
  17. SUPPORTING THE CAMERA
    1. Simple camera supports
    2. Body supports
    3. Stabilizers
  18. THE MOUNTING HEAD
    1. Balance
    2. Drag
    3. Types of head
  19. THE CAMERA TRIPOD
    1. Design details
    2. Altering camera height
    3. Beware!
    4. The tripod dolly/rolling tripod
  20. THE PEDESTAL
    1. Types of pedestal
    2. Counterbalancing
    3. Operating the pedestal
  21. JIBS AND CRANES
    1. The jib arm
    2. Studio cranes
  22. ADJUSTING THE LENS APERTURE
    1. Adjusting the iris
    2. The effect of adjustment
  23. CONTROLLING EXPOSURE
    1. Light levels
    2. Basic solutions
    3. Tonal contrast
    4. Selective exposure
  24. FOCUSING – THE PRINCIPLES
    1. What affects the depth of field?
    2. Does this effect really matter?
    3. Following focus
  25. FOCUSING – THE PROBLEMS
    1. Selective focusing
    2. Shifting focus
  26. DEPTH OF FIELD IN PRACTICE
    1. Adjusting light intensity
    2. Practical operation
  27. FOCAL LENGTH AND LENS ANGLE
    1. Altering the focal length
    2. Lens angle
  28. VARYING THE LENS ANGLE
    1. Moving the camera
    2. A range of angles available
  29. LENS ANGLE AND PERSPECTIVE
    1. Forms of distortion
    2. Deliberate distortion
  30. WHY CHANGE THE LENS ANGLE?
    1. How changing the lens angle can help
  31. LENS ANGLE PROBLEMS
    1. The normal lens
    2. The narrow-angle lens
    3. The wide-angle lens
  32. THE ZOOM LENS
    1. Lens limitations
    2. Zoom lens design
    3. The shot box
  33. ZOOM LENS PROBLEMS
    1. Take care!
    2. Pre-focusing the zoom lens
  34. AUTOMATIC CONTROLS
    1. Types of auto-control
    2. Motorized zoom
    3. Auto-focus
    4. Problem subjects
    5. Auto-exposure control (auto-iris)
  35. CLASSIFYING SHOTS
    1. Defining the shot
    2. General classifications
  36. BASIC SHOTS OF PEOPLE
    1. General terms
    2. Terminology
  37. UNKIND SHOTS
    1. Lens angle
    2. Camera height
  38. LONG SHOTS
    1. Shot preferences
    2. Camera operation
    3. Lens flare
  39. MEDIUM SHOTS
    1. Camera operation
    2. Audience interest
  40. CLOSE SHOTS
    1. Regular problems
    2. Depth of field
    3. Subject movement
    4. Confining the subject
  41. CALCULATING SHOTS
    1. Measuring the shot
    2. How to use the graph
  42. THE PICTURE FRAME
    1. The two-dimensional world
    2. Tight and loose framing
    3. Headroom
    4. Receiver masking
  43. FRAMING THE SHOT
    1. Avoid routine centering
    2. Offset framing
    3. The rule of thirds
    4. Framing people
  44. REFRAMING
    1. Reframe during movement
    2. People enter the frame
    3. People leave the frame
    4. Maintaining good framing
  45. THE BASICS OF COMPOSITION
    1. Line
    2. Tone
    3. Balance
    4. Unity
  46. PRACTICAL COMPOSITION
    1. Adjusting composition
  47. COMPOSING IN DEPTH
    1. Enhancing depth
    2. Aim at natural effects
  48. CONCENTRATING ATTENTION
    1. Focusing interest
    2. Overdoing it
    3. Peeking through
  49. INAPPROPRIATE SHOTS
    1. Stylized camerawork
    2. Dubious treatment
  50. PROBLEM SHOTS
    1. The wrong shape
    2. Spread subjects
    3. Shooting into lights
  51. CHANGING CAMERA HEIGHT
    1. Pedestals
    2. Why alter camera height?
    3. Unexpected effects
  52. HIGH SHOTS
    1. Working with a high camera
    2. Problems with high shots
  53. LOW SHOTS
    1. The effect of low viewpoints
    2. Operational problems
  54. DOLLY SHOTS
    1. Tracking lines
    2. The effect of dollying
    3. Focusing
    4. Floor surface
  55. TRUCKING AND ARCING
    1. Methods of trucking (crabbing)
    2. Arcing
    3. Operating problems
  56. DEVELOPING SHOTS
    1. The mechanics of developing shots
  57. CAMERA MOVEMENT
    1. Ultra-lightweight mountings
    2. Heavy mountings
    3. Controls
    4. Points to watch
  58. IN THE FIELD – SINGLE CAMERA
    1. Supporting the camera
    2. Safety
    3. Sound pickup
    4. Using a tripod
  59. VIDEOTAPING
    1. Methods of shooting
    2. Anticipating editing
  60. LIGHT AND LIGHTING
    1. Light intensities and contrast
    2. Light direction
    3. Color temperature
    4. Light characteristics
    5. Basic lighting equipment
  61. REMOTES – MULTI-CAMERA TEAM
    1. Location vehicles
    2. Camera distribution
    3. Initiative
    4. Problems
  62. STUDIO PRODUCTION
    1. Facilities
    2. Production techniques
    3. Teamwork
    4. Multi-camera shooting
  63. READY FOR REHEARSAL
    1. Studio camera check-out
    2. Preparing lightweight cameras
  64. CHECK THE STUDIO
    1. Cable routing
    2. Checking dollying areas
    3. Ready to go
  65. CAMERA GUIDES
    1. Camera script
    2. Information sheets
  66. IN ACTION
    1. During rehearsal
    2. During the take
    3. Be prepared
  67. THE DIRECTOR RELIES ON YOU
    1. Be adaptable
    2. Using initiative
  68. LINING UP YOUR SHOTS
    1. Repeated shot accuracy
    2. Why bother?
  69. MATCHING SHOTS
    1. Avoiding spurious effects
    2. Matching shots and mixed feeds
  70. SHOOTING UNREHEARSED ACTION
    1. Preparation
    2. Methods of approach
  71. PROBLEMS DURING THE SHOW
  72. HELPING THE TALENT
    1. Advising the newcomer
    2. Anticipation
    3. Remember the prompter!
  73. HELPING LIGHTING TREATMENT
    1. Altering the camera angle
    2. Lighting hazards
  74. HELPING SOUND TREATMENT
    1. Sound pickup techniques
    2. Cooperation
  75. THE SWITCHER AND THE CAMERA
    1. Helping the switcher
    2. Watch the tally light
  76. SHOOTING GRAPHICS
    1. Lining up graphics
    2. Light problems
  77. SHOOTING PEOPLE
    1. Single shot
    2. Two shot
    3. Groups
    4. Crossing the line
  78. SHOOTING DEMONSTRATIONS
    1. Organizing close shots
    2. Restricted depth
  79. SHOOTING THE PIANIST
    1. Optimum camera treatment
    2. Depth of field problems
    3. Camera movement
  80. SHOOTING INSTRUMENTALISTS
    1. Instrumentalists
    2. Orchestras and bands
  81. FILTERS AND EFFECTS
    1. Neutral density filters – ND filters
    2. Colored filters
    3. Effects filters
  82. ALL DONE BY MIRRORS
    1. The direct approach
    2. Using mirrors
    3. Problems with mirrors
  83. CAMERA CARE
    1. The camera in use
    2. Batteries
    3. Routine checks
  84. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
    1. Some basic exercises
    2. Shooting people
  85. FURTHER READING
  86. GLOSSARY

Product information

  • Title: Video Camera Techniques, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Gerald Millerson
  • Release date: August 1994
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136049934