Ten Fingers   What to remember when you’re shooting video

 1.Action 2.Reaction 3.Wide 4.Medium 5.Tight

#1 Action #2 Reaction One person’s face reacting to what another person is saying or doing Shows the emotion in the scene A common reaction shot is over the main actor’s shoulder

#3 Wide Establishing shot Sets the scene Extreme long shot (ELS/XLS) includes a person’s body from head to toe plus surrounding info Use ELS sparingly – does not give viewers much detail Long shot (LS) captures a person from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet Medium long shot (MLS) includes the top of a person’s head to a line just above or below the knee

Note: Avoid framing a picture so that the edge of the picture cuts a joint of a human body (ankles, knees, waist, wrists, elbows, or neck). It makes the person look like they have amputated body parts!

#4 Medium Medium or “Mid” Shot (MS) captures a person from the top of the head to a line just above or below the belt or waistline Medium Close-Up (MCU) frames a person from the top of the head to a line just below the chest. This is the shot usually seen of newscasters on daily news programs.

#5 Tight Close-up (CU) or narrow angle shot captures the top of the head to just below the shoulders Don’t cut off the shoulders – you end up with a disembodied head Extreme Close-Up (ECU/XCU) shows a specific body part

 1.Action 2.Reaction 3.Wide 4.Medium 5.Tight

 Be sure to mix action and reaction, wide, medium, and tight  Medium action shots predominate – boring!

Each time you set up the shot on the tripod: Shoot wide, medium, tight, action and reaction Do not touch the camera while it’s shooting Pick up sticks, shoot, then move

NO PANS! NO ZOOMS!

 6.Eyes 7. Nose 8. Sound 9. Background 10.Light

#6 Eyes Rule of thirds Eyes on third at any distance

#7 Nose Nose room is the space from the tip of the person’s nose to the side edge of the frame Avoid the impulse to center the subject in the frame Always have more space in front of the nose than behind the head

Avoid flat-on profiles – no dimension, unflattering An exception to the “No pan” rule: If the main subject moves, follow him/her; this is a motivated pan

#8 Sound Always do a mic and battery check before you leave Use headphones whenever you can Background sound – the noise that is normally associated with a particular location Room tone (a.k.a. natural sound or “nat sound”) – the sound present in a room or location before human occupation Always collect some background and natural sound - you will need it later when editing

#9 Background Strive for depth and perspective Do not stand the subject against the wall or lockers; the photographer should stand with his/her back to the wall instead Avoid glare (windows and mirrors) and shadows

#10 Light Main rule: Avoid backlighting! If you have any control over the lighting, try to simulate a three- point lighting set up: key, fill, hair/back

#1 Key Light Strongest light To the side of the subject One side is well lit, the other has some shadows

3 point lighting 1.Key – brightest, to the side, provides a clear view of one side and shadows on the other 2.Fill – opposite the key, less intense, fills in the shadows 3.Back – indirect, provides highlights and definition around the edges of the subject; separates the subject from the background 4.(Bonus if you have it) Light the background

 6.Eyes 7. Nose 8. Sound 9. Background 10.Light

 1.Action 2.Reaction 3.Wide 4.Medium 5.Tight 6.Eyes 7. Nose 8. Sound 9. Background 10.Light