The training “40 hours at the shooting area”

The purpose of the training:

In conditions close to real television specificity, to give the trainees practical skills in the main genres used in television production. As the main model in this training, events which actually take place in the territory of the city are selected. Such events, which are public, informative, pavilion and loyal to the TV are chosen. Therefore trainees of all specializations have the opportunity to talk with real people and esquire unique creative skills of team work.

Method:

Implementation of filming news story with current events without prior group training (instructor-led).

The task of the journalist:

4 hours to collect material for writing text of a news story with a timekeeping up to 2 minutes; the theme of text is determined by enumeration over the range of the event themes (the most interesting to the viewer);
To acquire the skills of individual work without preparation (impromptu) on intuition;
To acquire the skills of teamwork – interaction with the producer, cameraman, director, film editor, sound engineer and other colleagues;
To practice the vision of TV interview:

The clarity of questions,

Tracking the clarity and conciseness of speech and clarity of thought in the formulation of issues,

Physiognomic escort of interlocutor,

Hold yourself from parasitic echoing back and unsubstantiated utterances of other replicas-parasites.

To practice the skills of formulating no less than 3 questions arising from the context of the conversation that were not previously agreed with the teacher and asked impromptu;
Learn to ask impromptu questions clearly;
To make an attempt to record stand-up – precount that contains information, disclosing and evolving material of designed plot.

The algorithm of work of a journalist (at the site):

To determine the theme and coordinate it with the teacher;
Identify the group of information carriers (employees of the organizing Committee of the event, participants, visitors, etc.) and to agree to conduct an information interview;
Think through and write out a list of questions to the information carrier (10 questions);
To write an informational interview;
Do not forget to specify in the first or last question the name and surname of the interviewee, as well as its position (for correct spelling of the subtitles);
Prepare some variants of impromptu precounts on camera "stand-ups"
Record 3-4 doubles of "stand-up";
To prepare a journalistic assignment to operator and directors to meet future text visuals;
Decipher the interview and select 2-3 of the most striking episode (up to 10 sec. each);
Write a draft text of the story taking into account to the parts of the interview and the most successful doubles of stand-ups;
To agree on the text of the story with the teacher;

The task of the operator:

4 hours to film the original video for the montage of a news story.
To develop skills of preparatory works for the shooting.
Setup a tripod:

check the clamps on the legs of tripod and floor spider, which provide structural inflexibility of the tripod and camera,

check operability of panoramic clamps (vertical and horizontal) panning head,

check smoothness of the panning head,

setting of "neutral equilibrium" of the camera during vertical panning.

Camera setup:

measurement the overall lighting at the site,

the choice of aperture filter,

the balance of black and white,

checkup of audio channels,

setting the recording level of intercom audio track,

setting the recording level of synchronous sound track.

To provide the timing of source illustrative videos (up to 20 minutes), precounts (10-15 minutes); the average duration of the illustrative plan – up to 10 sec.
Pay special attention to the compliance of future text and movies – to practice the skills of negotiation filming with a journalist (the author of the text) and directors.
To practice the skills of storyboard of scenes and objects.
To practice the skills of selection of objects to break.
To practice the skills of shooting with a tripod and without ("off shoulder").

The algorithm of work of the operator (at the site):

To verify the completeness of the camera. Discover the basic elements of a typical configuration of TJS (television journalistic set):

Camera;

Batteries (at least 4);

Charger for batteries;

Tripod;

Tripod strap;

Camera light (“L-P-L”);

Synchrony microphone (with batteries, if this microphone - radio systems or Radio-buttonhole);

Headphones;

The video media (flash memory, tape, etc.)

To develop skills of preparatory works for the shooting.
To set up a tripod:

Check the inflexibility of the clamps on the legs;

To set and check the inflexibility of floor spider;

Attention! Without such verification, ensuring the inflexibility of the tripod and camera while absence of the cameraman near the camera, the work mustn’t be started! Typical accident – falling on the floor from a height of 1.5 meters because of the lack of fixation of the telescopic legs of the tripod legs or crawling of the spider!

Checking the operability of panoramic clamps (vertical and horizontal) of panning head;

Check smoothness of panning head;

To set the " neutral equilibrium " of the camera during vertical panning and smooth motion during horizontal panning.

To implement the settings for the camera:

To measure the overall lighting of the site through the lens with automatic aperture setting;

Make a selection of the aperture filter and shooting mode: without additional artificial lighting, using total additional lighting, using camera light-intensifyer (for example the 1st level; to pay attention to picture distortion at higher), as well as on-camera artificial light;

To perform alternately the balance of black and white in the direction of subjects;

To check sound channels;

To set the recording level of intercom and synchro audio channels.

To carry out shooting.
After completion of the shooting to eject the media and to describe the material on paper or electronic passport, stating the date of recording, the subject, the estimated timing of the recording and the names of the authors.
Return the equipment to the base in strict accordance with the specification.

The task of the producer:

During the first 2 hours of shooting to initiate and conduct a number of negotiations with representatives of large organizations participating in the event. Theme of negotiations – obtaining permits for exclusive shooting and interviews for the integration of the most interesting episodes into the final story of the event, organized by the group. It is noted that the works are carried out free of charge. Producer must pay special attention to the importance of the proposed topic for the audience. After several negotiations, the producer must decide on the only platform that will provide the most interesting topic and material. In this case, the producer must have:

The skills of the impromptu negotiation without prior agreement with random, but promising interlocutor;
The ability to impose tactfully own interests on the interlocutor – to receive a positive response, but politely not to give assurances that this information will be selected as the base;
The skills of selection of the most interesting topics;
The skills of strict observance of the interests of the crew and source of information.

The algorithm of work of a producer (on-site)

To accredit crew where it is required by the organizers.
Get the event news release in the organizing committee.
To view the list of participants of the event and choose the most promising from the point of view of the information they can provide.
To conduct a series of negotiations by the scheme given in the assignment (to pay the partners ' attention to the fact that the produced story can be published on the resources of the event organizers if the owners of these resources will find the story interesting).
To write out all the topics, proposed by interlocutors.
To select the most interesting topic in accordance with your intuition.
To clear this issue with the teacher.
To write out a list of sources’ of information requirements for published material.
To track the progress of filming.
In the final story to identify inconsistencies with the requirements agreed with the source of information, if they were.