TV Production

Xiaoxi Wang

Introduction What is television? “Television is a telecommunication system for broadcastin

g and receiving moving pictures and sound over a distance. The term has come to refer to all the aspects of television from the television set to the programming and transmission.”

How do you make TV programs? This is an abstruse knowledge, which is concerning a very

extensive area. The presentation just goes through a overview of production background and practice.

The director

The work of a TV director: Organizations The size and type of production A presentational role In some particular fields( drama, concert, sports) Combining with producer in smaller productions

Production emphasis

Picture and sound to present events Some needs a quiet background to perform

(interview, piano recital). Some needs “hype” for subjects: flashing, lig

ht effects, color, unusual sound quality, strange camera angles

Production emphasis

The effective programs: Some are based on a compilation of video-

tape and film material interlaced by commentary and music.

Some are based on action. Some ate based on reaction (dialogue: important or incidental)

Selective tools and techniques

Tools: Camera Microphone Techniques: Varieties in shots (proportion; composition

mode; centres of attention; changing subjects affect)

Techniques

How to achieve: To change the shot size and camera

viewpoint: moving the subjects; moving the camera; changing the subject seen.

Look at a particular feature and follow a certain thought process

The screen transforms reality Camera shooting and the frame of TV screen can

make the original isolated area to a absolute new picture.

An arrangement doesn’t exist in its own from the originality.

An arrangement in continual close-shot can make different effect from the integrated subject in audience’s mind.

3-dimensional form has a rebirth as a flat mode on the TV screen.

Interpretative techniques

Example: to shoot a mountain climb: don’t use straightforward shots, but use low angles to represent threatening, venturesome, dangerous scene.

Production pressure

Limited time Segments-continuity Evaluating the audience impact (timing, tens

ion, etc.)

Single camera

Scripting

Unscripted improvisational shooting: documentaries and news

Scripted shooting: out of sequences

Single camera shooting

Traditional method to make film Out of sequence

Flexibility of viewpoint

Shots inter-cut Requiring several

cameras Time of shot( period

between pictures change)

Continuous single camera shooting

Following camera Woking to the camera Stretched facilities

Discontinues single camera shooting

Shooting uncontrolled action keeping the viewpoint and using the

zooming to make variety of shots Moving camera to change the viewpoint and

zooming

Discontinues single camera shooting

Shooting controlled action (drama, film) You can control the action, camera, lighting

etc. to fit the needed shots. Repeating one action to use long, medium

close shots You can have chance to change the

shooting subject.

Segment shooting

It depends on the request and purpose in dramatic development.

Multi-camera

“The multiple-camera setup is a method of shooting films and television programs. Several cameras—either film or video—are employed on the set and simultaneously record (or broadcast) a scene. It is often contrasted with the single-camera setup, which uses just one camera on the set.”

The use of cameras

Change by grouping

Shooting static subjects

Moving camera to change viewpoint Pan over to relate different parts Light changing Showing different characteristics in small subjects

Variety by effects

Combining shots Multi-images Separate screens Add background and

color

illusion of relationships

Audience’s sense is from the visual hint; the related direction; movement; comparing characteristics;.

Planned viewpoint In different camera shooting from different direction, there

are series of shots that you can choose for requirement. Example: C1: wider shots (MS to LS) C2: primarily CU C3: hold CU

Making tension

Beginning with interaction between characters; dialogue, story line

Influencing by: strong shots; music; effect; ambiguous information; lacking information; etc.

Pace

Script: word length; scene length; dialogue duration

Delivery: high-pitched, fast sounds – rapid pace; low-pitched, slow sounds – slow pace

Treatment: the pace for camera movement; performer movement; switching

Usually, audience pay more attention on visual pace than sound

Bad techniques The main subjects are ignored. Details are ambiguous. No primary and secondary Some particular scene never give in detail Some events in later show is eliminated in a short time Too brief titling or graphics Be careful to use CS,MS,LS etc in a scene or event Don’t break an action easily Some dialogue, attitude, guest mistake in interview The camera doesn’t follow the speaking person in time Wrong cued performers Confusing shots

Audience’s concentration Usually in a program, the audience concentration i

s increasing in tension from the beginning to the end。

The directors and authors rely on the intuition and experience.

Relaxation-climax-relaxation Avoiding the story line old-fashioned that audience

can know it before the end. If the pace and the facts are too fast and fast-cutti

ng with a slow episode ,the audience will lost

Visual assist

In music performance, the emphasis is on sound, however you cant make a blank screen, the camera shows the executants’ expression, appearance and how they play the instruments in order to make audience pay attention to the visual effect.

Indicate passage of time Explaining title Fade in-fade out Cut away Time indicator Lighting changing from light to dark Before and after events Particular Sound showing the time Defocus and refocus

Conclusion Don’t just learn from book, try the real practi

ce of producing TV program.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_production http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_camera_setup http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-camera_setup The pictures with cat-foot are drawn by Xiaoxi

Thank you!

Questions?