Electronic News Gathering – The Basics

Information Department NWFP - Peshawar

April 27 – 30th 2009
DAY ONE
Journalism?
• Journalism is the business concerned with producing
news reports and editorials through various types of
media including newspapers, magazines, radio and
television, and the Internet.

• Journalists—be they writers, editors or photographers;

broadcast presenters or producers—serve as the main
purveyors of information and opinion in contemporary
society.

• "News is what the consensus of journalists determines it

to be."
Electronic Journalism?
• Electronic journalism - known as "EJ" - is most
associated with broadcast news where
producers, reporters and editors make use of
electronic deleting devices for gathering and
presenting information in telecasts and radio
transmissions reaching the public.

• The editorial systems available provide

journalists with tools for fast and flexible
assembly and delivery of electronically gathered
and edited news reports.
Electronic News Gathering?

• ENG is a broadcasting (usually television) industry acronym which

stands for ‘electronic news gathering.’

• In its early days, the term ENG was used by newsroom staff to
differentiate between the NG (news gathering) crews that collected
TV news with traditional film cameras and the new ENG crews who
collected TV news with new electronic analogue tape formats.

• Film needed to be processed before editing, unlike tape where

footage could be edited fairly quickly, thus dramatically reducing the
turn-around time for a story. The use of film in news gathering
virtually disappeared by the early 1980s.
Electronic Field Production?

• Electronic field production (EFP) term referring to ‘television

production’ which takes place outside of a formal studio, in a
practical location or special venue. Some typical applications of
electronic field production include, awards shows, concerts,
major newsmaker interviews, political conventions and sporting
events.

• Electronic field production (EFP) places the emphasis on high-

quality, multi-camera photography, advanced graphics and
sound.
Television?

• Television (TV) is a widely used telecommunication medium

for transmitting and receiving moving images, either
monochromatic ("black and white") or color, usually
accompanied by sound.

• The word is derived from mixed Latin and Greek roots,

meaning "far sight": Greek tele (τῆλε), far, and Latin visio,
sight (from video, vis- to see, or to view in the first person).

• Commercially available since the late 1930s.

AUDIO / VIDEO (AV)
AUDIO:
AUDIO
The sound portion of the videotape. Frequencies
within the normal hearing range of humans.

VIDEO:
1: Picture portion of an electronic visual system.
2. All-inclusive term for electronic visual
reproduction systems; it includes television,
cablevision, corporate media, and video
recording.
Who Does What and Why?

• Producer:
Producer The person in-charge of launching entire production.

• Associate Producer:
Producer Who sets up schedules for the talent and
crew and who generally assists the producer.

• Director:
Director The person in-charge of working out pre-production
(before the production) details, coordinating the activities of the
production staff and on-camera talent, working out camera and
talent positions on the set, selecting the camera shots during
production, and supervising postproduction (after production) work.

• Technical Director: Assisting a director in the control room is

typically a technical director who operates the video switcher.
Production Phases
The production process is commonly broken down
into
• 1: preproduction
• 2: production and
• 3: postproduction
Pre-Production
• Usually only commences once a project has been developed and is
green-lit.

• At this stage a project will generally be fully financed and have most
of the key elements.

• The most important phase of production is preproduction.

• In preproduction the basic ideas and approaches of the production

are developed and set in motion. It is in this phase that the
production can be set on a proper course or misdirected (messed
up) to such an extent that no amount of time, talent, or editing
expertise can save it.
Production
• In production phase - program is created
and shot.
Post-Production
• The editing process after the video footage has
been shot.

• The final stage of the process, normally involving

picture editing, sound design, visual effects and
outputting the footage to a format suitable for
release.
The Camera
Without TRIPOD
Camera handling tips
The Camera
The Studio Camera
SHOT FRAMING
The Shots

There are three types of shots that are friends and saviors of the
editor: Cover, Cutaway and cut-in shots.
Cover Shot

A cover shot is an illustration of what is being talked about or

referred to.
Cutaway & Cut-in

Cutaway and cut-in shots are similar, except that a cutaway is a

shot of items that are not included in the previous or following
shot.
The Lens
 DEPTH OF FIELD

There is often confusion between the terms depth of field and depth of
focus. Depth of field refers to the image in front of the lens, and may
be thought of as relating to the field of view. Depth of focus refers to
the elements in focus behind the lens at the plane of focus.

The depth of field is the distance between the nearest and the farthest
subjects from the lens that will appear to look sharp.
Shoot for Edit
1. Continuity for Action
As the subject picks up the pencil in
the WS, the CU must be shot so that
the rate of picking is the same and the
same hand and pencil are used.
This seems like a logical action.

2. Continuity for Direction

If the WS shows the subject facing to
the left and the reporter right hand
reaches across the frame to the left,
then the CU must show the hand
moving to the left

3. Continuity for Location

Continuity of location includes
Lighting, background, and audio.

The Three Types of Continuity

Rule of Third

The original video standard frame ration has been 4 units wide by
3 units high (4:3).
HEAD-ROOM

• Headroom is the visual distance from the top of the talent’s head to
the top edge of the video monitor.

• Too much headroom means that visually, there is too much space
between the talent’s head and the top of the picture. Although it is
uncommon, it is possible to have too little headroom.
LEAD-ROOM - 1

• Leadroom is the visual distance in front of a moving object (like a car

passing by) or in front of a visual composition of a person’s head.
• If the subject on camera is looking to the right or the left, “room to
look into” should be provided.
LEAD-ROOM – 2
Nose Room

The original video standard frame ration has been 4 units wide by
3 units high (4:3).
The Philosophy
In our culture, the eye starts at the upper
left, proceeds to the lower right, and
comes to rest there. For that reason, ego-
centered television program hosts usually
insist on being framed on the right; higher-
quality newscasts place the visuals on the
right; and, almost universally, prices,
addresses, and other critical commercial
information are framed on the right.
The Culture
The cultural values attributed to camera
movements also affect the relative value of
the positions within the frame. If the frame
is divided into nine areas – upper left,
lower center, upper right, middle left,
middle centre, middle right, lower left,
lower centre and lower right – the position
considered the most beneficial for passing
information to the audience is the lower
right.
Camera Movement I
Even though video is moving art form,
the individual frame is essentially a still
photograph. The manner in which each
picture is framed can add to or subtract
from its perceived movement.

There are three basic means of

creating movement in either video or
film: by moving the subject, by moving
the camera, and by editing.

SUBJECT MOVEMENT: Subject can

move in three directions within the
frame: on the horizontal (X-axis) or
vertical (Y-axis) from the camera.
Z-axis movement are the most powerful
and should be used judiciously.

It is an unrealistic movement and should be used with great caution.

Camera Movement II
Camera Movement: The second way
to create movement is by moving the
camera: on its pan head, panning left or
right, or tilting up or down. If the camera
has a means of raising or lowering on a
center shaft, this movement is called
pedestalling up or down.

Movement through Zoom:

Supplementary movement created
within the lens is the zoom. A zoom
movement is created by carrying the
focal length of the lens, which
increases or decreases the angle of
view. The Zoom, especially with a
motorized control, is an easy and
flexible movement.

It is an unrealistic movement and should be used with great caution.

Z-Axis Do’s & Don’ts
Video, like painting, photography and
cinematography, is a two-dimensional
art form. The picture has only a height
and width as received on a
receiver/monitor or shown on a screen.
The depth, or third dimension, of the
picture is perceived; it does not actually
exist as a third dimension, but it
appears to exist.

This three-dimensional appearance is

important to any visual medium.

News TV particularly depends on the Z-

axis to compensate for its smaller
screen and lower resolution compared
with photography or motion picture film.

The Three Types of Continuity

Connectors Audio
Connectors Video
Connectors Digital
MICROPHONE

Microphones are categorized in three ways: by their electronic

impedance, by their element construction, and by their pickup
pattern. In addition, microphone choices are also made on the basis
of their specific purpose or the type of audio pickup required.
MICROPHONE

AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL (AGC) Circuit that maintains the audio

or video gain within a certain range. It prevents overdriving circuits,
which causes distortion, but can increase signal-to-noise ratio.
Tripod

Tripod is a three-legged stand for a camera, used to stabilize and

elevate the camera.
DAY TWO
TV Reporting Formats

1. OC-VO (On Camera & Off Camera)

2. OC-GFX (Graphics)
3. OC-VO-SOT (Sound on Tape)
4. News Package (N-PKG)
5. Feature Package (F-PKG)

6. VOXPOP: (Latin phrase, literally means voice of the people, term

for interviews of members of the "general public".

7. Beeper / Video Beeper

8. AS-LIVE / LIVE
Video-Related Abbreviations
1. OC = ON CAMERA
2. VO = VOICE-OVER
3. VO/SOT = VOICE-OVER FOLLOWED BY SOUND ON TAPE
4. SOT/VO = SOUND ON TAPE FOLLOWED BY VOICE-OVER
5. PKG = PACKAGE
6. FX = GRAPHICS OR EFFECTS SEQUENCE
7. ESS = ELECTRONIC STILL-STORE
8. CG = CHARACTER GENERATOR
9. CAPGEN = CAPTION GENERATOR
10. LIVE = MICROWAVE OR SATELLITE REMOTE
11. MX = MICROWAVE
12. SAT = SATELLITE
13. DVE = DIGITAL VIDEO EFFECTS
14. MC = MASTER CONTROL
15. CAM = CAMERA
16. CAM 1 = CAMERA ONE
17. KEY = KEY SHOT
THE RUN-DOWN
WHY is important!

“It's very foolish to learn the

how without the why.”
~ George Lucas,
award-winning writer, producer, and director of the Star War films
Hit the target audience

• PLAY WITH EMOTIONS :

In order for your story to have value and a lasting effect, it must in
some way affect the audience emotionally. This assumes both
knowledge of the prime directive and the target audience, and it
ends up being a key to your personal success.
 The Target

• We have an interest in other people, especially in "experiencing the

experiences" of other people.
• We're interested in people who lead interesting (romantic, dangerous,
wretched, or engrossingly spiritual) lives.
The Responsibility

1: PROFESSIONAL - keep in mind, the content of a production,

good or bad, tends to rub off on the reputations of those who
produce it -- and even on the sponsors who support it.

2: SOCIAL - If a democracy is to be successful, the news media

have a social responsibility to bring truth to light - Even though that
truth may be unpopular.
DAY THREE
Lighting

Lighting practice is based on 2 suppositions: that there will be

enough light for the camera to create a reasonably useful picture
and that the appearance will fulfill the look that the director desires.
INSTRUMENTS
The function of lighting at its
simplest level is to provide
enough illumination
so that the camera can
reproduce an image. The
complexity of lighting
and lighting techniques is
drawn from the need for the
instruments to serve the
aesthetic needs of the
medium—that is, to set mood,
time, and location and to draw
attention to the critical
portions of the frame.
Lighting – Basic 3 Point

Lighting practice is based on 2 suppositions: that there will be

enough light for the camera to create a reasonably useful picture
and that the appearance will fulfill the look that the director desires.
Lighting – Basic 3 Point

The three different "points" in this type of lighting are the key, the fill
and the backlight. Each performs a separate task, and the whole
would suffer without any of them.
Lighting – Definitions
The Key Light
The key is, as the name suggests, the most important light - it's the primary light
source that provides most of the illumination on your subject. You place this light
about 45 degrees to the model's right or left and about 45 degrees above, aimed
straight at the face.

The Fill Light

The fill light is about two stops dimmer than the key - you can soften it by backing
it up, changing the power setting (if your lights have variable power) or using a
diffuser to cut back the amount of light. Usually place it on the opposite side from
the key light, at about the height of the camera. Use shadowing to make the two
sides of the face look different, so try your fill light at an angle of 15 or 25
degrees, and adjust it to suit your aesthetic.

The Back Light

The back light illuminates lights the space above and slightly behind the model.
Its purpose is to give some sense of separation between the model and the
background. Using it in a dual purpose, the backlight can also become the
background light, rimming the back of the subject while spilling across a
background, especially one with some texture, such as fabric.
Typical Lighting Setup
Spot Light – Flood Light
Beam Spreads
 Spot Lights
Seven types of spotlights
categorized on the basis of their
functionality include,
the plano convex, ellipsoidal,
Fresnel, Parabolic Aluminized
Reflector (PAR), PAR Pin, Beam
Projector and Followspot spotlights.

The Fresnel spotlight is named

after the French physicist Augustine
Fresnel who designed the "Fresnel"
lens. Fresnel lenses are mostly
Fresnel Spot Light
used in lighthouses.

Barn-door: a four-flap sheet metal lighting accessory mounted to the front of

a lighting instrument that permits greater control in how a light is aimed.
Basic 3 Point Lighting
Lighting Situations
3 4 1.
5
Key Light
1. Key Light
2. Fill Light
1. Key Light 2. Fill Light
3. Back Light
2. Fill Light 3. Back Light
4. Set Light
3. Back Light 4. Set Light
5. Kicker Light
Controlling the shadows

Backlight: lighting instrument located 45 degrees up and to the

rear of a talent position. A backlight provides visual separation
of the talent from the background.
 Lighting – Complex - 01

Multiple lighting sources need to be set without creating multiple shadows

 Lighting – Complex - 02

Multiple lighting sources need to be set without creating multiple shadows

PART FOUR
Hand Cues
Verbal Cues
STAND BY: This is a call for quiet on the set or location, especially from the
cast and crew. It means they must give the director their undivi ded attention and
wait for the next cue.

ROLL TAPE: This is the cue to the tape or camera operator to start the tap e
rolling and recording and must be followed by –

SPEED: (By the tape or camera operator): This cue indicates to the director that
the tape is rolling and recording, up to speed and locked in, ready for the call for
action

ACTION: This indicates to both the cast and crew to start their rehearsed
action, speech, movement, etc.

CUT: This cue means to stop recording, acting, or any other action. It is an
indication from the director that either the required material has been recorded
or that something has gone wrong and to continue would be a waste of time.
Tape Log Sheet
Edit Decision List
From Shooting to
output
Digitizing Steps
Non Linear Editing
Process
NLE
Schematic of Microwave Relay
Schematic of Satellite Relay
CONCLUSION

Plan for the worst

and
Shoot for the best!
Advice

Shabbir Hussain Imam - 0300-959 2491 - peshavar@[Link]