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Video production is a fun-filled art form that can present a creative challenge for all ages. There are a variety of formats available to you to communicate your message. You might choose to produce a current awareness documentary covering all sides of an issue, a community history including interviews and shots of old photographs and buildings, or a dramatic presentation parodying a popular television program or book. You might decide to produce a nature study, a musical montage containing no dialogue, or a program where to actors and actresses lip-sync to a pre-recorded audio track.

Students can create video programs with creativity, emotion, understanding and wisdom. As they gain experience and a thorough knowledge of production procedures, their video projects will be enhanced and improved.

This booklet is designed to assist teachers and their students in planning and producing a videotape. Such a production can provide an opportunity to educate students in the mechanics and techniques of video equipment use and the creative aspects of planning independent thinking and teamwork.

Visit video equipment dealers or local cable television stations in your area. A tour of a local TV station is a good way to learn about the equipment and production techniques professional television producers use. This booklet provides general guidelines for video production. Adapt them and let your ideas grow. Enjoy making movies!

PRE-PRODUCTION

The first step for the class should be to mutually agree on a concept or idea for the program. Determine what your primary and secondary messages are, who your audience is and what your objective is. After group discussions and brainstorming of ideas, there should be a general agreement as to the purpose and format of your video production. The format you choose (montage, drama, parody, documentary, animation, game show format, etc.) should complement the purpose of your program.

TREATMENT

The next step should be to develop an overview of the program: a one-page treatment. This treatment should be a specific description of what the program will look like from start to finish. It will be used to draft the script and storyboard before production begins.

After writing your treatment, begin pre-production of planning tasks. Continue the pre-production process by developing a story line, noting audio details such as narration, dialogue, music and other sound effects.

In the planning process for videotape production there are several questions to consider before taping can begin:

• What type of equipment is needed for production?
• How can you gain access to needed equipment?
• Who will be involved in the program production?
• When is the completed program needed?
• What is your budget estimate for the production, and how will expenses be covered?
• Are there other guidelines stipulated by outside agencies, contest rules, sponsor's requests, etc.?

BUDGET

Your video production does not have to be expensive, but a working budget is essential so you don't find yourself caught short when bills begin arriving. Just as in a theatrical production, you must make allowances for the cost of equipment, props, lights, make-up, music and food. Additional costs you might need to cover include talent and location permits. Obviously, not all of these costs will be present in every production, nor will you necessarily need to actually spays for them, many can be donated or covered in other ways.

PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT

Basic equipment needs include a video recording system. Your school media center or physical education department may have recording and editing equipment, or at least a portable recording deck. An interested parent may have a camcorder that could be used in your students' production work. For a more sophisticated, polished look you may want to inquire of your local cable television company as to availability of public access recording studio equipment. Occasionally, public libraries, colleges or trade schools, department stores, utility companies, or local businesses will loan production equipment to non-prom educational institutions. If you still lack needed equipment after exhausting these "free-loan" possibilities, consult the yellow pages for video equipment rentals.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCRIPT

The organization and writing of a script is a key step of pre-production. The script tells the story, and from whose point of view it is being told. You may use a narrator, tell your story in first person, or from an omniscient point-of-view. The script also includes the following:

• The dialogue and narration
• The action
• The talent
• The scene and setting
• The sound effects and music
• The graphics and credits
• The special props

The basics are discussed in broad categories within this booklet.

From the script the student producer(s) should be able to coordinate location shots and plan sets; choose the actors and actresses, decide what props, graphics, sound effects and music will be needed; and assign production craw tasks.

Each page of the script should be numbered and the project name should appear on each page, usually in the upper right-hand comer. Basic camera directions should be listed in all capital letters within the script. A selected listing of directions appears in this booklet under the heading CAMERA SHOTS.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE STORYBOARD

The storyboard is used to plan the visual images in your video program, while the script is used to plan production details. For every camera shot you plan, you should have a separate storyboard sketch. A storyboard consists of sketches that illustrate the action occurring around the written word. These rough drawings represent camera shots on a sequential basis. Using this series of sketches, you can arrange and rearrange the shots as often as you like or even take out some sketches and add new ones.

You may wish to add notes and instructions to indicate scenes numbers, camera angles and special effects. On the storyboard you can also indicate rough shooting time and describe movement to the following scene. Remember the storyboards are meant to serve only as guidelines to help you in the shooting of your video. Last minute, on location changes will occur. Be flexible.

Another idea for the storyboard planning process is to use Polaroid or other instant-camera photographs for you sketches. If the elements of your storyboard seem to lack excitement or polish, consult a few magazines with strong advertising photographs and identify the individual parts composing a single image. Examine the photographer's treatment of the key elements: camera angle, perspective, depth-of-field, arrangement, framing, lighting and content.

SELECTION OF SHOOTING LOCATIONS

Once the storyboard and script are completed students can identify and investigate locations for camera shots. Location scouts should check possible building interiors for placement of electrical outlet windows and doorways; availability of usable furniture and other props; adequate space for movement of camera equipment and talent. For exterior location shots, your equipment should be battery operated or equipped with heavy duty extension cables. The weather and physical environment will affect lighting and camera angles while extreme temperatures can cause problems with equipment operation.

For special shooting permit information, please refer to the section PERSONAL WAIVERS AND COPYRIGHT CLEARANCES. Written permission for use should always be obtained from property owners and release forms should always be signed by anyone appearing in the production.

DEVELOPMENT OF GRAPHICS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS

Plan your production to include necessary graphics in their proper sequence in order to minimize the need for editing. Techniques commonly used for posters and bulletin boards work well for student production of video graphics. Crayons, colored markers, commercially prepared vinyl letters and even 35 mm slides can be used to create interesting graphics and credits for your class production. You might consider other novel, inexpensive approaches for conveying information in the opening and closing shots: pixilated alphabet blocks, writing in the sand, etc. If you have access to a character generator (a computer that generates letters and number for display on a television screen or a microcomputer with a special circuit board) you may be able to record signals directly onto your videotape. Or, you may elect to record a monitor displaying common computer graphics.

Some production considerations and limitations of video cameras and monitors should be addressed. When designing graphics for video production, bear in mind that the vertical to horizontal ratio of any television screen or viewfinder or a video camera is 3:4. Also, a television screen often displays only about 85 percent of the area viewed through a video camera. You should allow for these factors when planning your graphics and camera shot. For other special effects, you may wish to use a close-up or multiple-image lens available at many video and photographic supply stores. In selecting or borrowing special lenses, check to make sure they will fit your camera or obtain an adapter that will adjust the lens to a proper fit. Finally, remember that special effects can clutter a program. Use them only if they serve a clear purpose in your production.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUND TRACK

The built-in microphone of a portable camera is convenient, but will pick up all sounds occurring in or around the recording location. If you choose to use an external microphone with an extension cable you will pick up the talents voices more clearly. The best sound results from using such a secondary source for recording the audio track.

The audio dub control on your portable video recorder can be used to add music, narration or voice-overs to your videotape. When using the audio dub, you erase and re-record only the-audio portion of the tape. When using the audio dub or working from a secondary sound source (tape recorder), be careful not to be out of sync with the visual image.

Try producing a short test tape as a means of becoming familiar with this process and with your audio quality before recording sessions actually begin. Carefully plan the audio track. There should be a natural progression of sound dialogue and music.

PERSONAL WAIVERS AND COPYRIGHT CLEARANCES

Every person appearing in the video production should sign a release form granting permission to be taped. You should also get written or oral clearance from the owners of property utilized in the program. If you plan to use city parks or public buildings in your program, special permits are often required from City Hall, the Fire Department, etc.

If any music or sound tracks are used in the production, copyright clearances should be obtained in writing from the copyright owner. There are phonograph records and cassette tapes available in most libraries that contain Public domain. music and sound effects. These selections are cleared for public use and do not require that a fee be paid to the copyright owner.

Remember, too, that graphics borrowed from books, magazines or other sources must be used with permission. Television programs or commercially produced video tape segments copied for use in your production must also be legally cleared. To obtain this permission, you should write the copyright owner explaining who you are, what graphic material you wish to use, how you will use K, and whether any financial compensations will be made. You should receive a written response before continuing the use of any copyrighted material.*

*NOTE- Videos submitted to BlEFF/Student Video Expo are not required to have copyright clearances.

REHEARSAL

One of the final stages in the planning process is the rehearsal. The student production, student director and student talent should assemble under their teacher's supervision and walk through the entire program. During the rehearsal check for the following overall impressions:

• Does the pace of the program drag?
• Does the program attempt to say too much or too Idle, is the program too long or too short to communicate its message?
• Is the storyline clear and coherent?
• Is the material well organized with smooth transitions?
• Is the music distracting or inappropriate?
• Is the narration and/or: audio track of high quality and balanced in terms of volume?
• Are additional graphics or titles needed?
• Are titles readable and clear?
• Do you-offer a variety of visual perspectives?
• Is the program written in a way which presents the material imaginatively?

It may be beneficial to rehearse units of the production separately. Musicians, major characters and other may have different rehearsal needs and might want to practice at different times.

PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT

Creativity can rise above technical limitations. However, your video production can be enhanced by the sophistication of the equipment you select when planning your production. There are a variety of special features and lenses for video cameras which can give you increased flexibility in the program design and visual options as you plan your video production.

The creative aspects of your video production will be enhanced by proper equipment usage. You will need to make certain you have all the necessary connecting cables for the video camera, videocassette recorder; power supply and television set or monitor in order to record and playback your production. As soon as you have selected your equipment and are certain that all is in good working order, begin training your students with the operator's manual that is included with most video systems. If you have access to someone familiar with the equipment you will use, have that person demonstrate the equipment and explain its capabilities.

CAMERA SHOTS

Most video cameras are equipped with a zoom lens which can provide creative ways to zoom in and zoom out to the desired closeness and framing of the subject. For recording steady images, you should use a tripod to take the weight of the camera off the student's hands. Standard camera movements include:

Dolly	The camera operator moves himself-and-the entire camera in (dolly in) or out (dolly out) by wheeling or walking toward or away from your subject.
Truck	The camera operator moves himself/herself and the camera to the left (truck left) or right (truck right).
Tilt	The camera operator moves the camera up (tilt up) or down (tilt down).
Pan	The camera operator pivots the camera to the left (pan left) or right (pan right).

The subject can be portrayed in a number of ways by varying the distance from the subject. Shots include:

Long shot (LS)	This establishing shot encompasses a large area of the scene and establishes where the action is taking place.
Medium shot (MS)	This camera shot usually focuses on one or two persons, showing just their heads, shoulders and upper torsos. The background becomes secondary.
Close-up shot (MU)	shot that zeros in on one person or subject and shows facial expressions or a certain detail in a demonstration or on an object.
Extreme or tight close-up (ECU)	This angle is used for dramatic effect or to show very tiny detail -for example, eyes filled with tears or the street number on a house.
Point-of-view (POV)	The camera defines the characters perspective to the audience.

Camera position can add psychological effects to a scene. Basic camera positions include:

Eye Level	The talent's eyes should be located one-third from the top of the screen.
High Angle	The camera should be located on a raised platform.. The high-angle shot, which looks down on the subject, can make a person appear smaller and weaker.
Low Angle	The camera should be low to the ground or the talent on a raised platform. A low-angle shot looks up at the subject, making a person appear larger than life and domineering.
Extreme Overhead	The camera is directly above the talent shooting downward.

LIGHTING

Modern video cameras feature color balance controls and require much less light than older models. Daylight most often provides enough light to create a bright image in your camera's viewfinder for outdoor shots. Avoid shooting with the sun behind your subjects, for they will appear too dim as compared to the bright sunlight. Bright lights can also damage the camera's tube.

For indoor shots, check the location for artificial light sources - ceiling lights, lamps, windows. If the image in the camera's viewfinder is not clear, you may need additional clip-on lights or spotlights. Remember not to overload electrical circuits by plugging in too many lights. Arrange the artificial light sources so that there are no shadows on the subject and so that the subject is separated from the background. Avoid shooting directly in front of a window. Natural light may be too bright and make your subject appear dark on the videotape.

A short test tape is a good way to check your lighting quality before a recording session actually begins.

TRANSITIONS AND EDITING

The best transitions are the ones a viewer never notices. Make sure that camera move are steady and the production flows smoothly. A simple cut (a careful stopping and starting of the tape) is most often used as a transition from shot to shot. For transitions between scenes, a slow zoom and fade (where the image being recorded slowly grows dimmer) are the two most common techniques used.

If you have access to editing facilities, many sophisticated transitions can be electronically produced. Complicated multiple shots and editing techniques (wipes, flips, breaks, etc.) will give a program a slick, professional appearance. Check -with your local cable television company, regional media center, library or professional production house for possible assistance in these areas

AUDIO TRACK

Your student production should be a total experience combining visuals with audio. What people hear should be integrated with what they see Silence, used effectively, can be very powerful. Special sound effects create a sense of drama, while background sounds add to the sense of reality. Music can make transition, fill the background, create rhythm, set a tone or build emotion. Your audio track may be pre-recorded, recorded while videotaping, or added after the video portion has been completed. Dialogue should be imitation of conversation; relaxed and spontaneous. It should be interactive - not two monologues. Each actors words should fit the personality of the character and remain consistently so throughout the production. Narration should be short and simple. After students write the words to be spoken, read them aloud. By reading them into a tape recorder and playing them back, changes can be easily made to enhance the audience's understanding of the program's message.

SHOOTING SCHEDULE

Develop a written shooting schedule for organizing your shooting activity. Use your storyboard as a guide. Cluster the shots to be taken in order to minimize set-up time. Sometimes it makes sense to shoot scenes out of order and rearrange them in the edit. Consider the possibility. By developing a timetable your can make appointments for equipment use and shooting locations. This will allow teachers, student and their families to plan their own schedules. Do not underestimate the assistance you will need. Involve other curriculum areas and teachers in the total writing and production processes. Develop checklists for equipment, props and other materials you will need to complete the program. Do not forget to plan adequate transportation of equipment and crew.