Download Objective 8

8.01 Concepts, Term, and Principles of Audio and/or Visual
Communication
 The elements of a video production
 Different types of audio devices and their purpose
 Basic techniques for video production
Relative Terms
Animation
Audio
Back light
Channel
Cinematography
Condenser microphone
Cross-fade
Decibels
Depth-of-field
Dolly
Echo
Fill light
Hertz
Key light
Marketing research
Pan
Persistence of vision
Pressure microphone
Reinforced
Script
Shooting script
Standing wave
Tilt
Truck
Ultrasound
8.01 Concepts, Term, and Principles of Audio and/or Visual
Communication
Audio/Visual Communication
The most important criteria in effective electronic communication are communicating the
message. To effectively target a particular group with an audio or video message, it is
important to know a group’s characteristics such as age, sex, and income level. Finding out this
information is known as marketing research. Before a persuasive video production begins,
market research should be completed.
There are several different aspects of video production, which include pre-production,
production, and post-production. The following section will expound on the system in which a
production is developed. During pre-production, the sound portion of a television broadcast is
called the audio. The audio may include spoken word, background music, and sound effects.
The written part of an audio commercial that includes everything that will be said is called the
script. A divided form, with one side for video and the other side for audio is termed shooting
script. Generally, before the shooting script is complete a storyboard has been developed. The
storyboard is a video production aid that illustrates the major sketches of each scene and
corresponding narrative. On a storyboard, the intended position of actors and actresses during
filming can be represented by stick figures.
During production of a video segment, there are several basic camera movements when video
taping. These movements include pan, dolly, truck, and tilt. Pan is pivoting the camera left to
right whereas truck is moving the camera left to right. Another camera movement is pivoting
the camera up or down, this is defined as a tilt.
Back Light
In addition, dolly means to move the camera
(Behind and
toward or
above subject)
away from the subject.
Key Light
(Brightest light
closes to subject)
Fill Light
(Softer light)
8.01 Concepts, Term, and Principles of Audio and/or Visual
Communication
A good rule-of-thumb when videotaping is to use the zoom sparingly during the production.
The depth of field, area in focus, is affected by zoom feature. . As the amount of light on a set
increase, the depth of field increases. Generally, while videotaping your shots should be as
close as possible, while still capturing detail. Light can be a crucial factor while videotaping.
When videotaping under normal circumstances, one usually avoids backlight because it tends
to cause the subject to appear underexposed.
A good rule of thumb is not to shoot into the sun. However, in professional productions,
backlight may be used to add a three-dimensional feeling in regards to the subject. Fill light is
used specifically to reduce shadows on the subject. The main lighting, known as key lighting,
is the brightest light and is used to illuminate the subject.
Although video production is typically accomplished with a camcorder, other video productions
are used as well. A person sees a video as continuous motion when in fact the video is made up
of many still photos. This principle is termed persistence of vision. Both cinematography and
animation employ persistence of vision. Using photographic techniques to make motion
pictures defines cinematography. The illusion that an object is moving due to small changes in
position of the object is animation. Animation is customarily accomplished via conventional
drawings or computer.
The human ear is sensitive to the sound wave frequency range of approximately 25- 20,000 Hz.
Sound waves exceeding the frequency a human can hear are termed ultrasound. Loudness of
sound is measured in decibels whereas sound and electro-magnetic frequency waves are
measured in hertz. Hertz is the measure of how many waves are produced in one second. (Pg.
392) Electromagnetic waves may have messages placed on them; these waves send messages
from television and radio stations. Today, satellite systems are used for both radio and
television. Customers sometimes subscribe to satellite TV as opposed to a local cable television
company. Satellite radios are available throughout the country. A customer purchases a
particular radio from a company and subscribes from the satellite provider. The customer can
then listen to virtually any radio station or genre in the United States. Another avenue that has
increased the demand for radio production is the Internet. Radio production has its standards as
well. With radio production sound is of the utmost importance. There are several other
qualities of a good radio station. The Disc Jockey (DJ) is responsible for running commercials
at a certain time and for a certain time length, having a voice/personality consistent with the
format of the show. They must also make sure there is always something being aired/played
(avoiding dead air), and catering to a certain marketing arena (such as age). If the sound quality
is poor, listeners will tune to another station. Sound quality is of the utmost importance in both
8.01 Concepts, Term, and Principles of Audio and/or Visual
Communication
radio and TV production. Sound produced in the radio studio that causes objects or surfaces to
vibrate sympathetically is said to be reinforced. In the radio production studio, sound that has
bounced off on surface before reaching the microphone is echo. Sound waves are
reflecting between parallel walls in such a manner that a wave reflected in one direction
combined with an identical wave going the opposite direction produces an uneven
sound known as standing wave. The use of carpeting on the walls of some radio
station facilities is an example of soundproofing the studio. Soundproofing eliminates
an echo and/or reverberation. Soundproofing is typically used in radio production.
During air-time, there are certain signals used in production. Cue talent, a hand signal, almost
always follows immediately after the stand-by hand signal. If you hold up the index, second,
and third fingers of one hand in front of you, the announcer
knows there are three minutes left in the program? In local radio
studios, there is generally one person in the studio working a
combo. To “work combo” in radio, means that the announcer
operates the studio equipment and also announces. The
announcer or disc jockey (DJ) uses an audio console to mix
audio. When a disc jockey fades down one CD at the same time as
another CD is faded up creates a cross-fade. On an audio console, the
term channel refers to a group of switches, faders, and knobs that are
usually associated with one sound source, such as a CD player or
microphone. Most recording are completed on a stereophonic device,
this
is were the sound is recorded on two different tracks and generally
separated to go to the left and/or right speaker. Typically, on a monophonic device the sound is
recorded on one track and that single signal is split to go to both the left and right speaker. If a
stereo cassette tape recorded on both sides were played on a mono cassette recorder, the stereo
tape would be audible but would not be stereophonic. Inevitably, all of today’s audio/visual
equipment is stereophonic. In both radio and video production the type of microphone used
will affect the overall sound or quality of the production. Some of the microphones commonly
used are listed below. The dynamic microphone’s sound generating element is constructed of a
diaphragm, a permanent magnet, and some coils of wire wrapped around the magnet. The coil
is where a small electrical current induced during use. Another name for a dynamic
microphone is pressure microphone. A condenser microphone is most likely to be found in a
broadcast-quality audiocassette recorder because it has excellent frequency response, and rarely
captures background noise. Most broadcast quality microphones are low impedance, low
resistance in the electric current within the microphone. There are three main types of plugs
used for the audio signal include the RCA plug, phone plug, and the XLR plug. A XLR
broadcast connector has a guide pin whereas a phone has a sleeve and tip and an RCA plug
can be found on the back of your VCR or DVD player (Communication Systems, C. Johnson).
8.01 Concepts, Term, and Principles of Audio and/or Visual
Communication
As technology grows exponentially, the analog signal is becoming a thing of
the past. Surround Sound
receivers, CD’s, DVD’s and HD-TV are replacing such analog devices as the
cassette tape, VCR, and analog TV. The mid-grade automobile comes
equipped with a DVD player where the HD-TV is replacing the analog TV.
HD or High-Definition televisions provide a clearer picture as opposed to the
standard red, blue, green electron-gun (cathode ray tube) television. The HD
television still uses the electron gun, but sends the signal to an LCD (liquid crystal display)
screen with a screen resolution that is twice as high as the analog television. Not only is the
picture on the HD-TV about twice as clear, it also offers a wider screen
format. This means the viewer is able to see the film as it was recorded.
There are also HD-format video cameras as well. Soon the general
analog video camera will be replaced with the HD-video camera. As
electronic devices change, manufactures are combining televisions,
VCR’s, and DVD players in one unit. Although this is a convenient
feature, should a malfunction occur, the owner must send the entire unit in to be serviced even if
only one device malfunctions.