This text has been written to provide three groups of video enthusiasts with enough information to produce acceptable single-camera video productions: the media production student, the professional who needs a refresher in the basics, and the first-time video camera owner. It is a basic, introductory book designed to point the beginner in the right direction.
This is not an advanced book in preproduction research and writing, nor is it a book on advanced techniques in electronic editing. Each of those subjects deserves its own title.
I wrote this book from three points of view: first, from that of an instructor introducing the techniques that lead to quality video productions using a single video camera; second, from that of a practitioner who has spent 50 years working in professional television and learning the contents of this book the hard way—that is, by making mistakes until I finally got it right; and third, from that of an academic fielding 20 phone calls per week from people new to electronic production who desperately want information about single-camera video production.
This book outlines the process of working with a single video camera from beginning to end, with an emphasis on the actual production process. First, however, you must lay some groundwork before picking up your camera. The video camera and recorder remain two complex pieces of equipment, despite efforts to simplify them. The process by which a video image is created is also complex, and you must understand it to properly utilize the benefits and master the restrictions of the medium.
The first section of this book contains a simplified explanation of how and why the video and audio signals are created. It also describes the technical restrictions in a video system. The second section describes the equipment: cameras; recorders; and audio, lighting, and mounting equipment. With the first two sections providing a firm base, the third and fourth sections carry you through the production process from preproduction planning (which is much more important than most beginners realize) to setting up, rehearsing, shooting, and striking. The final section touches on the postproduction process and the importance of shooting for the editing process.
As the media production world rapidly moves toward a nearly all-digital environment, I have included those changes that are critical for single-camera production. From experience, I am aware that the rapid changes will necessitate new information on virtually a monthly basis. I have attempted to anticipate some of those changes, but at the same time I have avoided making any wild guesses as to the next level of production changes. There are too many new concepts and proposals in process; some of them will be working years from now, others will be gone within 6 months. All we can do is watch and take advantage of what the field has to offer. Also, keep in mind that it is not the paintbrush that makes the difference, it is in the mind and from the hands of the artist.
Additional Comments on the Fourth Edition
The greatest technical change since the publication of the previous edition of this book is in the miniaturization of equipment and the movement away from all moving parts and to solid-state options. A key factor in the move of media toward an “all-digital” production format is the realization that all media must start in an analog format and, for humans to comprehend the messages, they must be returned to an analog format. Media converted to a digital format may be easily manipulated without loss of quality, but it cannot be viewed or listened to until converted into a form that the human eye and ear can interpret. For that reason, analog theory and technology remain a critical part of this book and will continue to be until humans can directly interpret a digital signal.